By Sam Brauen www.blufftonpirates.com
The Pirate offense broke loose Friday night in an emphatic 43-14 victory over Ada.  Bluffton was able to run at will on the Bulldog defense, amassing 436 rushing yards.  The win improved the Pirates to 3-6 and dropped the Bulldogs to 2-7. 

Freshman quarterback Nate Schaadt had his best game of the season, running for 160 yards and three scores and throwing for another touchdown.  “Nate did a great job reading the defense on our zone reads tonight,” coach Jeff Richards stated postgame. Indeed, the Bulldog defense continually was out of place and Schaadt was running in green space.  He scored from 26 yards out to open the game and added a 10 yard scamper on a naked bootleg in the second quarter and pushing in from one yard out in the fourth quarter.  Schaadt also connected with Logan Rhodes on a 26 yard pass play up the seam in the second quarter. 

Senior Tucker Neff bulled his way to 103 yards.  The running back routinely shed defenders for extra yardage as he eclipsed the hundred yard mark for the first time.  Neff ran behind the offensive line of senior Chad Veit, junior Landen Lugibihl, junior Mickey Ault, freshman Aaron Tabler and freshman Trent Howard.  The line opened holes all night long. 

Bluffton led 14-0 midway through the second and forced an Ada punt.  The Pirate defense was able to block the kick and senior Mason Ault scooped up the loose ball and raced for the left pylon.  Ault sped into the end zone for the score putting BHS comfortably ahead 20-0.  The wild play electrified the team and the crowd at Harmon Field.  Schaadt’s one yard run put Bluffton up 28-0 at the half. 

Ada almost made a game of it in the second half.  The Bulldogs picked up just three first downs in the first half but drove the field in the third quarter for a touchdown.  Quarterback Phillip Coulson routinely scrambled for big yardage and he scored the team’s first touchdown from 7 yards out.  Ada recovered the ensuing onside kick and advanced downfield but the drive stalled on a fourth and goal from the Pirate 19 yard line. Chad Veit sacked Coulson to push the Bulldogs back to the 19.  Ada’s final score came on a 93 yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. Pirate Tyson Shutler scored the final touchdown from a yard out.

Bluffton dominated the game totaling 469 yards compared to just 221 for Ada. Schaadt (160) and Neff (103) had support from Trey Shisler with 72 rushing yards, Logan Rhodes (53), Malachi Pahl (20) and Deandre Nassar (17).  Rhodes and Ault each caught passes from Schaadt. Defensively, Neff totaled 8 tackles and Rhodes 7, each having a tackle for loss.  Austin Reynolds had 4 and Tyson Shutler 3.  Shisler picked off a Coulson pass in the second half.

The Pirates close out the season by hosting Columbus Grove Friday.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00.