Players and fans applauded on the field, one Tiger belted “the trophy’s not leavin’ here,” and Ardmore had its first win of the season.
It was extra special because it was against Ada.
Ardmore’s offensive machine was on track for 392 rushing yards — 214 from senior running back Andra Brown — en route to a 28-7 win over Ada in the 87th Red-A Rivalry game on Friday at Noble Stadium. The win was one thoroughly dominated by the Tigers (1-0), who committed their fair share of penalties but not the crucial ones that doomed them in last year’s contest against the Cougars.
“We’ve gotta get the rough edges off, but it feels real good,” said Ardmore senior Levonté Douglas, who had one of two interceptions for the Tigers. “They stole it from us last year.”
In 2009, Ardmore breathed new life into Ada by jumping offsides on fourth-and-2 with the Cougars trailing in the fourth quarter. Ada won that game 21-18, but this time, untimely mistakes and Ardmore’s potent attack undid the Cougars (0-1).
Trailing 21-7 with just over 6 minutes left in the game, Ada appeared to convert a key fourth-and-2 at the Ardmore 23-yard line, but were docked five yards for a delay of game. Ardmore forced an incompletion on fourth-and-7 and had no trouble marching 72 yards for the final touchdown, a Kenyon Gordon 10-yard score with 17 seconds left.
Add that to a defense that forced three turnovers and held Ada to 223 yards of total offense, and it was what Ardmore coach Larry McBroom called “a really good way to start to the season.” Ardmore didn’t win its first game of 2009 until week 4.
The Tigers’ win Friday makes McBroom 2-1 against his former team, which he coached for parts of 1980-2003.
“We knew we were undersized but the guys kept battling and fighting all night,” McBroom said. “The guys in practice, the second-team and third-team guys, worked so hard to prepare this football team.”
Ardmore scored the first 21 points of the game and led 14-0 at halftime. On its third play from scrimmage, Ada bobbled a snap on the quarterback-running back exchange and Gordon pounced on the fumble at the Cougars’ 40-yard line. It only took Ardmore five plays to take the lead, as Trey Cohee hit Josiah Reed with a swing pass which Reed turned into a 16-yard touchdown at 9:13 in the first quarter.
Backed up to their own 13-yard line on third-and-2 in the second quarter, Brown gained 15 yards, followed by a Cohee 50-yard breakaway. Brown capped the drive with a 22-yard TD run at 3:57. Brown ran for another 61 yards on his first touch of the second half and Cohee found Tray Fish for a 3-yard score on fourth-and-goal with 8:31 left in the third.
