By Cort Reynolds
Photos by Marvin Foster
MT. BLANCHARD - Visiting Bluffton ran out to a big halftime lead and defeated Riverdale soundly 55-27 in the first round of the Div. VI, region 22 playoffs Saturday night at D. Ray Baum Field.

Senior back Tyson Shutler ran for three touchdowns and returned two interceptions for scores to pace the victors. He also accounted for nearly 300 yards in total offense.

The Pirates improved to 4-2 with their fourth consecutive victory. They advanced to round two on October 17 after being voted the 19th seed by the region coaches.

Bluffton plays next Saturday night at unbeaten region 22 third seed Sherwood Fairview (6-0), which had a first round bye in the playoffs. The winner there will play the Northwood/Van Buren victor in the region quarterfinals Oct. 24.

Meanwhile the Falcons, who were seeded 14th in region 22, fell to 4-3 with the loss and were eliminated from the playoffs.  

Bluffton scored first on a 44-yard touchdown by the speedy Shutler. Ethan Bogart booted the extra point for an early 7-0 Pirate lead.

On the next drive Landon Shutler snared a 34-yard pass over the open middle from Nate Schaadt to reach the Falcon 17. Schaadt then kept the ball for a 11-yard run.

Schaadt kept the ball again, cut back well and scored on a six-yard scamper with 9:01 left in the first half. The run capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive.

Bogart's second PAT kick was blocked to keep the margin at 13-0. 

A Falcon screen pass was tipped by multiple players and intercepted by Zavier O'Neal at the Riverdale 34 to give the Pirates fine field position nearly halfway through the second stanza. 

Tyson Shutler broke tackles for a 17-yard run. Schaadt scrambled left and threw into the end zone, but Kwade McCoy intercepted the aerial and returned it to the four.

Two losses on Falcon runs narrowly avoided a safety. A third down bomb was caught but out of bounds. A big Pirate rush forced a short 24-yard punt, and Bluffton took over at the Falcon 25 with 4:05 to go in the half.

On third and six, a holding penalty negated a first down. On third and 14 a reception was broken up. On fourth down the Pirates went for it and Shutler caught a pass for 10 yards to turn it over on downs at the 19.

Shutler intercepted a McCoy pass at the 40 and weaved his way through the defense into the left corner of the end zone for a pick six TD.

A two-point conversion run by Schaadt extended the lead to 21-0 with 2:35 left before intermission.

A good Falcon kickoff return to their own 42 gave Riverdale solid starting position for their next drive. 

The Bluffton defense stuffed the Falcons and forced a punt. Tyson Shutler ran out of bounds and a late hit advanced the ball to the Falcon 30.

A Schaadt run reached the Riverdale 20 with 24 seconds left. Despite an incompletion, another late hit penalty advanced the Pirates to the 10. A run out of bounds at the four stopped the clock.

An option pitchout by Schaadt to Shutler resulted in a four-yard TD with nine seconds to go. Bogart's PAT kick was wide left to keep it 27-0 at halftime. The drive covered 67 yards in six plays aided by two big penalties.

Shutler rushed for 115 yards and two TDs in the first half, while Schaadt added 73 yards on the ground by intermission.

Lane Morris ran five yards for a TD to get the Falcons on the board with 9:50 left in the third period. 

Landon Shutler kept the ball, stutter-stepped and ran 68 yards to paydirt to cap an 80-yard drive in the third quarter.

A two-point conversion by Bluffton extended the lead to 35-7.

Riverdale rallied with 14 more unanswered points in the third stanza. McCoy scored on a one-yard TD plunge at the 5:05 mark to get the hosts going.

Austin Evans then tallied on a 15-yard scoring scamper with 3:16 to go in the third period. The Ben Schlarb PAT kick cut the deficit to 35-21.

Bluffton then drove deep into Falcon territory befre being stopped. On fourth and goal from the one, the Riverdale defense thwarted Schaadt for a loss of one.

However, moments later Shutler picked off a McCoy pass and returned it for his second pick-six TD. But the extra point missed to keep the score 41-21 with 1:03 left to play.

Schaadt then scored on a seven-yard TD run with 5:21 left. His two-point run extended the lead to 49-21. 

Kade Dodge scored on a 53-pass from McCoy for the Falcons, yet the extra point kick missed to cut the deficit to 49-27 with 2:57 to go.

Shutler then capped his big night on a 50-yard TD run with 1:42 remaining. The point after kick missed to keep the final margin at 28.

    1    2    3    4    F
Blu    7    20    8    20    55    
Rdl     0    0    21    6    27                

Notes and stats
Bluffton compiled 488 yards on 50 plays for a 9.8 yard average per play. The Pirates amassed 18 first downs compared to 14 by Riverdale. 

The Falcons ran     62 plays and netted 266 yards in total offense for an average of 4.3 yards per play. 

The Pirates rushed 41 times for 427 yards (10.4 avg.), while the Falcons netted 91 yards on 34 carries (2.7 avg.).

Schaadt completed four of nine aerials for 61 yards and no scores with one interception. Schaadt also rushed 16 times for 98 yards and two TDs.

Shutler ran 21 times for 261 yards and three TDs. He also hauled down two receptions for 22 yards. Landon Shutler rushed dfour times for 68 yards and caught onepass for 34.

The Falcons completed 13 of 28 passes for 175 yards between McCoy and injured starter Luke Morris. They threw three interceptions and one TD pass.

Bluffton committed one turnover, while Riverdale made four costly miscues. Bluffton was penalized 13 times for a whopping 165 yards, and the Falcons were caught 10 times for 95 yards.

Jackson Wilson made 2.5 tackles for losses to pace the Pirate defense.

Bluffton had the ball for 17:15, while the hosts possessed it for 29:53. The Falcons were 2-11 on third down conversions, and went 3-5 on fourth down. The Pirates were 2-8 on third down, and 0-3 on fourth down tries.

If Bluffton loses in round two of the playoffs, they will host Leipsic (4-3) - if the Vikings are out of the playoffs too - in a non-league regular season tilt Oct. 23. 

They then play at local rival Cory-Rawson (0-7) Oct. 30 in the finale of an odd and unprecedented season.

The Pirate at Fairview second round playoff contest will kick off at 7 p.m. next Saturday night.