By Dusty Donley
In what was a rain soaked, blustery evening in Lima, former N.W.C. powerhouse Lima Central Catholic racked up a 30 point first half lead in route to a 43-20 non-conference victory over the visiting Ada Bulldogs. The loss is Ada’s second straight, dropping the Bulldogs to 1-2 on the 2018 gridiron season.
The Thunderbirds struck first early in the opening period when quarterback Nevan Stolly connected with Shaun Thomas on an 80-yard score. Thomas’s two-point conversion run was good, giving L.C.C. an 8-0 lead with just under three minutes played.
The Bulldogs would respond on their ensuing drive when sophomore quarterback Brandon Hull found sophomore Zac Swaney for a 13-yard touchdown. Hull’s two-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving L.C.C. with an 8-6 lead with 4:06 to play in the first quarter.
Minutes later, the Thunderbirds would add another first period score when Ron Banks crashed into the end zone for the 1-yard touchdown. Banks would add a successful extra point kick to extend the L.C.C. lead to 15-6 with just over two minutes remaining in quarter one.
The T-Birds would add two more Ron Banks touchdown runs and a second Stolly touchdown pass in the second quarter to push their lead to 36-6 at the half.
L.C.C. would add their sixth score of the game early in the third quarter when Shaun Thomas took the Bulldog punt 74-yards to the house. Banks’s extra point was good, bulging the Thunderbird lead to 43-6 with just over a minute gone by in the third.
Ada would add a Phillip Coulson to Zac Swaney 8-yard touchdown pass and a Ty Miller 3-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter to give us the 43-20 final.
Lima Central Catholic would outgain the Bulldogs in total yards, 376 to 243. Their biggest advantage came through the air, as the Thunderbirds passed for 171 yards to Ada’s 84.
Bulldog quarterback Brandon Hull would finish the game 6 of 13 for 76 yards and a touchdown. Landon Blankenship led the backs with 95 yards on 14 carries. Zac Swaney caught three balls for 22 yards and 2 scores.
The Bulldogs return home this Friday night to begin conference play against always dangerous Delphos Jefferson. The Wildcats (1-2) are coming off a 47-0 victory over Stryker. The Bulldogs took home a wild 35-33 road victory over the Wildcats last season. Game time is 7 p.m.
