Sports

The Ada Schools have provided the attached 2023 Fall Sports Calendar, which includes schedules for:

Varsity Football

JV Football

Junior High Football

Varsity Golf

Varsity Boys Soccer

JV Boys Soccer

Varsity Girls Soccer

Varsity Volleyball

Freshmen Volleyball

Junior High Volleyball

 

By Cort Reynolds

Year three of the Toby Smith coaching rebuild at Ada sees the Bulldog football program looking to make another upward stride to .500 and a possible playoff spot in 2023.

One of the league’s best offensive tandems will lead that climb, provided they stay healthy.

Elusive junior quarterback Levi Green led the Northwest Conference in rushing in 2022 with 1,025 yards, and powerful senior running back Jalee Bolden was a second team all-league pick before a knee injury ended his season prematurely.

"A .500 season and a playoff berth are reasonable goals,” veteran mentor Smith agreed, "If we don’t turn the ball over, we will be in games.”

Roster numbers are at 34 this season, with 11 lettermen back from the 3-7 Ada squad that went 2-5 in Northwest Conference play last fall. Seven full or part-time starters return on both sides of the ball.

CONTINUES

By Cort Reynolds

BATH TWP.– The visiting Ada High School boys soccer team lost a 3-2 nailbiter at Bath on Wednesday evening, August 16, in a non-league match.

The Wildcats tallied two goals on penalty kicks.

By Cort Reynolds

The Ada High School varsity volleyball team enters its sixth season under head coach Kyleigh Woodruff looking for continued improvement in 2023.

Last season, the Bulldog squad improved by nine wins to finish with an 11-12 overall record. Ada went 2-6 in Northwest Conference play to end up in a three-way tie for sixth place in the tough nine-team league. Ada then led New Knoxville 2-0 in a tough sectional semifinal bout, but eventually lost 3-2 to conclude their season.

Thus, the 2022 Bulldogs were much more competitive than in 2021 (2-19), and they hope to continue their upward arc this fall. “We had a good season and a big turnaround from 2021,” said Woodruff. “We have a lot of girls back, including four seniors. The girls have played a lot together, so we have a lot of good team chemistry.” Eight letter winners and three full or part-time starters return to the Bulldog fold.  

"We want to keep the ball in play hitting-wise, limit our errors and take care of the ball," noted the coach.

All-time digs leader Courtney Sumner has graduated and her replacement at libero will likely be athletic, scrappy junior Jenna Bassitt.

“We will miss Courtney’s defense, but we have three girls stepping up to take her place,” said Woodruff. “All of them are going after the ball more.”

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Bulldogs entertain Fort Jennings on August 24 in the home opener

By Cort Reynolds

Second-year Ada varsity girls soccer head coach Doug Dewese looks to continue the growth his team experienced last season behind a huge crop of letter winners and several talented newcomers in 2023.

Two record-setting scorers and six other seniors are expected to combine with some offensive-minded first-year players to form a potentially formidable squad.

Toward that end, Ada returns 10 starters, 8 seniors and has 14 letter winners back on its 21-player roster. 

Last season, the Bulldog kickers raced to a 4-0 start before leveling off against tough competition.

Despite its strong start Ada fell short of the 10-win goal the coach set in pre-season.  The Bulldog girls ended up 5-13 overall, finished 0-6 in the Northwest Conference and also went winless in rugged NCOSA play.

But the squad gained valuable experience and has a year under their belt with the relatively new coaching regime.

CONTINUES

By Wes Mayberry 
ONU Assistant Director of Sports Information

2023 Women's Golf Fall Schedule

The Ohio Northern women's golf team opens its fall 2023 schedule under 11th-year head coach Chad Bucci by hosting the annual ONU Kick Off Classic on September 3 at Colonial Golfers Club.

The Polar Bears will then host the ONU Labor Day Tournament on Sept. 4.

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