Ada's football season contained plenty of memorable moments

The ache of a Class 4A quarterfinal loss to defending state champion Elgin is still being felt throughout the Ada High School football program.

Still, it was a season to remember for the Cougars, who finished 10-2 despite a rugged schedule from the very start.

“We didn’t get the ending we wanted, but it doesn’t take away from what these kids accomplished or the pride they brought to this program,” Ada head coach Wade Boyles told The Ada News. “I’m incredibly proud of them — proud of their effort, proud of their growth, and proud of the standard they’ve helped raise for Ada Cougar football.”

There were big wins and numerous records broken along the way. Ada’s only other loss came against Broken Bow, another Class 4A semifinal team.

In both of those setbacks, it was a rough quarter that turned the tide — the second quarter against Elgin and the fourth period against Broken Bow.

“When you look at the season’s two losses, it really comes down to two quarters that slipped away from us,” Boyles said. “As a coach, you wish you could go back and replay those quarters. You think about the momentum swings and the missed opportunities, and how a few plays here or there could have completely changed the course of our season.”

Even in those two defeats, the Cougars proved they belonged in the conversation as one of the top teams in Class 4A.

“We won big games, handled adversity and put Ada Cougar Football back in the conversation where it belongs,” Boyles said. “And that doesn’t happen without the leadership of our seniors. They set the tone from day one and carried this team through every challenge. Their impact is going to be felt long after they’re gone.”

That special senior class includes Dawson Matthews, Ashden Rowell, Nathan Hopstein, Wyatt Killgore, Brayden McGilbray, Caron Richardson, Eli Justus, Collin Christian, Kyler Gaddis, Brock Boyles, Owen Wofford, Lakievin Richardson, Camariee Richardson and Kelton Stipe.

There are hardly enough superlatives in Boyles’ vocabulary to describe what that group — which includes his son, quarterback Brock Boyles — has meant to the program.

“What stands out the most to me is their commitment to this program and the way they’ve raised the standard of Ada Cougar football. The work they’ve put in, the toughness they’ve shown and the belief they’ve had in each other… that’s what defines this team,” he said.

“One or two tough quarters don’t erase the growth, the progress or the foundation these kids have built,” Boyles continued. “I’m proud of them, proud of their effort and proud of where this program is headed because of the standard they’ve set.”

Boyles said his 2025 Cougars have plenty to be proud of.

“No doubt, we all wish we were still playing — that’s the competitor in us. But when you step back and look at the season as a whole, it was a really special year for the Cougars,” he said. “This group worked, they believed and they grew every single week. They played with heart, toughness, and a togetherness that you don’t get every season.”

Boyles also praised the efforts of his coaching staff, which included assistants Joe Foster, Chad Roark, Lane Martin, Justin Nail, Jeff Waters, Robbie Powell, Tony Willoughby and Chad Robertson.

“I also would like to take a moment to thank the people who make Friday nights in Ada special, including our cheerleaders, the Couganns, our band, the broadcast team, the photographers, the newspaper and this community that shows up every Friday,” he said.