Bluffton takes on Cavaliers for spot in state final

For Bluffton football coach Jeff Richards, reaching the state semifinal has a family aspect to it.The win over Patrick Henry last Friday gave the Pirates their first regional title since 1991."My dad (Mike) coached here in the '80s," Richards said after the win over the Patriots. "My brother played here. I played here. "I wanted to bring Bluffton football to that realm of being in the discussion for state titles," Richards said. "Being in the state Final Four, that sure feels good."The Pirates have certainly showed they belong. They come into tonight's Division VI semifinal against Coldwater in Wapakoneta with a 13-1 record.The only blemish on Bluffton's record was a Week 10 loss to Columbus Grove, and the Bulldogs are playing in the Division VII state semifinal tonight.For senior linebacker/running back Landen Worcester, being in the state semifinal with Coldwater is special."The fact that we could do this, and the fact that we could advance and possibly do more is the best feeling ever," Worcester said.To keep that feeling – and its season – going, Bluffton will need to upend Coldwater.The Cavaliers – part of the historically tough Midwest Athletic Conference – also enter with a 13-1 record.They beat Anna 45-21 last week to reach Week 15. It's only loss of the season came to undefeated Marion Local in Week 10.On the season, the Cavaliers have outscored their opponents 573-153. Five players have rushed for more than 100 yards on the season, led by Braxton Taylor, who has 687 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Coldwater also has a strong passing game, paced by quarterback Baylen Blockberger, who has completed 128 of 179 passes for 1,806 yards and 20 touchdowns.The team's leading receiver is Mason Welsch, who has 45 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns.That offense will be going against a Bluffton defense that has yielded seven points or less 11 times this season.As for Coldwater's defense, Will Barry leads the way with 19 tackles for a loss and five sacks. Meanwhile, Cody Depweg has 10 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.That unit will go against an offense known for its running game, although the Pirates have passed effectively in recent weeks.Bluffton quarterback Tayte Giesige had one of his best games against the Patriots last week, completing 9 of 11 passes for 121 yards, while rushing 16 times for 64 yards."He's one of a great group of young men we have," Richards said. "He's grown a lot this year. He's going to be a special player for sure the next few years."But the focus right now is on this year, and tonight's game."We've had some really, really good teams," Richards said. "Unfortunately, they ran into some very good teams and came up short a few times. This has been a special group, and I'm proud of them."Kickoff is at 7 p.m.