Knights lose another NWC heartbreaker

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

ADA — Ada used two goal line stands, including one as time expired, to defeat the Crestview Knights 27-26 at Ada War Memorial Stadium.

It was the second straight heartbreaking loss for the Knights, now 4-2 (1-2 NWC).

The Bulldogs fumbled away the opening kick-off, but Crestview was unable to capitalize.

The two teams traded touchdowns later in the first quarter. Derek Kline ran three yards for a score, and Dylan Hicks booted the extra point to give Crestview a 7-0 lead at the 8:19 mark.

Ada fought back, and tied the game on Seth Conley’s one-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Bailey. It was the first of four touchdown passes thrown by Conley and the pass-happy Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs were able to stop Kline on fourth and goal inside the one with 9:41 left in the second quarter, but the Knights were able to recover and regain the lead at the 8:04 mark on Kline’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Chase Clark.

Ada responded again, and scored on a six-yard toss from Conley to Chase Sumner with 4:22 left in the quarter.

Luke Gerardot bulled in from a yard out with 40 seconds left until halftime, but the Hicks extra point attempt was partially blocked, making it 20-14 Crestview going into halftime.

Ada scored the only touchdown of the third quarter, a one-yard scoring strike from Conley to Sumner. The Aaron Everhart extra point was good, giving the Bulldogs a 21-20 lead going into the fourth.

Gerardot capped off a 10-play, 85-yard drive with his second touchdown run of the night, a five-yarder. The two-point conversion attempted failed, but Crestview had a 26-21 lead with 6:10 left in the game.

It took about 90 seconds for Ada to find the end zone, as Conley connected with Jordan Bailey for a 57-yard score.

The two-point conversion failed, leaving the Bulldogs with a 27-26 lead.

Kline and Gerardot took turns running the ball on the ensuring drive, and made it down to the Ada two yard line, before calling time out with four seconds left.

On the game’s final play, Kline was stopped cold on a rush attempt and threw an over the shoulder desperation pass that fell incomplete as time expired.

“I felt really good on that drive, and thought we were going to be able to use the clock up and not give them another opportunity to score,” said Crestview head coach Jared Owens. “They (Ada) made a nice play at the goal line.”

Owens added there was no discussion of a potential game winning field goal attempt.

Crestview finished the game with 344 yards of total offense. Kline and Gerardot combined for 187 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Kline also completed 10 of 22 passes for 161 yards passing and one score.

The Knights held Ada to -34 yards rushing, but Conley threw for 284 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.