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| 11/22/2009 9:01:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Blue Jays edge Ada in OT classic, end Bulldog dreams of state title in regional final
By Cort Reynolds
Ada Herald Writer
FINDLAY - Top-ranked Delphos St. John's never led until the last play of the game, but their poise under pressure as defending state champions held true as they rallied from 14 points down to eke out a spine-tingling 34-31 overtime win over Ada in the Div. VI state quarterfinals at Findlay Donnell Stadium on a brisk Saturday night.
The gut-wrenching loss ended Ada's season at 12-1 for the second consecutive season at the hands of the Blue Jays in the region 22 finals. Resourceful St. John's advances to the state semifinals with a 13-0 mark after winning for the 20th straight time.
Delphos senior quarterback Wes Ulm burrowed into the end zone from two yards out in overtime to give the Blue Jays the incredibly hard-fought comeback win. His winning plunge was set up by junior tailback Jordan Leininger's 18-yard rumble on the first play from the Ada 20.
The Jays won the coin toss before overtime and elected to go on defense first. The Bulldogs took over on the Delphos 20 and sophomore Konnor Baker nearly came up with a spectacular one-handed diving catch in the end zone on second down, but the pass was ruled incomplete.
Heath Jackson's third down aerial was errant and the Bulldogs decided to go for a field goal on fourth and eight. Junior Austin Everhart's clutch 35-yard boot was straight and carried over the crossbar with a few yards to spare to put Ada in front 31-28.
But after an Ada timeout to discuss defensive strategy, Leininger barreled through the line on the first DSJ play in overtime on a delayed handoff to all but clinch the outcome. After Ulm's sneak up the middle, the referees waited several seconds before signaling that he had indeed crossed the goal line for the winning score.
Ada led 28-20 with 7:34 left in the fourth quarter when DSJ took over on its own 25. The extremely elusive Ulm scampered 11 yards and out of bounds to ignite the Jay drive. Then moments later, he converted a crucial fourth and one with a clutch three-yard run up the middle.
Two plays later, Ulm made the defense commit and pitched the ball out to his right at just the right time to Leininger. The 6-3, 205-pounder had been harnessed by Ada all night, but this time he broke free down the sideline, made a good cutback near the 10 and finished the 44-yard rumble to the end zone to make it 28-26 with 4:13 remaining.
Leininger then added a must-have two-point conversion run around right end to tie the battle 28-all. The clutch 75-yard march was comprised of eight straight runs and took 3:21.
Ada then had its chance to answer. Jackson scampered 10 yards to the Bulldog 36, but was then sacked by DSJ junior end Derek Klaus. However, they got new life when Baker drew a pass interference call for 15 yards and an automatic first down at the Delphos 45.
But on the next play Jackson committed the only Bulldog turnover of the night when he threw the ball to Jay linebacker Dylan Dancer, who picked off the pass and returned it to the Ada 43 with 2:50 remaining in regulation.
Now it was the Bulldog defense's turn to come up big, and they did.
A 43-yard TD run by Leininger when he reversed field was negated by holding to keep the score tied. Ulm then fumbled and barely recovered but lost 10 critical yards. Ty Jolliff then came up with a fine leaping pass break-up on a bomb tossed by Ulm. After a short punt shanked out of bounds, Ada had the ball at its own 40 with 61 ticks left.
A clutch third down and 11 pass to Baker netted 21 yards, and Jackson then scrambled out of bounds for a short gain to stop the clock with 21 seconds to go. However, an incompletion and a sack of Jackson stalled the drive and time ran out in regulation, forcing the extra session.
Fired-up Ada took the fight right to Delphos from the opening kickoff. Taking over on their own 28, Jackson connected with Matt McBride on a 10-yard pass. He then dropped back and hurled a long spiral over the middle that Alex Weber hauled in with a spectacular, over the shoulder diving grab for a gain of 43 yards.
Two plays later the offensive line gave Jackson plenty of time and protection to survey the field. He scrambled right and drilled a pass to the sliding Baker for a 16-yard TD just 2:20 into the contest.
Everhart's PAT kick was good to cap the 72-yard, six-play drive and give Ada a 7-0 lead.
Disaster almost struck for the Jays on their first play from scrimmage when Ulm fumbled but alertly recovered his muff at their own 19. On third and six, the incredibly quick Ulm rolled left and weaved his way for seven yards to keep the chains moving.
Leininger then rumbled for gains of eight and 14 yards on the next two plays. Next the clever Ulm made a good fake handoff to misdirect the defense, and scampered to his left for 41 yards down to the Bulldog seven. Only a hustling tackle by Baker saved a score.
But on the next play, Leininger took a toss and swept seven yards to paydirt off left tackle with 6:18 left in the first period. Josh Rode's point after kick tied it 7-7 to finish the 80-yard, eight-play drive that took 3:21, all on the ground.
Yet Ada remained undaunted and responded quickly with an 80-yard scoring march of its own. Baker pulled down an eight-yard pass, followed by a nine-yard Tyler Simmons run up the gut.
Jackson then rolled right and rifled a pass to McBride along the sideline. The senior hauled in the pass as a Jay defender dove and went for the deflection, freeing McBride to scamper 60 yards down the sideline before being taken down at the Jay three.
On the next play, Jackson faked a handoff and sped untouched into the end zone around left end to make it 13-7 'Dogs with 5:13 still to go in the opening stanza. The four-play drive took just 65 seconds, and Everhart's second PAT made it a seven-point margin.
Taking over at its own 20, Delphos again fumbled on its first play from scrimmage. This time after a mad scrum for the ball, Ada came up with the loose pigskin at the Blue Jay one. Jackson's ensuing TD sneak up the middle and Everhart's third point after kick gave the underdogs a stunning 21-7 lead at the 4:59 mark as the large throng of Bulldog fans erupted, sensing an upset.
The 14-point deficit was unbeaten DSJ's biggest of the season, yet with the composure of defending champions they did not panic.
Starting from their own 33, Ulm engineered a long drive. He scooted around left end for nine yards. On third and one, he converted a five-yard run. On third and seven, he again made a big play by keeping the ball for a nine-yard run.
He then fired a perfect pass to Tyler Bergfeld for an apparent TD, but the Jay receiver dropped the spiral. Senior fullback Mitchell MacLennan then broke through the line and rambled 42 yards, but before he could reach the end zone Jackson hustled over and made a score-saving tackle at the Ada three in what turned out to be a crucial play.
Leininger fumbled a pitchout for a loss of two, and then Ulm muscled his way for two yards. On third and goal, Ulm scooped up a low shotgun snap but was unable to elude Chris Beaschler, who sacked him for a seven-yard loss on the last play of the high-scoring first period.
On fourth and goal from the 10, DSJ eschewed a field goal and went for a TD. Ulm was under intense defensive pressure yet somehow managed to escape several Ada rushers in maneuvers Houdini would have been proud of. He then scrambled to his right and lofted a pass to the right corner of the end zone, but Baker made a fine leaping interception of the underthrown aerial to thwart the Jays and keep the margin at 14 points.
But the Ada offense went as cold as increasingly chilly night when they were forced into a quick three-and-out to punt for the first time.
Starting at the Bulldog 47, Ulm scooted 13 yards on the first play. Two plays later he scampered for 15 more yards down to the Ada 17. Leininger struggled for two yards off tackle. On the next play Ulm pitched the ball to Leininger, who bobbled the toss momentarily. The bobble seemed to throw the Ada defense off just for a split second, and he then secured the ball to rumble 15 yards around right end into the end zone to cap 47-yard, five-play drive.
Rode's second PAT boot made it 21-14 with 8:44 left in the half.
Ada took over at its own 21 but after two incompletions and a big sack of Jackson, had to punt again. DSJ got great field position at the Bulldog 33 after the punt return at the 7:46 mark.
Ulm kept again for seven yards and a first down, followed by an eight-yard Leininger run. Beaschler chased down Ulm from behind as he rolled right looking for a receiver, dropping him for a 14-yard loss. A deleay of game penalty cost Delphos five more yards and on third down Ulm somehow escaped another sack and did well to get out of bounds at the line of scrimmage.
On fourth down and 18, the Jays came up with one of the biggest plays of the night. Senior Steven Metcalfe snagged a perfectly-executed shovel pass from Ulm and scurried 33 yards around left end to score with 5:02 left in the half. Yet when DSJ went for two points on the trick-play conversion try the snap was high, and MacLennan slipped in the backfield onto his knee to keep Ada in front 21-20.
It appeared for a long time that misplay might help decide the outcome.
The Bulldogs finally got decent field position at the 35 when the ensuing kick-off sailed out of bounds. A third and three pass fell incomplete, and Ada lined up to punt. They faked the kick but their run to the right sideline came up about a foot short, turning the ball back over to DSJ on downs at the Bulldog 44.
Delphos had all the momentum now and when Ulm converted yet another clutch fourth and one play with a 17-yard run around right end it appeared the Jays were ready to take the lead for the first time all night.
Yet Jolliff made a fine pass break-up in the end zone and on third and six Ada finally contained Ulm for just one yard. This time, DSJ elected to kick a field goal but Rode's 31-yard boot hooked just wide left with 31.7 ticks left in the half to keep Ada in front 21-20 heading to intermission.
For the second straight week the opportunistic Bulldogs had been more than doubled in time of possession and out-gained by 82 yards yet still managed to lead.
Delphos received the second half kickoff and began at its own 30. MacLennan immediately scurried 19 yards to the 49, but the drive was thwarted when Tanner Craig sacked Ulm for a loss of seven.
Ada then took over at its own 28 and appeared to be stopped when Klaus and Nate Pohlman recorded consecutive tackles for loss against Jackson totaling 15 yards. However on fourth and 20 DSJ was called for an ill-advised roughing the punter penalty, providing Ada with an automatic first down.
Given a second chance, the Bulldog offense capitalized on the gift. Three runs gained 18 yards, and then Jackson found Weber in the flat to convert a clutch third and seven pass to keep the drive alive.
On third and one Jackson juked his way four yards up the middle. Later, a screen to Weber netted four yards and Jackson converted another third down run for three yards down to the Jay 11. Simmons ran for two yards and then Ada came up with another big play.
Jackson rolled right and found Baker despite double coverage in the back of the end zone for a nine-yard TD pass with 2:09 left in the third stanza. The time-consuming 72-yard march ate up 7:23 in the longest drive of the season for Ada.
Everhart's fourth PAT kick made the margin eight as the Bulldogs seemed to be in control.
DSJ began its next possession at their own 35, and MacLennan burst 27 yards to the left. Only another hustling tackle by Jackson saved a TD run. Two plays later MacLennan scampered 10 yards on a play where McBride hurt his right knee and was lost for the game in a key blow for Ada.
Two plays later Ulm made one of his few mistakes of the night. Hard-charging senior lineman Zach Gibson swooped in and forced the QB to spin away to avoid a sack. Rushed by Gibson, Ulm scrambled to his left and threw an ill-advised across his body that Jackson made a diving interception of at the Bulldog 20 with just 10 seconds left in the third period.
On third and 10 Jackson came up with a clutch 10-yard scramble to move the chains as the fourth quarter began. "That guy makes so many plays," senior lineman Cody Mattson said in admiration along the Ada sideline.
Another six-yard run by the senior signal-caller narrowly earned another first down. Simmons moved the chains again with a bulldozing six-yard rush.
The Delphos defense then came up with a sack of Jackson for a loss of eight yards. Yet he scrambled as usual and hooked up with Baker on a 15-yard pass play for a fourth straight first down. However, on third and nine Simmons was unable to hang onto a high pass when he was hit hard from behind as he attempted to haul it in, forcing Ada to punt.
The stop allowed poised DSJ to then put together a must-have 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in Leininger's 44-yard scoring run off the Ulm pitchout. Leininger then converted the imperative two-point run to tie it and eventually force overtime.
"It was a great game between two very good football teams who left it all out on the field, and we found a will to win," said DSJ head coach Todd Schulte.
1 2 3 4 OT F
Ada 21 0 7 0 3 31
DSJ 7 13 0 8 6 34
Notes and stats
Unofficially, Jackson completed 10 of 23 passes for 188 yards and two scores with one interception. He completed five of his first six passes but as he tired playing both ways went 5-for-17 after the first period.
Constantly harassed by the DSJ rush, Jackson gained 71 yards on 26 carries with two short TD runs. But he netted a total of 25 yards as he was tackled for losses seven times by the relentless Jay defense for minus 46 yards.
Simmons netted 50 yards on 11 rushes. Baker snared five aerials for 62 yards and a pair of TDs. Weber pulled in three passes for 56 yards and McBride added two catches for 70 yards.
Ulm ran 23 times for a net of 143 yards and one TD. Leininger rushed 17 times for 125 yards and three TDs. Unsung MacLennan, normally a blocker, netted 117 big yards on just 10 carries. Ulm completed just two of nine passes for 30 yards and two interceptions, with the big completion coming on the TD shovel pass to Metcalfe.
Delphos rolled up 385 yards on the ground and amassed 403 total yards while Ada totaled 265 yards in offense. But the Jays committed three turnovers to just one by the Bulldogs and ran 62 plays to 64 by Ada.
DSJ possessed the ball for 16:48 of the first half compared to just 7:12 by Ada. Over the first two periods they outgained the Bulldogs 233-151 in total yardage, including 215-14 in rushing yards.
But the Bulldogs led DSJ 137 to 18 in passing yardage as Jackson completed five of 10 aerials. DSJ ran 39 plays in the first half to 22 by Ada, including a 21-10 edge in the second period as they possessed the ball almost the entire stanza.
It was the second consecutive season DSJ eliminated the Bulldogs in the regional finals on the synthetic turf of Donnell Stadium in Findlay.
Ada is now 7-5 all-time in five playoff appearances, including 7-4 under coach Mike Fell over the last four seasons. The Bulldogs have won 24 of their last 26 games, and Fell is now 40-11 at Ada.
DSJ faces MAC league rival Marion Local (8-5), whom they whipped earlier this season, in the Div. VI state semifinals Saturday, November 28 at Wapakoneta.
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