By Cort Reynolds
ADA - After missing last season due to the coronavirus pandemic, experienced local tennis coach and player Dexter Woods takes over the Ada boys tennis program this spring with some returning and new talent on the 2021 roster.
The sixth season of Bulldog varsity spring tennis hopes to continue the success of the program-record 14-win season of 2019. Last spring's campaign promised to be a successful one before being washed out.
"We've got a mix of youth and experience, but most of the players are inexperienced," said Woods.
Ada will finally get to christen their new park courts this spring with matches and practice. The four courts were re-surfaced and painted purple and gold, and officially opened in September of 2019.
3 seniors, 2 juiors, 3 sophomores, 2 freshmen
Three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen comprise the 11-player roster.
"It hurts that we missed a year of experience in 2020; we had only one week together for official practices," recalled Woods of the aborted 2020 season.
Woods played at Ohio Northern University, and later served as the ONU women's team coach for several years through the early 1990s.
Plucky senior Miranda Wills made a shockingly fast recovery from an October car accident to play most of the past basketball season after it was assumed she would be out for months.
She has a lingering right shoulder issue, but the gutty senior is determined to play through it this spring.
Wills amassed a fine 23-5 record in singles in 2019, mostly at the third slot, and is the top returneee on the squad. She finished third at the sectional tournament and then lost a tough two-setter in the first round of the 2019 districts.
"Miranda is moving up from third singles to first singles this season," said Woods. "She is an accomplished player with polished strokes and incredible tenacity. She never gives up and just keeps working hard.
"We are expecting her to attack and come to the net more to have shorter points this season," added Woods.
Wills was voted the team Sportsmanship award, and was also the Coach's Award of Excellence winner for 2019.
Junior Dexter Woods III, a tall and lanky southpaw, played mostly doubles as a freshman, where he compiled a 13-12 record. He has a good reach at the net and is expected to play second singles this spring.
"After the year off, Dexter is moving up from first doubles to second singles," said the coach. "He has a long reach and good reflexes which served him well in doubles, and should have him attacking the net frequently in singles.
"He covers the entire court very well and will work on developing consistency in all strokes," continued his father/coach. "He likes to volley and is working on improving his groundstrokes. He has a nice spin second serve."
Woods shared the team Impact Player Award in 2019.
Sophomore returnee Brendan Jamseon is expected to hold down the third singles spot, perhaps with competition from sophomore returnee Amelia Alexander.
"Brendan Jameson is consistently able to retrieve and put the ball over the net," said Woods. "He covers a lot of court and has good endurance.
"He is a typical third singles player who gets a lot of balls back," he added.
"Amelia Alexander has good groundstrokes," Woods offered. "She is working on her doubles game, and is a steady player."
The remaining players will be looking almost exclusively to play doubles, the coach noted.
"The two doubles team spots are completely up in the air," said Woods. "Everyone is a potential doubles player."
Geddes Klingler is the fifth and last returning player on the roster.
"Geddes is a multi-sport athlete who works hard," said Woods of the sophomore. "Tennis is fairly new for Geddes, but he has the quickness and effort to put away all balls within his range. He likes to play at the net."
Newcomers
Several newcomers to the game round out the roster. "Everyone is basically learning the game, and whoever learns fastest will play."
Two senior newcomers, Cole Anspaugh and quick Colton Biederman, lend athletic ability and competitiveness to the roster. Both were on the Bulldog wrestling team this winter.
Sophomore Connor Daugherty, a cross country letterman, is another new team member.
Freshmen Ashlyn Madison, Abid Khan and Brendan Kah round out the roster.
In 2019 the Bulldogs amassed a strong 14-5 record against a rugged schedule, and advanced in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association state tournament to the sweet 16 for the first time.
Ada lost to top-ranked Ottawa Hills 4-1 in the third round, with then-sophomore Wills posting the win at singles. En route, the Bulldog netters avenged a 2018 second round loss to Clyde in the tourney by beating them 4-1.
About the only team goal Ada did not achieve in 2019 was a three-peat as Northern Buckeye Tennis League champions. The Bulldog netters finished a close second to Bryan in Defiance at the six-team 2019 conference meet as they were narrowly nosed out, 13 points to 12.
Ada won the NBTL title outright in 2018, and shared it with three other schools in 2017.
Staying healthy and advancing at least to districts again are individual goals for Wills in 2021.
"Overall as a team we want to improve every day; we have a very young and iexperienced team," said Woods.
The first Ada home match at the park courts is slated for March 31 vs. LCC. The season opener is March 29 at Bellefontaine.
