After a nine-year hiatus, visiting Ada triumphantly resumed its traditional rivalry against county foe Hardin Northern with a 42-30 win Friday night, September 3.
The Bulldogs trailed 24-21 at halftime and 30-21 in the third period, but scored the final 21 points to pull out the win. It was the first Ada victory since outscoring Delphos Jefferson 74-70 on September 27, 2019.
Ada improved to 1-2 with the victory in their last non-league game of the regular season. HN fell to 2-1 with their first defeat.
"When you have been coaching as long as I have you are just excited for the kids," said first-year Ada head coach Toby Smith of his first win as Bulldog mentor.
"We made some second half adjustments and tried to force Hardin Northern to have to make some plays and make some mistakes," Smith continued. "We wore them down defensively.
"Anytime you score 42 points, you are doing something right," he added.
Ada senior quarterback Kadin Phipps ran for four touchdowns and accounted for 258 yards in total offense to pace the Bulldogs to victory.
Ada freshman Kaine Fisher returned the opening kickoff 73 yards to paydirt to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead just 15 seconds into the fray. The extra point kick try missed.
HN struck back just 20 seconds later. Quarterback Nevin Robson found Colby Curtis for a 66-yard touchdown strike. Robson's PAT kick was good to put Northern ahead 7-6 just 35 seconds into the contest.
Polar Bear Xander Wilson found the end zone on an eight-yard run with 2:29 to go in the opening stanza. Robson's extra point kick put the hosts in front, 14-6.
Phipps answered on an eight-yard TD run with 26 seconds left in the first period. Max Puerto's extra point kick cut the deficit to 14-13 after the wild opening quarter.
Robson later completed a seven-yard TD aerial to Carter Curtis with 9:56 left in the first half. His third PAT extended the lead to 21-13.
Phipps scored on a one-yard plunge just 38 seconds before halftime. Phipps hooked up with Casen Jones on a two-point conversion pass to tie the contest, 21-21.
Robson then booted a 25-yard field goal just before halftime to put the Bears back in front 24-21 at intermission.
Robson and Wilson combined on a 12-yard TD aerial with 8:13 to go in the third period. The point after try was blocked by Ada to keep the margin at 30-21.
Ada then began its 21-point comeback run. Phipps scored on a 15-yard jaunt with 3:28 left in the third period. Puerto's extra point kick inched the Bulldogs within 30-28.
Sophomore back Jalee Bolden tallied six on a three-yard TD run with 11:08 remaining in the game to give Ada the lead for good. Phipps ran in the two-point conversion to put the purple and gold ahead, 36-30.
Phipps then put the game out of reach with another TD run of three yards. The extra point kick missed to keep the margin at 42-30.
Ada was able to hold HN scoreless over the final 20:13 of play to preserve the victory.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 13 8 7 14 42
HN 14 10 6 0 30
Notes and stats
HN narrowly out-gained Ada 370-368 in total offense. The Bulldogs averaged 6.7 yards on 55 plays. The Polar Bears averaged 6.5 yards on 57 plays.
"Statistically, it was a very close game," Smith noted.
The Bulldogs ran the ball 45 times for 284 yards (6.3 average). The Bears managed just 40 yards rushing on 14 tries (2.9 average).
Ada compiled 20 first downs to 18 by HN.
Phipps ran the ball 35 times for a career-high 174 yards and four TDs. He also completed five of 10 passes for 84 yards.
Bolden netted 78 yards rushing on eight carries with one TD. Junior Casen Jones added 32 yards on two carries.
Junior Spencer Wall hauled in two receptions for 41 yards. Freshman Levi Green caught one pass for 38 yards.
Fisher totaled 117 yards on four kickoff returns with one TD.
Robson completed 19 of 43 passes for 303 yards and three TDs.
Carter Curtis netted 28 yards rushing and Wilson added 17.
Colby Curtis snared nine aerials for 211 yards. Wilson snared eight passes for 101 yards.
The Bulldogs committed no turnovers, while the Bears were guilty of just one miscue on a fumble. Ada amassed seven penalties for 80 yards, and Northern was flagged four times for 35 yards.
Ada converted six of 12 third down tries and did not go for it on fourth down. HN converted two of 10 attempts on third down and 1-3 on fourth down. The Bulldogs won the time of possession battle, 30:20 to 17:20.
Ada has given up 106 points (35.3 ppg) and scored 54 (18 ppg) in three games so far this season. The Bulldogs climbed from 20th to 14 in the unofficial Div. VII Region 26 standingsm while HN is seventh.
The Bulldogs crushed HN 55-0 in the 2012 season opener, their last previous meeting.
In another high-scoring Ada/HN battle, Northern outpointed the Bulldogs 67-38 in the 2006 opener to spoil Mike Fell's coaching debut.
The Bulldogs defeated the Bears 39-36 in another shootout in the 1996 opener at Ada.
Ada had won the previous five meetings vs. HN from 2008-12 by a combined score of 254-21.
Ada to host new NWC member Leipsic in home opener
After three straight road games to start the season, Ada plays its first home game on their new synthetic turf field Friday, Sept. 10 vs. new Northwest Conference member Leipsic (1-2).
The Vikings lost 23-20 to Defiance Tinora Friday night. They fell to Liberty-Benton 14-0 in the opener, and whipped Fairview 41-6 in week two.
