By Cort Reynolds / Photos by James Crawfis

BLUFFTON__A week seven Northwest Conference battle of unbeatens lived up to expectations in a classic nailbiter on Friday, Oct. 2 at Harmon Field. The Bluffton High School football team rallied late but fell just short on fourth and goal in the final minute, losing 26-21. Visiting rival Lima Central Catholic spoiled Homecoming for Pirate fans.

The Pirates led 14-0 late in the first half, but LCC reeled off 26 unanswered points to seize command. The Pirates edged within five points and drove inside the 10 in the final minutes, but a penalty and two sacks turned their final thrust away.

The Pirates dropped to 6-1 and 3-1 in the NWC with the heartbreaking loss.

The Thunderbirds improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in NWC play after the thrilling comeback victory.

Bluffton’s Blayne Hill hauled in a 47-yard scoring strike down the seam from Tayte Giesige as he made one defender miss and scored with 9:36 left in the first period. Andy Brodman’s extra point kick after the game’s first possession made it 7-0, Pirates.

Senior Thunderbird QB Brady Parker then stiff-armed a Pirate and ran 33 yards to the Bluffton two. But on second and goal, Parker had the ball stripped by Parker Lovell at the one, and Bluffton recovered to keep LCC out of the end zone for a key stop.

Giesige converted third and 12 with a big run to keep the ensuing drive alive. The march finally stalled and a punt gave LCC the ball back. Yet Giesige picked off a Parker pass under duress at the 38.

A pass to Hill gained a first down to the LCC 27. Another Giesige pass gained 10 yards. Lovell carried defenders seven yards to the 10. On third down, a pass to Keatyn Shaffer advanced the ball inside the five. 

Shaffer then hauled in a three-yard TD pass to double to the lead to 14-0 after Brodman’s point-after kick with 6:18 left in the first half.

LCC was pushed back to its own 11 after a penalty to start the next drive. The T-Birds gambled and went for it on fourth and one at their own 30 with 4:19 left in the half. Parker kept it and barely gained a yard to move the chains.

Parker rolled out and connected with senior wideout Jaxon White on a fine 25-yard TD catch to cap the 89-yard drive and cut the deficit to 14-7 with just 20.2 ticks left in the half.

The crucial TD gave LCC much-needed momentum heading to intermission after being shut out for 23 minutes.

LCC took the third-period kickoff and drove into Pirate territory. Parker hit a wide-open Michael Quatman with a long pass at the five, and he finished off a 41-yard TD. The extra point by Brevin Stolly was tipped at the line and was no good with 7:14 left in the third period as the Pirates maintained a 14-13 edge.

LCC then recovered a Pirate fumble inside the 20 as the momentum continued to shift to the visitors. The T-Birds immediately capitalized and scored on a determined 15-yard run by Carter Lester. The two-point conversion run was stopped short to keep LCC’s first lead at 19-14.

A Giesige slant pass to Lleyton Miller gained 35 yards to the T-Bird 15. White then picked off a Giesige aerial in the end zone to thwart the scoring opportunity at the 4:28 mark.

LCC drove from its 20 into Pirate territory, reaching the 28 as the third period ended. Parker capped the 80-yard drive with a three-yard TD run. Stolly’s PAT kick increased the lead to 26-14 with 9:52 remaining.

The Pirates marched downfield to the T-Bird 16. Lovell caught a pass from Giesige and muscled into paydirt from 11 yards out with 5:45 left to make it 26-21 after the Brodman PAT. 

On third and one at the LCC 30, Parker ran for five critical yards to move the chains. On third and short, Parker kept again for a good gain, but a flag negated the first down and forced third and 11. A pass to Xavier Purnell gained nine yards.

On fourth and two, Parker dropped the snap and was brought down just past midfield with 1:31 left, giving the Pirates good field position for a final drive.

A long pass from Giesige to Miller put the Pirates in good shape at the LCC nine. But a second-down intentional grounding flag moved Bluffton back to the 22 with 37.3 seconds to go. Giesige was then sacked at the 27 on a T-Bird blitz. 

On fourth and goal from the 27 with 29 ticks left, Giesige was sacked again on another blitz to turn the ball over on downs. LCC took a knee and the clock expired.

STATS AND NOTES

Bluffton amassed 345 yards on 50 plays, an average of 6.9 yards per snap. LCC compiled 404 yards on 56 plays, 7.2 yards per snap.

The Pirates compiled 16 first downs while the T-Birds racked up 22. Bluffton netted 141 rushing yards compared to 297 by the T-Birds. The Pirates amassed 204 yards aerially, while LCC threw for only 107 yards.

Bluffton was flagged five times for 33 yards. The T-Birds committed three penalties for 30 yards.

Both teams committed two turnovers with a fumble and an interception apiece. 

LCC was 5-7 on third down and 1-2 on fourth, while the Pirates were 7-10 on third down and 0-1 on fourth.

Giesige completed 14 of 19 passes for 2-4 yards and three TDs with one pick. He also netted 111 yards rushing on 13 carries. 

Lovell netted 41 yards and one TD on 13 tries.

Hill caught seven passes for 104 yards and one score. Miller snared three aerials for 80 yards.

Giesige was credited with 20 assisted tackles and four solo stops to go with one interception. Mason Shank made 14 assisted stops.

Zayden Morales made assists and two solo tackles. Hill was in on seven assists. Miller had a fumble recovery.

Parker completed six of nine aerials for 107 yards with two scores and one interception. LCC averaged 6.8 yards per carry on 44 rushes.

Bluffton fell from second to eighth in the rugged Div. V, Region 18 computer ratings after the loss. LCC is first in Div. VI, Region 22.

BLUFFTON AT CRESTVIEW FRIDAY
The Pirates hope to rebound as they play at Crestview (2-5, 2-2 NWC) in week eight. The Knights won 12-7 at Delphos Jefferson Friday.

Crestview is rated 21^st in Div. VI, Region 22. The Knights score 11.4 ppg and allow 25.7 ppg.

The Pirates tally 44.4 points a game and permit 13.3 ppg.

Columbus Grove improved to 6-1 and 3-1 in the NWC with a 33-18 win at Allen East Friday. Their lone league loss was to LCC in week four, 13-6.