By Cort Reynolds
BRYAN - The Ada tennis team finished a strong second at the five-team Northern Buckeye Tennis League tournament Friday in Bryan.
Host Bryan rolled to the conference crown with 23 points, while the Bulldogs nosed out Wauseon for second place, 11-9. Archbold finished fourth with eight points, and Rossford ended up fifth with four.
"Medals were awarded for first and second-place finishers, and it was exciting to see all three of Ada's singles players earn their hardware," said Ada head coach Dexter Woods.
"Their performances helped Ada finish second as a team in the tournament behind Bryan, which is having its very best men's season ever this year," he added.
Ada junior southpaw Dexter Woods III lived up to his top seeding and won the number two singles flight title at the event.
Bryan won the other four bracket singles and doubles crowns. Ada finished second in the first and third singles flights.
In the second singles tournament, Woods won his semifinal match over Wauseon fourth seed Wenger without dropping a single game. He then won the final match over C. McCashen of Bryan 6-3, 6-2.
Woods improved his season mark to 15-2 with the two convincing wins.
"Dexter breezed through the semifinals and worked through a few lapses in the finals to win in workmanlike fashion," said his father/coach.
Seeded second, Ada senior Miranda Wills finished as runner-up in the first singles competition to top seed Jay Fortner.
Wills eliminated third seed Becker of Wauseon in her semifinal match 6-1, 6-0. She then lost to the Bryan ace in the finals 6-0, 6-0.
"Miranda played well in the finals with several close games against one of the very best players in the state this year, but lost," said Woods.
"Jay Fortner finished in the top eight in the state as a freshman, and has given up very few games this year as a junior," Woods added.
Wills is 11-5-1 this season.
Bulldog sophomore Brendan Jameson, seeded second in the third singles bracket, also came in second place.
Jameson won his semifinal match 6-1, 6-1 over third seed Grahn from Wauseon. He then lost a third-set tiebreaker (10-7) in the finals to Bryan's M. McCashen after winning the second set, 7-5.
"Brendan almost pulled off an upset in the finals, fighting off leg cramps to force a third set tiebreaker after losing the first set 2-6. It was a game effort by the sophomore," recalled Woods.
Fifth-seeded Ada seniors Cole Anspaugh and Colton Biederman lost in the rat tail first round of the number one doubles flight 8-2 to fourth-seeded Walker and Boggs of Rossford.
"Cole and Colton could not get untracked fast enough in their eight-game pro set," said the coach.
Fifth-seeded Bulldog sophomores Amelia Alexander and Geddes Klingler almost advanced to the semis of the second doubles flight.
After a strong start, the duo lost their initial match in the rat tail opening round to the fourth-seeded tandem of Rust and Sanders from Rossford, 8-6.
"Amelia and Geddes got off to a torrid start at 5-0, but succumbed to their opponents' aggressive volleying as the match went on, losing momentum and the match," Woods reported.
Ada won the NBTL event in 2017 in a three-way tie, and captured the crown outright in 2018.
Up next, Ada (8-7) visits Upper Sandusky Monday, May 10 in the final scheduled dual match of the spring.
Last Wednesday's match at home vs. Defiance Ayersville was cancelled by the visitors due to a medical issue with the opposing head coach's family.
Ada will compete in the 12-team Div. II sectionals May 13/15 at UNOH in Lima.
Wills and Woods are entered as one of the higher-seeded doubles tandems at sectionals. The top four finishers in doubles and singles at UNOH advance to the Div. II district at Port Clinton May 19/22.
Only one singles and one doubles team from the PC district advance to the state tennis tournament at The Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio May 28-29.
