QB Giesige sets new Bluffton record

By Cort Reynolds

CONVOY__The visiting Bluffton High School football team dominated Crestview 49-12 in a Northwest Conference contest Friday, Oct. 9.

The Pirates raced to a 34-6 halftime lead and cruised to a bounce-back win after suffering their first loss the previous week in a heartbreaker to LCC.

The Pirates improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the NWC after the decisive road win.

Bluffton senior quarterback Tayte Giesige broke the program record for career passing yards in the victory. Parker Lovell surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season after running for 146 yards and four scores.

The Knights fell to 2-6 overall and 2-3 in NWC play with the home defeat.

Senior back Lovell started the scoring on a four-yard run to put the Pirates on the scoreboard first. Andy Brodman’s point-after kick made it 7-0 in the opening stanza.

Lovell scored on a three-yard run to extend the margin to 13-0. Blayne Hill hauled in a 40-yard TD reception to make it 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Adrean Sprunger grabbed a six-yard scoring reception to stretch the margin to 27-0. Lovell tallied his second TD on a seven-yard run to make it 34-0.

The Knights scored on a 32-yard pass to cut the deficit to 34-6 late in the second stanza. 

A seven-yard Crestview TD scamper in the third period sliced the Pirate lead to 34-12. 

Hill pulled in a 52-yard scoring pass from Giesige in the third period to extend the lead to 40-12. Hill then snared a two-point conversion pass from Giesige. 

Lovell concluded the scoring with a four-yard TD run. Brodman’s fifth PAT kick made the final margin 37 points.

1 2 3 4 F

Blu 20 14 15 0 49

Cvw 0 6 6 0 12

STATS AND NOTES

Bluffton amassed 387 yards on 43 plays, an average of 9.0 yards per snap. Crestview compiled 207 yards on 58 plays for 3.6 yards per snap.

The Pirates compiled 13 first downs, while the Knights moved the chains a dozen times. Bluffton netted 286 rushing yards compared to just seven yards by Crestview. 

The Pirates amassed 101 yards aerially, while the Knights threw for 200 yards.

Bluffton was flagged once for five yards. The Knights committed two penalties for 20 yards.

Crestview committed one turnover, while Bluffton was miscue-free. 

The Pirates were three for seven on third down and 1-2 on fourth, while the Knights were on 2-11 third down and 2-4 on fourth.

Giesige completed four of eight passes for 101 yards and three TDs with a long completion of 52. He also netted 75 yards rushing on five carries, with his best run covering 50 yards. 

Lovell netted 146 yards and four TDs on 19 attempts. Kizer Young added a 45-yard scamper and a five-yard run in two tries.

Two of the passes Hill caught went for TDs as he gained 95 yards. Sprunger added a six-yard TD grab.

Lleyton Miller made five solo tackles. Lovell and Kohen Anderson made one sack apiece. Jacob Dawson and Braxston Smallwood also each recorded a sack.  

Zayden Morales made six assisted stops. Braylon Simon intercepted a pass. 

Bluffton dropped from eighth to ninth in the tough Div. V, Region 18 computer ratings despite the convincing win at the Knights' Den.

Bluffton plays at dangerous Fort Loramie (5-3, 3-2 NWC) Friday, Oct. 16 in week nine. FL lost 35-20 at Columbus Grove Friday. CG is tied for second d in the NWC at 4-1, a game behind LCC (5-0).

Loramie is alone in fourth place in the eight-team NWC.