By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton boys cross country team finished seventh at the 17-team Van Wert County Hospital meet at the reservoir course Saturday.

Lincolnview won with 76 points, followed by host Van Wert (99).

Senior Erik Nygaard finished an impressive second out of 150 runners to pace the Pirates. He crossed the finish line 7.5 seconds behind race winner Noah Williams of Shawnee.

Pirate senior Sam Derstine finished a solid 19th.

The Pirate boys posted a solid average time of 17:50 per runner.

Pirate sophomore June Essinger finished a strong eighth among 114 runners in the Van Wert County Hospital girls race to pace Bluffton.

Ottawa-Glandorf won the girls team meet with 67 points. Shawnee was a close second at 76, followed by Lincolnview (99).

Bluffton was one runner short of the requisite five needed to field a team score. The Pirate girls totaled 1:33:55 with an average of 23:29 per runner.

Bluffton runs in the 32-team Kalida Invitational Saturday, October 1.

Bluffton girls results:

Place - Runner - Yr - Time 

8 - June Essinger - 10 - 20:16.1

45 - Grace Conley - 9 - 22:59.3

73 - Elizabeth Honse - 9 - 25:04.3

79 - Kaelin Weissling - 11 - 25:34.7

Bluffton boys results:

Place -Runner - Yr - Time

2 - Erik Nygaard - 12 - 15:54.5

19 - Sam Derstine - 12 - 17:26.9

44 - Liam Jordan - 11 - 18:24.4 

49 - Landon Sehlhorst - 9 - 18:29.3 

60 - Jonah Rehm - 12 - 18:52.3 

78 - John Paul Yoder - 11 - 19:28.5

89 - Isaiah Conley - 12 - 19:57.8

Van Wert Boys Standings

1 Lincolnview 76 points

2 Van Wert 99  

3 Ottawa-Glandorf 106  

4 Lima Shawnee 114

5 Wapakoneta 130  

6 Anna 142  

7 Bluffton 162 

1:29:08 total; 17:50 average time  

8 Minster 176  

9 Parkway 223  

10 Crestview 271  

11 Wayne Trace 304  

12 Spencerville 305   

13 Fort Wayne Canterbury 335  

14 Waynesfield-Goshen 401  

15 Elida 424  

DNP Ottoville 

DNP Allen East