Home meet on March 31 vs. USV and Indian Lake
By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School track and field teams feature 22 letter winners and many promising newcomers on a 51-person roster for spring 2025 under veteran head coach Tyler Craig.
Pictured above) Spring 2025 Ada varsity track and field team, L-R, front: Anna Conley, Kennedy Jones, Logan Jolliff, Brody Erickson, Trevor McGue, Lexi Poling, Jordyn Smith. Row 2: Charliegh Entinghe, Grace Lawrence, Carson Conley, Gavin Oldfield, Wyatt Fisher, Kayleb Hickman, Laenen Ulrey, Harlyn Lowry. Row 3: Layla Fisher, Taylor Price, Kenley Poling, Gaidge Snyder, Kaden Clum, Brady Diehl, Lydia Demascio, Madi Rowland, Lynkin McDougle. Row 4: Maverick Shaw, Austin Martin, Grady Morgan, Bradyn Bowen, Aidin Brown, Vincent Miserendino, Avery Conner, Wyatt Shaw. Row 5: Aliyah Kober, Mady Freewalt, Braden Smith, Rhett Ulrey, Nathan Jochims, Rose Baxter, Markaylah Johnson. Row 6: Luke Griffin, Elijah Craig, Will Mosler, Lucas Henson, Layne Simon,Brier Hannah, Slade Gossman, Maeby Alger. Back row: asst. coach Terry Craig, head Coach Tyler Craig, Avery
Acheson, Riley State field, Kyla Coleman, asst. Colton Montgomery, asst.
Greg Grimslid. Absent: asst. Steve Johnson.
Senior tri-captain Logan Jolliff is back as one of the top sprinters in the area. Senior captain Brody Erickson lends speed and versatility as a sprinter/thrower. Classmate captain Trevor McGue will run sprints, middle distance and hurdles.
Three members of the regional-qualifying 4 x 100 relay boys team return, along with their alternate. Speedsters Jolliff and McGue and junior Gavin Oldfield are back among the quartet, and will be joined by fast junior Kayleb Hickman to give Ada a strong relay foursome.
The springy Oldfield is the top returning high jumper on the 29-athlete male team.
Other lettermen back are junior Avery Conner (throws), junior Zaiden Denslow (sprints/throws), injured thrower Slade Gossman (knee), junior Braden Smith (middle distance, pole vault), sophomore Carson Conley (throws, middle distance), soph Wyatt Fisher (PV, sprints, middle) and soph Layne Simon (throws).
Craig noted that sophomore newcomer Bradyn Bowers ”will be a big help” in the middle distance events.
The biggest loss from the boys squad was all-state hurdler Jackson Brown.
Powerful senior co-captain Kennedy Jones returns to lead the 22-athlete girls team after making it to regionals in the shot put.
Quick senior co-captain Lexi Poling also returns in the sprints and middle distance events.
Athletic junior Jordyn Smith nearly made it to regionals in the 400-meter dash last spring. She possesses excellent speed in sprint and middle distance races.
Junior Anna Conley is a strong thrower, while junior Lydia Demascio lends experience and talent to the middle distance events. Junior Laenan Ulrey also will put her speed to good use in sprint and middle distance races.
Junior Madi Rowland and sophomores Grace Lawrence and Harlyn Lowery are back to lead the hurdles and sprints for the Ada girls. Sophomore returnees Kenley Poling and Taylor Price excel in the sprints and middle distance races.
Strong sophomore Rylie Satterfield (pole vault) rounds out the returning female letter winners.
“We are excited about our freshman group, they have a lot of talent,” said Craig. “It is a strong group. As always, we are blessed to have a really hard-working group of kids.
“We have a ton of freshmen (25) with a lot of potential,” added the coach. “We had a very strong junior high team last year.”
Fifteen of the frosh are boys, while the remaining 10 freshmen are girls.
Regarding Ada’s place in the BVC standings Craig said, “it is hard to say, being a new member of the league. Liberty-Benton is always good. Riverdale, Van Buren, Arlington are usually good. McComb too.
“We just want to place as high as we can in the league,” he added.
The track regular season kicks off at home March 31 vs. rival USV and Indian Lake.
The annual Ada Invitational is set for May 10.
Van Buren is the site for the BVC meet May 16, while Ada will again host the district event May 22/24.
Pictured below, returning Ada High School track and field letter winners.
