By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON __The Bluffton High School girls basketball team fell victim to an early scoring barrage and lost 66-36 to visiting undefeated Miller City in a non-league game on Saturday afternoon, December 27.

The Pirate girls trailed 21-6 after the first quarter and fell further behind at 35-14 at intermission.

Wildcat Sophia Ruck notched five baskets in the first period and finished with a game-high 18 points.

Bluffton outscored the visitors 16-15 in the third period to stay within 50-30 heading to the final stanza. But MC won the fourth quarter 16-6 as Ruck tallied six more markers to win going away by 30.

The Pirate girls dropped to 6-4 overall after suffering the non-league loss.

Putnam County League co-leader Miller City improved to 10-0 with the decisive win.

Macy Schaadt led the Pirates with 11 points for the second straight game. Greta Myers tallied six of her nine points in the second half and added a triple in the second stanza.

Junior guard Maelee Miller drilled two triples and scored 10 points. She netted five points in both the second and third quarters. Gracie Warren added six markers on three field goals.

Wildcat Anna Lammers scored in all four quarters and finished with 12 markers. Teammate Elizabeth Erford netted a dozen markers, all in the first three periods. Kiera Ruhe and Vivian Otto added seven points apiece.

Bluffton connected on 11 two-point goals and splashed three triples. The Pirate girls converted just five of 12 free throw tries (42 percent).

MC sank 22 two-pointers and nailed five trifectas. The Bulldogs canned seven of 11 foul shots (64 percent).

It doesn’t get any easier as Bluffton entertains WBL co-leader Bath (7-2) Tuesday, Dec. 30.