Ada heads into postseason with victory over LCC

ADA - For three seasons, the biggest knock on the Ada football has been two things: The Bulldogs can't stop a smash-mouth offense, and the offense can't win late in the season in messy conditions.

Consider both of those checked off the list.

The Bulldogs closed out a perfect season with a 28-21 win Friday over hard-hitting Lima Central Catholic in cold, wet conditions at War Memorial Stadium. The win closes out Ada's first 10-win season in school history and a solo spot atop the Northwest Conference.

The win also assures Ada (10-0, 8-0 NWC) of its second consecutive home playoff game next week.

"It's amazing. I never dreamed it would happen," senior Trent Bass said. "When it was Week 3, I was wondering how long this undefeated (record) would last. We just kept winning and winning, and now we're 10-0."

Coupled with a win over Delphos Jefferson last week, the Bulldogs passed both of their regular season tests. Jefferson and LCC (5-5, 5-3 NWC) tried to line up and smash the ball down Ada's throat.

Credit goes to the Ada lines, which allowed 120 yards on 32 rushes on defense and gave up two sacks, and no other negative-yardage plays, on offense against LCC.

Mitchell Faine had time to throw most of the night, completing 24 of 33 passes for 253 yards and three scores. He also led Ada with 68 rushing yards and the other Ada score.

"Frank Crea, our offensive line coach, and those three seniors, Trent Bass, Travis Dysert and Brandon Dysert, along with Zach Gibson and Aaron Jenkins, they've worked their tails off," Ada coach Mike Fell said. "They do everything that no one else wants to do in practice."

The T-Birds missed the playoffs for the first time under coach Jerry Cooper, who in turn missed the playoffs after 10 straight appearances at Columbus Grove and LCC.

Tyler O'Connor passed for 244 yards and two TDs. Brady Patterson (five catches, 104 yards) and Desi Kirkman (5-56) caught the TDs.

Taylor Royster carried the ball 13 times for 62 yards, including rushes of 22 and 11 yards.

"Our kids don't have one thing to be ashamed of," Cooper said. "We came over here and played what everyone thought was the best team in the league, and I'm not sure they proved they were that much better than us."

Cooper nearly ran his career record against Ada to 9-0. The Thunderbirds battled to a 21-20 lead with 4 minutes, 3 seconds left after trailing 14-7 at halftime.

On the scoring drive, O'Connor found Kirkman for 10 yards on third-and-seven, and hit Patterson for 33 yards on the next play. O'Connor ran it in from 2 yards out to cap the drive.

Ada quickly went to work. Faine completed three straight passes for 36 yards. The comeback almost fell apart when Luke Irwin fumbled on first down from the LCC 13, but Faine recovered at the 19.

On third-and-eight from the 11, Faine rolled left and found Heath Jackson wide open in the far right quadrant of the end zone.

Jackson completed a pass to Kyle Baker for the 2-point conversion.

Baker caught six passes for 78 yards and a score while Jackson had 102 yards on 10 catches and the TD.