Though it didn't include an NCAA Tournament berth, the Ohio Northern men's soccer team's 2021 season was still one to remember.
"It was a landmark season in terms of how challenging we knew it was going to be," third-year head coach Chris Matejka said. "We played one of the toughest schedules in the country, so we knew from the early stages that we were going to be challenged and pushed weekly, and we exceeded expectations."
As winners of three of the past five Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament championships and six NCAA Tournament games dating back to 2017, the Ohio Northern women's soccer team has proven itself as a force to be reckoned with.
The 2021 season was no exception for the Polar Bears, as they won the OAC Tournament title and got a 2-0 victory over Hope (Mich.) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament en route to finishing 14-5-3 on the year by outscoring opponents 31-15 with 14 shutouts and two separate five-game win streaks.
The Ada High School girls swim team won easily while the boys lost a close match in a dual meet at Defiance Ayersville Tuesday night, January 11.
The Lady Bulldogs won convincingly, 94-6.
Junior Carlie Oldfield and freshman Lily Baumgartner each took first in two races. Both swam for two victorious relay quartets as well, along with Kayla Wince and Kaitlyn Bowden.
Wince, Natilyn McClain and sophomore Autumn Andreasen also touched first in one race apiece for the Ada girls.
The Bulldog boys lost a tight meet, 54-41.
Junior Connor Daugherty and sophomore Jack Baumgartner each won an individual race for Ada.
The visiting Ada High School boys basketball team rallied with a big third period, but arch-rival Upper Scioto Valley answered with a late fourth period run hold off the Bulldogs, 63-51, on Saturday, January 8.
The Bulldogs trailed 20-14 after one period and 34-21 at halftime. Yet Ada put together a 23-point third stanza to rally within a point, heading into the final quarter at 45-44.
But the Rams were able to pull away with an 18-7 fourth quarter and remained undefeated. USV sank eight of its nine foul shot tries in the final period.
