Bluffton gets rematch with Paulding in 1st round

By Cort Reynolds

On Sunday, February 4, the Bluffton High School girls basketball team was named the 10th seed at the deep 11-team Elida district Div. III tournament drawing.

As the lower seed, the Lady Pirates (7-12) will visit former Northwest Conference foe Paulding (8-9) in the first round of sectional play Thursday, February 22 at 7 p.m.

Seeded sixth, the Panthers beat Bluffton 46-33 back on January 13 in Paulding. The Pirate girls have lost four in a row. 

The winner gets no break as the survivor advances to play at third-seeded NWC power Delphos Jefferson (15-3) Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

Western Buckeye Leader leader Ottawa-Glandorf (17-2) is seeded first in the stacked sectional. Allen East (16-2) is second, with Parkway (13-5) fourth.

AE will host the winner between ninth seed Van Buren (7-12) and seventh seed Coldwater (7-11) Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in Harrod. The red-hot Lady Mustangs are riding an eight-game win streak.