By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School boys cross country team finished a solid fourth at the 13-team Blue Jay Invitational hosted by St. John's at the Delphos Stadium Park Saturday, August 27. The BHS girls finished eighth out of nine teams.

Bluffton seniors Erik Nygaard and Landon Armstrong crossed the finish line first and second, 1.3 seconds apart, in the field of 134 runners.

The third-place finisher was 16 seconds behind the pace of Nygaard. Bluffton senior Sam Derstine finished a strong 13th.

Cross Country coach Bill Theisen told the Icon, "Both the boys and girls teams have been training well and it's nice to see so many good times this early in the season. Erik and Landon ran a particularly strong race against some of the best competition in the region."

Columbus Grove won the boys meet with 53 points, followed by Liberty-Benton (75) and Lincolnview (86). The Pirates tallied 114 points with an average time of 17:58.7. 

Liberty-Benton won the girls meet with 53 points, followed by Lincolnview.
Sophomore June Essinger posted the top Pirate finish by coming home ninth out of 117 runners.

Pirate boys finishers
1st Nygaard, Erik  16:25.70                 
2nd Armstrong, Landon 16:27.0    
13th Derstine, Sam 17:35.90
50th Jordan, Liam 19:41.30                
52nd Sehlhorst, Landon 19:43.60
66th Yoder, John 20:06.90
83rd Hoffman, Ethan 21:17.80
89th Conley, Isaiah 21:46.30
93rd Derstine, Calvin 21:51.60

Boys team results
1 Columbus Grove 53 points 
2 Liberty-Benton 75    
3 Lincolnview 86    
4 Bluffton 114 (Total Time: 1:29:53.50, Average: 17:58.70)                       
5 Van Wert 121   
6 Bath 157   
7 Anna 159 
8 Kenton 228   
9 Kalida 232   
10 Spencerville 273                                                      
11 Leipsic 314                                                     
12 St. John's 324   
13 Waynesfield-Goshen 356   

Bluffton girls finishers
9th Essinger, June  20:52.10 
35th Conley, Grace  23:21.30                
39th Painter, Amairi 23:37.60 
55th Honse, Elizabeth 24:56.10 
69th Weissling, Kaelin 25:53.70
86th Tarplee, Sadie 27:11.40
101st Combs, Faith 29:38.50

Girls team results
1 Liberty-Benton 53 points  
2 Lincolnview 70
3 Van Wert 127   
4 St. John's  128   
5 Columbus Grove 131    
6 Anna 131    
7 Kenton 136    
8 Bluffton  159 (Total Time: 1:57:16.10, Average: 23:27.22)
9 Waynesfield-Goshen  198