No replies to this topic

[Rocketcorner News]

Ada pulls the big upset over Crestview 35-0
By Tom Galdeen

Wapakoneta-

The Ada Bulldogs (8-3) met the Crestview Knights (9-2) in the Division VI, Region 20 regional semifinals at Wapakoneta's Harmon Field. It was a rematch of game 6 of the regular season. A game that Crestview dominated. The Knights won that game 63-12. Crestview and Ada, along with Delphos Jefferson shared the NWC Championship.

Ada’s defense was the story of this game. They stopped Crestviews mighty running game and kept the Knights out of the end zone with 3 stops in the red zone.

Crestview took the opening kickoff and went 3 and out on their first 2 possessions. Ada started their 2nd possession after a short punt on the Crestview 44 yard line. Keyed by an 18 yard scamper by QB Matt Wilcox down to the 10 yard line, Wilcox hit Hunter Waller with the TD pass from 4 yards out. Waller added the PAT and Ada was off to a good start leading 7-0. Crestview again stalled on the ensuing possession and punted to the Ada 36. Spencer Archer made an acrobatic catch of a Wilcox pass for a 30 yard gain on the first play. A couple plays later Wilcox found Waller again in the end zone from 22 yards out. The PAT gave Ada a 14-0 lead. Crestview finally got their running game going as Jake Lippi ripped off a 30 yard run down the the 10 yard line. Lippi carried it to the 6 on 2nd down, but the Knights couldn’t advance as QB Preston Zaleski was stopped on 2 straight runs, turning the ball over on downs at the 7 yard line. After stopping Ada and setting up at their own 45, Crestview went to the air. Zaleski hit Isaiah Simerman on a 28 yard pass play down to the 17 yard line. A holding penalty moved them back to the 28. On 3rd and 20, Zaleski and Simerman hooked up for a 19 yard gain to set up 4th and 1 at the 8 yard line. Again, Zaleski was stopped short on the keeper and Crestview turned it over on downs inside the 10 yard line for the 2nd time in the half. The teams exchanged punts to run out the clock as Ada took the 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Ada looked like they were going to add to their lead on the first possession of quarter #3, but Wilcox pass into the endzone was intercepted by Zaleski. A couple of possissions later, Crestview forced Ada to turn the ball over on downs at the 30 yard line. After a couple of short passes, Zaleski attempted to pitch the ball on the option play, but the pitch was behind the runner and Ada recovered the fumble. Wilcox hit Austin Dumbaugh for a 14 yard gain then Wilcox ran the ball 13 yards down to the one yard line. Blake Ansley took it over from there and the successful PAT gave Ada a 21-0 lead.

The 4th quarter was all Ada Ansley became the workhorse back as he carried the ball 10 times in the quarter. Wilcox hit Archer with a 39 yard pass to set up Ansleys 2nd TD to make it 27-0. Wilcox then intercepted a Zaleski pass and returned it to the ada 45 yard line. Ansley carried the ball on all but 3 plays of the 10 play drive. He also caught a pass on the drive and ran in from the 3 yard line to finish the scoring. Waller’s PAT was good and Ada took the 35-0 lead.

Ada advances to the regional finals against the 11-1 Wayne Trace Raiders, a 40-7 winner over Tinora.