Seven-year playoff drought ended in ‘24; key opener vs. rival Rams on Friday

By Cort Reynolds

ADA – The Ada High School football debut in the Blanchard Valley Conference was a success in fall 2024, with the Bulldogs making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and posting eight wins while finishing a strong third in the league.

Ada will rely heavily on its passing game in order to approach that success in 2025. The pre-season roster is at 36 players under intense fifth-year head coach Toby Smith (15-26 at Ada; 172-93 overall).

“We will throw the ball more this year,” said veteran mentor Smith. "We will be a 60 percent pass/40 percent run team. Last year, we were 80 run/20 pass offense. But we still run a spread offense.” 

A total of nine lettermen return from the 2024 squad. Talented first team All-BVC signal-caller Levi Green graduated and took his talents to Ohio Northern.  

Junior quarterback Blake Zoladz showed off a fine throwing arm in relief of Green over several appearances his first two seasons. At 5-9 and 165 pounds, he is a strong-armed replacement for the elusive Green at the all-important position. 

“Blake throws the ball very well, and has adequate mobility,” said Smith. “We are hoping to see progress from him this season.”

Sophomore Thad Smith serves as the backup QB.

Feisty junior Colton Dysert moves into the primary running back position in the passing offense. “He has good vision, and I am excited to see how he does with more carries,” said Smith.

Graduated back Kaine Fisher enjoyed a nearly 1,000-yard rushing season last year and is also playing at ONU this season.

A deep and talented receiving corps looks to be the strength of the team.

Athletic seniors Kayleb Hickman (5-10, 155), Zack Zimmerman (6-1, 180) and Gavin Oldfield (6-0, 165) return to give Zoladz top targets and big-play threats to throw to. 

All are good at running after the catch as well. Hickman has very good speed and elusiveness as does Oldfield, who is a lanky leaper. Hickman is a threat to go all the way anytime he catches the ball in space.

Zimmerman is a tall target with good hands, strong competitiveness and solid athletic ability.

Junior H-back T.J. Griffith (6-0) should be a big threat this fall as well.

Sophomore Aidan Brown and junior Wes Mowery add solid reserve options to the strong receiving unit. Junior Jacob Szippl will also provide depth at H-back.

“We have a good group of receivers,” said Smith. “I feel comfortable with our wide receiver threats.”

Perhaps the biggest question or least-proven returning unit is the offensive line. Ada lost four of its five 2024 starters to graduation, including all-leaguer Dalton Amos, who is playing at Evangel College this fall. 

"We have some young kids replacing the starters we lost, but I like what we have seen from them," Smith offered. 

Senior Aiden Ritchie (185 lbs.) is the lone returning starter on the line. He mans the left tackle spot. 

Junior Grady Curtis (6-0, 215) will handle the key center spot, with sophomore Xavier Smith (185) at guard, backed up by sophomores Eli Craig and Maverick Shaw.

Sophomore Layne Simon assumes the other starting tackle spot, backed up by sophomore Landon Green (220 lbs.).

"They are a very young group who is very hungry to learn," said the coach of the linemen. “We are excited for the opener to see what they can do.”

Ada will operate out of a 3-3-5 stack defensive formation. “We want to continue to have an aggressive, attacking style on defense,” said Smith.
Junior wrestler Easton Lane will man the nose guard position on the defensive line. Senior Jade Ash (6-0, 220) and senior Kaden Clum (185) will hold down the tackle spots. 

The rest of the defensive line will be manned by the same offensive linemen, plus sophomore Brier Hannah.

Four players will primarily share the linebacker spots. 

Szippl, Zimmerman, Griffith and Craig will handle most of the linebacking duties.

Thad Smith, Oldfield, Mowery, ballhawk Hickman and junior Tyler Stauffer are expected to comprise the secondary.

Brown, Zoladz and Dysert will also see action at defensive back. But Zoladz and Dysert will see limited snaps back there in order to stay fresher on offense.

As for special teams, junior soccer standout Andrew Allen returns as a very accurate kicker. He booted a perfect 37-37 on extra points last season. He will again assume the place-kicking and punter duties in his second varsity football campaign.

Zoladz will serve as the long snapper, and the sure-handed Zimmerman will handle the short snap duties. 

Hickman, Dysert, Oldfield and Brown make up a solid kickoff and punt return unit. Hickman returned two kicks for TDs last year.

“We have some speed on the return teams,” Smith noted.

With an inexperienced offensive line, Smith expects teams to try and pressure Zoladz. A quick passing attack designed to get the ball out fast to the talented receivers could counter-attack blitzing defenses.  Zoladz’s strong arm will be key to achieving this end.

“We need to protect the quarterback,” Smith summed up. “We will have to react well defensively. Depth is always an issue.”

Ada has 14 sophomores back and while only some saw much varsity playing time last year, it is a key group that will be called on to fill many important positions this fall.

As far as season goals and the BVC race go, Smith offered some basic points. “We want to win our non-league games, compete in the BVC and be playing our best at the end of the season,” he offered.

Liberty-Benton won the BVC crown last year at 8-0. Pandora-Gilboa was second (7-1), followed by Ada in third (6-2). Leipsic and McComb tied for fourth at 5-3, with Van Buren sixth (4-4).

Arlington finished 3-5, followed by Riverdale (2-6). Winless Elmwood and Arcadia tied for last at 0-8.

The Bulldogs host local arch-rival USV (9-2 last year) in the opener August 22, then visit local non-league foe Waynesfield-Goshen (7-4) Aug. 29. 

Ada rallied late to edge the Rams 15-14 in the opener last year at McGuffey. USV then won their next nine games behind graduated NWCC Player of the Year quarterback Maddox Underwood.

The key league opener is week three at Arlington. Last year, the Red Devils upset the Bulldogs 44-43 on a last-second touchdown pass to spoil Ada’s BVC debut. The league home lidlifter is Sept. 12 vs. Elmwood, whom the purple and gold pounded 43-14 last fall. 

The regular season finale is at tough Leipsic, which knocked Ada out of the playoffs a week after the Bulldogs beat the Vikings in week 10.

Smith went 111-40 in 14 seasons at West Liberty-Salem, and fashioned a 46-27 record at Bellefontaine before coming to Ada in 2021. It took a few years to get Ada football back on track, but it appears the Bulldogs are on the right path for sustained contention.

With just 12 playoff qualifiers per region this fall (down from 16), the first Bulldog repeat post-season appearance since 2016-17 will be harder to attain than last year. 

If Ada gets off to a good start in non-league play, stays healthy and adequately replaces its graduated standouts, they could return to the playoffs.

Ada football 2025 at a glance: Div. VII, Region 26

2024 Record 8-3 (6-2 BVC, 3rd)
Head coach: Toby Smith, fifth year (15-26 at Ada; 172-93 overall)

Roster total: 36 Lettermen back: 9  

Starters back: 4 on offense, and 4 on defense

2025 ADA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

*Blanchard Valley Conference games
August 

22 Upper Scioto Valley H
29 Waynesfield-Goshen A
September 

5 Arlington* A
12 Elmwood* H
19 McComb* A
26 Arcadia* H
October

3 Riverdale* H
10 Van Buren* A
17 Pandora-Gilboa* H
24 Leipsic* A