By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS GROVE – The Bluffton cross country teams competed at the massive Columbus Grove Invitational in the Red Division on Saturday, August 31.

St. Francis DeSales won the boys red meet with just 45 points. Ottawa-Glandorf nosed out Toledo St. Ursula Academy for first in the girls red meet, 87-96.

The Pirate boys finished 22nd out of 26 teams with 617 points. The Bluffton girls came in 19th out of 22 squads with 461 points.

Senior Ty Rosengarten of Ottawa-Glandorf won the boys red division race with a time of 15:44.1. Levi Fenzl posted the top Pirate finish, coming home 27th in a field of 172 runners.

O-G senior Anna Buddelmeyer also won the girls red division meet in 18:23.8. Senior June Essinger authored the best Lady Pirate finish by crossing the finish line 63rd out of a whopping 232 runners.

Bluffton boys results: 

Varsity Boys Red Division - 5K Run

Place Athlete Grade School Time

27 Levi Fenzl 12 Bluffton 17:06.5

123 Owen Shoemaker 10 Bluffton 19:56.1

147 Adam Fritsch 10 Bluffton 21:24.3

151 Toby Clevidence 9 Bluffton 21:50.5

170 Levin Essinger 9 Bluffton 26:34.7

172 Elijah Diffin 12 Bluffton 26:42.7

Bluffton girls results: 

Varsity Girls Red Division - 5K Run

Place Athlete Grade School Time

63 June Essinger 12 Bluffton 22:36.5

77 Xandra Gatchel 9 Bluffton 23:18.0

136 Zaeda Hermiller 9 Bluffton 25:38.2

158 Alayna Mueller 11 Bluffton 26:33.0

180 Elizabeth Honse 11 Bluffton 27:08.5

193 Faith Combs 12 Bluffton 28:17.2

Bluffton runs in the Spencerville Invitational on Saturday morning, September 7.