By Cort Reynolds
KENTON - The visiting Bluffton girls basketball team dominated the middle quarters and rallied to defeat Kenton 56-47 in a non-league battle Monday night.

The Lady Pirates trailed 19-13 after one period of play as the Wildcat girls drained three trifectas.

But Bluffton came back with a 15-8 second quarter to grab a 28-27 edge at halftime. The victors extended the margin to nine points heading to the final stanza with a 13-5 third period. 

Bluffton limited Kenton to just one field goal in the third stanza. The Pirate defense held the Wildcats to five total baskets in the second and third periods to outscore them, 28-13.

The Pirates then sank 10 foul shots and two baskets in the fourth quarter to keep Kenton at bay. 

Bluffton's record improved to 6-4 with the victory. The Lady Wildcats fell to 2-5 with the defeat. 

Sami Scoles led Bluffton with 18 points. She hit four free throws in the fourth period. Kylie Monday contributed 17 markers, including six points in each of the second and fourth quarters. Monday also sank a key three-pointer in the fourth period.

Pirates Kylie Stackhouse and Laykin Garmatter both added nine markers, with each hitting one triple. Garmatter canned three of four foul shots in the final period.

Wildcat Lindsey Smith led all scorers with 23 points. She tallied 11 points in the fourth period to keep the hosts close, but was the only Kenton player in double figures.

Kaylin Hildreth added nine points for the Wildcats.

The Pirate girls canned 17 baskets, sinking 13 two-pointers and four trifectas. Bluffton converted 18 of 29 free throw attempts (62 percent). 

The visitors outscored the Wildcats 18-7 at the charity stripe.

Kenton connected on 18 field goals, making 14 two-pointers and four shots from three-point territory. The Wildcat girls canned seven of their 12 foul shots (58 percent).

Kenton 47 (2-5)
G. Wetherill 0, Hildreth 3 2-3 9, L. Wetherill 0, Heilman 0 1-2 1, Harpel 1 0-0 3, Manns 2 0-0 6, Smith 11 1-3 23, Bays 1 3-4 5. 
Totals: 14-4/7-12/47. 3-pointers: Manns 2, Hildreth 1, Harpel 1.

Bluffton 56 (6-4)
Bischoff 0, Garmatter 1 6-8 9, Busch 1 1-2 3, Eachus 0, Stackhouse 4 0-1 9, Bricker 0, Scoles 5 7-13 18, Monday 6 4-5 17. 
Totals: 13-4/18-29/56. 3-pointers: Garmatter 1, Scoles 1, Stackhouse 1, Monday 1.     
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Kent    19     8    5    15    47    
Blf    13    15    13    15     56        

The Pirates (2-3 road) plays at county rival Elida (1-2) Saturday, January 2 in a non-conference matchup. Elida beat WBL foe Kenton by the almost identical score that Bluffton did a week earlier on Dec. 21, 58-48.

Bluffton (1-1 NWC) will make up its postponed Dec. 17 league game at Crestview (5-1, 1-1 NWC) Tuesday, January 5.