By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School boys soccer team defeated Lincolnview 5-0 in a Northwest Conference match Monday evening at Steinmetz Field to clinch yet another outright league championship.
The win sealed a 10th NWC title for the Pirates, and they remain undefeated at 46-0-0 all-time over 10 seasons of conference play.
The Pirate record improved to 8-6 overall after their sixth straight win, and they finish 4-0 in the NWC with the victory.
Lincolnview fell to 3-9-1 overall and 1-2-1 NWC after the defeat.
The match was moved from Lincolnview to Bluffton due to wet fields.
Pirate Levi Antrim scored two goals and dished out one assist to lead the victorious offense.
Jackson Brauen tallied the first goal unassisted in the 30th minute, and the score remained 1-0 into halftime. The Pirates then broke the game open early in half two.
Antrim found the back of the net in the 45th minute on a pass from Gavin Amstutz.
Less than a minute later, Amstutz tallied off an Antrim feed to make it 3-0.
In the 53rd minute, Antrim netted his second goal off a Calvin Derstine ball to stretch the lead to 4-0.
Derstine then scored the final goal in the 66th minute via an Ollie Combs pass.
Bluffton rifled 17 of their 26 shots at Lancer keeper Mason Waltmire. Lincolnview mustered just three shots, none of which were on goal.
Derstine and Amstutz each contributed a goal and one assist.
Pirate keepers Emmitt Kidd and Truett Diller combined for the shutout. Lancer keeper Waltmire was credited with 12 stops.
The Pirates host always-tough Ottawa Hills (8-3-1) Thursday, October 3 at 7 p.m. Bluffton then entertains WBL foe Celina (7-4) Monday, Oct. 7.