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| 11/1/2009 6:59:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Ada wins tense NWC title showdown at LCC; Bulldogs complete 2nd straight 10-0 season
By Cort Reynolds
Ada Herald Writer
LIMA - Although the Ada offense played well as usual, it was their unheralded defense that came up big in crunch time and led the Bulldogs to a 31-24 win over LCC at Lima Stadium on Saturday night to clinch their second consecutive outright Northwest Conference crown.
The Bulldogs' second straight 10-0 campaign was punctuated by a trio of big turnovers and a big special play touchdown return by do-everything senior Heath Jackson.
Ada finished the regular season 10-0 overall and 8-0 in the NWC as they extended their regular season win streak to 20 games. LCC fell to 8-2 and 7-1 in league play and had their eight-game win streak snapped.
LCC pulled within 31-24 when Tyler O'Connor's 33-yard field goal with 4:45 to play barely stayed inside the right uprights and over the crossbar.
The Thunderbirds then managed to force an Ada punt that bounced into the end zone almost two minutes later. Matt McBride sacked O'Connor on the first play, but the Thunderbirds rallied. Needing a touchdown to stay alive, LCC converted two critical pass plays to reach their own 42.
But on first down O'Connor rolled out right and under duress from McBride, his pass was intercepted by Bulldog defensive back Ty Jolliff at the Ada 42 to preserve the Bulldog lead. With no timeouts left, LCC was unable to stop the clock and as the Ada players and crowd celebrated the Bulldogs ran out the final moments to clinch the championship.
LCC took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 72 yards in 10 plays to score. A 19-yard pass to Kirkman and a 19-yard run by Cook keyed the march. On fourth and short from the nine, O'Connor faked a handoff to Cook and kept it behind his fullback to score on a nine-yard run up the middle. His PAT kick cut the deficit to 24-21 with 7:07 left in the third period.
LCC stopped Ada's next drive but on the first play of their ensuing possession, Weyer made a big interception of an O'Connor aerial to give the Bulldogs great field position at the T-Bird 25. It was one of many big defensive plays by Ada that thwarted the Thunderbirds all night.
On third down, Jackson then hooked up with a well-covered but sliding Baker on a fine 21-yard TD reception over the middle. The accurate throw sailed just beyond the outstretched hands of a leaping Kirkman into the sophomore's arms and reaffirmed Ada's control of the game, up 31-21 with 5:08 left in the third quarter.
LCC then commenced a long drive that ate up over six minutes, and they advanced to the Ada 12. But then the defense came up big again.
McBride tackled Kirkman for a two-yard loss to end the period. After an incompletion, Alex Weber and Aaron Weyer combined to sack O'Connor for a loss of seven. On fourth and 18 LCC elected to try a 37-yard field goal, but O'Connor's kick came up short to keep the Ada margin at 10.
The next Bulldog drive ate up just under two minutes and the hosts took over at their own 17 following a 43-yard Jolliff punt. Cook rambled 22 yards and O'Connor hit Rogers for 18 more yards. LCC converted one clutch third down play and later on fourth and one as the crowd rose to its feet, Cook drove through the defense for seven yards.
Yet once again the bend but don't break Bulldog defense rose to the challenge. Baker made a fine pass breakup and Weber stuffed Rufus Johnson for no gain, forcing O'Connor's 33-yard field goal yet keeping the cushion at a crucial seven points.
Jackson ignited the first Ada possession of the night with a 39-yard run.
McBride then hauled in a 21-yard pass from Jackson down to the LCC four.
One play later, Jackson scored on a three-yard run around right end with 9:57 left in the first period.
The Thunderbirds came right back with a 70-yard drive in just five plays.
A 35-yard pass from O'Connor to Desi Kirkman keyed the quick march. Two plays later Taylor Cook rumbled 11 yards untouched into the end zone to tie it 7-7 with 8:09 still left in the first period.
LCC then stopped Ada on a fourth down fake punt to take over at the Bulldog 37. Three plays later, Rufus Johnson sped 28 yards around end to paydirt to give LCC a 14-7 lead with 5:19 to go in the first stanza.
It was the first time Ada trailed all season, but the Bulldogs responded.
After the teams traded defensive stops, the visitors took over on their own one after a fine LCC punt.
They then embarked on a monster 99-yard, 11-play drive. A 17-yard catch by Baker got the Bulldogs out of trouble. A nine-yard run by Jackson followed by a 14-yard pass to McBride moved Ada across the 40.
Weber then made a nice run after a wide receiver screen to net 26 yards.
The second quarter next began with a 25-yard TD pass from Jackson over the middle to Jolliff. With 11:17 to go in the half, Austin Everhart's second PAT kick tied it 14-14.
Ada then continued to build the momentum when Everhart recovered his own surprise on-sides kick. The Bulldogs took over at the LCC 48 where Jolliff made a big recovery on a Baker fumble to avoid a turnover. Jackson scrambled 14 yards, then was sacked for a loss of nine by Jacob Rigali.
He then completed a key 14-yard pass to McBride on third and 14 down to the LCC 11. Three Ada runs came up short, so Everhart came in to boot a 22-yard field goal that gave the Bulldogs a 17-14 lead.
Ada nose tackle Cody Mattson sacked O'Connor for a big 13-yard loss to thwart the next T-Bird drive. Jackson then fielded the ill-advised ensuing LCC punt, broke a tackle and sped 57 ards up the right side to paydirt to give Ada command with a 24-14 lead at the 4:45 juncture.
Kirkman came up with a good kickoff return and Cook then rumbled nearly 40 yards deep into Bulldog territory. Yet on the next play, Kirkman fumbled and Aaron Weyer recovered at the purple 23 to stop the T-Bird momentum.
Neither team threatened the rest of the half to score. Ada ran 38 plays to just 19 by LCC in the first half due to the on-sides kick and the crucial T-Bird turnover. The double number of plays run by Ada helped negate the LCC run game and ball control offense, as well as their deeper lineup of reserves. So in a bit of irony, Ada actually kept the T-Bird offense off the field when everyone expected LCC to do that to the potent Bulldog offense.
Notes and unofficial stats
Ada did not commit a turnover while LCC made three very costly miscues that added up to a scary Halloween night for the Thunderbirds and one the Ada players, coaches and fans won't soon forget. The Bulldogs fumbled three times but on each occasion recovered their own mis-handled play.
Jackson threw for 189 yards on 13 for 26 passing with two scores. He also ran 27 times for 67 yards to acount for all but five of the Bulldog rush yards.
Baker caught six aerials for 53 yards, while McBride snared four passes for 69 yards. Weber pulled down two passes for 42 yards and Jolliff's lone catch went for the big 25-yard TD.
Cook led LCC with 144 yards rushing on 18 carries. Sophomore O'Connor completed 11 of 22 passes for 139 yards but tossed two very hurtful interceptions.
The Bulldogs converted half of their 14 third down plays, including 6-10 in the first half. LCC was 5-12 on third down after an 0-3 start.
The T-Birds out-netted Ada 360-251 in total yardage, gaining 221 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs out-gained LCC by 50 yards through the air.
Ada has won 25 of their past 27 games and have outscored the opposition by a combined total of 498-151 this season. They average 49.8 ppg and allow 15.1. Their current 25-2 run is the best in school history since the Bulldogs went 26-2 from 1971-73. Ada never enjoyed back-to-back 10-0 seasons until 2008-09.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 7 17 7 0 31
LCC 14 0 7 3 24
Ada to host Hornets in playoff first rounder Sat. night
The Bulldogs host local non-league foe Cory-Rawson (7-3) Saturday night at 7 p.m. in a first round playoff game. The winner will advance to the second round November 14 at a site TBA against the Carey (9-1)/Columbus Grove (7-3) victor.
The 'Dogs finished second in the region 22 computer rankings behind only fellow unbeaten defending state champion Delphos St. John's, while the Hornets finished seventh.
Cory-Rawson had middling success against the only two common opponents Ada also competed against this season. The Hornets beat Hardin Northern 20-13 in week three but lost at Bluffton in their opener 20-14. The Bulldogs beat both foes handily, taking down the Polar Bears 49-7 in the opener and the Pirates 43-14 on Homecoming in week five.
C-R went 7-2 in the Blanchard Valley Conference to finish behind league champion Leipsic and just ahead of Arlington. The 9-1 Vikings ended up fourth in the computer rankings and will host fifth-ranked Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic in another region 22 first round matchup. The survivor there will face the Delphos St. John's/Arlington winner.
Fell is now 38-10 in his fourth season at Ada (5-3 in playoffs) as his Bulldogs head into a fourth straight post-season appearance. Ada is 5-4 all-time in the post-season, and is 2-0 at home. They have won five of their last seven playoff games over the past two seasons.
Ada lost in the first round in 1994 and again in round one at HN in 2006.
They advanced to the state semifinals in 2007 and romped through two opponents before losing in the quarterfinals last year to eventual state champion Delphos St. John's, 38-28.
Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium.
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