Pirate football shuts out Rockets

By Cort Reynolds

PANDORA – The visiting Bluffton High School football team ran over local rival Pandora-Gilboa 42-0 in a non-league contest on Friday, August 30.

The Pirates scored on the first play, raced to a 28-0 halftime lead and were never threatened.

Bluffton rolled up 280 of its 421 total yards on the ground. 

The Pirates improved to 2-0 with the blowout win, while the Rockets fell to 0-2 after the defeat.

Senior speedster Griffin Stackhouse started the scoring by returning the opening kickoff 82 yards to paydirt. The first of six straight successful Jackson Brauen point-after kicks made it 7-0.

Senior fullback Landen Worcester then found the end zone on a one-yard plunge to make it 14-0 after one period of play.

Sophomore quarterback Tayte Giesige hit paydirt on a five-yard run in the second quarter to make it 21-0. Stackhouse then hauled in a 64-yard TD reception from Giesige to build the margin to 28 points by intermission.

Sophomore tailback Parker Lovell scored on a 16-yard scoring scamper to make it 35-0 after three periods. Lovell then scored the sixth and final TD on a 72-yard run in the fourth period.

Giesige completed an efficient six of eight passes for 141 yards and one TD with one interception. He rushed eight times for 60 yards and one score.

Lovell led the rushing attack with 137 yards on 10 carries with two second-half TDs. Stackhouse netted 41 yards on five rushes.

Landen Worcester added 35 yards on eight runs.   

Stackhouse added two receptions for 79 yards and one TD. Avery Sprunger had two catches for 28 yards.

Quinn Eachus snared one aerial for 23 yards. Noah Bricker added one grab for 11 yards.

Brody Anderson, Lleyton Miller and Jackson Bowlus each intercepted a pass for the Pirates in the shutout. Worcester was in on eight tackles, while Anderson had three solo stops and five overall tackles. 

Worcester, Dylan Painter and Austin Scherger had one tackle for loss apiece. Painter also recorded three solo stops.

Bluffton amassed 19 first downs and the Rockets had 12 chain-movers. The Pirates were not flagged for a single penalty. 

Bluffton was 2-4 on third-down conversions and 0-1 on fourth down. P-G was successful on four of 13 third-down tries and went 3-8 on fourth down. 

The Pirates out-gained P-G, 421-224. P-G ran 60 plays to 43 snaps for the Pirates.

The Rockets completed 13 of 27 aerials for 170 yards but were held to just 54 yards rushing on 29 carries. P-G threw three interceptions, while Bluffton turned the ball over twice on a pick and a fumble.

Bluffton hosts Defiance Ayersville (0-2) in the Pirates' home opener on Friday, September 6. The Pilots lost their opener 55-6 to visiting Delta and then fell at home to Patrick Henry this past Friday, 48-2.

The Pirates have outscored their two opponents 92-3 so far this season.

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