Allen nets 4 in shutout
By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School varsity boys soccer team opened its fall 2024 campaign with an 11-0 shellacking of visiting Tiffin Columbian on Saturday, August 17 at War Memorial Stadium.
The Bulldogs raced to a 7-0 lead at the half and cruised to the lopsided victory in the coaching debut of new Bulldog mentor Aaron Acheson.
“Overall, I am very happy with the result,” said coach Acheson. “I loved the team spirit and the unity. We moved the ball around and were very unselfish.
“It was a nice start to the season,” he added.
Ada sophomore Andrew Allen tallied a career-high four goals to lead the barrage.
Bulldog seniors Nathan Williams netted two goals and doled out four assists to help pace the onslaught. Senior Logan Jolliff scored both of his goals in the first half, and passed out one assist.
Ada junior Joshua Thaxton also tallied a pair of goals, one in each half. Sophomore Carson Conley added the other goal.
Sophomore Jacob Rush made two saves in goal. “He made one tremendous save by diving on the ball in the second half,” said Acheson. “He made a great read and pounced on it.
“Our defense kept the other team from getting many good shots at the goal. I was impressed with our backline,” the coach added. “We have good speed back there.”
Conley tallied the first goal of the second half three minutes in for an 8-0 cushion.
Thaxton scored with a left-footed shot from straight on about 16 yards out. Allen started the scoring play with a hard shot from the right side that the TC keeper mishandled, leading to a loose ball scrum in front of the net.
The ball eventually bounded out to the opportunistic Thaxton, who drilled it cleanly into the right side of the net with 15:25 remaining for a 9-0 lead.
Rush made a nice smothering stop of a good Tornado run at the 12:54 juncture.
Willaims later re-directed a header off a Jolliff corner kick, but it was saved at the 12:04 mark.
Allen then stole the ball and sped in on a right-side breakaway, but his shot slammed off the crossbar.
Rush fell on a long through ball with 7:17 left to play.
Williams then weaved his way past three defenders with some nimble footwork on the left side before unselfishly crossing the ball to an open Allen sitting on the goalmouth’s right doorstep.
Allen easily punched it in from a few yards out with 5:29 remaining to earn a hat trick.
Allen then tallied the final goal on a breakaway as he blasted a right side shot from about 15 yards out past the keeper into the net with 3:35 left to play.
Ada put 18 shots on goal and earned 11 corner kicks. They took four direct kicks and one indirect kick. The busy TC keeper had nine saves.
“I am very happy,” the new coach said of winning the one-sided debut at his alma mater. “We put a lot of time in during the summer. When I graduated from Ada we didn’t have a boys team, so I got a little emotional before the game during the national anthem. It was special.”
Ada hosts New Knoxville Monday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs entertain Bath Thursday Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Aug. 24 the Bulldogs welcome rival Allen East to War Memorial Stadium for a 5 p.m. tilt. AE lost 3-1 at Kenton Saturday.
