By Cort Reynolds
ADA – The Ada High School boys soccer team hammered visiting rival Allen East 9-1 in sectional tournament first round action on a sun-splashed 70-degree Saturday, October 19, at War Memorial Stadium.
Ada improved to 14-4 with the lopsided victory. The match was stopped with 10:11 remaining due to the eight-goal OHSAA tournament second half mercy rule.
AE finished its season 1-14-1 after the defeat.
Ada senior Logan Jolliff blasted three goals in his final home match. Fellow senior playmaker Nathan Williams netted two goals and doled out two assists. Sophomore Andrew Allen scored two goals and dished out an assist. ▶︎
The potent Bulldog three-headed monster-led offense was also aided by other players who consistently attacked.
“We wanted to start fast, the first 10 minutes were important to get some early goals,” said Ada head coach Aaron Acheson. “Tournament time is different than regular season.
“We got two goals in the first 10 minutes so I was really happy with the start; we played with urgency and moved the ball well,” he noted.
Jolliff got the scoring started seven minutes into the fray with an assist from Williams.
Andrew Allen tallied the second Ada score off a Williams assist a minute later for a 2-0 lead.
Allen then lifted a shot over the AE keeper to the top center of the net with 26:53 left in the first half to put Ada ahead, 3-0. Jolliff assisted on the goal.
A Mustang hooked a shot just wide left of the goal 80 seconds later. AE’s Garrett Jennings made a nice run, but his shot was thwarted by a sliding Jacob Rush at the 24:21 mark.
A Mustang shot was blocked by a closely-marking Ada defender with 21:40 to go in the half. Allen fired a shot over the goal at the 17:49 mark.
A right side shot by AE was saved by a diving Rush at the 13:20 juncture. Williams then dished an excellent pass for a shot that went just wide right at the 7:15 point.
Bulldog Will Mosler got off a shot that went just left of the goal with 5:45 remaining. A nice cross by Ada went unfinished at the 3:20 mark, and the hosts took a 3-0 lead to intermission.
“At halftime I reminded the players what got us off to a good start,” said Acheson. “It is a team game with one ball and 11 players, and the ball moves faster on a pass than a dribble. I like how we are playing right now.”
Ada came out attacking hard early in the second half. A good crossing pass by Williams was headed toward the goal by Max Puerto, but the keeper batted it away just 35 seconds into the half.
A shot on goal by Carson Conley was saved at the 38:53 mark. Williams blasted a 30-yard shot 23 seconds later that was caught by the keeper. Jolliff then ripped a shot over the goal a minute later.
At the 36:27 juncture, Jolliff dribbled his way in and stroked a 15-yard shot to the left of the keeper into the net for a 4-0 lead.
Just 24 ticks later, Joshua Thaxton made a fast run up the left side and rifled a hard shot to the left inside post that was deflected out of bounds.
A header by Puerto on the ensuing corner kick bounced to the keeper.
AE then got on the board on a fine individual effort. Speedy Jennings flew up the right side, touched the ball far ahead to himself as he went wide out of bounds and came back in.
He then drilled a 32-yard shot off the right side into the net with 33:03 remaining to play to cut the Ada lead to 4-1. “That was a phenomenal play,” said Acheson. “We respect Allen East as a former NWC rival.”
Jolliff’s blast from five yards out was saved by the busy Mustang keeper at the 30:40 mark.
Off a Jolliff assist, Williams then hooked a 22-yard shot from the left side into the left corner of the netting with 28:53 left to provide a 5-1 lead. “What a stroke, a beautiful shot,” said Acheson.
Allen then flew up the left side and faked out the keeper with a fine rolling pass to the right corner doorstep to a wide-open Williams. He tapped in the fine dish from a yard out for a 6-1 lead.
“We are sharing the ball well,” said Acheson. “I love how many players are getting involved in the attack. That goal was the stuff I love seeing.”
Jolliff rifled a shot that was saved by the AE goalie at the 27:15 point.
Tim Chrissobilis drilled a rebound shot into the net for a 7-1 lead with 25:34 left to play. The shot came off a fine long direct kick from Daniel Klear.
Allen’s drive 71 seconds later went just wide left. Chrissobolis almost scored again at the 22:24 juncture, but his blast slammed off the crossbar and away from the goal.
Jolliff scored yet again on a left-footed shot from 17 yards out into the right corner of the net to make it 8-1 with 21:41 left.
AE got off a long free kick that Rush gloved, and another Mustang shot went just wide to the right.
Thaxton then took a pass from Mosler and booted a low rolling shot from 16 yards out on the left side. The shot glanced off the inside of the far right post, and it ricocheted into the net to end the blowout with 10:11 remaining.
“That was a great shot, I love seeing kids kick the ball across the goal,” said Acheson. “We have a lot of positive energy in the program now. The atmosphere at our home games is very cool.”
Ada beat AE 3-1 in the first home doubleheader back on August 24. “To beat the same team 9-1 shows how much we have improved,” Acheson pointed out.
With his great acceleration and foot skills, Jolliff now has netted 30 goals this season. He added two assists to give him 10 this season.
Allen scored twice to give him 23 goals, and he now has five assists.
Williams tallied two goals and passed out two assists to run his season goals total to 15 along with a whopping 28 assists this year.
“What a great year for Nathan,” said Acheson.
Rush saved two shots. Ada put 18 shots on goal, compared to just three by AE.
The Bulldogs advance to the district semifinals to play Riverdale at Tiffin Columbian at Frost-Kalnow Stadium Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 7:15 p.m.
The Falcons edged Ada 3-2 Sept. 12 in Mt. Blanchard. Riverdale’s Will Clark and Bulldog Allen each scored two goals in that contest.
The third-seeded Falcons are 9-7-1 after eliminating ninth seed C-R Saturday, 8-0.
The district finals at Tiffin will be played Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.
“Obviously it will be a great match against Riverdale,” said Acheson. “We are looking forward to it.”
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