The Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost at home 70-46 to Columbus Grove in a Northwest Conference makeup game Saturday afternoon, February 5.
The Lady Pirates fell to 14-6 overall and 3-4 in the NWC after suffering the loss. Grove improved to 14-5 and 6-1 in the NWC with the win.
The Bulldogs knocked down 11 three-pointers and outscored Bluffton 32-14 over the middle quarters to post the win.
CG led 23-14 after a high-scoring first period of play as Koryn Halker buried three triples, and Kenzie King nailed two. Grove then augmented its lead with a 16-6 second period. The Bulldogs put the game out of reach with a 16-8 third quarter to nearly double up Bluffton, 55-28.
The Pirates won the final stanza 18-15.
Riley Eachus led Bluffton with 14 points. Senior Kylie Stackhouse and freshman post Ayla Grandey tallied nine points apiece. Pirate senior Kylie Monday contributed eight markers, while classmate Sami Scoles added six.
Grove standout King led all players with 16 points. Jaylen Sautter and Savanah Ridenour each chipped in with 11 points. Lauren Auchmuty netted 10, while Halker and Shay Schroeder each drained three treys to tally nine points apiece.
CG nailed 27 baskets, including 16 deuces and 11 triples. Grove canned five of seven foul shots (71 percent).
Bluffton hit 18 baskets, with 15 two-pointers and three treys, all by Eachus. The Pirates sank seven of nine free tosses (78 percent).
Col. Grove 70 (14-5, 6-1 NWC)
Auchmuty 5 0-0 10, Sautter 4 2-3 11, Fortman 2 0-0 4, Halker 3 0-0 9, Clement 0, Schroeder 3 0-0 9, King 6 1-2 16, Ridenour 4 2-2 11.
Totals: 16-11/5-7/70. 3-pointers: Halker 3, Schroeder 3, King 3, Sautter 1, Ridenour 1.
Bluffton 46 (14-6, 3-4 NWC)
Busch 0, Eachus 5 1-2 14, Monday 4 0-0 8, Scoles 2 2-3 6, Grandey 4 1-1 9, Stackhouse 3 3-3 9, Giesige 0, .
Totals: 15-3/7-9/46. 3-pointers: Eachus 3.
1 2 3 4 F
CG 23 16 16 15 70
Blu 14 6 8 18 46
The Pirate girls home game with non-league power Miller City (13-5) is yet to be made up.
The regular season finale is Thursday, Feb. 10 at local league rival Allen East (11-8, 2-4 NWC).
