By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton ended the game with 21 unanswered points to defeat local non-league rival Cory-Rawson 42-26 in their traditional opener at Harmon Field Friday night.
Four turnovers and a blocked punt cost the Hornets mightily.
Box score at bottom of story -
The Pirates led 21-20 at halftime. But with just 40 seconds left in the third period, C-R scored on a 21-yard pass to grab a five-point lead. The two-point conversion pass failed, keeping the margin at 26-21.
Yet on the final play of the third quarter, Pirate Tyson Shutler scampered 68 yards to paydirt to give the hosts the lead back for good.
The two-point conversion run failed to limit the lead to 27-26 heading into the final stanza.
After forcing a three-and-out series, Bluffton then seized control with a big special teams play. The Pirates blocked a Hornet punt and with 10:14 remaining, Zavier O'Neal recovered the loose pigskin in the end zone for a momentum-changing touchdown.
This time the two-point conversion run by quarterback Nate Schaadt was good, giving the Pirates a 35-26 cushion.
Then with 3:53 left to play, Schaadt put the game out of reach when he connected with Andrew Wehrly on a 21-yard TD toss. The extra point kick by Kyle Koontz provided the final margin of 16.
The game began with a seesaw, high-scoring first period.
Bluffton scored first on a one-yard run by Baylor Garmatter with 8:07 left in the first period. The extra point try was no good, and Cory tied it on a 50-yard TD run by Tommy Stauffer. The extra point kick gave the visitors a 7-6 edge with 4:39 to go in the opening stanza.
Shutler regained the lead for Bluffton when he scampered nine yards to paydirt with 2:58 still left in the eventful first quarter. Shutler also ran in the two-pointer to give the hosts a 14-7 lead.
Cory came right back to score on a 61-yard run by Deontae Davis just 48 seconds later. The extra point boot tied it 14-14.
Garmatter's six-yard TD run and a Koontz PAT gave Bluffton a 21-14 lead with 11:53 left in the first half.
However, a one-yard Davis plunge at the 10:14 juncture brought the visitors within a point. Yet the extra point kick missed to keep Bluffton ahead 21-20, an edge it took to halftime.
The Pirates then outscored C-R 21-6 after intermission to win going away.
C-R out-gained Bluffton 412-365 in total yardage, running 59 plays to 54 by the victors. The Hornets averaged seven yards a play to 6.8 by the Pirates. Cory amassed 22 first downs to 19 by Bluffton.
Bluffton rushed for 330 yards on 48 tries, a 6.9 average per run. C-R netted 245 yards on 33 rushes (7.4 avg.). The Pirates possessed the ball for 25:16 compared to 22:44 by the Hornets.
Tucker Neff led the Pirates with 143 yards rushing on 21 carries. Shutler contributed 108 yards on seven rushes. Schaadt amassed 50 yards on 13 tries while Austin Reynolds added 20 yards on two carries.
C-R completed 12 of 26 passes for 167 yards, while the Pirates completed three of six aerials for 67 yards.
Shutler caught two passes for 14 yards. Schaadt was 2-2 passing for 35 yards, and Shutler went 1-4 throwing the pigskin.
Davis led C-R with 166 yards rushing and two TDs. Stauffer added 82 yards and one score on nine carries. Stauffer also completed eight of 21 passes for 105 yards and one TD with three interceptions.
Nick Thompson led the Hornets with four receptions for 62 yards.
1 2 3 4 F
Bluf 14 7 6 15 42
C-R 14 6 6 0 26
Bluffton (1-0) hosts Pandora-Gilboa (0-1) in week two. The Rockets lost 32-18 at home to Columbus Grove in their traditional local rivalry opener.
