Tyson Shutler and Laykin Garmatter are the 2021 Bluffton High School Jim “Cappy” Clark winners, according to Alex Hanna, BHS athletic director,

A student’s selection as a Cappy Clark winner is based upon that student lettering in two or more sports, an accumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher and consideration such as sportsmanship, athletic leadership, school leadership and citizenship. Each year’s winners are chosen by the athletic department and coaching staff.

Tyson Shutler
Tyson is a three-sport athlete, participating in baseball, football and basketball. He was the Pirate Award winner in baseball and football. That award is an individual team award, awarded to the best teammate. Tyson is an All-NWC  and an All-Ohio honorable mention defensive back in football.  He earned two letters in baseball, two in football and two in basketball. He was the baseball team captain and football team captain. He was a scholar athlete all four years in all sports. He plans to attend Capital University in the fall where he intends to play football.

Laykin Garmatter
Laykin is a 12-time varsity letter winner, earning four varsity letters in soccer, four in basketball, one in softball and three in track, making here one of very few BHS athletes to achieve this accomplishment. She was a member of an NWC championship basketball team as well as two NWC champion soccer teams. She was named to the All-NWC teams in both soccer and basketball. She plans to attend the University of Cincinnati.

About the Jim “Cappy” Clark Award
At the end of each school year the Bluffton High School athletic department names two students as the most outstanding athletes in the senior class of BHS.

Although not at first, today the award is called the Jim “Cappy” Clark Award.

Clark attended Bluffton High School in the 1940s. During his lifetime, his interest in youth sports was immense. In the 1950s he founded the midget football program in Bluffton. At one time he coached three midget teams: the Pirates, Beavers and Buccaneers.

He retired from coaching the midget Pirates in 1980, after a 25-year career. During that period at least nine of his teams were league champs or playoff contenders.

Cappy Clark Award Winners

BOYS

1966 – Bill Swank
1967 – David Burkholder
1968 – Steve Stratton
1969 – Melvin Benroth

1970 – Mike Osborne
1971 – Dean King
1972 – Jim King
1973 – Steve Shaw
1974 – Mark Phillips
1975 – Dave Stratton
1976 – Jeff Shaw
1977 – Jeff Pogue
1978 – Bruce Matter
1979 – Tim Closson/Jeff Alt

1980 – Mardy Herr
1981 – Don Mathewson
1982 – Jeff Swank
1983 – John Tabler
1984 – Mike Yoder
1985 – Paul Shelly
1986 – Bruce Yant
1987 – Jim Armstrong
1988 – Doug Schweingruber
1989 – Curt Garmatter

1990 – Dan Althaus
1991 – Jeff Martz
1992 – Jeremy Herr
1993 – Matthew Derstine
1994 – Matthew Schweingruber
1995 – Jon Osborne
1996 – Eric Smith
1997 – Cam Warner
1998 – Rick Orr
1999 – Lucas Cherry

2000 – Kurt McKibben
2001 – Jon Wietholter
2002 – Ben Wenger
2003 – Ben McCullough
2004 – Jeff Richards
2005 – Justin Shannon
2006 – Kurt Groman
2007 – Andrew Hieronimus
2008 – Jesse Herr
2009 – Tyler Neal

2010 – Matt Suderman
2011 – Drew Luginbuhl
2012 – Jeremy Basinger
2013 – Zach Wilson
2014 – Noah Stratton
2015 – Robbie Stratton
2016 – Joel Siefker
2017 – Trevor Bassitt
2018 – Kaleb Jefferson
2019 – DeAndre Nassar

2020 – Baylor Garmatter
2021 – Tyson Shutler

GIRLS
1979 - Venessa Beach
1980 – Julee Matter
1981 – Amy Bixel
1982 – Tammy Plaugher
1983 – Amy Osborne
1984 – Mary Steiner
1985 – Julie Shelly
1986 – Wendy Smith
1987 – Cindy Badertscher
1988 – Kris Snyder
1989 – Julie Friesen

1990 – Rachel Hefner
1991 – Angie Butler
1992 – Eliza Jacoby
1993 – Elizabeth Edwards
1994 – Rebecca Reineke
1995 – Crystal Bennett
1996 – Janni Sprunger
1997 -  Ann Stechschulte
1998 – Katie Kantner
1999 – Anna Steiner

2000 – Caity Matter
2001 – Jennifer Romey
2002 – Mollie McCullough
2003 – Carrie Fett
2004 – Kelly Metzger
2005 – Emily Goldsberry
2006 – Ginny Buckingham
2007 – Brittany Buroker
2008 – Amanda Stratton
2009 – Jonica Schmutz

2010 – Sarah Stratton
2011 – Shannon McKamey
2012 – Lydia Guagenti
2013 – Julie  Althaus
2014 – Jill Steinmetz
2015 – Erica Sheehan
2016 – Samantha Fruchey
2017 – Abbie Parkins
2018 – Abbey Gambrell
2019 – Kaitlyn Prater

2020 – Libby Schaadt
2021 – Laykin Garmatter