By Cort Reynolds

ADA __The improving Ada High School boys varsity golf team returns three lettermen from last year’s roster. They will play for first-year head coach Tod Schmidt, a former Bulldog linkster.

The six-player roster includes two seniors and three newcomers.

“We have a young team overall, which will get better as the year progresses,” said Schmidt, who played for Ada from 1977-80. “We are making progress all the time.

“It is my proudest moment to be coaching this team,” he continued. “I am supposed to be mentoring them, but in reality I am learning more from them than they will ever realize.”

Junior ace Brody Rister is the top Bulldog golfer. He earned his second letter and was an honorable mention All-BVC selection last fall, as was AHS graduate Ethan Lawrence.

Rister shot an 18-hole round of 87 in each of Ada’s first two tournaments, played on July 28 and August 4, finishing third at the Arlington Invitational. He then fired a 90 at the Bluffton Invite on Aug. 11.

“Brody is our ace, he has had three good early tournaments,” Schmidt said of his southpaw. “He is clearly the leader of our team. He is cool under pressure and a fantastic golfer.

“I expect him to destroy the school record score of 36 (per nine holes) sometime before he graduates,” Schmidt predicted.  

Senior Sam Crawford returns as a three-time letterman. “Sam has a good attitude,” offered Schmidt.

Ada junior Lawson Klingler is back after lettering twice. “He is a good golfer and a staple of our team,” said the coach. “He is reliably consistent with a good attitude. He could leave Ada as one of the better golfers we have had.”

Junior Gavin Guyton is a first-year member of the team. “He is pretty new to golf and has been thrown into the fire right away,” said Schmidt. “He is mentally tough and is improving.”

Freshman Arden Shook has shown immediate promise. Shook topped Ada in the 15-team Bluffton Invitational Aug. 11 with a strong 18-hole round of 89.

“He is already playing well,” said the coach of the freshman. “Golf is his thing and he is a committed student of the sport.”

Senior Slade Gossman is a first-time golfer this season as he recovers from a second knee injury suffered playing varsity basketball. “Slade is brand new to golf, and is a high character kid,” said Schmidt. “He brings athleticism and a great attitude to the team.

“He is always smiling, and we are fortunate to have him.”

The season started at its earliest point ever on July 28, the first day teams were allowed to practice.

As for this fall, Schmidt said he hopes Ada can finish in the middle of the 11-team BVC pack.

The Bulldogs finished eighth in their first season as a member of the Blanchard Valley Conference in 2024. 

Van Buren (920 total) won the three- tournament format league title. Liberty-Benton was second (978). Ada was eighth (1,264), ahead of Pandora-Gilboa and Arlington.

The Bulldog linksters tied for eighth with McComb at the first 10-team BVC tournament on Aug. 4, which was won by Van Buren with 313 strokes.

The event was the first of three league tournaments which will combine to determine the 2025 BVC boys golf champion. The second conference tourney is Aug. 18 at Hidden Creek. The third and final league event is Sept. 19 at Moose Landing.

The Bulldogs took sixth at the seven-team Arlington Invite on July 28 as Rister shot an 87. Ada lost a close dual match to Ft. Jennings Aug. 5, and then finished last at the rugged 15-team Bluffton Pirate Invitational on August 11. 

Recent head coach Kurt Klingler has stayed on as an assistant to Schmidt after guiding Ada to its best season in Fall 2024.

For Fall 2025, Schmidt set some modest goals. “We want to play ethically, learn and improve,” he said. “We have high character guys. Golf is a sport where you can’t play defense or affect the outcome that way, unlike other sports.”