PHOTO: Team members and coaches listed below. UPDATE 2023-2024 Letter winners photo below.
By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School track and field teams will be paced by senior regional hurdle qualifiers Jackson Brown and Mariah King, as well as junior sprinter Logan Jolliff, in spring 2024.
Thirteen boys and eight girls return as letter winners. “We have our top three hurdlers and top sprinter back,” said veteran Ada head coach Tyler Craig.
“Roster numbers are up (39), and we return 21 letter winners,” he noted. “Our roster numbers are about the same as last year. We have a lot of upperclassmen and seniors (10), more than normal.”
Brown finished seventh in the region in the 110 high hurdles (16.09) after taking first in the Northwest Conference meet. Brown also was eighth in the 300 hurdles.
“He is definitely one of the hurdle favorites in our area,” said Craig. “He is a worker, he never stops. Hurdles take a lot of work and technique.”
CONTINUES
King also made it to regionals in the 300 hurdles, where she came in 13th. King finished sixth in the NWC in the 300 hurdles (51:12).
“Mariah does a lot for us, she runs the 300 hurdles, the 400 meters and high jump, as well as relays,” said Craig. “She is very enthusiastic, loves track and is a hard worker. She hopes to run in college.”
Speedy sophomore Jordyn Smith also returns after finishing a strong third at the NWC meet in 65.41. “That is a big feat to finish third in the NWC as a freshman,” Craig observed.
Leggy sophomore Lydia Demascio is back after crossing the line a solid eighth in the 800 meters at the league meet in 2:38.6. She will run the middle distance races and relays.
“She is a pleasant kid and a hard worker,” said Craig.
Senior Elsie Allen is back after coming in ninth in the NWC 1600 meters. Senior Karmen Hall is expected to run the sprints with Allen.
Versatile senior Jillian Hazelton also returns to run sprints and hurdles, and perform the jumping events.
Sophomore Laenan Ulrey is a promising newcomer in sprint events.
The girls 4 x 400 relay foursome that finished fifth in the NWC returns three runners in King, Smith and Demascio.
Powerful junior Kennedy Jones tops the quartet of returning throwers. She took second in the NWC in the shot put and is a top area power-lifter. “I think she will have a big year,” said Craig.
Promising sophomores Ashley Hevlin and Anna Conley also return to pace the shot put and discus corps. Senior Awo Akyeampong also is back in the throwing events.
Freshmen Grace Lawrence (hurdles, sprints), Harlyn Lowry (sprints, hurdles, pole vault), Taylor Price (sprints, throws) and Rylie Satterfield (sprints, pole vaults) round out the girls roster.
The Ada girls took eighth out of nine teams at the league meet last spring, while the Bulldog boys were ninth. The biggest loss to graduation was Courtney Sumner, who excelled at sprint and jumping events but was hampered by a wrist injury that required surgery much of last season.
“Until someone can beat Grove they have to be the favorites again,” said Craig. “The NWC is a great track league and the BVC will be a great opportunity in the future, it is also a good track league.”
Bluffton finished second in the NWC girls meet last spring, with Crestview coming in third.
On the boys side of the roster, 12 other lettermen return to help regional qualifier Brown.
Standout junior sprinter Logan Jolliff is one of the top returnees. He ran well in the 100 (11.74) meter dash, finishing fifth at the NWC meet.
He took 10th at the regionals in the 100 (11.95), and is the league’s number two returning 100-meter sprinter.
Jolliff also finished seventh in the league 200-meter dash (24.43).
Promising senior Julian Grose, a 2022 regional qualifier in the 300 hurdles, also returns.
Senior Mason Selover is expected to run the 800 meters and a leg of the 4 x 800 relay quartet. The middle distance and distance events are his specialties.
“Mason scored a ton of points for us last year,” said Craig.
The fifth Ada male senior back is Wyatt Green (sprints, jumps). Seven juniors dot the boys roster, with eight sophomores and two freshmen completing the 22-man squad.
Junior Trevor McGue is back after suffering a season-ending arm injury last fall in football. He took 11th in the NWC 400-meter race in 57.22 last spring. He will also run the 300 hurdles.
Junior Ethan D’Souza is back after finishing a strong seventh at the NWC meet in the 3200 meters (10:55.67). “Ethan runs a lot in the off-season, he is very dedicated,” said the coach.
Selover, D’Souza and senior Dakota Gossman return as three-fourths of the 4 x 800 relay quartet that qualified for regionals last spring. The fourth leg will likely be run by junior Brody Erickson (“a hard worker”) or sophomore Jacob Henson.
The versatile Henson will do the sprints, middle distance, long distance and jump events.
Sophomore Kayleb Hickman crossed the line 10th in the league 400 meters last year in 56.53. “Kayleb is one of our top sprinters and will run whatever is best for the team,” said Craig.
Sophomore thrower Slade Gossman suffered a torn ACL late in the basketball season and will miss the track season. “He is an outstanding young man and a very hard worker,” said the coach.
“We are blessed to have such a hard-working group of kids,” summed up Craig. “The weight room has been prioritized a lot more. The kids are going to work hard, no team will out-work us,” he said.
The coaching staff boasts more than 100 years of combined experience. Assistant Greg Grimslid was the head coach of Ada track and field for over 30 seasons, and has a total of 43 years on staff.
Assistant Terry Craig has over 40 years of track coaching under his belt. Kim Simon is also an experienced throwing coach.
Head coach Tyler Craig enters his 11th season at the helm after serving as an assistant for several seasons under Grimslid. Tyler made it to the state meet multiple times in the 400 meters, and holds the school record in that event.
Grove won the boys NWC title with Bluffton second and Allen East in third.
“We have to stay healthy. We are working on stretching and working to stay healthy,” said Craig. “We have a hard-working group. Our goal is to finish as high as we can in the league.
“We would like the regional qualifiers to get to state,” he continued. “All of them have a really good shot to get there.”
The home opener vs. Arlington is April 2, with the annual Ada Invitational May 4. The league meet is at Bluffton May 9/11.
Ada also hosts the district track meet May 16/18.
The Ada varsity track and field team, from left, Front: Mason Selover,
Jillian Hazelton, Elsie Allen, Dakota Gossman, Mariah King, Karmen Hall,
Julian Grose, Wyatt Green, Jackson Brown, Awo Akyeampong. Row 2: Semone Mitchell, Ethan D'Souza, Ken Zheng, Kennedy Jones, Trevor
McGue, Brody Erickson, Logan Jolliff, Tucker Hazelton, Katelynn Metzger.
Row 3: Laenan Ulrey, Slade Gossman, Kaden Clum, Kayleb Hickman,
Ashley Hevlin, Jacob Henson, Braden Smith, Anna Conley, Jordyn Smith.
Row 4: Layne Simon, Wyatt Fisher, Kaleb Couch, Rylie Satterfield , Grace
Lawrence , Harlyn Lowry, Taylor Price, Zaiden Denslow, Avery Conner,
Lydia Demascio. Back: Assistant coach Greg Grimslid, assistant coach Terry Craig, head coach Tyler Craig.
PHOTO BELOW
The returning Ada track and field letter winners, from left, Front: Mason Selover, Jillan Hazelton, Elsie Allen, Dakota Gossman, Mariah King, Julian Grose, Wyatt Green, Jackson Brown. Middle: Semone Mitchell, Ethan D’Souza, Lydia Demascio, Kennedy Jones, Trevor McGue, Kayleb Hickman, Logan Jolliff, Anna Conley.
Back: Injured Slade Gossman, Ashley Hevlin, Jacob Henson, Braden Smith,
Jordyn Smith.
