By Cort Reynolds
The Bluffton boys soccer team edged Wauseon 4-3 Saturday evening in the third-place game of the Elida Classic tournament.
Bluffton's semifinal game Thursday night was cancelled due to bad weather, which relegated the Pirates to the consolation contest.
The Pirates improved to 2-0 with the win, while Wauseon fell to 2-2 with the loss. Botkins faced Elida in the title game later Saturday night.
Bluffton's Kaden Basil scored at the 12:06 and 16:52 marks in the first half to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead. He then switched to keeper in the second half and made a save.
Pirate Jude Spallinger also netted a goal at the 20:09 juncture to extend the margin to 3-0.
Wauseon tallied two goals three minutes apart in the 29th and 32nd minutes to pull within 3-2 at halftime. They then tied it 3-3 on a goal 11 minutes into the second half.
Spallinger netted the fourth and tiebreaking Pirate goal on a penalty kick at the 60:16 mark.
Bluffton fired six of its eight shots on goal. Wauseon put two of its five shots on target.
Bluffton plays at Spencerville (1-0) Monday, August 30 at 7 p.m. in the Northwest Conference opener. The Pirates are 30-0 all-time in NWC play and are seeking their seventh straight league crown.
The Pirates then host tough Perrysburg (2-2) Thursday, September 2 at Steinmetz Field.
