By Cort Reynolds

SPENCERVILLE__The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost 59-32 to Northwest Conference foe Spencerville on February 1.

Bearcat sophomore Clara Goecke bombed in 24 points on 11 field goals to lead Spencerville to victory. She scored 10 of her points in the third period behind a pair of triples.

The Pirates fell behind 16-6 after the first period as Bearcat senior Heidi Keller nailed two treys and netted eight early points.

Goecke tallied six markers in the second stanza as Spencerville built a 29-17 halftime edge.

Spencerville stretched the margin to 43-27 going into the final period of play. The Bearcats pulled away with a 16-5 fourth quarter to win by 27.

The Pirates fell to 7-11 overall and 1-5 in NWC play with the surprisingly one-sided road defeat. Meanwhile, the Bearcat girls improved to 11-8 and 2-4 in the NWC after the victory. 

Sophomore Blair Utendorf, junior post Ayla Grandey and Lauren Bassett each scored five points to lead the cold-shooting Pirates.

Keller supported Goecke with 14 markers. 

The Pirates sank 11 two-point goals and made just one trey. Bluffton converted seven of 11 free throws (64 percent).

The Bearcats nailed 16 deuces and drained six trifectas. The visitors connected on nine of 13 foul shots (69 percent).

Bluffton was outscored 30-13 in the second half.

S’ville 59 (11-8, 2-4 NWC)

Goecke 11 0-1 24,
Muniz 3 0-2 6,
Wannemacher 1 0-0 3,
Smith 1 0-0 3,
Griffith 1 0-0 2,
Cook 2 3-4 7,
Keller 3 6-6 14.

Totals: 16-6/9-13/59. 3-pointers: Keller 2, Goecke 2, Wannemacher 1, Smith 1.

Bluffton 32 (7-11, 1-5 NWC)

Burkholder 0,
Hobensack 1 0-0 3,
Cross 1 0-1 2,
Fleece 1 0-0 2,
Dearth 1 0-0 2,
Schweingruber 0 0-0 0,
Warren 2 0-0 4,
Schaadt 0 4-4 4,
Utendorf 2 1-2 5,
Bassett 2 1-2 5,
Grandey 2 1-2 5.

Totals: 11-1/7-11/32. 3-pointers: Hobensack 1.

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