ABOVE) 2024 Ada High School football team and below, returning lettermen
Ada hopes for return to playoffs after six-year drought; team roster below
By Cort Reynolds
The Ada football program moves to the Blanchard Valley Conference in 2024 led by three-year starting quarterback Levi Green. The team will attempt to meet or surpass the .500 mark and make post-season play for the first time since 2017.
The pre-season roster is up to 42 players, the highest number in several seasons, under fourth-year head coach Toby Smith
“We will run the same offense with a few new wrinkles,” veteran mentor Smith said. "We have more experience back this season.”
A total of 14 lettermen return from 2023’s injury-marred 3-7 squad. Ada went 1-6 in their final Northwest Conference campaign last fall. The only key Bulldog loss to graduation was injury-plagued running back Jalee Bolden.
Talented and experienced senior signal-caller Levi Green holds the key to the potentially-explosive Ada spread offense after suffering multiple lower leg injuries in a frustrating junior campaign.
“We have a quarterback-driven offense,” said Smith. “We feel confident and comfortable with Levi back there. He can make plays and spread the field, and we like our weapons he can throw to.”
The determined Green boasts shiftiness afoot and good speed. He is an elusive big-play threat and an excellent runner, as well as a solid passer.
At 5-8 and 160 pounds, he must stay healthy for Ada to have a successful season. When he suffered ankle injuries last season, sophomore Blake Zoladz filled in and showed off a fine throwing arm.
Quick and shifty 5-9 senior Kaine Fisher, a solid receiver in the past, will move to the running back spot. “He is a different type of runner than Jalee, who was a power runner,” said Smith. “Kaine is more explosive and I am pleased with his progress so far.”
The 165-pound Fisher is deceptively strong, and features a lot of good foot fakes that can make tacklers miss.
Green looks to have a very dangerous and diverse group of receivers to throw to this season.
Juniors Kayleb Hickman and Zack Zimmerman return. Speedy wideout Hickman came on strong the second half of last season and is a big playmaker. He has good speed and runs very well after the catch, making him a threat to go the distance whenever he gets the ball in space.
“Kayleb is a big part of what we want to do on offense,” said Smith. “We are hoping for a big year from him.” Hickman has good chemistry with QB Green as well.
The 6-1 Zimmerman possesses good hands and competitiveness.
Senior Trevor McGue should be a threat at wide receiver after suffering a season-ending arm injury in the third play of the very first game last year.
Athletic junior Gavin Oldfield and spunky sophomore Kolton Dysert will play the inside slot receiver positions. The lithe Oldfield is particularly promising at 6-0 with good speed and leaping ability.
Sophomore six-footer T. J. Griffith will combine with Zimmerman to give Ada good size at the other slot spots. Senior Liam Vieira will also see some action at receiver.
"We like our receiving corps," Smith said.
The Bulldog offensive line lost one starter to graduation, but returns quite a bit of know-how. “The offensive line is aggressive and experienced,” said Smith.
Senior 6-0, 265-pounder Dalton Amos returns to help anchor the line at right guard. Senior Colton Cole (190 lbs.) is back to play right tackle, while senior Landon Simon (6-2, 200) returns at left guard.
Quick senior Brody Erickson assumes the important center duties, while junior Aiden Ritchie (185 lbs.) mans the left tackle spot.
Junior Cobe Harris (6-0, 220) provides quality line depth with good size.
"Our defense is not big, but we have a lot of athleticism," said the coach. “We want to utilize our speed on the defensive side of the ball.”
Ada will operate out of a 3-5-3 stack defensive formation.
The burly Amos, Erickson and Simon will handle most of the defensive line duties. Cole, Harris and Ritchie will also see action there.
Four players will primarily share the linebacker spots.
Zimmerman, Griffith and sophomore Zoladz are expected to see much of the linebacking duty, with Fisher filling in as the fourth backer to keep him fresh. “All will play significant minutes,” said Smith. “This is our most inexperienced area.”
He said hybrid linebacker/”Dog” backs McGue, Oldfield and Dysert will fill out the rest of the five-man second line of defense.
Strong senior Vieira, scrappy senior Ian House and Hickman will likely start in the defensive secondary.
The competitive Green will see action in the defensive backfield, but his snaps may be limited to keep him from wearing down by going both ways all game. Sophomores Wes Mowery and Jacob Szippl lend solid depth to the secondary corps.
Junior lineman Slade Gossman is expected to miss the season after suffering a severe knee injury last season in basketball. His absence is a big loss for the Bulldogs.
As for special teams, soccer standout Andrew Allen has more than capably assumed the place-kicking and punter duties in his first varsity football campaign. “He is doing really well with kickoffs, and jacked a 35-yard field goal in our first scrimmage,” Smith noted.
The strong-legged Allen has averaged kicking the ball to near the five-yard line on kick-offs so far. He also drilled a 32-yard field goal in the second scrimmage win over Waynesfield.
A dangerous kick return unit is paced by Hickman, Fisher and Green, who are all threats to break off big yardage when they get their hands on the ball. The trio could be key game-breakers on special teams.
As far as the BVC race goes, Smith calls the move to the new league “an interesting adjustment. It is a breath of fresh air to get the opportunity to play new, different schools on our schedule,” he noted.
“But we are just focused on week one right now and not the BVC race,” he offered. “We can’t overlook USV in week one. Maddox Underwood is a good player, and that will be a tough game over there.
“If we want to win games, we have to avoid inopportune turnovers,” he warned.
Liberty-Benton won the BVC crown last year at 7-0. Pandora-Gilboa finished second at 5-1, followed by McComb and Arlington (4-2) tied for fourth.
Elmwood and Van Buren were knotted in sixth place at 2-4, while Riverdale went 1-6 and Arcadia came in last at 0-6. Leipsic returns to the BVC after a short stint in the NWC this season, along with league newcomer Ada.
The Bulldogs visit local rival USV in the opener, then host Buckeye Central in the home opener. Ada opens its first-ever BVC slate in week three at home vs. Arlington.
When asked about season goals Smith said, “Our objective is to be playing our best football by the end of the season. We want to compete every week. And hopefully after week 10 we will get to play an extra game or two in the playoffs.”
With 16 playoff qualifiers per region, a first postseason appearance since 2017 looks very attainable in the 25-team Region 26 – if Ada gets off to a good start in non-league play – and if the Bulldogs stay healthy.
Ada football 2024 at a glance: Div. VII, Region 26
2023 record: 3-7, 1-6 NWC
Head coach: Toby Smith, 4th year
Roster numbers: 42
Lettermen back: 14
Starters back: 9 full or part-timers on offense and defense
ROSTERS - PHOTO CAPTIONS
Ada varsity football team, from left, front row: Liam Vieira, Trevor
McGue, Landon Simon, Colton Cole, Levi Green, Kaine Fisher, Brody
Erickson, Dalton Amos, Ian House.
Row 2: Grady Curtis, Cobe Harris, Aiden Ritchie, Gavin Oldfield, Kayleb
Hickman, Zack Zimmerman, Kaden Clum, Avery Conner (manager).
Row 3: Wes Mowery, TJ Griffith, Kolton Dysert, Layne Simon, Blake
Zoladz, Tyler Stauffer, Andrew Allen, Jacob Szippl.
Row 4: Vincent Miserindo, Xavier Smith, Brier Hannah, Aidin Brown,
Maverick Shaw, Thad Smith, Cole Rodrigues, Bryce Purdy.
Row 5: Landon Green, Brady Diehl, Gaidge Snyder, Elijah Craig, Colt
Archer, Austin Martin, Ethan Carl, DJ Howell.
Back: assistant coaches Sean Anderson, Colton Montgomery, Brenden
VanHorn, Joe Wolber, head coach Toby Smith, assistants Shawn
Christopher, Kyle Francis, Ryan Ormsbee.
Returning lettermen, from left, front: Liam Vieira,
Trevor McGue, Landon Simon, Colton Cole, Levi Green, Kaine Fisher, Brody
Erickson, Dalton Amos, Ian House.
Back: Blake Zoladz, Kolton Dysert, Gavin Oldfield, Kayleb Hickman, Zack
Zimmerman, manager Avery Conner.
Not pictured: injured Slade Gossman.
