Sports Round-Up by Paul Beitler

Special night at Tigers’ game
At Friday night’s Bluffton home football game, fall senior athletes, cheerleaders and Bengal Brigade members will be recognized prior to the start of the game. These introductions will take place at approximately 6:40 p.m.
Senior athletes and parents are to line up at the north end of the stadium at 6:30 p.m. These seniors will gain free admission to the game, but parents and family members are expected to purchase a ticket.
During halftime, all middle school football players and middle school cheerleaders will be recognized. These athletes are to line up at the north end of the stadium at the midway point of the second quarter. These athletes will gain free admission to the game, but parents and family members are expected to purchase a ticket.
All Bluffton High School students will be admitted at no charge to the game. These students will be expected to sign-in at the game and are encouraged to sit in the student section of the bleachers.
Students also are reminded that only Nerf or soft footballs are permitted. Students (elementary school grades 1-6) are requested to play only touch football in the grass area south of the stadium.

Knights storm back
to spike New Haven 3-2
The Norwell Knights rallied to defeat New Haven 3-2 on Thursday night in Northeast Hoosier Conference volleyball action at New Haven.
Norwell tallied game scores of 25-23, 23-25, 15-25, 25-12, 15-11. The Knights raised their record to 17-10 and 1-4 in conference matches.
Lauren Klansek powered the Knights’ attack with 22 kills, three aces and 14 digs. Amanda McAfee had seven kills and 10 digs. Olivia Geiger added five kills and one ace. Jessica Louison had four kills and 11 digs. Elizabeth Ault had 15 digs. Laken Chaney had 33 assists and two aces.
New Haven was led by Alisha Huffman with 19 kills. Chanlar Hall had 12 and Amber Knueve 10. Hannah Salerno had 44 assists. Knueve and Hall each had 11 digs. Hall had five total blocks.
In the junior varsity match, New Haven won 24-25, 25-24, 15-10. Norwell was led by Olivia Harness, Cassandra Heckber and Heather Sterrett each with six kills. Tiffany Williams had 19 assists and Kendall Beckstein had 13 digs. Sterrett had two blocks and Jalyn Kremer had two aces.

Leo downs Tigers in ACAC volleyball
Leo defeated the Bluffton Tigers 3-0 in Allen County Athletic Conference girls’ volleyball action Thursday night at Leo-Cedarville.
The Lions posted game scores of 25-20, 25-4, 25-17. Leo finished second in the ACAC at 6-1, while Bluffton (7-18) ended up 1-6 in the loop.
Kara Fiechter led the Tigers with eight kills, four assists and two digs. Maggie Garrett had three kills, Gina Eisenhut two, Sierra Steffen one and Paige Jacobs one. Megan Evans added three assists and two digs. Natasha Patterson had three digs and one assist. Hannah and Sammy Gilliam each had two digs.

Sign up for Future Lady Tigers
Bluffton’s girls’ basketball will be tipping off its Future Lady Tigers program Oct. 16, which runs on Saturdays through Dec. 11 at the high school. Students in grades 3-6 may register for $25, with each additional child for $15. A team jersey is included. Registration forms may be picked up and returned at the high school, middle school and elementary school offices or by e-mailing head coach Vicki Van Matre at vvanmatre@bhmsd.k12.in.us. Deadline is Oct. 8. For more information, call Coach Van Matre at 824-3724, ext. 7304.