Bulldog Rister 6th, makes 1st team All-BVC

By Cort Reynolds

OTTAWA__The Ada High School boys golf team finished a solid third at the third and final Blanchard Valley Conference tournament on Friday at a nice but waterlogged course at Moose Landing Country Club in Ottawa.

Van Buren won the league event decisively with 310 strokes, followed by Elmwood in second at 358, and Ada nine shots behind the Royals with 367. Riverdale came in fourth, a mere one stroke behind the Bulldogs (368). Leipsic (381) nosed out Arlington (382) for fifth place.

Arcadia took sixth at 390, followed by McComb (416) and Pandora-Gilboa (424).

The Bulldogs had finished second in the two previous BVC tournaments to runaway winner Van Buren. On the strength of their good tournament showings, Ada ended up second in the final league standings behind only champion VB.

It is the highest conference finish for any Ada links team in decades. 

Black Knight Jake Schroeder fired a sizzling, seven-under par round of 65 to capture tournament medalist honors going away. He won by 11 strokes over second-place Leipsic’s Reagan Wenzinger, who shot 76. 

Ada senior Brody Rister finished sixth individually after carding a solid 18-hole round of 42-42=84 to pace the Bulldogs.

“Our scores were not as good as we typically achieve, and course conditions were difficult with flooding in many areas,” said Ada head coach Tod Schmidt. 

“But we all played in the same conditions,” he continued. “Van Buren’s top player shot a school record 65, so clearly he overcame the conditions and played lights-out golf. 

“I was proud of how our players focused and played one shot at a time. I am so happy for our players, their families, and the school overall. We have been supported all season by donors, legacy players, parents, businesses and school administration. 

“Without that help, our players couldn’t have delivered these results,” Schmidt added.

Sophomore Case Vieira shot 43-48=91 to place second for Ada. Sophomore Arden Shook carded a 47-46=93 round.

Freshman Brooklyn Rister (46-53) and senior Lawson Klingler (44-55) each shot 99. Junior Max Baumgartner posted a 52-56=108 round.

It was the last BVC tournament for Ada seniors Rister and Klingler.

“We were fortunate Mother Nature briefly cooperated and allowed us to get the match completed between days of very heavy rain,” remarked Ada Athletic Director Ken Jochims. “I am really concerned about next week’s girls and boys sectional matches with the weather forecasts I have seen.”

With the tourney results, Ada advanced their season record to 48-6. 

Bulldog ace Brody Rister earned first team All-BVC honors. Teammate Arden Shook was named second team All-BVC, and first-year player Case Vieira received BVC honorable mention notice.

Weather permitting, Ada’s next match is a four-way meet at Colonial Golfers Club Monday evening, Sept. 21 in Harrod. The girls sectional is slated for Colonial Tuesday morning, Sept. 22. 

On Thursday, Sept. 24 the boys golf squad will compete at Arlington in the sectional tournament.

BVC #3 TOP 10 FINISHERS

1. Jake Schroeder (VB) - 65 (-7) 2. Reagan Wenzinger (Leip) - 76 T3. Andrew Hibbard (VB) - 79 T3. Peyton Beilharz (VB) - 79 5. Zechariah Patterson (Elm) - 81 6. Brody Rister (ADA) - 84 7. Grant Schaublin (McC) - 85 

8. Dane South (Arl) - 86 T9. Nickolas Reinhart (VB) - 87 T9. Mason Wiener (Elm) - 87 T9. Luke Grady (VB) - 87 T9. Aiden Cline (Arc) - 87