By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Ada seniors Sydney Newland and Maddie Gossard were each voted second team Div. IV All-Ohio in softball for the 2018 season by the northwest district coaches.
The talented duo led the Lady Bulldogs to a 57-41 record over their four seasons, making their senior group the winningest class in program annals.
The pair will be honored at a banquet Monday, June 18 in Columbus at the Villa Milano restaurant. Every 2018 All-Ohio player from all four divisions will be recognized at the event.
Gossard and Newland helped lead Ada to a 17-9 record and the first district title in program history in 2018.
"Maddie and Syd are more than deserving of all-state distinction," said Ada head coach Troy Erickson. "They have tirelessly dedicated themselves to improving their defensive and offensives skills over the last three years.
"Make no mistake about it, they wanted to get better but they were more concerned about our team getting better, and ultimately building Ada's softball program into a perennial contender," he added.
Newland, a four-year starter at catcher, topped the 2018 Lady Bulldogs in batting average, hitting at a .557 clip. She hit 16 doubles, smacked four home runs and drove in 47 runs. The southpaw backstop also led the team in runs (38) and hits (49).
Newland posted an on-base pct. of .606 in 2018, with a slugging pct. of .887. She only struck out three times all season.
For her 97-game varsity career, she knocked out 150 hits, scored 112 runs and posted a .432 batting average. She collected 123 runs batted in, hit four home runs and legged out 11 triples. Her OBP was .497 and career slugging mark was .663.
Newland has signed to play softball in 2019 at the University of Northwestern Ohio, an NAIA program in Lima.
Sure-handed Ada third baseman Gossard batted .518, smashed a team-high nine home runs, hit 18 doubles and amassed 48 RBI in 2018. She slugged at a 1.024 rate with a .583 OBP.
Gossard graduates as the program career leader in home runs (19) and RBI (143). In 98 games, she knocked out 135 hits, scored 76 runs, hit 48 doubles and batted .411.
Her career slugging pct. was .787, and her career OBP was .509.
Gossard will attend Heidelberg University and play softball there.
The northwest district is comprised of 47 voting Div. IV schools/coaches, and there are more teams who aren't dues-paying members eligible to vote. Thus, the Ada duo was voted as two of the top 12 players in the northwest Div. IV district by area coaches.
Only six players from the district, regardless of position, are picked as first team all-state, with another six on the second team and six more making honorable mention.
"I'm elated coaches in the northwest district have bestowed this great honor upon them," Erickson added.
"They will be the first to tell you that this honor wouldn't have been possible without the success and growth of their teammates," said Erickson. "That's why they are both three-time team captains."
(Photos by Cort Reynolds)
