By Cort Reynolds

WAYNESFIELD – The visiting Ada High School football team jumped ahead early with big plays and defeated non-league foe Waynesfield-Goshen 42-19 on Friday, August 29.

The potent Bulldogs improved to 2-0 with the impressive road win, while W-G dropped to 1-1 after the loss.

The Bulldogs scored on the very first play just seconds into the contest and never trailed. An 80-yard kickoff return to paydirt by senior speedster Kayleb Hickman made it 7-0 after the extra point kick by Andrew Allen.

“Momentum was huge for us,” noted Ada head coach Toby Smith.

“Obviously not the start we wanted, but I like how we kind of got back into it,” said W-G second-year head coach Chris Sommers.

The Bulldogs marched 37 yards on their next drive in nine plays to score again. Junior quarterback Blake Zoladz completed a nine-yard scoring strike to Hickman, and the Allen PAT made it 14-0 with 6:58 left in the first period.

After intercepting a Bulldog pass, W-G covered 22 yards in five plays to score early in the second stanza. Freshman QB Corbin Barnes scored on a five-yard run 8:13 before halftime, and Griffin Stiles kicked the extra point to cut the lead to 14-7.

Ada responded by driving 62 yards in eight plays over 5:49 for its next score in the second stanza. Zoladz connected with Hickman on a 14-yard TD aerial at the 2:23 mark, and the Allen PAT restored the lead to 14 points at 21-7.

W-G answered in the seesaw first half by scoring in just 59 seconds. Tiger senior back Bradey Miller caught a 12-yard scoring strike from Barnes to cap a 40-yard, five-play drive. The extra point missed to keep it 21-13 with just over a minute left in the half.

But Ada seized the momentum right back. They covered 56 yards in three plays to score with just two seconds left in the first half to deflate the Tiger comeback. 

Zoladz fired a long pass that senior Gavin Oldfield caught at the seven and then ran into the end zone to complete a 45-yard scoring aerial just before the halftime gun. 

Allen’s fourth PAT gave Ada a lift and a 28-13 lead at intermission.

“That was a big score right before half,” Sommers admitted. 

Smith agreed that the long Zoladz to Oldfield TD pass just before halftime, their third scoring connection of the young season, was crucial.

“That TD right before the half put us in a good position,” said Smith.

On the first drive of the second half, the Tigers marched 61 yards in 15 plays over 4:53 to score with 7:06 left in the third quarter. QB Barnes found paydirt on a one-yard plunge to cap the drive but the two-point run failed, keeping the score 28-19.

“We came out with a 15-play drive in the third and scored to get right back in it,” said Sommers. “But some opportunities and big plays bit us at the end. Ada is a phenomenal team, and Toby (Smith) does a great job with them.”

Zoladz then found the end zone from two yards out early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. His scoring run climaxed a 66-yard, 13-play drive that ate almost nine minutes of clock. 

The Allen extra point boot stretched the lead to 35-19 with 10:09 remaining in the game.

Zoladz tacked on a late seven-yard TD scamper to finish the scoring as Ada tallied the last 14 points.

In all, the Ada QB accounted for 219 yards in offense and five touchdowns with three scoring passes and two rushing TDs. 

Notes and stats

Ada compiled 18 first downs compared to 13 by W-G.

The Bulldogs out-gained the Tigers 247-190 in total yardage. Ada rolled up 187 passing yards and 60 on the ground. They were 6-8 on third down, while W-G went 5-10.

The Tigers were held to 81 aerial yards and they netted 109 on the ground.

Zoladz completed 16 of 21 passes for 187 yards and three scores with one pick-off. He also rushed 13 times for 32 yards and two TDs. 

Kolton Dysert carried the ball 11 times for 28 net yards.

Hickman caught six aerials for 57 yards and two TDs. Oldfield snagged five passes for 73 yards and one big TD. Zimmerman pulled in two passes for 31 yards. Wes Mowery added two grabs for 10 yards.

Hickman also netted 112 yards on three kickoff returns with one huge score. Jacob Szippl had one punt return for 13 yards. Allen only punted once, for 33 yards, and drilled all six of his PAT tries. 

Miller rushed 10 times for 29 yards, and snared a 12-yard TD reception. He also completed one pass for 19 yards. Freshman H-back Bentley Barnes added 36 yards on eight rushes. Speedy Jhett Siebeneck netted 25 yards on three runs. 

Corbin Barnes completed six of 10 passes for 74 yards and one TD. He ran for 17 yards and two scores. “He played really well, I was impressed,” said Sommers of his freshman QB. “I am proud of our offensive line, Ada is very physical.”

Trenton Faraglia snared four receptions for 63 yards, with a long of 29. Reid Waitman added two catches for 19 yards.

Both teams committed two turnovers. Waynesfield fumbled three times and lost two, while Ada lost its only fumble and threw one interception.

Ada was penalized seven times for 65 yards, while W-G was flagged six times for 40. The Bulldogs had 25:04 in possession time compared to 22:04 by the Tigers.

Bulldogs at Red Devils next Fri.

Ada plays at Arlington in week three for the key Blanchard Valley Conference opener Friday, Sept. 5. The Red Devils (2-0) hosted Riverdale Friday and won their home opener handily over the Falcons, 35-0.

Arlington also whipped Hardin Northern on the road 41-0 in their opener.

Last year in their first game as a member of the BVC, Ada lost to the visiting Red Devils in a 44-43 thriller as Arlington completed a short TD pass as time expired.

“We have to clean up some of the mistakes,” said Smith. “Going forward, we will focus on trying to get better each day.”

W-G visits defending NWCC champion USV (1-1, 1-0 NWCC) in the Tiger league opener for week three next Friday. The Rams lost at Ada 28-6 in their opener but won big in the league lidlifter at Cory-Rawson Friday, 40-0.

“Coach Price is a phenomenal coach and USV has a really nice team, so we will definitely have to have a great week and get better to play well Friday,” said Sommers.