ABOVE) Bluffton High School girls soccer team, fall 2024 

By Cort Reynolds

WAPAKONETA __ The Bluffton High School girls soccer team kicked off its season at Wapakoneta with a 1-0 victory in a non-league battle Tuesday, August 20, at Ryan Field.

The Pirate girls improved to 1-0 by winning their opener. The Wapak team record dropped to 1-1 after the defeat. 

The Pirates scored the game’s lone goal just 73 seconds into the fray. 

Mya McDoogle netted the winner after beating two Redskin defenders on a counter-attack. She then put a shot past keeper Gianna Staas in a one v. one situation to make it 1-0.

The defense then made the goal stand up with 88 more minutes of scoreless play. 

Wapak out-shot the Pirates, 20-2. 

“Bluffton got it done,” said new Wapakoneta head coach Erica Preston. “It was a tough loss, but a learning experience. We had some good scoring chances but couldn’t finish.”

Elizabeth Hartzler played the first half in goal for Bluffton and was credited with five saves. Kynzie Ewing served as the second half keeper and made seven stops to complete the combined shutout.

Staas made one save in goal for the Redskins.

The Redskins won the JV match, 3-1.