St. John's rushes back in overtime against Ada, 34-31
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| Drew Bittner/Times Bulletin
St. John's Jordan Leininger leaps into the endzone for a two-point conversion to tie the game against Ada, 28-28, late in the fourth quarter. |
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BY KIRK DOUGAL
Times Bulletin Editor
kdougal@timesbulletin.com
FINDLAY - Donnell Stadium in Findlay was the site of another epic battle for Ohio high school football as St. John's continued the quest to defend their Division VI championship with 34-31 victory in overtime over the Ada Bulldogs.
Much like last week against Leipsic, the game did not start well for the Jays. Ada took the opening kickoff and rolled down the field for 72 yards in six plays to score. Ada quarterback Heath Jackson was unable to find much running room but his passing was on early as he hit Matt McBride for 10 yards, went deep to Alex Weber who made a spectacular diving catch for 43 yards and then capped the drive with a 16-yard scoring strike to Konnor Baker.
Delphos struck right back. Beginning at their own 20-yard line, QB Wes Ulm ran three straight times for a first down and then turned to RB Jordan Leininger. The big back took a pitch for nine yards around the end and then went 16 on an option play to the right. Ulm kept the ball himself on the next option play and scooted along for 31 yards before giving it back to Leininger on a power pitch that went seven yards for a touchdown. Ulm threw the block that gave him the room to run into the endzone.
Ada retaliated by going to a no-huddle look on offense, trying to negate the Jays' depth. Jackson's arm again led the way, this time with a 60-yard strike to McBride. The corner bit on the out route and missed the interception, leaving McBride free to run free down the sideline. Only a tremendous effort by Delphos DB Tyler Bergfeld, coming all the way across the field, saved the touchdown by knocking the Ada receiver out of bounds at the three. It was only a brief respite, however, as Jackson ran around the left end on the next play to score and give the Bulldogs a 14-7 advantage.
But then the Jays had an unexpected mental lapse. On the first play from scrimmage at their own 20, Ulm pitched the ball behind Leininger on the option. The ball was battered around between several players before the Bulldogs' Weber recovered it at the Delphos one-yard line. Again it was Jackson on the keeper and Ada led 21-7 only seven minutes into the game.
Delphos again tried to answer. The Jays started at their own 33-yard line and drove down the field. Ulm was the carrier early in the drive until they brought out the play action that had worked so well the week before. He found a wide-open Bergfeld on a post pattern for what would have been a 41-yard touchdown pass but the ball slipped through the receiver's hands, hit his shoulder pads and bounced away. Delphos coach Todd Schulte then turned to another weapon that had not been used yet. Ulm gave the ball to Mitchell MacLennan on the fullback trap and he rumbled 38 yards down to the three. But a two-yard loss on a running play and a bad snap lost five more yards and suddenly the Jays were staring at fourth and goal from the 10-yard line. Ulm danced around in the pocket, eluding rushers before trying to find a receiver in the back of the endzone. Ada's Baker jumped high for the interception, however, and St. John's was denied points again.
But the Delphos defense had finally figured out Jackson. They held Ada to a three-and-out and then took a bad punt back to the Ada 47-yard line. Five plays later, Leininger took a pitch and ran 15 yards, bowling over defenders at the goal line to score and bring the Jays back to 21-14.
Another three-and-out by Ada and the Jays had the ball back at the Bulldog 33-yard line with 7:16 left to go in the half. MacLennan again picked up good yardage before series of penalites and losses left Delphos at the 29 with a fourth and 16. Again Schulte decided to go for it and this time it worked when Ulm found Steven Metcalfe on a shovel pass. Metcalfe raced down the line of scrimmage and turned up the left sideline, running into the endzone. The Jays then tried to go for the two-point conversion but it failed and they still trailed but now by only a 21-20 score.
The half ended with Ada attempting a fake punt and not making a first down and then Delphos had one last gasp on a 31-yard field goal attempt but Josh Rode's kick sailed wide left.
St. John's received the ball to start the second half but a quick three-and-out gave Ada the ball at their own 28-yard line. Two sacks put the Bulldogs in an apparent punting situation deep in their own end but a roughing the kicker call gave them new life. Jackson, who had spent more time running for his life against the renewed Jays pass rush then moving the ball forward, finally got some time to maneuver. He ran for 17 yards on two carries around a five-yard pick up by Tyler Simmons and then on third and eight he found Weber on a dig route for 11 yards and a first down. Staring at a second and eight from the Delphos nine-yard line, Jackson found Baker again, this time with the big receiver running the back line of the endzone. Ada extended its lead back to 28-20.
Delphos went back to work on offense. MacLennan continued to bust the middle of the line, racing for 27-yard and nine-yard gains. But then on a passing play, Ulm was flushed from the pocket and scrambled to the left. As he rolled out he threw the ball toward Leininger on the sideline but the running back turned and ran down field as the QB broke containment. That left the ball sailing straight toward Ada's Jackson, who gathered in the interception.
It was the last mistake the Jays would make on the evening.
The Delphos defense, which had held Jackson to negative yards rushing for most of the game, continued to hold firm. They gave up two first downs, including Baker again for an 18-yard reception, but then on third and nine laid a big hit on Simmons to break up a first down pass. Ada was forced to punt the ball back.
The make-or-break drive for the game started at the Delphos 25-yard line with an 11-yard run by Ulm. Two plays later on third and four, Ulm went for four yards and on fourth down picked up the first with four more. With the Ada defense squeezing into the midle of the line on Ulm and MacLennan, it was time to go back outside. Ulm rolled right on the option and accepted the hit from the linebacker just as he pitched perfectly to Leininger. Leininger raced down the right side of the field, stiff-armed an opponent and made it into the endzone.
But there was no time for celebration. The Jays needed a two-point conversion for their comeback to be complete. Again it was Leininger on the pitch with Ulm leading him to the goal line. Leininger leaped over Ulm and an Ada defensive back for two points and a 28-28 tie.
The final four minutes of regulation were ended with an interception by the Jays' Dylan Dancer, a punt by Delphos, and Jackson running out of time and being sacked for the seventh time in the game.
Delphos won the coin toss and elected to go second in the overtime. Starting at the 20-yard line, Jackson gained two yards on a keeper. On the next play he scrambled right after being flushed from the pocket and spotted Baker in the endzone. The ball was low, however, and the side judge said he caught it on one bounce. The next pass was also incomplete and Austin Everhart came on to kick a 35-yard field gaol that went straight down the middle.
Then it was the Jays' turn. Ulm handed the ball off to Leininger straight up the middle and he burst through the line, shook off the linebacker and dragged two Bulldogs all the way down to the two-yard line. From there, Ulm followed his line straight into the endzone on the keeper and the celebration was on in Delphos.
After the game Ada coach Mike Fell was happy with how his team adjusted to the Delphos game plan.
"I imagine that was their goal, to shut (Jackson) down," said Fell. "They did a pretty good job but everybody else stepped up. (Jackson) can throw the football and we've got guys that can catch. He does more than just run. We thought we did pretty well."
"We did a lot of things that went against us for the first quarter," said Schulte. "We just couldn't seem to get into the game. We put the ball on the ground and that's just something we haven't done all year. Our kids just stuck with it."
Ada's Jackson was 10 for 23 throwing the ball for 209 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 27 times for 28 yards and two more touchdowns. Simmons had 11 carries for 56 yards.
Ulm was only one of six passing for 29 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. However, he rushed 27 times for 105 yards and one touchdown. Leininger was the leading rusher with 17 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns while MacLennan had a huge night as well, going 11 times for 115 yards. As a team, the Jays rushed 55 times for 350 yards.
St. John's will face MAC foe Marion Local who advanced by defeating Fort Loramie 27-0. They will play next Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Wapakoneta's Harmon Field.
(To see a gallery of photos from the game, got to www.timesbulletin.com and click on the "Photos" icon at the top of the homepage.)
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