By Cort Reynolds / Photos by Mark Andreasen

ADA__In a battle of unbeatens, the Ada High School football team lost to visiting Blanchard Valley Conference foe Van Buren 28-14 on a warm Friday, Sept. 11 at War Memorial Stadium.

Ada Schools also recognized the day as the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and Military Appreciation Night.

The Black Knights led 21-7 at halftime after tallying a key touchdown in the final seconds of the second quarter. The Bulldogs inched within 21-14 in the third period, but could get no closer.

Ada fell to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the BVC after their first defeat.

VB improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the BVC with the road victory.

“Van Buren was the more physical team,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “We needed to be able to make a couple more plays in order to win this type of game.”

The Black Knights drove 73 yards on 11 plays on their first possession to seize the early lead. Running back Haiden Orr sparked the march with a 28-yard run.

Orr then finished the march with a two-yard run, and the extra point was good to make it 7-0 with 4:31 left in the first stanza.

A 24-yard kickoff return by Kolton Dysert gave Ada excellent field position at the Knight 36. The Bulldogs had to punt, but Xavier Smith recovered the loose pigskin at the VB 29 to give Ada another chance.

Bulldog QB Blake Zoladz completed an 11-yard pass to Dysert, and a facemask penalty advanced the ball to the VB 15 to set up their first score. 

On fourth and one, Zoladz ran it into the end zone from three yards out to get the Bulldogs on the scoreboard. Andrew Allen’s extra point tied it 7-7 at the 1:04 mark.

VB took over at the Ada 48 after the ensuing kickoff. A holding penalty helped thwart their drive as the Knights turned it over on fourth and 17 at the Ada 28 following an incomplete aerial. 

After a stop, the Knights then marched 70 yards in four plays to regain the lead. A 47-yard scoring scamper by QB Cooper Hanna made it 14-7 with 5:52 left in the half.

Ada was stopped on its next drive. Zoladz completed a third-and-18 pass to T.J. Griffith for 11 yards to the VB 22. But his fourth-and-seven pass fell incomplete.

The Black Knights capitalized and traveled 67 yards in seven plays to double their lead. Hanna started the drive with a 16-yard run to reach near midfield. 

An 11-yard rumble by Orr reached the Bulldog 14. On third and goal, Hanna’s six-yard TD run with just 20 seconds left in the half gave VB momentum and a 21-7 lead at intermission.

The Bulldogs started the second half from their own 10-yard line. But they marched 90 yards in six plays to paydirt to get back in contention.

Zoladz completed a third-and-eight aerial to Aidin Brown to keep the chains moving. A penalty and a 12-yard pass to Thad Smith advanced Ada to the VB 24.

Dysert then capped the long drive out of the locker room with a 24-yard scoring run. Allen’s second PAT cut the deficit to 21-14 at the 8:59 juncture. The drive took 2:59.

The Knights responded with a 47-yard scoring drive in five plays. Orr’s 39-yard TD run to paydirt restored the VB lead to 14 with 8:18 left in the third period at 28-14.

Neither team was able to score during the final 20 minutes, despite a few good Bulldog opportunities.

Ada was stopped at the 48 on a key fourth-and-one run. The teams traded punts as the quarter ended. 

A 65-yard Zoladz TD pass to Brown was negated by a holding penalty with just under 11 minutes remaining to stymie a possible rally.

Zoladz then completed a 29-yard aerial to Brown to the VB 41. Ada continued its march and penetrated the Knight 20 as Dysert hauled in a 16-yard reception.

A 12-yard strike to Brown advanced the ball to first and goal at the VB seven. But on fourth down from the Knight two, Ada was stopped on an incompletion to turn it over on downs.

VB ran the ball seven straight plays to eat clock and get out of a hole before punting from their 41 midway through the final stanza.

NOTES AND STATS

VB compiled 18 first downs to 15 chain-movers by Ada. Fifteen of the Knight first downs came on the ground. VB out-gained Ada, 377-223. 

Both teams ran 43 plays, with the visitors averaging 8.8 yards per play. The Bulldogs netted 5.2 yards per snap.

VB rolled up 360 yards rushing on 40 carries (9.0 avg.). They threw for just 17 yards. Ada passed for 165 yards, and rushed for 58.

Hanna rushed 16 times for 130 yards and two TDs. He also completed two of five passes for 17 yards.

Orr netted 123 yards rushing and two six-pointers on 12 carries. Caleb Mason added 68 yards on eight runs. 

Zoladz completed 16 of 25 aerials for 165 yards, and he ran for one three-yard score. 

Dysert rushed 11 times for 53 yards and one TD. He also snagged four passes for 45 yards.

Brown caught seven passes for 79 yards.

Thad Smith made two receptions for 16 yards. Wes Mowery added two grabs for 14 yards.

VB was flagged for a whopping 205 yards on 17 penalties. Ada was penalized nine times for 83 yards. The Bulldogs possessed the ball for 28:04, compared to 19:56 by the Knights.

VB was successful on 4 of 8 tries on third down, while Ada was 3-10. Both teams converted one fourth-down attempt, with the Bulldogs going 1-4.

Zoladz led the Ada defense with five solo tackles. Matt Walker, Brown, Griffith, Eli Craig and Maverick Shaw each made four solo stops. Walker and Shaw each made one tackle for loss.

The Bulldogs are tied for 10^th in the preliminary Region 22, Div. VI rankings. Unbeaten VB improved to fifth with the win.

NEXT WEEK
Ada plays at Perry (2-2) in their third and final regular-season non-league game Friday, Sept. 18. The Commodores lost 50-20 to defending NWCC champion North Baltimore Friday in week four. 

Perry is ranked 21^st in the 27-team Region 22 ratings. They lost to Allen East 40-0 in their opener before rebounding to beat Ridgemont and winless Cory-Rawson. The Commodores are 0-2 at home. Ada is 1-1 at home and 2-0 on the road this season.

The Bulldogs will return home to entertain league power Leipsic (4-0, 3-0 BVC) in week six. The Vikings crushed Arlington 55-0 Friday.