By RICK SPRUNGER
MONROE — It was all Adams Central at Monroe Friday night.
The Class 2A No. 7 Jets scored early and often in running up a 55-0 win over Southern Wells in an Allen County Athletic Conference tussle on the winners’ home turf.
Adams Central improved to 6-1 in all games and a perfect 4-0 in the conference with Bluffton and Woodlan left. Southern Wells fell to 0-7.
Adams Central took charge early.
The Jets rolled up a staggering 48-0 lead after one quarter, and the teams agreed to start the running clock with still 10:09 left in the second period.
Adams Central ran nine offensive plays in the first quarter and scored touchdowns on six of them, including five in a row at one point.
In fact, it scored a remarkable three touchdowns in the span of just 1:12 of game clock.
The Jets got a 43-yard touchdown run on a keeper by quarterback Jamison Roach on a one-play drive. They then recovered a Southern Wells fumble on the Raider six on the ensuing kickoff and again scored on just one play, a six-yard dash up the middle by Joey Everett.
On Southern Wells’ first play after that, Adams Central’s Jaret Smith picked off a pass and returned it 44 yards to the house.
“We gave them a lot,” said a disgusted Southern Wells coach Blake Blaker after the game. “Don’t get me wrong. They’ve got a really good team and a lot of good players. They have a system in place. And you’ve got to remember that we only have two returning starters; no one else on our team has ever played varsity football before. But on their first five touchdowns, we had kids in position to make a tackle, and we just didn’t.”
That flurry of three Adams Central scores built the margin to 28-0 with still 7:54 left in the first quarter.
And the Jets still had time left in the period to put up two more one-play scoring drives and a two-play score, getting a 53-yard run by Aaron Hirschy, a 33-yard pass from Roach to Braylend Reber, and a 19-yard run by Matt Heiser.
Following a Southern Wells three-and-out to start the second quarter, the coaches held a brief conference in the center of the field and decided to run the clock earlier than the customary halftime.
“You’re not actually supposed to do that,” conceded Blaker later, “but it was a situation where no one was going to object, and no one wanted to see them put up a hundred.”
Adams Central got its final score on a 38-yard run by Heiser moments later, and it very nearly scored again on the final play of the first half.
Southern Wells had reached the Jet 41 and called timeout with 0:01 left to take one shot at the end zone.
But Adams Central’s Carson Schnitz picked off the pass at his own 25 and set sail down the left sideline before being dragged down from behind at the 9.
“The problem is, we showed up and saw ‘Jets’ on the front of the uniform, and we didn’t want any part of that,” said Blaker. “We have to be ready to play regardless of who we’re playing. And that takes leadership. That sort of leadership has to come from someone other than myself and my coaches. We need guys to step up and say, ‘What does it mean to play football at Southern Wells?’ Are we good with losing, 55-0, every week? It’s going to have to be up to the kids, and it’s going to take some time.”
Southern Wells will next travel to Heritage.
The Patriots are 6-1 after last night’s 51-20 win over Bluffton.
ADAMS CENTRAL 55, SOUTHERN WELLS 0
Southern Wells (0-7) 0 0 0 0 – 0
Adams Central (6-1) 48 7 0 0 – 55
First Quarter
AC-Aaron Hirschy 40 run (Braylen Cowans kick), 10:52.
AC-Jamison Roach 43 run (Cowans kick), 9:06.
AC-Joey Everett 6 run (Cowans kick), 8:55.
AC-Jaret Smith 44 interception return (Cowans kick), 7:54.
AC-Hirschy 53 run (Cowans kick), 5:27.
AC-Braylend Reber 33 pass from Roach (Cowans kick).
AC-Matt Heiser 19 run (kick failed), 0:42.
Second Quarter
AC-Heiser 38 run (Cowans kick), 5:37.
Team Statistics SW AC
First Downs 3 12
Rushes-Yards 27-65 31-325
Passing Yards 7 42
Passing (C-A-I) 2-10-2 2-2-0
Penalties-Yards 5-25 4-31
Fumbles-Lost 5-4 0-0
Punts-Average 4-28.8 0-0
Time of Possession 28:50 19:10
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Southern Wells-Trey Slusher 15-22, Alden Dollar 10-42, Lyric Maddox 1-1, Robbie Freimuth 1-0; Adams Central-Max Nussbaum 7-50, Matt Heiser 6-80, Vance Miller 5-13, Thomas Laughlin 3-21, Aaron Hirschy 2-93, Reece Hammond 2-3, Barret Collier 2-(-11), Jamison Roach 1-43, Drew Kaehr 1-27, Joey Everett 1-6.
Passing: Southern Wells-Trey Slusher 2-10-2 7; Adams Central-Jamison Roach 2-2-0 42.
Receiving: Southern Wells-Lyric Maddox 1-5, Leeland Goodnight 1-2; Adams Central-Braylend Reber 2-42.
