The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) is proud to announce the launch of the newly redesigned HCAC website, heartlandconf.org, as well as its continued partnership with website solutions partner PrestoSports. The site’s new interface provides visual improvements as well as enhanced convenience featuring website navigation and mobile device integration.
Boys' and girls' team honors are part of this story - By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - Bluffton won the boys and girls soccer Northwest Conference Player and Coach of the Year awards at the recent league meeting in voting conducted by the coaches.
Lady Pirate senior Kayla White was voted the 2019 Northwest Conference Player of the Year by the coaches.
Bluffton girls soccer mentor Jared Byers was selected NWC Coach of the Year in voting by his peers.
By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - Bluffton sophomore hitter Kylie Stackhouse was named first team All-Northwest Conference in voting by league coaches conducted recently at their annual meeting in Delphos.
The athletic Stackhouse led the Lady Pirates in kills and blocks. Bluffton finished 4-4 (tied for fourth) in the nine-team NWC and is 12-11 overall heading into the sectional finals.
Versatile Pirate junior Taylor Schwab was named second team all-conference. Schwab finished second for Bluffton in kills and digs.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton swept Pandora-Gilboa in first round Div. IV sectional volleyball play Tuesday night to snap a five-match losing streak and advance in tournament play.
Youthful Bluffton moves on to the second round with a 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 victory over the eighth-seeded Lady Rockets. The win improved their season record to 12-11, while P-G ended up 12-11 with the loss.
Sophomore Kylie Stackhouse led the Lady Pirate offense with 18 kills. Senior Libby Schaadt and Haelynn Bischoff each contributed seven kills.
By Cort Reynolds
VAN WERT - The Bluffton boys cross country team finished fourth in the seven-team Northwest Conference championship meet at the Van Wert Reservoir Saturday morning.
Columbus Grove defended its boys team title with just 23 points. Lincolnview was second (45), followed by Crestview (86), Bluffton (105), Allen East (133), Paulding (143) and Ada (211).
Freshman Erik Nygaard posted the top Pirate showing, finishing a strong seventh out of 95 runners in 18:08. Junior Elijah Conley crossed the finish line 13th in 18:20.1.
By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - The Bluffton football team went to Goodwin Field and lost 42-7 to local rival Allen East in a surprisingly lopsided Northwest Conference contest Friday.
AE raced to a 28-0 halftime lead as Bryce Belcher ran for three touchdowns and passed for one score. Belcher ended up with four rushing TDs and two passing scores to lead AE to victory.
The Pirates fell to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the NWC after their third loss in a row. The Mustangs improved to 6-1 and 3-1 in league play with the win.
