BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School girls tennis team defeated visiting Van Wert 4-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The victory improved the Pirate girls' record to 6-3. VW fell to 3-10 with the defeat. All five matches were completed in two straight sets.
At second singles, Pirate freshman Hope Luginbill beat VW senior Maddy Thompson convincingly 6-0, 6-2.
In the third singles bout, sophomore Leah Hoffman rallied to beat VW junior Alli Speiles 7-5, 6-2. Hoffman came back from a 5-2 deficit to win the first set, 7-5.
BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School boys golf team won a three-team Northwest Conference makeup match on a warm Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Bluffton Golf Club.
The Pirates won with 167 strokes, 17 shots ahead of LCC (184). Spencerville ended up third at 207.
Bluffton improved to 12-8 overall and 8-6 in NWC dual match play with the wins. LCC is 5-7 overall and 5-5 in the NWC. Spencerville dropped to 0-8 and 0-8 with the losses.
Jane Ann (Diller) Thurman, 75, of Dayton and formerly of the Bluffton area, passed away July 2, 2026, at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Jane was born on September 2, 1950, in Bluffton, Ohio, to the late Nelson and Louise (Pierman) Diller. In 2008, she married William Thurman, who passed away in November 2010.
Julie C. (Field) Amstutz, 73, passed away on September 12, 2026, at her home.
Julie was born February 7, 1953, in Lima, to Clyde and Bess (Cunningham) Field who preceded her in death. On May 25, 1992, she married Daryl Amstutz who preceded her in death on February 4, 2026.
HAVILAND__The visiting Bluffton High School volleyball team swept Wayne Trace in a non-league match to record their fourth consecutive win on Monday night, Sept. 14.
Bluffton improved to 7-4 with the 25-9, 25-15, 25-19 victory.
Taylin Goldman topped the victors with 10 kills. Karlie Lora knocked down nine kills, made seven digs and added a block.
Adrian Birnesser and Adelyn Althaus both doled out 14 assists.
Gracie Warren hustled up 14 digs, while Kari Diller came up with seven digs. Diller also served up three aces.
