Lovell runs to school records for yards, TDs

By Cort Reynolds / Photos by James Crawfis

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School football team out-gunned visiting Creston Norwayne 63-42 in a record-setting Div. V, Region 18 first-round playoff shootout at Harmon Field on Friday, October 30.

Pirate senior running back Parker Lovell rushed for program single-game records of 458 yards and eight touchdowns to pace the victors.

Bluffton clung to a 21-20 halftime lead. Norwayne tied it up 28-28 late in the third quarter, but the Pirates regained a 35-28 edge heading to the final period on a Lovell 24-yard run.

Lovell then rumbled 98 yards to paydirt to extend the lead to 42-28.

Bluffton later extended their lead to 56-35 as they seized control with a 35-14 closing run. Norwayne struck back on a TD to inch within 56-42 halfway through the final stanza before Lovell tacked on a final score from short range.

The teams combined for 1,016 yards in total offense and 105 points in the wild shootout. Bluffton put the game out of reach with a 28-14 fourth period.

The fifth-seed Pirates improved to 9-2 with the home playoff win. They advance to play at fourth-seed Archbold (9-1) on Friday, Nov. 6 in the region 18 quarterfinals. The Bluestreaks earned a first-round bye as a top-four seed.

The 12th-seeded Bobcats dropped to 6-5 after the season-ending loss.

Lleyton Miller played quarterback for the Pirates with all-league senior signal-caller Tayte Giesige sidelined on crutches with an ankle injury.

Bluffton leaned on its potent run game, rolling up 482 yards on the ground.

Norwayne jumped on top early, 13-0, behind a 13-yard touchdown pass and a three-yard scoring run.

Lovell got the Pirates on the board with a 61-yard scoring scamper, the first of his eight TDs, most on long runs. Andy Brodman’s extra point kick cut the deficit to 13-7 after the opening stanza. 

Lovell then tied the game with a 50-yard TD run. Brodman’s second PAT put Bluffton ahead, 14-13. 

Lovell again scored on a 34-yard ramble to surge in front, 21-13. Norwayne answered with a 10-yard scoring aerial and kicked the extra point to inch within 21-20 at halftime.

Lovell found paydirt on a 20-yard run early in the third period to provide a 28-20 lead. The Bobcats tied it 28-all on a two-yard TD run and a two-point conversion.

Lovell gave the Pirates the lead back for good on a 24-yard run to put the Pirates back on top 35-28.

After Bluffton was pinned at its own two, Lovell broke through the line and outraced the Bobcat defense 98 yards to the end zone for a 42-28 edge early in the final stanza.

A one-yard Bobcat TD plunge kept them in striking distance, down 42-35. 

Lovell responded with a 53-yard run to paydirt to restore the lead to 14 at 49-35.

Blayne Hill then delivered a knockout blow when he picked off a pass deep in Pirate territory and returned it 89 yards for another TD. Brodman’s eighth straight PAT extended the margin to 56-35.

The Bobcats struck back with a 57-yard aerial TD to make it 56-42. 

But Lovell put the finishing touches on his finest day with his shortest score, a one-yard scoring plunge. Brodman’s last PAT provided the final margin of 21.

Stats and notes

Pirate senior lineman Mason Shank set a school record with his 50^th start. He posted 10 assists and one solo stop.

Bluffton racked up 531 yards in total offense and compiled 17 first downs. The Pirates ran for 482 yards and threw for 49.

Norwayne amassed 485 total yards and 27 first downs. The Bobcats threw for 353 yards and rushed for 132.

Lovell scored on TD runs of 61, 50, 34, 10, 24, 98, 53 and one yards on his record night. He averaged 15.8 yards per carry. On his TDs, he averaged 41.3 yards per rush.

Miller completed six of nine passes for 49 yards, with a long of 21. He also rushed twice for 21 yards.

Hill grabbed a reception for 21 yards. Lovell added 13 yards on two catches to total 471 yards in offense.

Ethan Sprunger made five solo tackles, including two for losses, and four assists. Zayden Morales recorded 10 assists and three solo stops. Kizer Young made a whopping 14 assisted tackles and two solos. 

Braxton Smallwood contributed a sack, and Hill authored a pick six.

Norwayne completed 25 of 37 passes for 353 yards and three TDs with one costly interception. The Bobcats averaged 3.9 yards per rush on 34 carries, tallying three TDs via the ground.

The Pirates were 3-6 on third down and 0-2 on fourth. The Bobcats were 4-10 on third down and 2-2 on fourth. Both teams committed one turnover and made six penalties. 

Bluffton was penalized for 50 yards, while Norwayne had 47 yards in flags.

The Bobcats ran 78 plays, averaging 6.2 yards per snap. The Pirates averaged 11.3 yards per snap on 47 plays.