Friday night, the 8-1 West Branch football team will travel to Salem's Sebo Stadium for their final and one of their biggest games of the regular season against the rival Quakers. The winner of this storied matchup will take home the prestigious Totem-Bell Traveling Trophy.
Salem enters the contest with a 6-3 record and is riding a three game winning streak. Last week, the Quakers offense was firing on all cylinders in a 61-39 win over Marlington. Meanwhile, Coach Cooper's Warriors kept rolling with a dominant 48-7 victory over Carrollton. This rivalry has provided some epic games over the years, but west branch has won five straight in the series. If WB wins, they will claim their sixth straight outright EBC Title.
Last Season's Meeting
QUICK HITTERS
Defense has been the name of the game throughout the season for the Warriors, as they have forced 21 total turnovers while holding opponents to just 11 points per game...
Grady Hirst has been a ball hawk in the secondary, leading the team with four interceptions, while
Drake Stryffeler has stepped up over the last two games, recording an interception in each contest... The Warrior defensive line has been stout, with senior
Zach Coffee anchoring the front. He's been a force, tallying 33 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, a fumble recovery, and even an interception... Senior
Lukas Black has also been a key piece of the defense, recording 35 solo tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks...The defense will be put to test this weekend as the Quakers are averaging 43.2 points per game this season
On the flip side, the West Branch offense has been equally impressive, averaging 41.3 points per game... Quarterback Grady Hirst has surpassed 2,000 passing yards, adding 22 passing touchdowns, 433 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, and even a receiving score... His big-play weapons have been outstanding, led by reigning EBC Player of the Year Jeremiah Thomas, who has 797 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, 2 passing touchdowns, 294 rushing yards, and a total of 21 touchdowns this season... Gavin Gregory has been another reliable target, hauling in 600 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns... Receivers Jake Weingart, Grady Close, and Drake Stryffeler have also made key contributions, combining for 6 total touchdowns... Freshman Gavin Marshall has emerged as a strong presence in the backfield, rushing for 228 yards with 2 touchdowns.
Location:
Sebo Stadium
925 E Pershing St, Salem, OH 44460
Kickoff:
7:00 PM
Tickets:
Tickets can be purchased at the gate with cash or online. There will be no pre-sale tickets. | You can purchase tickets online by clicking here: West Branch at Salem Online Tickets
Adults- $8
Students- $5
Gates will open at 5:30 PM
Streaming:
The game will be broadcast on ysnlive.com. You can access the stream through their website.
Radio: Q92 out of Alliance will be in attendance to provide radio coverage.
Important Notice From Salem Athletics*
