By Dusty Donley
Despite a solid game from Bulldog quarterback Seth Conley, a late Ethan O'Connor touchdown gave Lima Central Catholic a lead they would not relinquish as the visiting Thunderbirds defeated the Ada Bulldogs 22-20. The tough, non-conference loss was Ada's first, dropping their season record to 2-1.
Both teams showed offensive fireworks early on, scoring 36 of the game's combined 42 points in the first half. LCC struck first as T-Bird quarterback O'Connor connected with Sammy Santaguida on a 31-yard scoring strike with just over five minutes to play in the first. The extra point was blocked, leaving LCC with the 6-0 lead.
After a Bulldog punt, the Thunderbird offense once again found its groove, marching 89-yards to pay dirt as O'Connor found Thomas Williams on a 22-yard touchdown toss. The point after kick was good, giving LCC a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Feeling the game slipping away, quarterback Seth Conley and the Bulldog offense would respond on its next drive. Forced into a third down situation, the Sophomore gunslinger found a wide-open Chase Sumner. The Sophomore speedster turned on the jets and rolled 63-yards untouched for the score. Aaron Everhart's extra point kick was good, slicing LCC's lead down to 13-7.
Solid Bulldog defense forced an LCC punt and the Ada offense would waste no time making things happen. On the second play of the drive, Conley tossed a screen pass to Senior Blake Ansley who would shake and bake his way to a 59-yard score. Everhart's point after kick gave the Bulldogs a 14-13 lead with 6:41 to play in the half.
On its next possession, O'Connor and the LCC offense would knock on the door, but stout Ada defense forced the Thunderbirds to settle for three as LCC kicker Nick Taflinger booted a 22-yard field goal. The successful kick once again gave the T-Birds the lead, moving them ahead 16-14 with just over three minutes to play in the second quarter.
Three minutes proved to be plenty of time for Conley and the Bulldog offense as the cagey Sophomore once again found classmate Chase Sumner, this time on a 6-yard toss with 30-seconds to play in the half. The two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, leaving the Bulldogs with a 20-16 lead that they would take into the half-time locker room.
In what turned out to be a tale of two halves, the offensive fire power on display in the first 24-minutes was replaced by a defensive stalemate over the final two quarters. Both teams enjoyed good field position thanks in large part to penalties and turnovers, but ultimately neither team found the end zone until late in the fourth quarter.
With LCC driving, “Big-Play” Chase Sumner recovered a Vinny Pignataro fumble, giving Ada the ball on the Thunderbird 29-yard line with just under nine minutes to play in the game. The Bulldog offense advanced the ball to the T-Bird 5-yard line, but on fourth and four, Conley's pass fell incomplete, giving the ball back to LCC. O'Connor and the Thunderbird offense had less than six minutes on the clock, needing a touchdown to win.
As the game hung in the balance, LCC head coach Scott Palte turned to his senior quarterback, who would respond with a 12-play, 95-yard scoring drive. Slicing and dicing his way up field, O'Connor would net 88 yards on the ground over the course of the drive, capping it off with a 9-yard scoring jaunt. The extra point attempt was blocked, giving LCC a 22-20 lead with 1:05 left to play.
The Bulldogs took the ensuing kickoff and marched to the LCC 38-yard line, but a sack on fourth and 11 gave the ball back to the Thunderbirds, who would kneel out the final 18-seconds of a hard fought victory.
The Thunderbirds out-gained the Bulldogs in total offense 392 yards to 290, rushing for 181 yards to the Bulldogs' 52.
Bulldog quarterback Seth Conley went 19 of 39 for 231 yards and 3 scores. Chase Sumner led the receivers with 5 grabs for 102 yards and 2 scores.
Versatile LCC quarterback Ethan O'Connor went 19 of 47 for 211 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. He added 175 yards rushing on 24 attempts and the game winning score.
The Bulldogs open Northwest Conference play this Friday night as they go on the road to face league foe Spencerville (3-0). The Bearcats are coming off an 82-22 thrashing of Holgate.
