STRUTHERS, OH – The West Branch Warriors delivered a statement performance Friday night at Ladde J. Fedor Field, dismantling the Struthers Wildcats 55-6 to improve to 2-1 on the season. What began as a defensive battle quickly transformed into a showcase of Warrior dominance on both sides of the ball.

The turning point came early when punter Grady Hirst pinned Struthers deep in their own territory with a booming punt. On the ensuing play, defensive end Drew Gaspar forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone, giving West Branch their first touchdown and the momentum they would never relinquish.

The Warriors' offensive attack was relentless throughout the night. Quarterback Grady Hirst orchestrated the aerial assault, connecting with receiver Jeremiah Thomas on a perfectly placed 38-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter to extend the lead to 14-0. Moments later, Hirst fired an 8-yard touchdown pass to Grady Close to make it 21-0.

With 4:43 left in the second quarter, Struthers got on the board but missed the extra point. West Branch responded by scoring three more times quickly to end the half. The first was a 48-yard dart from Hirst for his third touchdown pass of the first half. With 1:40 left in the half, running back Damon Edwards punched it in on a 7-yard run, though the 2-point conversion failed. After a Struthers turnover, Hirst connected with Gavin Gregory for another score to put the Warriors up 41-6 at halftime.

The second half featured a running clock and once again strong defensive play from Coach Cooper's squad as they rolled to a 55-6 commanding victory. The highlight came when senior Brett Weisel hauled in a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, capping off a dominant performance by the Warriors.

Key Individual Performances
 

• Grady Hirst (QB) - 260 passing yards, 4 touchdown passes; 14 completions on 21 attempts
• Jeremiah Thomas (WR) - 65 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns including the 38-yard scoring strike
• Drew Gaspar (DE) - Fumble recovery for touchdown in the end zone, game-changing defensive play
• Grady Close (WR) - 56 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns on 7 catches
• Gavin Gregory (WR) - 95 receiving yards, 1 touchdown on 4 receptions; also recovered a fumble
• Damon Edwards (RB) - 72 rushing yards, 1 touchdown on 6 carries
• Zach Coffee (LB) - 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, anchored the defensive effort
• Lukas Black (DB) - 6 tackles, 1 QB pressure, 1 sack
• Gavin Hang (LB) - 2 tackles, 1 sack, caused fumble that led to turnover