Story and photos by Cort Reynolds
PHOTO OF RETURNING LETTER WINNERS AT BOTTOM OF STORY -
ADA - After serving as an assistant for a decade on the Bulldog football staff, Ada graduate Shawn Christopher saw a dream realized when he was named the new Bulldog head varsity football coach last May.
"It is a dream come true to coach your hometown team, a special thing that people don't get to do very often," said Christopher after he was hired.
The 2004 Ada grad has been associated with the program for most of the past two decades as a player and assistant, and has been a part of much gridiron success over the past dozen seasons.
For the second consecutive fall in 2017, Ada finished 7-4 and 5-2 in a balanced NWC, good for a third-place showing behind champion Spencerville. And for the third year in a row the Bulldogs lost in the first round of the playoffs, this time at Liberty-Benton.
Christopher hopes to improve on the recent finishes with new energy, some new players and renewed focus.
"The players have embraced the coaching change," said Christopher. "I have been fortunate to work with some good head coaches and assistants during my time here. I hope to bring a mix of all of them to the job, plus my own personality."
Christopher plans to modify the pass-heavy spread offense Ada has employed in recent years a bit, in part to incorpoprate more running as it adapts to current player talents. "It will be a quicker type of spread, hopefully smoother," he said.
The 2017 Bulldogs boast 13 lettermen and 10 starters back on their 39-man roster.
Lost to graduation were some very productive players, led by four-year starting quarterback Seth Conley, an efficient second team All-NWC pick, and NWC Player of the Year WR/DB Chase Sumner, an all-state selection. Big-play maker Sumner is on scholarship to wrestle at Div. I Pitt.
Other very major contributors who graduated are all-league lineman Jakob Hoschak, who is competing at Ashland, and versatile kicker/runner/receiver Aaron Everhart, who is now playing at Ohio Northern.
But the Buldogs have a good nucleus of returning and new talent to help fill those gaps and continue the winning tradition.
A veteran offensive line should be the major strength of the team, literally and figuratively, with three powerful senior starters back. In all, six starters return on offense.
"All three linemen back are great players," said the coach of twins Nathan and Noah Mattson, and Ethan Hall. "The offensive line is a veteran group with a great knack for football.
"Our seniors have played a lot of football for Ada," he added. The Mattson twins will be fourth-year lettermen, and Hall will earn his third letter this fall.
Junior offensive lineman Logan Conrad is "making the transition well, and junior Bryce Paul has taken over the starting center spot," Christopher said.
"Bryce is a smart kid with a good football background (his father Dean is the head coach at ONU)," offered Christopher. "He enjoys the sport."
Sophomore Brandon Hull assumes the all-important reins at quarterback. When Christopher took over the program last spring, there was a three-way competition for the starting signal-caller job, but Hull separated himself convincingly with his ability to run, throw and make good, quick decisions.
"Brandon really understands the offense and is a leader," said Christopher. "He refuses to quit and is a competitor. We can put the ball in his hands and something good will happen.
"In football, about 30 percent of plays break down and he is the type of player who can pull it down and go, and make something out of nothing in those cases. He has great vision as a runner and passer."
Intense junior Landon Blankenship will start at running back. "Our skill players have speed, and all have the ability to be playmakers," observed Christopher.
The four-man wide receiver starting corps will be filled by junior returnee Phillip Coulson, speedy sophomore Zac Swaney, senior Brad Clum and promising newcomer Daniel Mattson.
"Coulson is a gamer who creates separation well and Brad is athletic and leads by example," said the new coach. Quick Zac Swaney broke his arm in the summer, but is expected back early in the campaign.
"Zac has great hands and the ability to be explosive when he has the ball," said the coach. "Daniel has good hands and can make plays.
After serving as defensive coordinator at Ada from 2013-17, Christopher wants to be more aggressive this season. "We will defend out of multiple formations, and typically use more of a 5-3 look. I want to blitz more, bring more pressure.
"I think attacking more can be a benefit to our personnel. My mentality is to attack and force the offense into mistakes."
Four starters are back on the defensive side of the ball. Nathan and Noah Mattson return as anchors of the defensive line. Hall also is back on the line as all three will handle key duties on both lines.
Strong senior Carson Hissong and junior Ty Miller will fill out the five-man starting defensive line.
Junior Blankenship returns as a starting linebacker. Junior Holden Purdy is back as a letterman starter on the second line of defense. Junior Dylan East is penciled in to start at the other linebacker spot.
Three new starters will handle the secondary positions. Clum, Coulson and promising freshman Keagan Hall are expected to start at defensive back. Swaney and Hull also have experience in the secondary.
"The defense might be a bit behind the offense in pre-season, but we are catching up and the guys really fly to the ball," said Christopher.
"We have good speed at the back line and a lot of strength on the defensive line, and with our linebackers."
Christopher noted that depth and inexperience could be areas of concern on defense. "We are playing a lot of new guys on defense, and they will have to learn the speed of the game quickly," he said.
"We are young at skill positions and will need to show great improvement every week," he added.
Kicking duties will be handled by punter/kicker Miller and place-kicker Purdy. "Ty has a great, live leg," said Christopher. "The punt and kickoff return teams are in flux now, but when Zac comes back he will be a linchpin on returns."
Elusive sophomore Swaney returned the 2017 season-opening kickoff at USV back for a touchdown in his first varsity play.
Speical teams were a strength in recent yers with the explosive Sumner on returns, and the versatile Everhart a fine kicker.
In the NWC race, Spencerville is the defending champion but Christopher thinks "Delphos Jefferson could surprise.
"As for Ada, we can compete for the league title," he predicted. "This is a team I really like. The leadership shown by all of our players has been fantastic, and the effort has been great.
"With a veteran offensive line and athleic skill players, we should be able to score some points.
"If we continue to grow on both sides of the ball, we will look to make a run and be a top contender in the NWC."
The Bulldogs are 11-12 all-time in 12 post-season appearances, and have made the playoffs every year since 2006, except for 2014.
If Ada makes the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, Christopher hopes to snap a four-game losing skid. After going to the quarterfinals and sharing the league title in recently retired coach Bob Olwin's first season of 2013, the Bulldogs have not won a post-season contest.
The intense Olwin led Ada to a very solid 34-22 record (24-11 in Northwest Conference play) over the past five seasons, including an NWC co-championship in 2013.
The Bulldogs made the playoffs in four of Olwin's campaigns, compiling a 2-4 post-season mark, and amassed a fine 32-18 mark in regular season play.
But after winning the first two playoff games of his tenure in 2013 to reach the regional finals, Ada has lost its last four post-season games, including three first round contests.
Ada opens its 2018 schedule at home vs. local rival USV, then hosts non-league foe Arlington. Four of the first five games are at home, with the last three contests on the road.
The Bulldogs visit improved ex-NWC foe LCC in week three. The league lidlifter is a key battle vs. always-tough Delphos Jefferson in week four at home, followed by another home game vs. defending champ Spencerville.
How Ada does in those first two league games could go a long way toward deciding its NWC title hopes.
In week seven the Bulldogs play at Crestview, which took second in the NWC (6-1) last year and returns athletic senior quarterback Drew Kline, the first team All-NWC signal-caller the past two years.
Being in contention for the league crown should also bode well for making yet another playoff appearance, something that has become expected with the successful Bulldog program over the past decade.
"My first two years here as an assistant we were 12-1 both seasons," Christopher recalled.
Assistants Sean Anderson and former Bulldog receiver Nolan Roberts return from the 2017 coaching staff.
Jake Blevins, a North Union and University of Findlay graduate who had his college QB career shortened by a knee injury, is a newcomer to the Bulldog offensive staff.
Eric Perkins, the former AD and coach at Fostoria St. Wendelin, also joins the staff. Former standout Bulldog running back Kellen Decker rounds out the staff.
Ada football at a glance: Div. VI, Region 22
2017 record: 7-4, 5-2 NWC (lost 1st round playoffs at Liberty-Benton)
Head coach: Shawn Christopher, 1st year
Roster numbers: 39 (8 seniors)
Lettermen back: 13
Offensive starters back/lost: 6/5
Defensive starters back/lost: 4/7
Top offensive players back: OL Mattson twins (Noah 2nd team All-NWC), WR Phil Coulson, QB Brandon Hull, OL Ethan Hall HM NWC
Top defenders back: DL Mattson twins, LB Landon Blankenship
Strengths: Offensive line, receivers.
PHOTO:
The Ada football returning lettermen, from left, front: Brandon Hull, Landon Blankenship, Zac Swaney, Brad Clum, Jaylin Burkhart, Holden Purdy, Carson Hissong.
Back: Noah Mattson, Kyle Zimmerly, Logan Conrad, Ethan Hall, Phillip Coulson, Nathan Mattson.
