Bluffton High School is this year's Northwest Conference 2015-16 “Don Bachman Award of Excellence” winner for the second time with a number of high finishes in conference standings throughout the year. 

This award recognizes the school in the conference that exhibits the highest level of consistent excellence in conference-sponsored sports and scholastic bowl competition.

The Pirates compiled a total of 75.5 points to defeat Spencerville (69.5) with Columbus Grove (66.0) finishing third.  Points are awarded and accumulated each year based on conference standings in all sports and the NWC scholastic bowl competition.

The award was started during the 2005-06 school year to honor longtime Northwest Conference commissioner/secretary, Don Bachman, who served in that position for more than 30 years before passing away late in 2005.

This year Bluffton earned one outright NWC title in boys' soccer.  In addition to the conference championship in soccer, the Pirates had second place finishes in wrestling, boys' track and girls' track with a co-runner up in the Scholastic Bowl competition. 

Bluffton also had third place finishes in girls' soccer, girls' basketball and football.

Other NWC champions/co-champions were:
Ada (Volleyball) 
Allen East (Girls' Soccer) 
Columbus Grove (Girls' Basketball, Girls' Track, Boys' Track) 
Crestview (Softball) 
Delphos Jefferson (Football, Wrestling) 
Lincolnview (Golf, Boys' and Girls' Cross Country, Boys' Basketball) 
Paulding (Volleyball, Baseball, Academic Team)
Spencerville (Baseball)

The final order of finish for the 2015-16 school year is as follows:

Bluffton 75.5
Spencerville 69.5
Columbus Grove 66.0
Crestview 62.5
Lincolnview 62.0
Delphos Jefferson 61.0
Paulding 58.0
Ada 55.5
Allen East 52.0