The Bluffton boys cross country team came in a strong second at the big Wildcat Invitational meet Saturday, October 2, on the grounds of the Kalida Fish and Game Club.

Pirate Landon Armstrong posted the top Bluffton finish by coming in third overall among 111 runners at 16:48.5.

Allen East senior Hunter Sidle won the boys race in 16:41.1.

Lincolnview captured the 20-school boys team competition with 67 points. Bluffton finished second with 90, just ahead of St. Marys (90) due to winning the sixth/seventh man tiebreaker.

Ada, AE and three other schools did not have the five runners needed for a team score.

Bluffton boys finishers:

3rd Landon Armstrong 16:48.5      

7th Erik Nygaard  17:03.3   

17th Sam Derstine    17:49.0     

25th Trey Boblitt    18:14.5    

39th Liam Jordan     18:48.3   

70th John Yoder      20:35.7    

80th Jonah Rehm      21:04.3    
 

June Essinger registered the best Bluffton girls individual finish. She came in seventh out of a field of 117 runners in 20:23.6.

Senior Andrea Burgei of Kalida won the 117-runner girls race in a time of 19:16.5. Junior Taylor Spencer of Waynesfield-Goshen was second in 19:25.3.

Liberty-Benton won the girls team title with 58 points, Ottawa-Glandorf was second (81) and Van Buren third (86). Bluffton was seventh with 164 points.

A total of 22 schools were represented in the girls meet, but 12 did not have enough runners to post a team score.

Bluffton girls finishers: 

7th June Essinger        20:23.6          

46th Mackay Tuttle       23:14.3       

48th Amairi Painter      23:15.4    

54th Kaelin Weissling    23:28.6    

83rd Faith Combs         25:46.0    

112th Greta Kauffman     30:36.0   

Bluffton runs in the Allen County Invitational meet Tuesday, October 5 in Lima, hosted by LCC.

The NWC title meet is Saturday morning, Oct. 16 at Van Wert.