PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen / CLICK on gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace

By Cort Reynolds

ADA __The Ada High School football team kicked off its 2025 season with a methodically dominant 28-6 win over visiting arch-rival Upper Scioto Valley at War Memorial Stadium on a 75-degree night Friday, August 22.

Ada scored 28 unanswered points behind a fine passing attack to overcome a 6-0 second period deficit, and rolled to victory with a 21-0 second half.

Junior quarterback Blake Zoladz was sharp as he threw two touchdown passes to senior Gavin Oldfield, and he also ran for a long score to lead the Bulldog offense.

“It was a great team effort,” said Bulldog head coach Toby Smith. “The offense was certainly balanced and effective. The defense bent but did not break. Special teams did well.”

Ada’s first drive stalled after a big tackle for loss on third down by Ram Beau Sanders. After a Bulldog punt bounced backwards, USV got the ball at their own 49 midway through the first period.

USV quarterback Caiden Lowery scrambled 12 yards. The Rams then fumbled two straight plays, but recovered each time. On third and seven, senior back Ryan Roberts ran for 11 yards.

Lowery then sprinted left for 13 yards, yet was then sacked by Oldfield and Brier Hannah on the ensuing play. A fourth and 10 pass to the sideline fell incomplete, but a pass interference flag on Ada gave USV
first down at the 13.

Two Lowery runs reached the one as the first quarter expired. On third and goal from the one, the burly 6-2 Sanders muscled his way into the end zone for a 6-0 lead.

The two-point conversion pass was incomplete, but the Rams led 6-0 after the 51-yard scoring drive.

Ada responded with a 75-yard scoring march. A 10-yard run by Colton Dysert, and a 12-yard scamper by Zoladz ignited the drive. Zoladz then hung tough in the pocket as he was hit and delivered a pass to Oldfield down the seam at around the Ram 17. The senior hauled in the aerial and scurried the rest of the way to paydirt to complete a 36-yard catch and carry TD reception that tied it up with 6:47 left in the half.

Andrew Allen’s point after kick gave Ada a 7-6 lead it would not relinquish.

A 17-yard run by Lowery on the next Upper possession helped the visitors move the chains. A unique lateral to Doug May as Lowery was being sacked gained eight yards. But on fourth and two, Roberts slipped as he approached the line and went to the turf to turn it over on downs.

Ada took over at its own 36 but was stopped, and Allen boomed a 50-yard punt to help the Bulldogs take a one-point lead to halftime.

Ada dominated the second half. The hosts took the second half kickoff and rolled 62 yards in six plays to score. Oldfield snared a 21-ard reception to spark the drive. On third and nine, Zoladz hit Zack Zimmerman on a key crossing route for 18 yards to the Ram 22.

Dysert then broke a tackle at the line, burst up the middle and outran the defense 22 yards to the end zone with 9:17 left in the third period. Allen’s PAT kick made it 14-6.

The Ada defense forced a Sanders punt on fourth and one, and the Bulldogs took over at their own 40. Oldfield pulled in a 12-yard third down catch, then Dysert moved the chains on third and one with a
two-yard gain.

Zoladz then showed off his running ability by weaving 34 yards to paydirt at the 3:19 juncture to cap a 60-yard, seven-play march. Allen’s third PAT boot extended the margin to 21-6.

Senior ballhawk Kayleb Hickman picked off a deflected Lowery pass and returned it to the Ram 48 to thwart the next Ram possession.

Five plays later on fourth and six, Zoladz lofted a pretty pass down the right sideline that Oldfield hauled in at the right front corner of the end zone for a 30-yard TD. The grab climaxed a 52-yard, eight-play
drive. Allen’s fourth straight extra point kick stretched the lead to 28-6.

In response, USV drove from its own 20 well into Ada territory. A 29-yard pass from Lowery to senior wideout Hunter Damron highlighted the drive.

But an unsportsmanlike 15-yard penalty and an Oldfield seven-yard sack stymied the march and brought up fourth and 32. Lowery scampered left for about 25 yards, but came up short to end the game’s last scoring opportunity.

Notes and stats
Ada compiled 13 first downs compared to 11 by the Rams. The balanced Bulldogs threw for 161 yards and ran for 129 as Ada racked up 290 total yards.

USV rushed for 127 yards and threw for 77 to compile 204 net yards. Zoladz completed a very efficient 12 of 14 passes for 161 yards and two scores. He also rushed 11 times for 49 yards and one TD. In all, he
amassed 210 yards in offense and completed multiple clutch third down aerials.

The quick and feisty Dysert carried the ball 17 times for 80 yards and one TD. Oldfield caught four passes for 99 yards and two TDs. Zimmerman snared three receptions for 37 yards. Hickman hauled down three aerials for 13 yards. Wes Mowery added two grabs for seven yards. Lowery rushed 15 times for 82 yards and completed five of 11 passes for 77 yards with one interception. The junior QB accounted for 159 yards in total offense.

Roberts ran 12 times for 43 net yards. Sanders added the lone USV TD. Damron made two catches for 38 yards, Andrue Kindle snagged two aerials for 30 yards. Zimmerman and Oldfield each had a sack. Hickman, T.J. Griffith, Zimmerman and Mowery made four solo tackles apiece. Griffith and Hannah
both had one tackle for loss.

Ada at W-G in week 2
Ada plays at non-league foe Waynesfield-Goshen (1-0) in week two on Friday, August 29 for their first road game. The Tigers won at Mississinawa Valley 26-6 in their opener.

W-G freshman quarterback Corbin Barnes won in his debut, while senior back Bradey Miller rushed for 110 yards and a TD. Keygan Morse scored two TDs, including a 100-yard interception return.
The Bulldogs lost 28-0 to visiting Waynesfield in their last meeting in the 2022 season-opener. W-G also beat Ada 42-12 in the 2021 lidlifter. Former Spencerville and Delphos Jefferson mentor Chris Sommers is 8-4 in his second season at the helm for W-G.