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Pirates wear down Van Buren defense on the way to win number 2

By Sam Brauen

For a half, the 2015 tilt between Bluffton and Van Buren looked oddly familiar to the 2014 edition.  Stormy weather was all around, big hits abounded and the score was low. 

GAME STATS AT BOTTOM OF STORY -

However, in the second half, Bluffton wore down the Knight defense and the Pirate running backs ran over, around and through the visitors for a 35-14 victory.  Bluffton moved to 2-0 on the season with the victory while Van Buren falls to 0-2.

The game was gridlocked at 7-7 to start the second half but Bluffton scored four second half touchdowns and pulled away throughout the second half.  Bret Rumer put the Pirates ahead on a heads up defensive play. 

Van Buren’s quarterback Riley Adolph attempted a backwards pass but his receiver fell down on the play.  Rumer alertly scooped up the loose ball at the 16 yard line and sprinted into the end zone to put the Pirates up by a score. 

The score remained 14-7 until the first play of the fourth quarter when Kaleb Jefferson bulled into the end zone from six yards out.  The next time BHS touched the ball, Dustin Falk electrified the crowd with a 47 yard touchdown sprint up the left sideline. 

The junior got through the line and bounced the play outside, outrunning a flurry of Knight defenders.  Jefferson capped the night’s scoring with two minutes remaining as he scored his fourth touchdown of the young season.  

As the game progressed, the Pirates gradually wore down the Knight defense.  The offensive linemen rotation of Kyle Swank, Blake Sampson, Zach Little, Justin Haggard, Misha Groman, Dylan Pletcher and Deandre Nassar did work up front allowing the Pirates to rush for 203 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. 

Bluffton had a balanced rushing attack with four players carrying the ball at least seven times.  Dakota Bricker rushed 12 times for 80 yards, Dustin Falk 7/59, Mitchell Ault 7/27 and Kaleb Jefferson 8/35.  Ault completed six of ten passes for 113 yards and one touchdown.  The senior also threw an interception in the final seconds of the first half.  Bricker caught three balls for 53 yards, including the game’s first score from 32 yards out.  Dustin Falk caught two passes for 40 yards and Joel Siefker made a terrific 20 yard grab on the right sideline to keep a Pirate drive alive.

Coach Kyle Cutnaw said, “I was excited about our run game.  Running the ball was a big point of emphasis for us this off season so I was pleased with our improvement.  Also, I think our conditioning took over in the second half as well.” 

Defensively, Van Buren scored on a hail mary with less than a minute in the half and added a fourth quarter score with eight minutes left to make it 28-14 at the time.  The Knights were unable to sustain drives and added in four turnovers on the night. 

In addition to Rumer’s scoop and score fumble recovery, the senior added an interception.  Brady Basinger ended the next two Knight drives after Rumer’s score.  The junior sacked Knight quarterback Adolph on a fourth quarter play to end one drive.

The next, Basinger picked off an Adolph pass inside the Pirate 10 yard line.  Cutnaw added, “Our kids are playing more aggressively and have an attitude of toughness this year.  We still have some improvements to make but I’m pleased with our progress so far defensively.” 

Bluffton will travel to Fort Loramie on Friday evening.  The Redskins are 0-2 after losing 34-6 to Fort Recovery Friday evening.  The trip to Shelby County is believed to be the first ever meeting between the two schools.

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