Giesige throws 6 TDs, runs for 1

By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School football team raced to a big early lead and handily defeated visiting rival Pandora-Gilboa 48-14 on Friday, August 29 at Harmon Field.

The Pirates improved to 2-0 with the non-league victory, while P-G fell to 1-1 with the surprisingly lopsided loss.

Bluffton junior quarterback Tayte Giesige tossed four first-half touchdowns, three to Lleyton Miller, as the Pirates built an insurmountable 42-7 lead at halftime. 

Giesige threw six TD aerials and ran for another score to account for all seven Pirate touchdowns and 380 yards in total offense.

P-G started the game with an unsuccessful on-sides kickoff to give the Pirates good field position, which they capitalized on. Bluffton jumped in front first and they never trailed.

Pirate back Parker Lovell hauled in a 22-yard touchdown toss from Tayte Giesige to start the scoring. Ethan Blount’s extra point kick made it 7-0.

Giesige then found paydirt on a 14-yard run to double the Pirate advantage.

Early in the second quarter Giesige connected with Miller on a TD pass of five yards, and the Blount PAT stretched the margin to 21-0.

Miller then caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Giesige to extend the lead to 27-0 with 5:37 left in the first half. The extra point missed to keep the margin at 27. 

A 37-yard pass from Cody Gerten to Chase Meyer sparked the next P-G drive briefly. But Miller intercepted a pass to thwart the march, and Bluffton took over at its own five.  

Lovell rambled 18 yards out to the 35, yet the drive eventually stalled.  

Gerten then connected with Landon Moore on a 29-yard scoring strike with 1:35 left in the second stanza to get the Rockets on the scoreboard and cut the Pirate lead to 27-7.

The hosts started on their own 30 after the kickoff return. On first down, a wide-open Blayne Hill hauled in Giesige’s pass and ran it home over the last 40 yards to paydirt for a 70-yard catch and carry TD.

Lovell’s two-point conversion run extended the lead to 35-7. After a quick three-and-out series, Bluffton got the ball back at the Rocket 48 following a good punt return with 44 seconds to go.

A pass to Wright was followed by another aerial to the P-G two with 22.9 ticks left. Lovell was stopped inside the one, but then a false start penalty was incurred as they hurried up to run a play. An incompletion with 3.4 seconds left gave Bluffton third and goal from the six.

Giesige scrambled around and connected with Miller in the end zone on a six-yard TD pass as time expired. The Blount PAT stretched the margin to 42-7 at intermission.

The last-second TD enacted the running clock when the second half started.

P-G took the second half kickoff and Ben Burkholder scampered 28 yards into Pirate territory. A roughing the passer penalty advanced the ball to the 22, followed by an 11-yard run. 

Burkholder ran nine yards to provide first and goal at the two. On third down, Burkholder scored from a yard out to cap a seven-minute drive.

The Layden Canode PAT kick made it 42-14 as the running clock stopped with 4:47 left in the third period.

A long pass to Wright reached the Rocket 40 yet the drive stalled. After the Pirate defense got a stop, the speedy Wright ran himself open and hauled in a Giesige pass for a 68-yard TD aerial.

With 10:10 left, the PAT sailed wide right to keep the score at 48-14.

An interception by Wright just inside the 20 stopped the next Rocket possession. Bluffton then ran out the clock. 

Stats and notes

Bluffton racked up a whopping 507 yards on 51 plays, including 308 through the air and 199 on the ground. Giesige completed 12 of 16 passes for 308 yards and six TDs with no interceptions.

The Pirates averaged 9.9 yards per play. 

The Rockets amassed 299 yards on 50 plays, an average of 6.0 yards per snap.

Bluffton compiled 19 first downs compared to 14 chain-movers by the Rockets.

The Pirates converted four of eight on third down, while P-G was successful on three of eight tries. Bluffton was 2-2 on fourth down, and P-G was 1-3.

Bluffton committed five penalties for 16 yards. The Rockets were flagged three times for 26 yards.

Giesige rushed six times for 72 yards, all in the first half. 

Pirate back Lovell rushed 14 times for 100 yards. He added one TD catch for 22 yards.

Kain Wright grabbed five aerials for 127 yards and one TD. Keatyn Shaffer grabbed one pass for 35 yards.

Miller pulled down four receptions for 46 yards and three scores.  Hill hauled in two passes for 78 yards, including a 70-yard TD.

P-G QB Cody Gerten completed 12 of 22 aerials for 142 yards and one TD with two interceptions. The Rockets compiled 157 yards rushing on 26 carries. 

Hill made five solo tackles and had three assisted stops. He also had tackle for loss. Dylan Painter had two solo stops and had six assists.  Jackson Bowlus and Giesige made three solo stops and had three assisted tackles apiece. Bowlus added a TFL and a sack.

Miller grabbed an interception and recovered a fumble, and had one tackle for loss to go with two solos and four assists. Hill added a pick.

P-G turned the ball over twice, while Bluffton made no miscues.

Week 3 at Bowsher
Bluffton plays its first road game in week three on Friday, September 5 at struggling Toledo Bowsher (0-2).

The BlueRacers lost 35-0 to Otsego in their opener, then hosted Genoa Area Friday in a 56-7 defeat. TB plays its first three games at home