Ada Wrestlers Handle Ardmore On Senior Night!

ADA — No sports team likes it more than to come out victorious in its final regular-season outing. The Ada Cougars wrestling team did just that.

The Cougars celebrated Senior Night by winning their final wrestling dual of the season, posting a 44-27 victory over the rival Ardmore Tigers Thursday night at Cougar Activity Center.

For four seniors — Eddie Brown, Justin Todd, Dean Doolen and Josh Nail — they were honored prior to the dual. Three of them — Brown, Todd and Doolen — got wins. Brown pinned Ardmore’s Devin Coleman in 2:48 in their match at 140 pounds.

Todd got a technical fall with an 18-3 victory over Julian Withers at 160. Albeit an exhibition match since he got a forfeit win in his 215-pound match, Doolan pinned Stephen York, but unfortunately Nail was unable to wrestle — thus giving Ardmore heavyweight Evan McGee a forfeit win.

“(Josh) wasn’t feeling well,” Ada coach Kyle Bohannon said. “I didn’t want to put him out there. I just thought it was best for him to sit this one out.”

Still, Bohannon said the seasons the senior quartet has had is good.

“I’m very happy with those guys,” he said. “I was glad to see them have a good win like that in front of the home crowd. They’re all having great seasons.”

As for the other weight classes, the Cougars (7-4 in duals this season) got pinfalls from two other wrestlers — Jeb Todd at 130 pounds and Derrick Brown at 152.

Ada won three other matches by decisions. Jamie Copeland defeated Oscar Balderama 9-5 at 103 pounds, Jake Todd blanked Seth Langford 4-0 in the 119 match and Chase Cummins beat Elijah Cary 9-4 at 135.

Besides Doolen’s forfeited win, the Cougars got one other forfeit win — Madison Thornhill at 112 pounds.

With this being the final regular-season tune-up for the Class 5A regional tournament — and subsequent Class 5A state tournament — later this month, Bohannon likes where his team is at as well as the preparation time which the Cougars will have.

“We’re happy,” said Bohannon, who expected to find out by the end of the day where the Cougars will go for their regional tournament. “Anytime you can come out on Senior Night, and you can get a win over a team like Ardmore, we’re always happy. Any time we’re able to have some momentum (a three-dual winning streak after beating McAlester last week and Madill Tuesday night) going into the regional tournament, we’re happy.”

The Cougars will now take an extended break and prepare for 5A Regional action.

“We’re fixing to have some time off. We’ll have about two weeks, so we’ve got to get into the wrestling room and work on the things we have to work on. This time between this (Ardmore) dual and the regional tournament is really going to allow us to do just that. It’s going to give us the time to rest, and heal those little bumps and bruises we have,” he said. “It’s very important for us to wrestle good once we get there.”