Pirates seeded 6th at sectionals

By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost 50-34 at rival Columbus Grove in a Northwest Conference bout Thursday evening.

Bluffton dropped to 12-8 overall and 1-6 in the NWC with the defeat. The Grove girls improved to 13-7 overall and 4-3 in the NWC following the victory.

Bluffton visits non-league foe Miller City (10-9) Saturday, Feb. 4.

The home and regular season finale is Feb. 9 vs. Allen East (12-6, 2-4 NWC). Bluffton has lost five straight league games since beating Ada December 15.

The Pirates edged AE 55-52 in the holiday tournament title game back in late November.

The Bluffton girls were seeded sixth in the recent Div. III Defiance sectional drawing. The Pirates will play eighth seed Defiance Tinora (10-9) in the first round Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the sectional semifinals at Defiance Ayersville High School.

The winner advances to the sectional final Saturday, Feb. 18 at Ayersville vs. fourth seed Sherwood Fairview (16-4). 

Ottawa-Glandorf (16-3) is seeded first, with Delphos Jefferson (18-1) second. Allen East (12-6) is fifth.

The sectional champions advance to the district semifinals at Elida Feb. 23.