By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Visiting league leader Columbus Grove smothered Bluffton in a 42-26 Northwest Conference girls basketball slowdown showdown Thursday night.
Bluffton trailed 10-4 after one period, and Grove extended the lead to 23-12 at halftime of the low-scoring contest. CG inched ahead 32-17 after three quarters, and went on to win by 16.
Lady Pirate senior post Libby Schaadt scored 14 points to lead
Bluffton. Kayla White added seven markers and drained the lone Pirate triple.
You could call the span of seasons from 1994-95 through 1999-2000 the golden age of Bluffton High School girls’ basketball.
During those six seasons Bluffton won five Northwest Conference titles, qualified for the regional tournaments five times, the state tournament two times and set many records still in the books.
The 1999-2000 team will be recognized during the halftime of Saturday’s varsity boys’ basketball game versus Pandora-Gilboa. It is the first-ever reunion of that team.
It’s Super Bowl time and the Icon invites viewers to test their football skills by entering the Icon’s Super Bowl Contest.
Beyond picking the game winner, contest questions include:
• Who will score first
• Who will lead at halftime
• How many points will the winning team win by
• and the toughest tie-breaker question of all time: Who will be the game’s most valuable player?
We are also looking ahead for more contests of all types in 2020. Persons entering the contest may suggest other contests the Icon should consider holding.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton methodically wore down Van Buren to register a 56-46 non-conference boys basketball victory Saturday evening.
The Pirates improved to 13-3 overall with the win, while VB fell to 7-7 with the loss.
Bluffton led 13-6 after the first period, and stayed on top 26-18 at halftime. The Pirates put the game out of reach with an 18-10 third quarter.
Senior standouts Luke Denecker and Mason Soper led the victors with 19 and 15 points, respectively.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton rallied behind a big third period to defeat visiting Riverdale 47-35 in a non-league girls basketball game Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 17-15 at halftime in a defensive battle, Bluffton outscored the Lady Falcons 32-18 after intermission to win going away.
The Lady Pirates outscored the Falcons 17-3 in the momentum-changing third period. Sophomore Kylie Monday canned two three-pointers and scored eight points in the decisive quarter as the hosts pulled ahead 32-20.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton outscored Spencerville 32-14 in the second period and went on to post a convincing 71-52 Northwest Conference boys basketball win Friday evening.
The Pirates improved to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in NWC play with the win. Meanwhile, the Bearcats fell to 2-12 and 0-4 in the NWC with the loss.
Bluffton led 16-11 after the first period. Seniors Luke Denecker and Mason Soper then scored 13 points apiece in the second period as the hosts built a commanding 48-25 intermission advantage.
