By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON __ The Bluffton High School boys soccer team defeated visiting Huron 4-1 Saturday evening, October 19, in the Div. V district quarterfinals at Steinmetz Field.
Pirate Levi Antrim scored two goals and Calvine Derstine assisted on both scores to help pace the victorious offense.
#1 seed Bluffton improved to 10-8 with the decisive victory.
Sixth-seeded Huron finished its season 7-11-2 after the loss. The Tigers had beaten fifth seed Ashland Crestview in the Div. V sectional first round 2-0 on Oct. 16 to advance and face Bluffton.
The Pirates led Huron 2-0 at the half, and extended the lead to 3-0 before surrendering a goal. ▶︎
Bluffton’s Ollie Combs started the scoring with an unassisted goal in the fourth minute.
Antrim then scored on a pass from Derstine in the 16th minute to advance the lead to 2-0. Neither team scored for the ensuing 50 minutes.
NWC Player of the Year Jackson Brauen then gave the Pirates some breathing room by netting a goal in the 67th minute from Micah Lemley’s assist.
Tiger Paul Murray scored in the 67th minute to keep Huron from being shut out as they inched within 3-1.
But Antrim found the back of the net for the second time on a good ball from Derstine to put the game away in the 76th minute.
Bluffton fired 16 of its 27 shots on goal. Huron got off two shots, both on goal.
Truett Diller made one save for the Pirates. Huron stopped a dozen shots in goal.
The Pirates will face fourth seed Mansfield Christian (8-9-1) in the first district semifinal match Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. in Tiffin Columbian’s Frost-Kalnow Stadium.
The MC Flames beat the seventh-seeded Old Fort Stockaders 7-0 Saturday in Mansfield to advance and face Bluffton.
In the top half of the sectional Saturday, host Riverdale beat Cory-Rawson 8-0, and second seed Ada (14-4) crushed visiting Allen East 9-1.
The second-seeded Bulldogs play third seed Riverdale Oct. 22 in the second semifinal Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. Ada lost 3-2 at the Falcons earlier this season.
The district finals at Tiffin will be played Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.
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