By Cort Reynolds

FT. LORAMIE – The Bluffton High School football team stayed undefeated with a hard-earned 42-28 victory at first-year Northwest Conference member Fort Loramie Friday evening, October 11.

The Pirates broke away from a 14-14 halftime tie with a decisive 21-7 third period outburst that spelled the difference in the outcome.

The explosive Bluffton offense authored three touchdowns of over 70 yards in the high-octane contest.

The defending league co-champion Pirates improved to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the NWC with the road win. 

Bluffton remains tied for first in the league with fellow unbeaten Columbus Grove (8-0, 5-0 NWC). The two rivals who shared the NWC crown last year and met again in the regional finals continue on a week 10 collision course.

Meanwhile, the Redskins fell to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the NWC after the defeat.

Parker Lovell put the Pirates ahead early with a 71-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Jackson Brauen was good to put the Pirates ahead, 7-0. 

A long Redskin pass advanced the ball to the Pirate five on the ensuing possession. Gabe Hart completed a four-yard TD pass to Ray Hoying, and the PAT kick tied it 7-7 after one quarter.

FL took the lead in the second period, the first time Bluffton has trailed this season. Gabe Hart tossed a 12-yard TD aerial to Thomas Hoying and his extra point put the hosts on top, 14-7.

Pirate senior speedster Griffin Stackhouse tied it with a 61-yard scoring scamper, followed by a Brauen PAT kick at 14-14.

FL drove all the way to the Pirate one-yard late in the second stanza, but couldn’t break the tie as time expired.

Lovell returned the second half kickoff all the way to the Redskin 43 to set the Pirates up with good field position. 

Senior back Landen Worcester capitalized by scoring on a 17-yard run moments later to put Bluffton back in front for good with nine minutes left in the third stanza.

Brauen’s PAT boot made it 21-14.

A penalty necessitated a punt by FL on fourth and 14. The Pirates took over at their own 21. Worcester then rambled 77 yards to the end zone to provide a 28-14 margin after the Brauen kick at the five-minute mark.

Hart answered by connecting with Maxwell Mauer on a 60-yard TD pass three minutes later. The PAT kick cut the Pirate lead to 28-21.

Pirate signal-caller Tayte Giesige then completed a 76-yard catch and carry TD aerial to Stackhouse late in the third stanza. The Brauen extra point stretched the margin to 35-21.

A big sack by Evan Grothause ended the third period with FL on their own 44.

Quinn Eachus intercepted a Redskin pass with seven minutes remaining and the Pirates took over on the FL 39.

Both teams turned the ball over on downs on consecutive possessions. Stackhouse hit paydirt on a 51-yard TD run with three minutes left. The sixth Brauen PAT kick extended the margin to 42-21.

The Redskins drove downfield, and Hart completed a 10-yard scoring pass to Thomas Hoying in the final minute. Hoying booted the final PAT to close the scoring at 42-28. 

1 2 3 4 F

Bluf 7 7 21 7 42

Ft L 7 7 7 7 28

Notes and stats

Bluffton racked up 436 yards in total offense on 40 plays (10.9 yards average). The Redskins managed 424 net yards on a big total of 76 snaps (5.6 avg.). The 424 yards the Pirate defense allowed is by far the most any team has amassed vs. them this season. 

The Pirates rolled up 358 rushing yards and passed for 78 more yards. The big-play Bluffton offense averaged a massive 13.3 yards per rush on 27 carries. 

FL netted just 25 yards on the ground against the tough Pirate defense. The Redskins amassed a whopping 399 yards through the air by completing 37 of 57 attempts.

The Pirates compiled 11 first downs, while FL amassed 28 chain-movers.

Senior Worcester netted 141 yards and two TDs on 12 carries. 

Senior Stackhouse added 114 yards on just four runs with two scores.

Giesige ran for 30 yards on five carries. He completed two of six passes for 78 yards and one TD, with no interceptions. 

Stackhouse also snared both aerials for 78 yards and a score.

Sophomore Lovell ran the ball four times for 75 yards. 

Worcester was in on 16 tackles, including 13 assists. Noah Bricker contributed eight assists and three solo stops. Carson Kruse made nine assists and two solo tackles. 

Javen Crawfis was in on eight assists and had two solo hits. Grothause had two sacks, two solos and five assists. Gabe Meza made six assisted stops and one solo tackle.

Eachus made an interception and three solo tackles, plus four assists. Xavier Diller collected 12 assisted stops.

Meza punted three times for an average of 34 yards per boot.

The Pirates committed four penalties for 30 yards, while FL was flagged three times for 35 yards. 

Bluffton was successful on two of six third down tries, and went 0-1 on fourth down. Meanwhile, the Redskins converted eight of 13 tries on third down, and they also went 0-1 on fourth.

FL committed one turnover on an interception, while the Pirates made no miscues.  

The Pirates have outscored their opposition by a resounding 381-52 margin over eight games this season (47.6 ppg to 6.5 ppg). 

The Bluffton defense allowed more points Friday to FL than they had all season. It was the first time that any team had tallied more than seven points vs. the tough Pirate defense all season.

With the win, Bluffton moved up to second in the Div. VI, Region 22 computer rankings. They trail only first-place Hopewell-Loudon (8-0). Patrick Henry (6-2) is third.

Pirates host AE Fri.

Bluffton hosts traditional backyard foe Allen East Friday, October 18 in a week nine rivalry battle. 

The Mustangs are 4-4 overall and 2-3 in league play following a 41-0 home shellacking of Delphos Jefferson Friday.

Bluffton is 3-0 at home, while AE is 2-1 on the road. The Pirates have won 14 NWC titles, while AE has captured nine.

AE is 17th in the 27-team Div. VI, Region 22 rankings, one spot outside a playoff spot. Bluffton is second. The high-scoring Mustangs average 32.3 points a game and allow 25.6 ppg.

Previously in NWC play, AE beat Crestview in a 48-41 shootout and lost to LCC (35-7), Columbus Grove (38-13) and Spencerville (23-20). 

Against common opponents, Bluffton is 4-0 while AE is 2-2. The Pirates beat the Bearcats 55-7, whipped Delphos Jeff 52-7 and drubbed LCC 35-0. Last week, they beat Crestview 42-0.

The Mustangs went 2-1 in non-league action, blowing out Toledo Scott 46-12 and Newark Catholic 62-28 over the first two weeks. AE then lost to Indian Lake 28-21 in week three.

The Pirates have won 16 of their last 17 regular season contests, and have been victorious in 19 of their past 21 games.  

In week 10, Bluffton hosts Grove in a regular season finale showdown October 25 on Senior Night. 

CG hosts LCC (6-2, 4-1 NWC) in week nine. Grove beat Crestview 49-7 in week eight.