By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton methodically took down local rival Allen East 62-41 to win a Northwest Conference boys basketball matchup Friday night.
The Pirates improved to 15-4 overall and 5-2 in the NWC with the win. Meanwhile, slumping AE fell to 5-14 and 0-7 in the NWC with the defeat.
Bluffton led 16-9 after the first period as senior Mason Soper poured in a dozen points. But AE stayed within 23-16 at intermission after an even, low-scoring second stanza.
By Cort Reynolds
MT. BLANCHARD - Visiting Bluffton beat Riverdale 38-33 in a defensive non-conference boys basketball bout Saturday night.
The Pirates improved to 16-4 with the deliberate road win. Meanwhile, Riverdale fell to 14-6 with the defeat.
Bluffton led 10-9 after the first period, and was on top 17-13 at intermission in the low-scoring affair. The Pirates managed to outscore the Falcons 21-20 after halftime to hold on for the win.
By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - Visiting Bluffton used a big second half to defeat local rival Allen East 49-30 in a Northwest Conference girls basketball contest on an icy night last Thursday.
Bluffton led 12-6 after one period, yet upset-minded host AE rallied to take a 17-16 edge at halftime. But then the Lady Pirates outscored the Mustangs 33-13 after intermission to win going away.
Bluffton stymied AE 17-6 in the third period to seize a 10-point lead, then salted it away with a 16-7 fourth quarter.
Last week it was girls’ night out. Tonight it’s boys’ night out.
The 2019 Bluffton High School Division III state runner-up boys’ soccer team will be honored during a ceremony tonight (Friday, Feb. 7) during halftime of the high school boys’ basketball game vs. Allen East.
By Cort Reynolds
FINDLAY - Defensively tough host Liberty-Benton smothered Bluffton 50-30 in a non-conference girls basketball battle Tuesday night.
The 10th-ranked Lady Eagles limited Bluffton to 17 points through the first 24 minutes as they built a 22-point cushion.
Bluffton trailed 16-9 after one period, and L-B extended its lead to 28-13 at halftime. The Eagles stretched the advantage to 39-17 after three quarters.
The Bluffton offense got untracked late and won the fourth period, 13-11.
Richard Johnson is the winner of the Icon's Super Bowl contest.
He picked Kansas City to defeat San Francisco by 11 to 14 points. Two other contestants also picked Kansas City by 11 to 14. Those contestants were Joel Groman and Eugene Haywood.
Johnson won the tie-breaker by predicting that San Francisco would be the first team to score. Groman and Haywood picked Kansas City as the first team to score.
The contest had 52 entries and 25 picked Kansas City to win.
