By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON __ The third time was a charm. For the third season in a row, the Bluffton girls soccer team hosted rival Riverdale in district play at Steinmetz Field.  

For the past two years, Riverdale upset the Pirates in district final nailbiters. On October 21, the fourth-seeded hosts eliminated the top-seeded Falcons 3-0 in the Div. V district semifinals to exorcize a few ghosts.

The Pirate record improved to 12-5-1 with the big victory.

Top-seeded Riverdale ends its season 11-4-3 with the defeat.

Bluffton got off a good shot early on a breakaway, but Falcon freshman keeper Ryleigh Howard saved it.

Speedy Falcon sophomore Marissa Bonham then had a good scoring opportunity, but her blast was barely deflected away by Pirate keeper Kynzie Ewing. 

Bluffton goal leader Aubrey Burkholder scored off a turnover with 28 minutes left in half one to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. The Pirate scoring ace booted a low shot from 22 yards out just as she collided with a Falcon defender. 

The shot got past Howard on the near post to tally Burkholder’s 18th goal of the season.

At the 20-minute mark, a hard Bonham shot from just outside the box was grabbed by Ewing.

Bonham got off a good shot with 11 minutes left, but Ewing made a fine save.

The Pirates led at the half, 1-0.

Howard made a nice save early in the second half. 

Riverdale senior Brooke Durenberger almost scored with 33 minutes left, but Ewing deflected the shot off the crossbar. Mariah Bonham made a nice run up the side, but her shot sailed wide of the goal a few minutes later.

Jordan Schweingruber blasted a free kick hard and high from about 25 yards out into the net with 24:13 remaining to stretch the Pirate lead to 2-0.

A Marissa Bonham shot deflected off a Bluffton defender and almost resulted in an own goal, but the rebound just missed the post. 

Bonham earned a corner kick with 14 minutes left when her shot was tipped out by Ewing. But the Pirates cleared it out.

Bluffton scored again to make it 3-0 with 11:36 remaining. Pirate junior Lilly Dagani tapped in a short shot off a Jenna Downey assist to put the game out of reach.

A Falcon shot two minutes later just missed as it went over the crossbar.

Bonham made a good run but came up short with a few minutes left.

The Falcon girls had defeated Bluffton in the district finals at Steinmetz the last two seasons. This time the foes met in the previous round at Bluffton, with a different result.

Efficient Bluffton directed eight of its nine shots on goal. The Falcons fired 16 shots, 10 of which were on goal.

Pirate goalkeeper Ewing made 10 saves, while Falcon keeper Howard was credited with five saves.

The Pirate girls improved to 7-2 at home after the win. Riverdale ended up 5-3-1 on the road this season with the defeat.

Second-seeded Columbus Grove beat Mansfield Christian 5-2 in the first semifinal at Steinmetz Monday night behind four goals from NWC Player of the Year Lauryn Auchmuty. 

The Flame girls ended their season with a 13-2-2 record after the defeat.  

The district final rematch between league rivals Grove (16-1-2) and Bluffton at Steinmetz Field is set for Thursday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. 

CG knocked off visiting Bluffton to dethrone the two-time NWC champion Pirates back on September 30, 2-1. 

In that match, Auchmuty and Ruth Myers tallied second half goals to overcome a 1-0 Pirate halftime lead provided by Mya McDougle’s goal.

The two rivals have split the last four NWC championships. CG won the league crown in 2021 and 2024, while Bluffton won it in 2022-23.

Senior ace Auchmuty has scored 44 goals and passed out 15 assists this season. She has scored a whopping 321 career points on 137 goals and 47 assists.

Grove’s lone loss was 1-0 to Kalida Oct. 10. Bluffton won at Kalida 1-0 Oct. 5.