Sports Round-Up by Paul Beitler

Raiders to host semi-state
Lafayette Central Catholic will travel to Southern Wells Friday for a Class A football semi-state game with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
The Knights are ranked No. 1 and Raiders No. 8.
Tickets will go on sale before Friday in the high school office as follows: Wednesday from 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Thursday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost is $7. There is no charge for preschool children.

Tigers’ hoop opener changed
The Bluffton boys’ basketball season opener has been changed. The Tigers will be hosting the Snider Panthers on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 6 p.m.
The original opener against Eastbrook has been postponed and the games are rescheduled for Dec. 22 at Eastbrook at 6 p.m.
Before the varisty game against Snider, the Tigers will recognize Wayne Barker for his years of service as varsity boys’ basketball coach. A small reception will follow the game in the cafetorium.
The 2009 baseball sectional championship team also will be recognized at halftime of the varsity game.

Tigers to take hygiene items
Bluffton High School will charge a $3 admission to Thursday night’s boys’ basketball scrimmage against Huntington North. Fans also may gain admittance at no charge by donating personal hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap and deodorant to the Wells County Food Bank.

Otters record first-place finishes
Logan Brink, Stephanie Bussey, Skyler Ruschhaupt and Dan Scher led the Huntington-Wells Otters swim team on Nov. 7-8 at the PRO Superstar Invitational meet at Penn High School in Mishawaka.
Bussey was first in the girls’ 15-over 100-yard breaststroke in 1:12:51 and the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:37.96. Brink was first in the girls’ 15-over 100-yard freestyle in 54.15 seconds.
Ruschhaupt was first in the boys’ 15-over 200-yard individual medley in 2:01.40. Scher was first in the 50-yard freestyle in 22.68.
Ruschhaupt, Scher, Tony Carroll and Dominic Vernasco were first in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:44.61. Trevor Carroll joined Tony Carroll, Ruschhaupt and Scher to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:29.83.
Breanna Robinson, Kailin Potter, Sarah Coyne and Brink won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:43.20.
Parker Brandenburg, Chase Carroll, Walter Hacker and Anthony Vernasco won the boys’ 11-12 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:57.40 and the 200-yard medley relay in 2:11.54.

Cheer clinic at Huntington University
The Huntington University cheerleading squad will host a cheer clinic on Saturday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Merillat Complex.
Girls ages 5-14 are invited to participate. Cost is $25. Registration and payment may be made the day of the clinic, but to ensure attendees receive a clinic T-shirt please call cheer coach Candace Cooper at 260-224-0179.
Participants also are invited back to the men’s basketball game at 3 p.m. and will be admitted by wearing their clinic T-shirt. At halftime, the clinic attendees will perform a cheer.
Rachel Batdorff, a 2009 Norwell graduate and former cheerleader, is part of the Foresters’ cheer squad.

Jr. High Raider girls split openers
The Southern Wells Junior High School girls’ basketball teams split their season-opening games against Eastbrook on Monday. The 8th-grade Raiders rolled over the Panthers 49-7, while the 7th-graders lost a squeaker 16-15.
The 8th-grade Raiders were led in scoring by Carissa Carter with 11 points and Olivia Mossburg with 10. Katelyn Kline added eight, Ashton Prible and Megan Thompson six apiece, Breanna Hinshaw four, Hillary Paxson and Kim Captain with two.
Savannah Deakyne scored six points to lead the 7th-graders. Molly Stoffel, Lela Knowles, Brooke Penrod and Megan Lefebvre each netted two points, while Meghan Yencer had one point.

BMS basketball games cancelled
The Bluffton Middle School boys’ basketball games against West Jay on Wednesday have been cancelled.