By Jamie Baker
Staff Writer
Ada’s defensive performance wasn’t pretty on a stat sheet.
But it was a thing of beauty on the scoreboard Saturday afternoon at Donnell Stadium.
Ada’s defense gave up a fourth-quarter touchdown to Carey on an 80-yard lateral, and that was it, as the Bulldogs advanced to the regional finals with a 14-7 Division VI, Region 22 semifinal victory over the Blue Devils.
Ada (12-0) will take on the winner of tonight’s Delphos St. John’s-Leipsic game at a site to be determined today by the OHSAA.
The Ada offense, led by quarterback Heath Jackson, has put up big numbers and grabbed the headlines all year.
But on an unseasonably warm and sunny mid-November afternoon it was an under-appreciated Bulldogs’ defense that was the story.
Carey was able to roll up 335 yards rushing, but when push came to shove, the Bulldogs’ defense always seemed to come up with a big play.
“The defense played outstanding. That goal line stand at the end of the half was the key to the ball game,” said Ada coach Mike Fell, whose Bulldogs reached the regional title game for the third straight year. “We were dead tired with a lot of kids going both ways. On a hot day like this it was a little different for them.”
With Ada up 14-0, Carey marched from its 10 yard line to Ada’s three in 10 plays.
Carey’s Logan Norden, who racked up 162 yards on 32 carries, was stopped an inch from the end zone on a third-and-goal from the three. With the clock ticking down to end the first half, the Blue Devils quickly lined up again and the Bulldogs swarmed under Tyler Brodman’s quarterback sneak try, keeping Carey out of the end zone.
The stop was a big mental boost for Ada, which appeared to be beginning to wear down a bit as the game wore on.
“We were really trying to push it toward the end of the second quarter. We wanted that half to go another six minutes and it could have been a different game,” said Carey coach Todd Worst. “We needed that touchdown at the end of the second quarter.”
It was the Ada defense that set up the first score when Cory Mattson recovered the first of three Carey fumbles on the Blue Devils’ second play from scrimmage.
Jackson took a keeper around left end for a 48-yard touchdown scamper just 53 seconds into the game.
Jackson, who has verbally committed Bowling Green State University, set up the Bulldogs’ second score with a 55-yard punt return to the Carey 20 yard line. On the next play, Konner Baker split a pair of Carey defenders in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown catch as Jackson was barely able to elude the grasp of Carey’s 6-foot-7, 260-pound defensive end Michael Dennis.
Carey’s offense certainly had its chances in the second half.
Ada’s Tanner Craig stripped Brodman of the ball, which flew into the arms of defensive back Alex Weber, stopping Carey’s first drive of the third quarter at Ada’s 10.
Carey quarterback Bryce Orians, who entered the game after Brodman was hurt on a ferocious hit by Jackson, was sacked for a 10-yard loss on a fourth-and-seven play from Ada’s 15 on the Blue Devils’ next possession.
Carey was finally able to get on the board with 2:44 left in the game when Strahm took a lateral from Orians and raced up the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run.
“They held them to zero points until the last four minutes and when they gave up one bad play,” said Fell. “I think we were just too tired to get out there and get it. But when they had to they stepped it up.”
The Blue Devils still had life with two minutes left.
They drove from their own 20 to Ada’s 43, but Jackson picked off a double-pass from Cy Strahm to seal the deal.
“I knew that Heath Jackson was going to pick it off. I knew when it comes down to it that cat is going to make the play,” Fell said.
Give Carey’s defense some credit, too.
The Blue Devils limited the talented Jackson to just 86 yards on 19 carries and 8-of-16 passing for 72 yards with two interceptions.
It was his lowest offensive output of the year and by far the least points scored by the Bulldogs which made Saturday’s loss all the more difficult to swallow.
“The kids played really hard and they did as well as anyone has against what they try to do,” Worst said. “Offensively, we needed to finish. We got down there a couple of times. Give them credit, they made plays. When they had to, they stopped us.”
Carey 0 0 0 7 — 7
Ada 7 7 0 0 — 14
First Quarter
ADA — Jackson 48 run (Everhart kick)
Second Quarter
ADA — Baker 20 pass from Jackson (Everhart kick)
Fourth Quarter
CAR — Strahm 80 run (Strahm kick)
Carey Ada
First Downs 18 8
Rushes-yards 61-335 25-107
Passing Yards 39 72
Comp-Att-Int 3-5-1 8-16-2
Punts-Avg. 5-38.2 5-41.4
Fumbles-Lost 4-3 0-0
Penalties-Yards 7-58 4-20
individual statistics
rushing — Carey, Norden 32-162, Jacoby 5-23, Brodman 13-81, Phoenix 5-2, Bra. Orians 1-4, Bry. Orians 4-3, Strahm 1-80. Ada, Jackson 19-86, Simmons 6-21.
passing — Carey, Brodman 2-2-0-17; Orians 1-2-0-22; Strahm 0-1-1-0. Ada, Jackson 8-16-2-72.
receiving — Carey, Phoenix 2-21, Strahm 1-8. Ada, McBride 1-6, Jolliff 1-3, Weber 4-36, Baker 2-27.
Baker: 419-422-5151,
jamiebaker@thecourier.com
Ada was outplayed by carey, carey made to many mistakes to win.But give Ada credit for causing the turnovers. Its DSJ's tital to lose this year.
Posted by: whodey | November 14, 2009 at 08:48 PM