The Bluffton High School boys soccer team had its season ended by a 4-0 semifinal game with Ottawa Hills in the Div. III regionals at Tiffin's Frost-Kalnow Stadium on a chilly Wednesday night, November 3.
The Pirates finished the season 15-4-2. They were ranked ninth in the last Div. III state poll.
Ottawa Hills improved to 13-2-4 with the victory, and the Green Bears advanced to the regional finals Saturday vs. Ottoville. The Big Green beat Kidron Central Christian 1-0 Wednesday night.
The Green Bear/Big Green winner will move on to the state semifinals November 10.
Ottawa Hills tallied three second-half goals to pull away for the win over Bluffton.
The regional semifinal match was scoreless for most of the first half when OH netted a goal at the 31:18 mark to take a 1-0 lead.
The score stayed 1-0 into halftime, and for the first 11 minutes of the second half.
The Green Bears then tallied again at the 51:35 juncture to go ahead 2-0.
At the 65-minute mark, OH extended the lead to 3-0.
Five minutes later, the Bears put the game out of reach with the fourth and final goal.
Bluffton got off two shots, one of which was on goal. The Green Bears fired 15 shots, six of which were on target.
Pirate Kaden Basil was credited with six saves in goal.
With the win over Bluffton Wednesday, OH avenged a 2019 regional loss to the Pirates when the Green Bears were ranked number one in the state.
Bluffton edged OH on penalty kicks en route to the state title match in 2019.
At OH back on October 7, Bluffton tied the Green Bears 1-1 on a late goal by Nolan Hoffman.
