By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The top-seeded Bluffton boys soccer team started its Div. III tournament run with a decisive 7-0 win over visiting Otsego Saturday afternoon.
The sectional final win upped the Pirate record to 13-2-2 and advanced them to the district semifinals against sixth seed Willard.
Bluffton's Jude Spallinger started the scoring parade with a goal in the sixth minute. Simon Derstine made it 2-0 four minutes later.
Kaden Basil netted a goal in the 37th minute to put the heavily-favored hosts ahead 3-0 at halftime.
By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - The Bluffton boys cross country team finished third in the 11-team Div. III District 1 meet at Columbus Grove Saturday morning.
The top-three finish qualified the Pirate squad to regionals at Tiffin's Hedges-Boyer Park next Saturday, October 26.
Host Columbus Grove boasted the top four individual finishers and won the boys team title with 23 points.
Waynesfield finished second (106) with Bluffton third (107). Kalida finished fourth with 112 points, and Upper Scioto Valley came in sixth (123).
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton girls soccer team shut out Mansfield St. Peter's 3-0 in Div. III sectional final action Thursday evening.
The fifth-seeded Lady Pirates improved to 10-6-1 with the shutout victory. The seventh-seeded Lady Spartans ended their season with an identical 10-6-1 record after the defeat.
Pirate Laykin Garmatter started the scoring with a goal in the 18th minute. Bluffton extended its lead to 2-0 on a costly MSP own goal six minutes before intermission.
By Cort Reynolds
NEW KNOXVILLE - The Bluffton volleyball team lost to Marion Local in straight sets in Div. IV sectional final play Thursday night at New Knoxville.
Fifth seed Bluffton ended its season 12-12 after the 25-16, 25-14, 25-21 loss to the Flyers.
Third-seeded ML improved its record to 12-10 with the win, and advanced to the district semifinals. All four teams left are from the Midwest Athletic Conference.
Sophomore Kylie Stackhouse led the Lady Pirate offense with nine kills. Junior Taylor Schwab compiled seven kills and seven digs.
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.
