By Cort Reynolds
LEIPSIC - The visiting Bluffton boys basketball team rallied late but lost to Leipsic 74-69 in their regular season opener Friday night.

The Pirates trailed by 19 points heading to the fourth quarter, but pulled within 62-58 on the strength of a 17-2 start to the final stanza.

Bluffton inched closer to within 69-66, but Leipsic held on for the five-point non-league win with a 5-3 closing finish. The late-charging visitors outscored the Vikings 28-14 in the fourth period.

The Pirates fell to 0-1 with the defeat, while Leipsic improved to 1-0 with the victory.

The Pirates trailed 23-15 after a high-scoring first period of play. The Vikings extended the lead to 41-26 at intermission, and stretched the margin to 60-41 after three quarters.

Then the Pirates put on their last-ditch comeback. Junior Kyler Kinn fired in 20 of his career-best 25 points in the fourth period. He sank six two-point goals, two triples and two foul shots over the last eight minutes.

Junior Nate Schaadt also added five of his 10 markers down the stretch. Sophomore Carson Soper contributed 16 points. 

Junior guard Mason Brandt led the Vikings with 25 points to tie Kinn for game scoring honors. Senior Lorenzo Walther scored 11 points, while classmates Jaden Siefker and Tyler Sickmiller netted 10 apiece. Sophomore Paul Maag added eight markers.

Leipsic sank 10 of 18 from the foul line in the final quarter to offset making just two baskets to hold off the Pirates.

Bluffton canned 18 two-point baskets, and hit on six three-point goals. The Pirates converted just 15 of 28 from the charity stripe (54 percent).

The Vikings sank 25 field goals, including five three-point baskets. Leipsic hit on 19 of 30 the foul line (63 percent). Leipsic committed 21 turnovers, while Bluffton made just 10 miscues.

 
Leipsic 74 (1-0)
Brandt 7 9-12 25, T. Schroeder 1 0-0 2, Siefker 3 3-4 10, Niese 4 0-4 8, Maag 3 0-0 8, Walther 4 3-6 11, Sickmiller 3 4-5 10.
Totals: 20-5/19-30/74. 3-pointers: Maag 2, Brandt 2, Siefker 1.

Bluffton 69 (0-1)
Donley 2 0-0 5, T. Shutler 0 0-2 0, Fleharty 0 2-4 2, Kinn 10 2-5 25, Boblitt 2 1-2 6, Schaadt 4 2-3 10, Soper 5 6-10 16, Essinger 1 2-2 5.
Totals: 18-6/15-28/69. 3-pointers: Kinn 3, Essinger 1, Donley 1, Boblitt 1.
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Leip    23    18    19     14    74
Bluf    15    13    13    28    69

Bluffton holds its home opener vs. perennial non-league power Liberty-Benton (0-0) Saturday night, December 5.