By Cort Reynolds

The host Bluffton golf team teed off the 2021 season by finishing fourth at the eight-team Pirate Invitational Friday.

Ottoville captured the team crown at the Bluffton Golf Course with a score of 319, 18 strokes ahead of second-place Upper Sandusky (337).

Columbus Grove took third (347), while Bluffton totaled 358 atrokes. Pandora-Gilboa finished fifth with a score of 367.

Kenny Lovett posted an 80 to pace the Pirate linksters. Teammates Micah Minnig (92), Aiden Sponsler (93) and Jacob Boisvert (93) rounded out the Bluffton scorers.

US Rams Owen Knapp and Brock Montgomery shared tournament medalist honors with Lima Central Catholic's Judy Parker. All three carded 18-hole scores of 76.

BP INVITE TEAM STANDINGS:
1) Ottoville 319 strokes
2) Upper Sandusky 337
3) Columbus Grove 347
4) Bluffton (Kenny Lovett 80, Micah Minnig 92, Aiden Sponsler 93, Jacob Boisvert 93) 358
5) Pandora-Gilboa 367
6) Paulding 371
7) Lima Central Catholic 398
8) McComb 424