By Cort Reynolds

DELPHOS--The Bluffton High School football team grabbed an early lead but lost to rival Delphos Jefferson 27-7 in a Northwest Conference competition on October 14.

The loss put Pirate playoff status in jeopardy and also ended any chance of sharing the conference crown. 

Bluffton fell to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the league with the costly defeat. They will need a week 10 upset over visiting Columbus Grove to tie for second place in the NWC, and likely need that victory just to make the playoffs.

Grove is now in sole possession of second place in the NWC at 5-1 heading into a week 10 showdown at the Pirates.

Surging Delphos improved to 5-4 overall with the win over the Pirates, their fourth victory in the last five games. 

The Wildcats upped their league mark to 4-2 with the win and jumped into a third-place tie with Bluffton.

Neither team scored in a defensive opening period of play.

Pirate quarterback Garret Bogart found the end zone on a 38-yard run in the second quarter to put the red and white on top. Kyle Basil's extra point kick made it 7-0 Pirates.

DJ quarterback Trent Teman tossed a 34-yard scoring strike, but the Wildcats missed the point after to keep Bluffton ahead 7-6.

Teman then put the Wildcats ahead for good on a 57-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Coulter. The successful PAT kick put the Wildcats ahead 13-7 at halftime.

Andrew Miller found paydirt on a 41-yard run in the third period to extend the Jefferson lead to 20-7.

The elusive Miller added a 38-yard TD scamper in the fourth quarter to provide the final margin.

1 2 3 4 F

DJ 0 13 7 7 27

Bluf 0 7 0 0 7

Notes and stats
Bluffton was held to 194 total yards on 51 plays (3.8 yards per snap). Meanwhile, DJ amassed 486 total yards on 63 snaps (7.7 avg.).

The Pirates rushed for 129 yards and passed for 65. 

The Wildcats rolled up 365 rushing yards, and added 121 aerial yards.

Garret Bogart completed seven of 17 passes for 65 yards with two interceptions. He also rushed nine times for 62 yards and the lone Pirate TD.

Landon Shutler netted 30 yards rushing on nine carries.

Braeden Jordan grabbed two aerials for 43 yards. Griffin Stackhouse caught three passes for 15 yards.

Hayden Dearth grabbed one reception for six yards. 

Teman completed eight of 13 passes for 121 yards and two scores with no interceptions. 

Landen Worcester was in on 18 tackles, with 16 assists and two solo stops. Kameron Coughlan contributed 13 assists and two solo tackles. 

Carson Kruse added eight assists, two solos and one tackle for loss. 

Basil averaged 42 yards per kick on five punts.

Bluffton converted three of 12 third down tries, and was 1-3 on fourth down. The Wildcats made it on five of 11 third down attempts, and went 2-2 on fourth down tries.

DJ amassed 21 first downs while Bluffton moved the chains just eight times. 

The hosts committed one turnover on a fumble, while the Pirates made two miscues.

The Pirates were penalized four times for 31 yards, while the Wildcats were flagged four times for just 17 yards.

Coming up
Bluffton hosts Columbus Grove (7-2, 5-1 NWC) in the regular season finale next Friday. 

The surging Bulldogs won their fourth straight game in week nine easily by crushing host Spencerville, 55-6.

Grove is 2-2 on the road, with its only losses coming at non-league foe Liberty-Benton (24-13) and at NWC leader Allen East (7-0). 

Bluffton is 2-2 at home, with wins over Spencerville and Ada at Harmon Field. The Pirates lost to Ayersville and Allen East at home.

The defeat to Jefferson dropped the Pirates two spots to 18th in the Div. V, Region 18 computer rankings. The top 16 teams in each region make the postseason.

A loss to Grove would likely knock the Pirates out of playoff contention. Eighteen teams are above .500 in the 28-team region, but the five squads ranked directly ahead of Bluffton all face undefeated or one-loss competition in week 10. 

CG is fifth in the Div. VI, Region 22 computer rankings, and has clinched a spot in the playoffs. 

Last year, CG blanked visiting Bluffton 31-0 in week 10. In the 2020 Covid season, Grove beat the Pirates 41-7 in the opener. 

In 2019, CG also won 49-0 as the Bulldogs have captured the last four meetings.

Bluffton last beat Grove in the 2017 season finale, 28-27.