By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS GROVE – The Bluffton High School cross country teams competed in the Red Division race of the large Columbus Grove Invitational on Saturday, August 30.

Pirate freshman Atticus Prothro finished 65th in 18:26.6 to post the top Bluffton boys showing. Freshman Tessa Tarplee finished 72nd in a time of 22:23.9 to pace the Pirate girls in the Red Division race.

BLUFFTON BOYS
Also competing was Sophomore Toby Clevidence, who came in 98th in 19:31.5. Sophomore Levin Essinger was 117th in 20:07.3. Sophomore Liam Moore ended up 119th in 20:17.6.

Three Pirate freshmen finished in a row from 133rd through 135th. Logan Stechschulte (21:45.7), Max Fritsch (21:52.4) and Micah Dimarco (21:54.9) all followed one another into the chute.

Senior Bryan Garcia of New Haven won the 148-runner boys race with a time of 15:28.8.

The Bluffton boys finished 19th out of 21 teams with 527 points.

West Liberty Salem won the boys team crown with 64 points. Bryan finished second with 64 points, while Findlay was third (123).

BLUFFTON GIRLS
Also competing was freshman Tessa Tarplee, who finished 72nd in a time of 22:23.9 to pace the Pirate girls in the Red Division race.

Sophomore Zaeda Hermiller finished in 91st with a time of 23:21.8.

Senior Elizabeth Honse came in 112th in 24:22.3. Senior Lydia Tarplee came in 148th in 26:38.8. Junior Tala Gipson ended up 150th in 26:58.2.

Freshman Jora Boisvert ended up 186th in 32:04.8. The Pirate girls finished 17th out of 19 teams with 441 points.

Lancaster (62 points) beat second-place Ottawa-Glandorf (91) to win the girls team title. West Liberty Salem was third (122).

Bluffton runs at the Spencerville Invitational Saturday, Sept. 6.