By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The upset-minded Bluffton High School girls basketball team led at halftime, but fell victim to a big second-half comeback by visiting Northwest Conference leader Columbus Grove and lost 43-34 to on Thursday, February 5.

The Pirates led 18-13 at halftime. But the Bulldogs came back to outscore Bluffton 30-16 after intermission to pull off the nine-point victory on the road. CG limited the Pirates to just five field goals in the second half.

A 14-8 third stanza gave the Bulldogs a slim 27-26 edge heading to the fourth quarter. CG won the final stanza 16-8 despite Macy Schaadt scoring all eight Pirate points in the period.

Grove led 9-6 after the first period of play. But a 12-4 second quarter gave Bluffton a five-point halftime advantage. Bluffton junior Great Myers splashed a pair of triples to spearhead the second stanza run.

The Pirate girls dropped to 11-10 overall and 3-3 in the NWC after the tough defeat.

Columbus Grove improved to 16-3 overall and 6-0 in NWC play with the comeback victory. They clinched at least a share of their second consecutive NWC title with the victory. 

CG will be heavily favored to win the crown outright with a perfect league mark when they visit sixth-place Delphos Jefferson (10-10, 2-4 NWC) on Feb. 12 in their season finale. 

With one game remaining in league play, Grove leads the Northwest Conference standings at 6-0, followed by Allen East (5-1), Spencerville (5-2) and Crestview (4-2). Bluffton is fifth (3-3) and plays its last NWC game at rival AE next week.

Senior Schaadt was the lone Pirate in double figures with 11 points. Gracie Warren and Myers tallied six markers apiece.  

Sophomore Maelee Miller netted four points, and senior Lauren Dearth added three on a trey.

Nicole Nesby led balanced Grove with 11 points as she surpassed the 1,000-point barrier. Lydia Sarka chipped in with nine markers for the Bulldogs, all in the second half. 

Allison Thompson contributed six markers on a pair of third-period trifectas. Saige Benroth and Kendall Palte added five markers apiece. Benroth tallied all five of her points in the opening stanza on a triple and a deuce. 

Palte, on the other hand, netted all five of her points in the final period. Despite missing five of her eight foul shots in the game, she canned three of four charity stripers in the clinching fourth quarter.

Bluffton canned eight deuces and drilled four triples. The Pirates converted six of nine free throws (67 percent).  

The Bulldogs connected on 13 two-point goals and drained four treys. CG sank just five of 12 free throws (42 percent). Grove (Palte) missed their first four foul shots before canning five of eight from the charity stripe in the final period.

UP NEXT
Assured of at least a .500 regular season, the Pirate girls finish their regular season Thursday, February 12 at backyard rival Allen East (11-9, 5-1 NWC) in another key game to determine the final conference standings.

Homestanding AE knocked off Spencerville 47-41 Thursday night to eliminate the Bearcats from potentially sharing the league crown with Grove.

The Mustang girls have gone 9-5 after a rare early-season head coaching change. Aaron Montgomery resigned after leading AE to a 70-31 record over four-plus seasons at the Mustang helm. James Richardson then took over as acting head coach.

Junior sharpshooter Evelyn Lehman leads AE in scoring with 17 ppg.