By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton girls basketball team edged visiting Kenton 47-46 Thursday night, December 28, in a non-league battle.

Bluffton improved to 4-5 with the narrow win, while Kenton fell to an identical 4-5 mark after the close defeat.

The Pirate girls led 11-10 after the first period, and extended their lead to 24-16 at intermission as Macy Schaadt drained three triples. 

Bluffton saw its cushion sliced to 32-28 following the third quarter. Kenton won the high-scoring final stanza 19-15, but their rally came up a point short.  

Pirate junior post Ayla Grandey led all players with 18 points. She scored 10 points in the second half, and eight in the first half.

Schaadt contributed 14 points, while Blair Utendorf added six markers.

Kenton was led by Sadie Larrabee with 17 points, 12 of which came after intermission. 

Macee Heckathorn tallied 11 markers behind three treys, including two trifectas in the final period. Wildcat Olivia Notting added 10 points.

The difference on the scoreboard of one point was decided by Bluffton shooting and making one more free throw.

Both teams connected on 12 two-point goals and four trifectas in the evenly-played game. Bluffton converted 11 of 15 at the charity stripe (73 percent).

The Kenton girls converted 10 of 14 free throws (71 percent).

Bluffton (0-1 NWC) visits local league rival Ada (4-6, 0-2 NWC) Thursday, January 4. The Bulldog girls lost 48-45 at Waynesfield Thursday night despite a career-high 28 points from Olivia Burkhart.

Bluffton 47 (4-5)

Hobensack 0, Cross 0 0-0 0, Fleece 0 2-2 2, Dearth 1 0-0 2, Schweingruber 1 0-3 3, Warren 1 0-0 2, Schaadt 4 3-4 14, Utendorf 3 0-0 6, Bassett 0 0-0 0, Grandey 6 6-8 18.  

Totals: 12-4/11-15/47. 3-pointers: Schaadt 3, Schweingruber 1.

Kenton 46 (4-5)

Larrabee 5 7-10 17, Notting 5 0-3 10, Heckathorn 4 0-0 11, Bostater 0 0-0 0, Haudenschield 1 1-2 4, Payne 1 2-2 4.

Totals: 12-4/10-14/46. 3-pointers: Heckathorn 3, Haudenschield 1.  

1 2 3 4 F

Blf 11 13 8 15 47

Kent 10 6 11 19 46