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Pirate football hands Allen East a loss in NWC opener

Sports

/ Sep 13, 2026

Battle of unbeaten rivals

By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School football team dominated visiting rival Allen East 35-13 in its Northwest Conference opener at Harmon Field on Friday, Sept. 11.

Pirate Blayne Hill returned the opening kickoff 78 yards all the way to paydirt to open the scoring and set the tone for the contest.

Bluffton led 14-0 after the first quarter. The Pirates stretched the lead to 21-0 midway through the second stanza and were never seriously threatened.

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Fall 2026 BHS seniors celebrated on Harmon Field

People

/ Sep 12, 2026

Photos by James Crawfis / CLICK to enlarge

On Friday, September 4, the Bluffton High School seniors who perform on Harmon Field as part of the Friday Night football festivities were honored. Here are the band, cheer and flag seniors flanked by family members and listed in order below. The football seniors are pictured in Fall 2026 BHS football seniors celebrated on Harmon Field

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Weekend Doctor: Back-to-school anxiety

Health

/ Sep 12, 2026

By Anne Blunk, MSW, LISW-S
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychiatric Center of Northwest Ohio

Heading back to school means new routines, new classes, and, for some children and teens, new anxieties. Stomachaches may start before school begins, with no fever or clear cause—just a worried feeling that keeps showing up. Irritability, difficulty sleeping, frequent “what ifs,” and an overall sense of dread may also appear.

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Pirate girls cross country 2nd at Bearcat Invite

Sports

/ September 13, 2026

By Cort Reynolds

SPENCERVILLE__The Bluffton High School cross country teams competed at the Spencerville Bearcat Invitational meet on Saturday, September 12, with the Pirate girls coming in second among a five-team field in the Black Division race.