Based on action taken by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors during a special conference call meeting on Dec. 9, OHSAA non-public schools will now have another option available to select their “designated” feeder schools for Competitive Balance rostering purposes.
The new option – specific to the Tier 1 factor in Competitive Balance – will permit non-public schools to utilize all elementary schools of the same system of education that are physically located within a 12.5-mile radius of the high school as designated feeder schools.
By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Visiting Bluffton pulled away late from spunky local rival Ada to post a deceptive 60-39 Northwest Conference girls basketball win Thursday night.
The purple and gold cut Bluffton's lead to 40-33 early in the fourth quarter when sophomore guard Kirsten Poling drained a right side 17-footer.
But then the Lady Pirates reeled off 12 unanswered points to secure a 52-33 margin with just over three minutes left, sealing the verdict. Playing well in transition, Bluffton wore down short-handed Ada to win the fourth quarter by a 20-8 count.
Two ONU student athletes received all-American honors for participation in fall sports.
Chelsea Hupper - volleyball
Ohio Northern senior middle hitter Chelsea Huppert (Bremen, Ind.) was named First Team Academic All-America in volleyball for 2019 in voting conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
She becomes only the second player in ONU history to be named First Team Academic All-America and the first since Liz Schnelle in 2009.
Huppert is the only Polar Bear volleyball player to be named Academic All-America two years in a row after earning Second team honors as a junior in 2018.
The Ohio Northern women's basketball team slowed down the high-scoring Wilmington Quakers Wednesday night en route to a 72-64 victory. The win improves the Polar Bears to 6-0 on the season and 2-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, while the loss drops the Quakers to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in conference.
Wilmington entered Wednesday's game averaging north of 87 points per game, and ONU held the Quakers to a season-low point output. Wilmington hit 40 percent (22 of 55) of its field-goal attempts and 29.2 percent (7 of 24) of its shots from 3-point land.
Ohio Northern sophomore midfielder Levi King (Indianapolis, Inc./North Central) was named First Team All-Great Lakes Region in men's soccer for 2019 in voting conducted by the United Soccer Coaches.
King is a two-time All-Region honoree after earning Third Team honors as a freshman in 2018.
He is also a two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and was named the OAC Freshman of the Year last season. He was named First Team in 2019 and Second Team in 2018.
Ada girls cagers nip Falcons By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada girls basketball team held off a second half rally by county foe Riverdale to win an intense non-league battle 42-41 Tuesday night.
The victory upped the Lady Bulldog record to 2-3 overall, while the Lady Falcons fell to 3-3 with the close defeat.
Bulldog freshman point guard Courtney Sumner scored eight of the final 10 Ada points to keep the Falcons at bay.
Her left-handed baseline 10-footer gave the purple and gold a seemingly comfortable 42-35 lead with 41 seconds remaining. But feisty Riverdale wouldn't fold.