By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - For the second week in a row, the Ada football team gave up 70 points in a record-setting shootout.
But this time the Bulldogs ended up on the winning end of a 74-70 offensive onslaught vs. Delphos Jefferson in a Northwest Conference marathon on a wet Friday night at Stadium Park.
In week four Ada lost 70-50 to Bluffton. A week later, junior quarterback Brandon Hull would not let the Bulldogs lose as he passed and ran for 516 yards and seven touchdowns.
The teams combined for nearly 1,200 yards in total offense and 144 points, the highest-scoring game in Bulldog history.
The purple and gold improved to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in NWC play with the victory. DJ fell to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in league play with the defeat.
Ada scored on the second play from scrimmage as sophomore tailback Keagan Hull scampered 62 yards to paydirt. The two-point conversion failed but the Bulldogs led 6-0 just 36 seconds into the fray.
DJ came right back with a four-play, 56-yard scoring drive. Junior back J.T. Taviano tied it 6-6 on a two-yard touchdown run.
Ada standout Brandon Hull untied it with a six-yard TD run just 1:55 later. His two-point conversion pass gave the visitors a 14-6 lead.
Taviano's 47-yard scoring ramble pulled DJ within 14-12. The two-point try failed, keeping Ada ahead by a couple of points.
Brandon Hull scurried 70 yards to score again on the next play from scrimmage. His two-point pass to Keagan Hull gave Ada a 10-point lead, 20-10.
A 20-yard Hull pass to Kyle Zimmerly sparked the next Bulldog drive. Zac Swaney then scored on a 25-yard screen pass to cap a three-play, 73-yard march.
A two-point pass to Phillip Coulson extended the Bulldog lead to 30-12.
Delphos drove 64 yards in three plays to stay in striking distance. Tanner Voorhees hauled in a 63-yard TD pass from Logan Hubert to cap the quick drive. The two-point pass worked to pull DJ within 30-20 with 29 seconds left in the lengthy first stanza.
Jefferson's defense then got its first stop of Ada and DJ took over near midfield after a short punt. Hubert kept the ball on a 21-yard keeper to spark the drive to the Bulldog two.
After two tackles for loss, DJ faced fourth and goal at the Bulldog seven. Hubert found Colin Bailey for a seven-yard TD aerial 7:37 before intermission.
The two-point pass try succeeded to inch DJ within 30-28.
Ada drove 80 yards quickly in two play to answer right back. A 40-yard TD run by Keagan Hull off left tackle put Ada back on top 36-28 with 7:04 to go in the second stanza. The two-point pass was batted down to keep the margin at eight.
Following a good kickoff return, DJ took over at midfield. Three plays later Taviano rambled 28 yards to paydirtat the 5:32 mark. A successful two-point run by Bailey tied it 36-36.
Ada responded with a seven-play, 80-yard drive to regain the lead. A 15-yard run by Keagan Hull started the march. Brandon Hull broke three tackles on a 20-yard rush.
Coulson made a catch and broke a pair of tackles on a 25-yard play to the Wildcat 10. Zac Swaney then hauled in a 10-yard scoring strike from Hull with 3:30 left in the half.
A two-point pass from Hull to Keagan Hull gave Ada a 44-36 lead.
DJ's Bailey came up with an interception just inside midfield to stop the next Bulldog possession. However, the Ada defense forced a punt and Ada started at its own 31 with 44 secodns to go.
Two plays later Brandon Hull was hit as he was scrambling to throw and fumbled. DJ recovered at the Bulldog 32 with just 28 ticks to go before intermission.
DJ advanced to the 18 but an incomplete pass and a Bulldog sack on the final play of the half kept Jefferson from scoring.
Ada rolled up 450 first half yards while DJ racked up 368 as the teams combined for 80 points in the wild first half.
Both teams failed to score on their first possessions of the second half. After a good roll on a long Ty Miller punt, DJ took over back deep in its own territory.
A 13-yard run by Taviano moved the chains. A high snap out of the shotgun was recovered by Ada at the DJ 28 to give the visitors excellent field position.
After an incompletion, Swaney's 13-yard reception moved Ada to the 15. Brandon Hull then ran for an 11-yard TD run. Hull also added the two-point run to advance the Bulldog lead to 52-36.
Yet Bailey reversed the momentum by returning the ensuing kickoff all the way 84 yards to the end zone. The two-point pass try was caught by Herron to make it 52-44 with 6:37 left in the third period.
Brandon Hull ran for nine yards to the 44 to start the next Ada 65-yard scoring drive. On the next play his long pass was snared on a fine grab by Swaney, and the junior covered the last of the 56 yards to paydirt.
Brandon Hull ran in the two-point conversion to rebuild the lead to 16 at 60-44 with just under six minutes left.
DJ took over at its own 28 with 5:52 to go in the third quarter. But the Ada defense forced a three-and-out 55-yard punt that rolled all the way to the 14.
Brandon Hull ran for six yards to start the next possession. On third and one he moved the chains for 10 yards out to the 32. A costly holding penalty stymied the drive.
An 85-yard catch and carry TD by the elusive Swaney was negated by an illegal shift flag. Another penalty forced Ty Miller to come up with a huge punt from his own end zone on fourth and 37 from the Ada five.
Miller's big boot rolled dead at the DJ 33 for a 62-yard punt that dug the 'Dogs out of bad field position.
But on third and short, Taviano broke off a 60-yard TD run with 13 seconds left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion pass to Bailey was incomplete to keep Ada ahead 60-50.
Ada scored on an eight-play, 61-yard on its next possession early in the fourth period. On fourth and 11, Hull found Daniel Mattson on a clutch 29-yard aerial TD down the sideline. The two-point pass failed, to keep the Bulldogs on top 66-50 with 9:56 remaining.
A long kickoff return by Wildcat Jacob Simmons to the Ada 30 gave DJ fine field position. On the very next play Taviano scored his fifth TD on a 30-yard run with 9:35 left in the shootout.
After a penalty nullified a two-point pass to Simmons, Hubert's conversion try from the 11 was incomplete to keep the margin 66-56.
Ada took over at its own 26 and Keagan Hull immediately turned the corner on a pitchout and sped 74 yards to the end zone with 9:10 still left. A two-point run up the middle by QB Hull extended the lead to 74-56.
A good kickoff return to the 47 once again gave DJ good position with nine minutes to go. Taviano almost broke a TD run but was brought down at the Ada 27. A facemask penalty gave the Jeff-Cats first down at the 12.
On second and nine, Hubert found freshman Tanner Voorhees wide open for an 11-yard TD pass with 7:49 left. The two-point pass was incomplete to make it 74-62.
At midfield on the next drive, Hull ran to the Wildcat 38. But two plays later Ada fumbled DJ recovered and Mathewson returned it all the way to the Bulldog 41.
On third and nine Hubert completed a 13-yard toss to Mathewson. A roughing the passer flag advanced the ball to the 12. Two plays later Hubert completed a 12-yard TD pass to Logan Herron with 3:53 left.
The two-point pass to Mathewson cut the Delphos deficit to 74-70.
The ensuing squib kickoff was returned by Cayden Murphy to the DJ 43. A four-yard run was followed by Keagan Hull's eight-yard rush. On third down and two at the 22, a costly off sides penalty against DJ gave Ada a first down.
The Bulldogs were able to convert a fourth down run to the DJ five and run out the clock to finish the three-hour, 16-minute marathon.
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 30 14 16 14 74
DJ 20 16 14 20 70
Notes and stats
Last week's high 120-combined point total was obliterated by another record-setting total of 144 points this time. Ada has scored 124 points and given up 140 in those two games, for an incredible total of 264 combined points.
Ada rolled up 670 yards in offense on 73 plays (9.2 yard average) at Delphos. The Bulldogs amassed 24 first downs to 17 by the Wildcats.
DJ racked up 506 yards in total offense on 66 plays (7.7 average). The Wildcats ran the ball 37 times for 343 yards (9.3 avg.). Taviano rushed 27 times for 293 yards and five TDs.
Hull completed 24 of 35 passes for 364 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed 25 times for 152 yards and two TDs to account for 516 yards in total offense.
Keagan Hull rushed 18 times for 154 yards and three TDs. He also caught five passes for 72 yards and one TD.
Swaney hauled in eight passes for 148 yards and three scores. Coulson pulled down seven aerials for 93 yards. Mattson made two receptions for 31 yards and a TD. Zimmerly added two grabs for 46 yards.
Hubert completed 12 of 29 passes for 163 yards and five scores.
The Bulldogs were flagged 10 times for 91 yards in penalties. DJ was assessed five penalties for 30 yards. Ada turned the ball over three times while DJ made one miscue.
Ada has been outscored by its opposition 231-202 this season, a 46.2 to 40.4 points per game average.
The Bulldogs visit tough Spencerville (1-1 home, 2-1 road) in week six. The two-time defending NWC champion Bearcats (3-2, 2-0 NWC) defeated previously unbeaten Allen East 21-7 in week five at Harrod.
Unofficially the Bulldogs (2-1 road) are 16th in the Div. VI Region 23 computer ratings, while the Bearcats sit ninth.
