Visiting Ada fought Crestview but lost 38-7 in a Northwest Conference grid contest that was closer than the final score indicates Friday night, October 15.
The game was scoreless after one period of play, but then Crestview began to pull away from the pesky Bulldogs with 18 second-quarter points.
Ada also held Crestview scoreless for most of the third period before two touchdowns in the final 2:17 of the quarter blew the game open.
The Bulldogs fell to 1-8 and 0-6 in the NWC with the defeat.
Crestview improved to 6-3 and 3-3 in league play with the win.
"We played our first real defensive game tonight; we played unselfishly and positively, and the kids were physical," said first-year Ada head coach Toby Smith.
"I was very pleased with the effort they gave on the defensive side of the ball," he added.
Knight quarterback Carson Hunter threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns to pace the hosts to victory.
"Give credit to the Crestview quarterback, he threw some nice deep balls," Smith noted.
Hunter connected with Rontae Jackson on a 38-yard touchdown pass 55 seconds into the second stanza to open the scoring. Hunter then passed to Wren Sheets for a two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.
Then late in the first half, Hunter hit Hunter Rothgeb on a 17-yard TD strike. Kaden Kreischer's point after kick advanced the margin to 15-0 with 66 seconds left before intermission.
Ada then committed a turnover in its own territory. The Bulldog defense held, but Kreischer booted a 31-yard field goal with nine seconds to go in the half to extend the cushion to 18-0.
"We turned the ball over on our own 25 in the final two minutes and held them to a field goal," said Smith. "It was a great defensive stop."
Late in the third period, Hunter and Rothgeb teamed up again on a diving 42-yard TD reception. The two-point run attempt failed, keeping the lead to 24-0 at the 2:17 juncture.
"That ball was in the air a good 50 yards and Rothgeb made a diving catch off a great pass," recalled Smith. "We were in good defensive position, they just made a great play."
Knight Aiden Leichtensteiger then found the end zone on a two-yard run with 14 seconds left in the third period. The extra point by Kayden Bogle made it 31-0 in favor of Crestview.
Ada then scored its only touchdown on a rare play. Bulldog Grant Preston picked off the ensuing on-sides kickoff and rumbled 55 yards to paydirt on the first play of the fourth period.
Max Puerto's successful extra point kick provided the other Ada score.
Knight Isaac Kline scored on a four-yard TD run with 3:53 remaining for the final touchdown. Bogle's PAT provided the eventual winning margin of 31 points.
"In the second half we got some stops, but gave them some short fields," said Smith.
Nevertheless, an encouraged Smith saw positives in the outcome despite the defeat.
"We took another step forward in figuring out how to play varsity football," he said. "I feel very good about the position we are in as of right now.
"I'm really proud of our effort," Smith summed up. "The kids could have quit, but they didn't. That's a huge step for us."
1 2 3 4 F
Ada 0 0 0 7 7
Cview 0 18 13 7 38
Notes and stats
Crestview won the total yardage battle, 422-162. The Knights ran 58 plays, snd averaged 7.3 yards per try. Ada ran 51 plays and averaged 3.2 yards per snap.
The Bulldogs amassed nine first downs, while the Knights put together 18 first downs.
Crestview netted 178 yards on 39 carries, an average of 4.6 yards per rush. Ada ran the ball 40 times for 155 yards, an average of 3.9 yards per carry.
Ada QB Kadin Phipps ran the ball 22 times for 87 yards, and completed four of 11 passes.
Bulldog back Casen Jones netted 62 yards on 15 carries.
Hunter completed 11 of 18 passes for 244 yards and three scores.
Rothgeb snared six aerials for 135 yards and two TDs. Kellin Putman added two catches for 28 yards, while Jackson contributed the 29-yard TD reception.
Knight back Nick Helt rushed six times for 67 yards, while Hunter netted 40 yards on six runs. Kline added 31 yards and one TD.
Ada converted five of its 12 tries on third down, and went 0-4 on fourth down. Crestview was successful on six of 12 third down attempts, and was 1-3 on fourth down.
The purple and gold won the time of possession battle, 25:41 to 21:36.
Ada (0-3 home) entertains backyard arch-rival Allen East (6-3, 4-2 NWC) next Friday in the season finale for the Bulldogs.
AE lost at Leipsic in week nine, 26-14. The Mustangs are 2-3 on the road this season.
