By BROOKE APPLE
The Delphos Herald
DELPHOS — On a windy night in Delphos, the
Jefferson Wildcats were looking for a big win over the Ada Bulldogs.
Although Ada came out getting on the board first,
Jefferson didn’t back down and rang up 42 straight points to pound the
Bulldogs 42-7 in Northwest Conference action at Stadium Park.
Jefferson kicked off to start the game and Ada’s
Jay Wolber made a 22-yard return. Ada ran a no-huddle, shotgun formation all
night. Seven plays later, Colby Dysert caught a deflected pass for an 18-yard
gain, putting the visiting Bulldogs on the Jefferson 30. Six plays later, Nate
Vermillion caught a pass from quarterback Mitchell Faine for the first score
of the night — 8 yards — with 7:29 left on the clock. Matt McBride added
on the extra point to make the score 7-0, Ada.
Jefferson (7-2, 5-2 NWC) turned the ball over on
downs giving the ball back to the Bulldogs (6-3, 5-2 NWC) on their own 42-yard
line. Jefferson’s Michael Wiltsie had an interception off a deflected pass,
setting up Jefferson in their Wing-T offense starting on the Ada 31-yard line.
Tim Sanders (6 rushes, 152 yards) ran a sweep to the left side to take the
ball all the way in on the first play after the interception. Matthew Antalis
kicked the extra-point to tie the game at 7 with 4:42 on the clock.
Ada got to the Wildcats’ 37 but then was stopped on
4th-and-1 to have a turnover on downs.
Both teams’ defense would hold the other team from
scoring until 23 seconds remaining in the half when Josh Miller (3-of-7
passing, 14 yards) completed a 5-yard pass to Antalis (2 grabs, 9 yards) in
the middle of the end zone. Antalis added the extra point to make it 14-7
Jefferson at the half.
“We had a great week of practice. The coaches
really pushed the players and the players followed through with the game plan
tonight,” stated Jefferson coach Damon Ulm.
To start the second half Jefferson got the ball and
on the second play, Derek (Bubba) Shivley (14 carries, 61 yards) broke a
tackle to the outside on a dive play to make a gain of 18 yards. Six plays
later, Ada’s Kyle Baker would intercept a pass by Miller intended for
Sanders.
Ada’s third play of the half was ended by an
intercepted by Wiltsie, who returned it for a 20-yard touchdown with 7:42 left
in the third quarter; with the extra point by Antalis, it was 21-7, Jefferson.
Ada faked a punt on fourth down with a completed pass
to Baker for a first down. Once again, Jefferson’s defense held up strong
and stopped the Bulldogs after an incomplete pass on fourth down.
Jefferson started an 8-play ending in another
touchdown by Sanders from 35 yards out with 11:45 left in the game. After the
Antalis conversion, it was 28-7 Jefferson.
“It was very hard to simulate Ada’s offense
because of their speed but after our kids settled down, they played great
defensively and offensively. Our offense did a great job of running and
keeping control of the ball,” Ulm continued.
Ada got the ball after the kickoff on its own 25
and was forced to punt. On a bad snap, the punt wasg blocked and Jefferson’s
Michael Rahrig recovered in the end zone for a touchdown with 10:34 left on
the clock. The score became 35-7 after the extra point by Antalis.
Jefferson would score one more time with 7:40
remaining after Sanders saw daylight and ran in from 47 yards out for his
third touchdown on the night. Antalis tacked on the final marker.
“We will be working hard this week in practice
hoping to finish the season strong against Spencerville,” added Ulm.
Jefferson put their JV in to finish the game, getting
to the Ada 8 once.
Ada got the ball all the way to the Jefferson 4
but they couldn’t make it into the end zone.
Stuart Miller registered three pancake blocks
offensively and six total stops on the other side of the ball. Shivley totaled
10 stops (5 solos), Tyree DeWitt nine (8 solo) and Wiltsie (7), Quentin Lauf
(6) and Sean Osting (6) eight tackles each.
Jefferson visits its backyard rival Bearcats
Friday. Ada is at LCC (Lima Stadium) Saturday.