Sports

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Weather permitting, BHS baseball opens March 27 at Hardin Northern

By Cort Reynolds

After a decade under the tutelage of Jason Campbell, the Ada High School varsity baseball team has a new head coach in 2023.

Successful and experienced mentor Toby Smith takes over as Bulldog mentor after fashioning a career record of 353-124 at West-Liberty Salem, Urbana and Bellefontaine. 

The fiery Smith also serves as the head Ada varsity football coach, and was the Bulldog baseball assistant last spring.

The Bulldog baseball squad returns seven starters and 11 lettermen from last year's team that finished 6-14 overall and 1-7 in the Northwest Conference.

The 13-player roster features six seniors, no juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen.  

Graduated are honorable mention All-NWC pitcher Kadin Phipps and first baseman Tyler Jameson.

"We are learning how not to lose games," said veteran coach Smith. "We want to play the game fundamentally well and give ourselves a chance to win. We have a lot of learning curves.”

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Ada track squad led by Sumner, Grose

By Cort Reynolds

The 2023 Ada High School track and field team features 36 athletes on the roster under the leadership of 10th-year head coach Tyler Craig. 

A total of 22 boys and 14 girls make up the squad. Four seniors, 10 juniors, 11 sophomores and 11 freshmen comprise the roster.

Eleven male lettermen return to pair with five female letter winners and several promising newcomers.

"We have some strong middle distance relays with a chance to get to state," said coach Craig. "Our goal is to be the hardest-working team around. I firmly believe we have that.

“We have been blessed in having kids who will put in the work that is needed,” he added. “It is a good group.”

Speedy senior returnee Courtney Sumner paces the girls team returnees. She excels in the long jump, sprints and relay events.

The athletic Sumner finished second in the Northwest Conference 400-meter race last year, and crossed the finish line fifth in the league 200-meter event. 

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Home softball lidlifter is slated for March 30

By Cort Reynolds

With a year of experience under their belt, the talented sophomore-led Ada High School varsity softball team could be much improved in 2023 under second-year head coach Jeff Bassitt.  

The freshmen-laden Bulldogs went 5-14 overall and 2-6 in Northwest Conference play during 2022. They lost some heartbreakers and had several winnable games postponed by bad weather.

"We are looking for improvement, especially defensively," Bassitt noted. "I think being .500 or above is a good, reasonable goal.”

Untimely errors undid the inexperienced Bulldogs last season in several games, a facet of the game that should be improved this season.

The 17-player roster features 11 returning letter winners and nine starters. The Bulldogs only lost two letter winners, both reserves. The team boasts quite a bit of depth and interchangeable, versatile players.

Three experienced senior outfielders, two hard-hitting juniors, six promising returning sophomores and six freshmen comprise the deep and talented roster. 

Sophomore standout Jenna Bassitt was the number one Ada pitcher and hitter last year. She earned first team All-NWC honors as a freshman after batting .519 with a lofty .576 on base pct.

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By Wes Mayberry
www.onusports.com

Ohio Northern senior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) was named the 2023 Region 7 Player of the Year as a member of the All-Region First Team in women's basketball by D3hoops.com.

ONU head coach Mark Huelsman was also recognized as the Region 7 Coach of the Year.

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By Tim Glon
www.onusports.com

No. 16-ranked Ohio Northern saw its NCAA III Women's Basketball Tournament run end in the third round on Friday night, March 10, with a 67-43 loss at No. 2 Transylvania (Ky.) at the Beck Center.

The Polar Bears end their season with a 25-5 record, while the Pioneers (30-0) advanced to the Sectional finals to play No. 6 New York U. on Saturday night. (Transy beat NYU 79-63).

"I am so proud of what our team has accomplished," ONU head coach Mark Huelsman said. "We accomplished so much for our campus community this year. The team put us back on the map at a national level in Division III. We had an impact on this campus that would not have happened without our tournament run."

Transy made five first quarter three-pointers en route to a 23-11 lead after 10 minutes of play.

TU then opened the second period on an 11-2 run to go up 34-13 with 7:37 left in the half.

Northern went on a 9-0 run, capped by a three from senior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), to claw back within 38-27 with 1:39 left in the period. But the hosts would score the final five points of the half to lead 43-27 at intermission.

The Pioneers would then score the first 12 points of the third period to cap a 17-0 run and extend their lead to 55-27 with 4:11 left in the third quarter.

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By Wes Mayberry
www.onusports.com 

ROANOKE, Va.—Ohio Northern sophomore Jacob Reed (Lancaster) finished third at 141 pounds, and senior Chase Sumner (Ada) and fifth-year senior Jordan Hardrick (Dayton/Wayne) also claimed All-American honors Saturday on the final day of the NCAA III Wrestling Championships at the Berglund Center.

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