By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The top-seeded Bluffton boys soccer team started its Div. III tournament run with a decisive 7-0 win over visiting Otsego Saturday afternoon.
The sectional final win upped the Pirate record to 13-2-2 and advanced them to the district semifinals against sixth seed Willard.
Bluffton's Jude Spallinger started the scoring parade with a goal in the sixth minute. Simon Derstine made it 2-0 four minutes later.
Kaden Basil netted a goal in the 37th minute to put the heavily-favored hosts ahead 3-0 at halftime.
Jonathan Schriner tallied back-to-back goals in the 47th and 54th minutes to extend the margin to 5-0. Tayton Kleman scored in the 58th minute, and Jayden Mays added the final tally with just under four minutes left.
The Knights did not even manage to get a shot off against the stingy Pirate defense. Bluffton controlled the ball on offense and fired 47 shots, 25 of which were on goal.
The Otsego goalie was credited with 15 saves. The Knights ended their season 3-14-2.
Willard eliminated visiting Cory-Rawson 2-1 in double overtime Saturday to advance and face the Pirates. C-R finished 6-12 while the Crimson Flashes improved to 9-8-1 with the marathon victory.
Sophomore Omar Gomez scored both Willard goals on assists from senior Yoni Moralez.
The Bluffton/Willard match will take place at Tiffin Columbian High School Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. Willard is a relatively new member of the Sandusky Bay Conference, after being in the Northern Ohio League from 1944-2017.
Second seed Van Buren (14-2-1) and third seed Riverdale (12-1-4) face off in a rematch in the other district semifinal. VB won at Riverdale 1-0 on Oct. 10 in a Blanchard Valley Conference battle to hand the Falcons their first loss.
Van Buren advanced with a 4-0 win over Mansfield Christian Saturday, while Riverdale whipped Pemberville Eastwood 8-0. The Black Knights and Falcons will meet Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. in Tiffin for the first semifinal.
Bluffton edged VB 2-1 Oct. 1, and tied Riverdale 0-0 back on September 17.
The district finals will be held Saturday, Oct. 26 at Tiffin Columbian at 6 p.m. The Tiffin district champion will play the Elyria district winner Oct. 30 in the regional semifinals at a site TBA.
