By Cort Reynolds

LIMA SHAWNEE __The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team rallied late to nip non-league rival Lima Shawnee 49-48 on Tuesday, January 6.

Pirate sophomore guard Maelee Miller poured in a season-high 20 points, including 11 big markers in the fourth quarter. 

She knocked down four two-point goals and one trey in the final stanza to lead the Pirates to the comeback win.

Bluffton trailed by 11 points going into the fourth period, but the visitors outscored Shawnee 19-7 over the final eight minutes to win by one.

The Pirate girls improved to 8-5 overall after the road victory. Shawnee dropped to 7-3 with the home defeat. 

Bluffton outscored Shawnee 36-14 in the second and fourth quarters to pave the way to the minor upset win. The Indians won the first and third periods by a combined 34-13 margin as the teams alternated dominating stanzas.

The Indians raced to a 14-6 lead after the first period. The Pirates responded with a 17-7 second stanza to surge in front 23-21 at intermission. Six Bluffton players scored in their big second-quarter comeback.

But Shawnee regained the momentum behind a 20-7 third-quarter explosion to build a 41-30 lead heading to the final period. Seven Indians tallied in their third stanza turnaround. 

Miller netted five markers in the third to keep the Pirates within striking distance. She then got hot in the fourth period to end up with 16 big second-half points as she paced the victorious rally. 

Macy Schaadt added a key trifecta in the final quarter.

Bluffton senior Lauren Dearth contributed all seven of her points in the first half.

Seniors Schaadt and Blair Utendorf, and junior Greta Myers all scored five points apiece for the victors. Junior Ellie Bogart netted four markers, and sophomore Peyton Worcester added three.

Bluffton connected on 14 deuces and nailed four triples. The Pirates converted nine of 20 free throws (45 percent).

Shawnee placed no one in double figures. Senior Brynn Patterson led the Indians with nine points, and senior Anna Menke tallied eight. 

Indian freshman Aryn Jackson netted seven, while sophomores Mya Williams and Cadence Wilson contributed six markers apiece. Sophomore Ava Gadson added five.

The Indians canned 16 two-point goals and drilled four treys. Shawnee sank just four of 12 free throws (33 percent).

Bluffton (1-0 NWC) hosts Northwest Conference foe Crestview (5-7, 1-2 NWC) on Thursday, January 8. Spencerville leads the NWC at 3-0, followed by Columbus Grove at 2-0. The Pirates and Lincolnview are 1-0 in league play.

The Pirates then visit tough former NWC foe Paulding (9-1) Saturday, Jan. 10. 

The Panthers defeated visiting Crestview 48-33 on Tuesday night. Addi Pease, Anya Mead, Kayleigh Dunham and Tori Schlatter each scored 10 points to pace the balanced Paulding attack.

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