By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - The Bluffton boys cross country team finished third in the 11-team Div. III District 1 meet at Columbus Grove Saturday morning.
The top-three finish qualified the Pirate squad to regionals at Tiffin's Hedges-Boyer Park next Saturday, October 26.
Host Columbus Grove boasted the top four individual finishers and won the boys team title with 23 points.
Waynesfield finished second (106) with Bluffton third (107). Kalida finished fourth with 112 points, and Upper Scioto Valley came in sixth (123).
Freshman Erik Nygaard finished 11th out of 68 runners in 17:35.2 (a PR) to register the top Pirate showing. Junior Elijah Conley crossed the finish line 17th in 17:46.4.
Sophomore Carson Closson of Columbus Grove won the individual race in 16:37.6, 4.9 seconds ahead of sophomore teammate Caleb Stechschulte in second place.
Joe Parker of Upper Scioto Valley finished sixth in 17:19.1. Ram teammate Zack Britton came in eighth in 17:20.2 as both qualified for regionals as individuals.
Bluffton individual finishers:
Place Runner Time
11th Erik Nygaard 17:35.2
17th Elijah Conley 17:46.4
22nd Isaiah Conley 18:42.9
28th Wyatt Lovell 19:17.6
29th Sam Derstine 19:21.2
43rd Trey Boblitt 20:32.2
51st Carter Dyar 21:27.8
