By Cort Reynolds

Visiting Bluffton forged an early lead but eventually lost 40-14 to Liberty Center in Div. VI, Region 22 first round football playoff action Saturday night, October 30.

Bluffton scored first and led 14-7 late in the second period before things unraveled. 

LC scored 20 points apiece in the second and third quarters and tallied the final 33 points to win going away.

Seeded 12th, Bluffton finished its season 5-6 after the defeat.

Fifth-seeded LC improved to 9-2 with the victory and advanced to the regional quarterfinals against unbeaten fourth seed Columbus Grove (11-0). Grove shut out Ottawa Hills in their first round matchup, 35-0.

Bluffton senior quarterback Nate Schaadt found the end zone on a one-yard plunge with 1:59 left in the first period. The extra point kick by Gabe Meza gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead after one period of play.

Tiger back Teejay Moore found paydirt on a six-yard scoring run, and the extra point tied it 7-7 just 1:58 into the second stanza.

Schaadt and Bluffton struck back with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Wilson. The Meza extra point boot put the Pirates back on top with 2:36 left in the half, 14-7.

But LC drove and tied it up again 14-14 on quarterback Zane Zelter's 20-yard scoring scamper 49 seconds before intermission.

After a costly Pirate turnover the momentum continued to shift to the hosts.

With 25 seconds left in the first half, Zelter connected with Evan Conrad on a 17-yard TD aerial to give the hosts their first lead.

The PAT try missed to keep the score 20-14 at the halftime break.

Moore tallied his second TD on a four-yard run with 9:22 left in the third period. His two-point run conversion try came up short, keeping the margin to 12 at 26-14.

At the 5:33 mark, Zelter found the end zone on a 15-yard run to extend the lead to 32-14. The extra point kick made it 26 unanswered points for the Tigers.

Matthew Orr capped a 20-0 third quarter on a six-yard scoring jaunt with 35 seconds left in the third period. The extra point boot was good to advance the lead to 40-14.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the Pirates were shut out in the second half.

Liberty Center and Bluffton previously met in the 2004 playoffs when the Tigers spoiled a perfect 11-0 Pirate season in the second round of the postseason, 27-0.

1 2 3 4 F

LC 0 20 20 0 40

Bluf 7 7 0 0 14

Notes and stats

LC out-gained Bluffton 364-204 yards in total offense. The hosts averaged 6.6 yards per play on 55 plays. The Pirates averaged 3.7 yards on an equal number of 55 snaps.

The Tigers ran the ball 40 times for 281 yards (7.0 average). The Pirates netted 97 yards rushing on 41 attempts for an average gain of 2.4 yards per carry.

Bluffton amassed 12 first downs compared to 21 chain-movers by the victors.

Schaadt rushed 26 times for 55 yards and one TD. He also completed 10 of 14 passes for 107 yards and one score with one interception.

Landon Shutler netted 30 yards rushing on a dozen runs. He added 84 yards on four kickoff returns.  

Gavin Bogart hauled in four receptions for 24 yards. Wilson snared two catches for one TD and 76 yards.

Pirate Kameron Coughlan was credited with a team-high 9.5 tackles.

Zelter completed seven of 14 passes for 83 yards and one TD. He also rushed for 53 yards and two scores on 10 carries.

Moore netted 106 yards on 10 carries with two TDs. Orr contributed 80 yards rushing on 11 runs with one TD.

Colton Kruse added 34 yards rushing on four carries.

Conrad made two receptions for 36 yards and one TD. Riley Chapa added two catches for 20 yards.

Bluffton committed two turnovers with a fumble and pick. LC made no turnovers.

Liberty lost 25 yards on three penalties, and Bluffton was flagged six times for 50 yards.

Bluffton succeeded on two of 12 third down attempts, and made it on three of five fourth down tries. 

LC converted just two of nine third down tries, and went two of four on fourth down. 

Bluffton won the time of possession battle, 25:43 to 22:17 minutes.

The Pirates finished the 2021 season 3-2 at home and 2-4 on the road.