Story and photos by Cort Reynolds
- PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF STORY -
The Ada tennis team lost a tough match to state power Ottawa Hills 4-1 in the regional semifinals of the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association tournament Friday at the Ohio Northern University courts.
The Bulldogs end their season 14-5 with the defeat, as they advanced one round further in the OTCA tourney than last year. They set a boys program record for single-season wins.
The Green Bears (11-1) move on to face state-ranked Lexington in the Div. II OTCA northwest region finals.
Ken Blanchard, Director of Allen County Literacy, last week spoke to the Ada Kiwanis Club about volunteering to be a literacy tutor. He noted the following statistics:
• 50% of the chronically unemployed have poor literacy skills.
• The U.S. Military spends $70 million per year in teaching basic skills to recruits.
• 75% of the U.S. prison inmates do not have a high school diploma.
• It is estimated that limited literacy costs the U.S. businesses and taxpayers $20 billion in lost business earnings, wages and taxes.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has named senior infielder Hailee Loughman(Brookville) and junior catcher Gabby Stewart (Union, Ky./St. Henry) to the 2019 NFCA All-Central Region squads for their on-field performance this season, the national office announced Wednesday.
Loughman was named First-Team All-Central Region at third base, while Stewart garnered Second-Team All-Central Region honors as a catcher. The duo was listed among 364 total players recognized in the NCAA's eight regions across the country this year.
Loughman and Stewart both received their first career All-Central Region nod with the announcement.
Seniors Sam Shook (New Philadelphia) and Maddy Reed (Piketon) were named Ohio Northern's Clyde Lamb Award winners for the 2018-19 academic year at the 2019 Ohio Athletic Conference Awards Banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Columbus on Monday evening.
The prestigious award is the highest honor given to OAC student-athletes each year, including one male and one female representative from the league's 10 institutions.
