By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON __ The Bluffton football team drubbed visiting Spencerville 55-7 in a Northwest Conference mismatch on Friday night, September 20, at Harmon Field.

Bluffton raced to a 48-0 halftime lead and cruised to victory.

The defending league co-champion Pirates improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the NWC with the lopsided win.

Meanwhile, the Bearcats fell to 3-2 and 0-2 in the NWC after the loss. 

Bluffton scored 27 points in the first period and tallied 21 in the second stanza to put the game out of reach early.

Sophomore Pirate quarterback Tayte Giesige threw four touchdown passes in the first half to pace the onslaught. Senior receiving/running dual threat Griffin Stackhouse scored five touchdowns.

Giesige’s first quarter 50-yard scoring aerial to Stackhouse started the assault.

Senior Jackson Brauen booted the first of his five extra-point kicks to make it 7-0.

Parker Lovell hit paydirt on a two-yard run for a 14-0 lead after the Brauen kick.

Senior back Landen Worcester rambled 72 yards to the end zone for a 21-0 margin. 

Speedster Stackhouse hauled in a 20-yard TD pass from Giesige as the Pirates led 27-0 following the first period.

Versatile weapon Stackhouse snared a 14-yard TD toss from Giesige early in the second stanza to stretch the lead to 34-0 after the Brauen boot.

Stackhouse then hit paydirt on TD runs of 14 and three yards to balloon the margin to 48-0 at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Jackson Bowlus found the end zone on a five-yard run for the final Pirate TD. Andy Brodman kicked the extra point to make it 55-0.

The Bearcats avoided a shutout with a 36-yard scoring run in the final minutes to cut the final margin to 48.

Notes and stats

Bluffton racked up 456 yards in total offense on 46 plays (9.9 average). The stingy defense limited the Bearcats to just 166 net yards on 51 snaps (3.3 avg.).

The Pirates ran for 265 yards and passed for 191 more in yet another balanced offensive effort. Bluffton averaged yards per rush (10.6 avg.). 

Spencerville netted 123 yards on the ground off 34 carries (3.6 avg.) against the tough Pirate defense. The Bearcats mustered just 43 yards through the air.

The Pirates compiled 18 first downs, while the Bearcats amassed nine chain-movers.

Giesige completed 12 of 17 passes for 182 yards and four TDs with no interceptions. He also ran for 25 yards on two rushes to account for 207 yards in total offense.

Worcester netted 121 yards on seven carries and scored one TD. 

Bowlus contributed 33 yards on four carries.

Sophomore Lovell gained 29 yards on four rushes. Sophomore Blayne Hill added 14 yards on one run.

Stackhouse had one carry for 14 yards and a score. He snagged five passes for 116 yards and four TDs. He also returned a kickoff 42 yards.

Quinn Eachus hauled in five receptions for 49 yards.

Backup sophomore QB Lleyton Miller completed his only aerial attempt for nine yards. 

Carson Kruse led the defense with an interception, 10 assists and two solo tackles. Lovell was in on eight stops, and Worcester added seven assists. 

Xavier Diller recovered a fumble, made two solo tackles and added five assists. Bowlus also recovered a fumble.

The Pirates committed three penalties for 23 yards, while the Bearcats were flagged eight times for 75 yards. Spencerville was 2-9 on third down and 1-2 on fourth, while the Pirates converted three of five tries on third down and went 1-1 on fourth.

Spencerville committed three turnovers, while the Pirates made no miscues. The Bearcats fumbled the ball away twice and threw one pick. 

The Pirates have outscored their opposition by a commanding 262-24 margin over five games this season (52.4 ppg to 4.8 ppg). 

Bluffton remains third in the Div. VI, Region 22 computer rankings. They trail only first-place Hopewell-Loudon (5-0) and Huron (4-1).

Pirates host T-Birds in week 6 showdown

Bluffton (2-0 NWC) hosts Lima Central Catholic (4-1, 2-0 NWC) in a key week six battle Friday, Sept. 27 on Homecoming. After five blowout wins, it should prove to be the toughest Pirate game of the season so far.

The Thunderbirds edged Fort Loramie 28-21 Friday night. LCC has won four in a row since a 33-19 opening-game loss to Shawnee. The T-Birds are 2-0 on the road, while Bluffton is 2-0 at home. 

LCC is tied for third in the Div. VII, Region 26 rankings with Ada (4-1) and Gibsonburg (3-2).

The T-Birds have beaten Delphos St. John’s (14-13), Carey (25-7), Allen East (35-7) and FL in succession by an average score of 25.5 to 12.

The Pirates have won 14 of their last 15 regular season contests, and have emerged victorious in 17 of their past 19 outings overall. Columbus Grove handed Bluffton both of its losses in that successful span.

The Pirates are tied atop the NWC standings at 2-0 with LCC and defending co-champion Columbus Grove.

Bluffton hosts Grove in a regular season finale showdown October 25 on Senior Night.

1 2 3 4 F

Blf 27 21 0 7 55

Svl 0 0 0 7 7