VIEW GAME PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.
PRESALE TICKETS: Starting Wednesday, there will be presale tickets available in the high school office for Friday’s varsity football game with St. Henry at Lima Stadium. The game starts at 7:30 p.m.. All tickets are $7. All tickets at the game will be $9. Ada is the home team and will sit in the home bleachers. The gates will open at 6:30 p.m..
By Levi Klingler
Coming into the first round of Div. VI state playoffs seeded first in Region 24, the Ada Bulldogs defeated the Waynesfield-Goshen Tigers in a 50-15 win at Lima Stadium Friday night. The win advances the 10-1 (9-1 NWC) Bulldogs to the regional semifinal round of tournament play, in which they will face St. Henry (8-3), held at Lima Stadium next Friday at 7:30 pm.
Ada found themselves up against a rambunctious Tiger offense to start the first half. A string of three first downs put Waynesfield within thirty yards of the end zone, and appeared to be well on their way to score, before being stopped on 4th and 4 by the ever resilient Bulldog defense on Ada's 24 yard line.
In a timeframe of merely 50 seconds, the Bulldogs marched 76 yards downfield and scored on a pass from senior quarterback Mason Acheson to junior receiver Matt Wilcox from Waynesfield's 10 yard line. Kicker Hunter Waller made the extra point, making it 7-0, Ada, with 3:59 remaining in the first.
Following three back to back turnovers, Ada found themselves starting with the ball on their own 39 yard line. Six quick plays later, the Bulldogs scored again, this time on a 10 yard carry by senior running back Kellen Decker. Waller's PAT would be good, putting the score at 14-0 with 6:40 to go in the half.
After a three-and-out stop by Ada's defensive unit, the Bulldogs scored in rapid succession yet again, this time in only 3 plays on a 50 yard pass to senior receiver Jacob Ansley.
Waynesfield started the next series on their own 27. Three plays later, they found themselves forced to punt from their own 24. However, they were unable to get the punt off, as junior defensive end Austin Dumbaugh crashed his way through a line of Tigers to block the punt. The blocked ball ricocheted some thirty yards in the opposite direction, bouncing out of the back of the end zone for a safety. This made it 23-0, Ada, with 2:30 left in the half.
Following the safety, the Tigers procedurally kicked off from their own 20, opting to kick the ball out of bounds. This gave the Bulldogs excellent field position, starting their next drive already in Tiger territory on Waynesfield's 45 yard line. Four plays later, Ada would score on a 6 yard carry by Decker with 2:01 to go. Waller's PAT would be blocked, leaving the score at 29-0.
After forcing another Waynesfield turnover, Ada started with the ball on their own 29 with only 48 seconds left to score. In 7 quick short plays, the Bulldogs would score once more on a 10 yard pass from Acheson to Ansley just as time ran out. Waller's PAT was good, making it 36-0 to end the half.
Play resumed in the second half with Ada starting on offense. The Bulldogs scored in under two minutes on another pass from Acheson to Ansley, this one going for 38 yards. Waller would make the extra point, putting the score at 43-0 with 10:24 remaining in the third.
Three plays into Waynesfield's following possession, the ball came loose and was recovered by freshman linebacker Blake Ansley of Ada on the Tigers' own 15 yard line. Freshman backup quarterback Brayden Sautter of Ada would be next to score, this time on a naked bootleg from the 9 yard line. Waller's PAT was good, making it 50-0 with 5:36 remaining in the third.
Soon after this final score for the Bulldogs, after forcing a turnover on the Tigers, Ada decided it was time for the second team to take the field. Unfortunately, Waynesfield did not follow suit with this policy, keeping their varsity squad in on both offense and defense to put some points up on the board.
The Tigers' first touchdown on the night came on a scoop and score after forcing a fumble in the red zone, taking the ball some 80 yards downfield for a score. They opted to go for two, and were successful in doing so, making it 50-8 with 3:57 left in the third.
The last time that Waynesfield would score came in the fourth quarter, this time against Ada's second string defense. Following the score, the Tigers made their PAT, making it 50-15, where the score would remain for the rest of the second half.
Acheson completed 18 of 22 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Decker, recently voted NWC Back of the Year, ran for 101 yards and scored twice on 10 carries.
Ada faces St. Henry next Friday, November 9 in a regional semifinal battle at Lima Stadium. The Redskins, seeded fourth in Region 24, defeated visiting Ft. Loramie 45-21 in their first round game last Friday.
PHOTOS BY TODD KLINGLER
