By Dusty Donley
Fueled by another outstanding performance from quarterback Seth Conley, the Bulldogs claimed their third straight victory, going on the road to beat the Paulding Panthers 49-20.
Conley was effective both through the air and on the ground, tallying 413 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. The win moves Ada to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Northwest Conference.
GAME STATS AT BOTTOM OF STORY -
Conley and the Bulldog offense got to work early, as the junior gunslinger found Mason Klingler for a 16-yard score. Aaron Everhart’s extra point was good, giving Ada a 7-0 lead after only a minute and 64 seconds had ticked off the clock.
Minutes later, Conley would strike again, this time connecting with Jordan Bailey for an 8-yard score. Everhart’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead with 5:29 left to play in the first quarter.
Undaunted by the 14-point deficit, Paulding coach Chris Etzler turned to his stable of running backs to even the score. On the ensuing Panther possession, workhorse back Preston Ingol found pay dirt on a bruising 11-yard rumble. He followed that with a successful 2-point conversion run and suddenly Ada’s lead was cut to six, 14-8.
After a short Bulldog drive ended in a punt, Panther back Cameron Doster tied the game at 14. Taking the ball at the Bulldog 35, the shifty runner sliced through the Ada defense, scoring what would be Paulding’s last touchdown until late in the game. Ingol’s 2-point conversion attempt was denied, leaving the score knotted at 14 with just over two minutes left to play in the first quarter.
Less than a minute later, Ada’s high octane offense would answer, as Conley connected with senior Owen Conley on a 15-yard touchdown strike. Everhart’s kick was good, putting the Bulldogs back in front, 21-14.
Seth Conley would call his own number twice in the second quarter, adding scoring runs of 20 and two yards. Along with Everhart’s successful extra points, the Bulldogs would take a 35-14 lead into the halftime locker room.
Ethan Swaney added six more Ada points in the third quarter when the heads up lineman pounced on a Bulldog fumble in the end zone. Everhart would add another PAT, pushing the Ada lead to 28, 42-14.
The Bulldog offense would save the best for last, scoring one final time in the fourth quarter. Conley took the shotgun snap and rifled a beautiful spiral to junior wide out Chase Sumner.
The athletic receiver dug into his bag of tricks and pulled out an array of jukes, jives, and spins enroute to a 66-yard touchdown dash. Everhart tacked on one last extra point, giving Ada a 49-14 lead.
Paulding quarterback Jacob Deisler added a long touchdown of his own in the final seconds of the game, connecting with Riley Coil for a 74-yard score. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving the final score a 49-20 Bulldog victory.
Ada outgained Paulding in total yardage, 434 to 371. The Bulldogs crushed the Panthers through the air, passing for 325 yards to Paulding’s 86.
Bulldog quarterback Seth Conley finished the game 24 of 36 for 325 yards and 4 touchdowns. He added 88 yards and 2 scores on the ground.
Chase Sumner led the receivers with 9 grabs for 173 yards and a score, averaging 19.2 yards per catch.
The Bulldogs take their three game winning streak on the road this Friday night to take on Northwest Conference rival Bluffton (3-4, 1-3). The Pirates are riding a three game losing streak, most recently suffering a 42-14 drubbing at the hands of league leader Spencerville. Game time is 7pm.
