By Bryan Kress
After three straight road games including two against tough teams in LCC and Spencerville, Bluffton finally was able to play a home game and they sure took advantage of it winning 41-6 against Paulding.
Bluffton won the total yards battle 326-123, but the most impressive stat is that the Pirates attempted only three passes all game. The Pirates racked up a whopping 317 yards on the ground.
Bluffton started strong in the first half scoring 27 points including the first TD of the game a Zach Wilson 2-yard run in the first. Wilson had 96 yards on the ground for the night.
Jonah Bourassa scored from 11 yards out to make the score 14-0 in the second quarter.
Quarterback Robbie Stratton hit Levi Kistler for a 2-yard scoring pass to score Bluffton’s third touchdown of the night.
Bourassa would score again in the second from 10 yards to cap the scoring in the half. Bourassa had the best game of his career as he rushed for 164 yards and two scores.
Bluffton would come out strong in the second half as Stratton hit Kistler again, this time from 7 yards out. Stratton completed two passes, both for scores.
Mitchell Ault finished off the Bluffton scoring with a 10 yard run at the end of the third.
The defense played a strong game allowing only 123 yards and one score on a 57-yard run at the end of the game. Another key to the game was the Bluffton defense in Paulding’s backfield all day. Austin Devier and Isaac Little both had four tackles for loss and Drake Luginbuhl added a sack as well. The team will need that defensive effort next week for the season finale.
Bluffton will be home against Columbus Grove (5-4) this week to try and finish the season at .500.
