By Cort Reynolds

BELLEFONTAINE__The visiting Bluffton High School boys soccer team blanked Bellefontaine 2-0 in a non-league match Saturday at Accusport Stadium. 

The Pirates improved to 8-5-3 after the road win. The Chieftains fell to 6-5-2 overall with the defeat.

Carter Steinmetz scored the first goal with a header off a corner kick from Weston Johnstone at the 33:27 mark.  

The second Bluffton goal was netted by Pirate Ashton Ungashick at the 21:58 mark.

The Pirates outshot the Chieftains, 16-2.

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Bluffton plays at WBL opponent Wapakoneta (4-10) on Tuesday, Oct. 15 in the regular season finale.

The Pirates got a first-round bye and will start play in the upcoming Div. IV Northwest district playoffs Oct. 22. Bluffton hosts Bath (4-8-3) in a sectional final on Thursday, Oct. 22 at Steinmetz Field starting at 6 p.m. 

The winner will face the survivor from the threesome of favorite Liberty-Benton (11-3-1), Otsego and Rossford on Wednesday evening, Oct. 28 at Defiance in the district semifinals.

The Pirates lost to L-B 2-1 on Sept. 10.

NWOAL leader Bryan (9-4-2), Bath, Eastwood, Lake, Liberty-Benton, Otsego, Rossford, Swanton (10-2-1) and Wauseon (6-6-1) are also among the teams in the district draw.

Two sectional first-round matches will take place on Monday, Oct. 19, with four sectional final games Thursday, Oct. 22. Otsego faces Rossford Oct. 19 for the right to play top seed L-B Oct. 22.

The district final is at Bowling Green Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. District semifinals will be held at Norwalk and Defiance on Oct. 28.

Bryan is seeded second, and Swanton is third.