By Cort Reynolds
ADA - No it was not a basketball game, but the final score might lead one to think that as visiting Bluffton defeated rival Ada 70-50 in a record-setting Northwest Conference football opening marathon on a warm Friday night.
Pirate senior fullback Tucker Neff rushed for a school single-game record of 316 yards. He eclipsed the previous Bluffton mark of 309 yards set by Josh Falk at Ada in 2009.
Bluffton sophomore quarterback Nate Schaadt also rushed for six touchdowns on the defensively-challenged night. The 120 combined points is believed to be the most ever in an Ada game.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in NWC play with the loss. Bluffton improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play with the shootout win.
"I was really proud of the way our kids continued to battle after a first half we really struggled in on both sides of the ball," said Bulldog second-year coach Shawn Christopher.
"Bluffton has a very difficult (veer option) offense to stop and when they win the battle of the line of scrimmage, it continues to be very difficult."
Neff set the tone for his big night by gaining 15, 15 and 13 yards in his first three carries. Sophomore quarterback Nate Schaadt ran left on a seven-yard keeper to cap a 60-yard drive and give the visitors a 6-0 lead just 1:07 into the three hour, 13 minute slugfest.
Left-footed Kyle Koontz booted the first of his 10 extra points to make it 7-0.
After stopping Ada three and out, Bluffton marched 83 yards in nine lays over 6:11 to grab a 14-0 lead. A 48-yard pass from Schaadt to Tyson Shutler sparked the drive.
Schaadt also converted a fourth and three keeper to reach first and goal at the Ada five. On second down from the one, Schaadt scored on a short run off right tackle with 3:49 to go in the opening stanza.
Ada drove 51 yards in 2:56 to score their first touchdown.It lookd like Bluffton may have stopped the Bulldogs when a dropped snap led to a sack by Jack Wilson for a loss of 12.
But then Brandon Hull connected with Daniel Mattson on a well-thrown 25-yard TD pass over the middle with 53 seconds left in the first period. The two-point conversion pass failed to keep the margin at 14-6.
After another short kickoff Bluffton took over at its own 43 late in the first stanza. On fourth and six, Bluffton gambled and Schaadt ran for a dozen yards to move the chains. Late ron fourth and seven, Neff converted by moving the pile with continuous effort for eight yards.
Neff then took a pitch to the right and rumbled 27 yards to the Ada three. Schaadt scored again on a three-yard run with 8:13 left in the half to cap a 57-yard drive that took 4:40. Koontz's third PAT made it 21-6.
Ada responded with a 62-yard, four-play drive to paydirt. QB Hull ignited the march on a 16-yard run with a personal foul penalty tacked on to the Pirate 31. A right screen to Phillip Coulson gained 13 yards.
Ada sophomore tailback Keagan Hull sped 16 yards around the right side to the two. Brandon Hull then took it in from two yards out to punctuate the 36-second scoring possession.
The two-point pass from Hull to Will McBride cut the deficit to 21-14 with 7:37 still left in the half.
Speedy Tyson Shutler scooped up the ensuing kickoff and weaved his way all the way to the Ada 21 to set up the next score. Three plays later Neff burst into the end zone on a five-yard run off left tackle to make it 28-14 at the 6:16 mark.
Bluffton kept the momentum by recovering an on-sides kick at the Bulldog 38. After an Ada personal foul penalty, Neff scampered 19 yards to the one. Schaadt took it in from a yard out to cap the three-play TD possession that took just 55 seconds.
Both teams threatened to score later in the half, but it remained 35-14 at intermission.
Ada took over at its own 44 to start the second half and quickly scored to set the tone for a high-scoring stanza. A screen to Coulson netted 29 yards with a facemask penalty.
Coulson then hauled in a 27-yard catch and carry TD pass along the left side from Hull just 18 seconds into the third period. The two-point pass failed to keep the margin at 35-20.
Bluffton came back to score on a 57-yard, five-play drive that took 2:19. Neff again keyed the drive when he broke a tackle and rumbled left for 22 yards.
Garmatter later took a pitch-out and scurried untouched around right end for a 27-yard TD run. With 9:23 still left in the third quarter, the Pirates led 42-20.
Ada retaliated with a 55-yard scoring drive. Brandon Hull broke a tackle and then weaved his way 31 yards to the Pirate 18 to spark the march.
McBride pulled in an 11-yard reception, and Zac Swaney snared a seven-yard TD pass in the left corner of the end zone to slice the lead to 42-26.
Hull then ran to the right corner for the two-point conversion to make it 42-28 with 8:59 still left in the long third stanza that featured 34 points and five TDs.
The Ada defense forced a rare Pirate punt when Bryce Paul stopped Neff on a third down pitchout. The Bulldogs took possession at their 30 and drove 70 yards to paydirt to inch within eight.
A 20-yard pass on the run from Hull to Swaney on third and 17 kept the drive alive. McBride then converted a third and 15 with another big catch along the left sidleine, but hurt his knee on the play and had to leave the game.
Hull then used his elusive scrambling ability to evade a Pirate rush and find Keagan Hull for a 21-yard aerial to the Pirate five. On fourth and one, Brandon Hull ran outside to the right past the stacked-up Pirate line untouched to the end zone.
The two-point run failed, but the 42-34 Ada deficit was its smallest since 14-6 in the first period.
However, Bluffton put together a 42-yard scoring drive to regain control. Neff capped the short five-play march with a 15-yard TD run.
The seventh Koontz PAT extended the lead to 49-34 with 2:41 to go in the third quarter.
The Pirate defense then forced a punt and took over at the Bulldog 44. Neff broke a tackle and rambled 28 yards to the Ada 13. The bruising Neff moved the chains on third and one with a four-yard rush to the Bulldog three.
Schaadt then powered his way three yards up the gut for another TD to make it 56-34 with 11:41 remaining.
Speedster Swaney returned the following kickoff 44 yards to the Pirate 45. A QB keeper by Hull gained a dozen yards. A few plays later, Hull scored on a third down, three-yard run off right tackle.
The two-point conversion pass from Hull to Hull kept Ada alive down 56-42 at the 9:57 mark. Bluffton fumbled the ensuing on-sides kickoff, and Ada recovered at the Pirate 47.
However, the Pirate defense came up with a stop when Shutler broke up a fourth and 10 pass near the Ada sideline. Bluffton then put the game out of reach with a 53-yard scoring drive.
Schaadt showed good speed when he kept the ball around left end, cut it up and sprinted 30 yards to paydirt with 8:07 left to play. The Koontz kick advanced the lead to 63-42.
A big sack by Malachi Pahl thwarted the next Bulldog drive and forced Ada to punt on fourth and 30. Taking possession at midfield, Neff rumbled 30 yards on a right side pitch and a 10-yard penalty tacked on put the ball at the Bulldog 10.
One play later, Meff scored on a 10-yard TD run to finish the two-play drive of just 29 seconds. The 10th Koontz PAT kick boosted the lead to 70-42.
Ada drove 73 yards in response to score yet again. A 17-yard pass to Daniel Mattson started the drive. Swnaey pulled in a 10-yard pass and was horse-collared, adding 15 yards on a flag to the Pirate 21.
On fourth and one at the 12, Hull ran to his right out of bounds for seven yards. Three plays later, Keagan Hull snared a five-yard TD toss from Brandon Hull with 97 seconds left to play.
Brandon Hull's two-point run cut the final margin to 20 points. After a 21-yard run, Bluffton mercifully knelt down twice to run out the clock and end the high-scoring marathon.
"I was very proud of Brandon Hull for being a warrior and inspiring our team through the second half," said Christopher. "We just didn't play well enough defensively to get the job done."
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 6 8 20 16 50
Blf 14 21 14 21 70
Notes and stats
Bluffton racked up 527 yards in total offense on 71 plays (7.4 average). They ran the ball 67 times for a whopping 480 yards (7.2 avg.).
Ada put up 368 yards in offense on 75 plays (4.9 average). Bluffton amassed 35 first downs to 26 by the Bulldogs.
Neff ran 34 times for 316 yards, a 9.4 average per rush, with three TDs. Schaadt netted 82 yards on 18 carries and tallied six TDs. Garmatter netted 62 yards on nine runs with one score.
Shutler ran for 16 yards and added a 47-yard reception.
Hull completed 21 of 44 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 22 times for 140 yards and three TDs to account for 347 yards in total offense.
Keagan Hull rushed for 21 yards and caught three passes for 27
yards and one TD.
Swaney hauled in sx passes for 54 yards and one TD. McBride snagged three passes for 25 yards before hurting his knee in the third quarter. Coulson pulled in four aerials for 59 yards with a score. Mattson had two catches for 42 yards and a TD.
Koontz was a perfect 10-10 on extra point kicks.
The Bulldogs were flagged 11 times for 105 yards in penalties. Bluffton was assessed eight penalties for 95 yards. Despite all the offensive action, neither team turned the ball over once.
Bluffton possessed the ball for 26:47 compared to 19:36 by Ada.
Ada fell unofficially from 15th to 19th in the Div. VI, Region 23 computer ratings after the loss. Bluffton moved up from 12th to 11th in region 23 with the win.
Ada has been outscored by its opposition 161-128 this season.
The Bulldogs visit Delphos Jefferson in week five. The Wildcats and Ada boast identical 1-3 overall and 0-1 NWC records. DJ lost its league opener 48-6 to Crestview. Their lone win came in week three over Perry, 38-36.
Bluffton (1-1 home) hosts Crestview (2-2, 1-0 NWC) next Friday.
