Bulldogs felled by rival AE in NWC finale

By Cort Reynolds

The Ada football team lost 49-7 to backyard Northwest Conference rival Allen East in the regular season finale on a wet and chilly Friday night, October 20, at War Memorial Stadium.

The Mustangs rode a potent rushing attack to a 28-0 halftime lead and were never threatened.

Injury-plagued Ada finished 3-7 overall and 1-6 in league play with their third consecutive loss to end the season. It was the final NWC game for the Bulldogs after 60 seasons in the league before they move to the Blanchard Valley Conference.

AE improved to 4-6 overall and ended up 3-4 in NWC action after the win.

“Our injuries were a very significant issue for us this season,” said Ada third-year head coach Toby Smith. “When this season started, we knew that if we stayed away from injury we had a chance to be successful.

“We did not stay away from the injury bug,” he noted.

The Mustangs started the game’s first possession on their own 49 and marched 51 yards in six plays to score. A 14-yard run by Jack Hoel, and a 13-yard scamper by quarterback Jackson Thompson sparked the drive.

Hoel then scurried nine yards to paydirt just 2:14 into the fray to put AE on top. The Mustang point after kick made it 7-0.
Ada mishandled a high snap on their first play from scrimmage, and the visitors recovered the loose football on the Bulldog 21. But the Ada defense rose up and stuffed the Mustangs to keep them from scoring.

On fourth and five, Thompson was tackled for a short loss by Landon Simon to thwart their opportunity. 

Ada was forced to punt and the visitors took over just past midfield. But their drive was halted when Zack Zimmerman recovered a fumble after Thompson lost the handle on a wet football.

AE forced another Ada punt and took over at its own 33. Runs of 24 and 15 yards by Thompson ignited the 67-yard march. Hoel then trotted into the end zone untouched on second and one from the Bulldog four to cap the drive.

The extra point put AE ahead 14-0 with 1:37 left in the opening stanza.

Levi Green completed passes of 13 yards to Gavin Oldfield and 15-yards to Kayleb Hickman to gain the initial Ada first downs. 

But Carson Clum intercepted a Green aerial at the AE 35 and returned it 13 yards to the 48. Hoel then ran left down the sideline, spun off a tackler and lunged to the Ada four for a 48-yard run.

On the next play Hoel weaved his way to score from four yards out with 10:11 left in the half. The PAT stretched the Mustang lead to 21-0. 

Another three-and-out possession gave AE the ball at its own 12. The Ada defense forced a punt and the Bulldogs took over at their own 22. A seven-yard run by Kaine Fisher moved the chains, but a Green pass was intercepted by Clum again at the 38.

The AE senior defensive back then ran the pigskin back to paydirt untouched to put the visitors further ahead with 1:57 to go in the half. The extra point made it 28-0.

Clum intercepted his third pass of the half on the ensuing Ada possession. Trey Hensley sped 39 yards down the right sideline before Oldfield pulled him down. 

Under pressure, Thompson’s pass was tipped and picked off by Hickman at the Ada six to keep the margin at 28 heading to intermission.

AE scored two more TDs in the third period to trigger the running clock and stretch the lead to 42 points.

A 71-yard interception return by Jorden Scott set up the next AE score. Hensley pulled down a 16-yard TD toss from Thompson to make it 35-0. On the next AE drive, Thompson then found paydirt on a 53-yard run, and the PAT ballooned the lead to 42-0.

Ada got on the scoreboard when Fisher scampered 47 yards to the end zone in the third period. Logan Jolliff’s PAT kick made the score 42-7 heading to the final period.

Hensley returned the kickoff 87 yards to the end zone for the last TD. The extra point made the final margin 49-7.

“Overall, many young kids played and got tons of experiences that we will hopefully see results from next season,” said Smith.

Notes and stats

Ada compiled seven first downs compared to 21 AE chain-movers. 

AE rushed for a whopping 346 yards on 31 carries for an average of 11.2 yards per rush. The Mustangs threw for 55 yards to roll up 401 yards of offense on 61 plays.

The Ada offense totaled 178 yards on 43 snaps (4.1 average per play). The purple and gold rushed for 92 yards on 25 carries (3.7 avg.), and passed for 78 yards.

Green completed seven of 18 passes for 78 yards with no scores and four interceptions. He added 11 yards rushing.

Fisher ran for 83 yards on 13 carries with one TD to pace the Bulldogs.

Hickman caught four passes for 60 yards. Oldfield had one reception for 13 yards. Fisher and Zimmerman each added one catch.

Puerto punted five times for an average of 44 yards per kick, including a long boot of 66. AE only punted once.

Thompson completed five of 20 passes for 55 yards and one TD with one pick-off. Thompson also rushed 10 times for a game-high 151 yards and one TD.

Hoel racked up 125 yards on 14 runs with three TDs.

Hensley added 42 yards on three runs. He also snared three aerials for 33 yards and one TD. 

Clum added a nine-yard reception.

Clum totaled 74 yards in interception returns on his three picks.

The host Bulldogs committed two penalties for five yards, while the visitors were flagged six times for 36 yards.

Ada converted two of 10 third down tries, while AE was successful on   five of nine third-down attempts. 

The hosts also converted one of eight tries on fourth down, while the visiting Mustangs were 0-1 on fourth down.

Ada committed five turnovers on four interceptions and a fumble. AE was guilty of two miscues on a fumble and one pick-off. 

Ada won in time of possession, 17:36 to 14:25.  

Ada was outscored by its foes this season, 377 -180. 

It was the sixth straight win by AE over Ada. The Bulldogs had won 13 in a row in the rivalry from 2005-17. The Mustangs advance to the playoffs in Div. VI, Region 24 despite a 4-6 record.

The Bulldogs finished 21st in the unofficial early Div. VII, Region 26 rankings after the loss.  The top 16 in a region make it to the postseason.