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West Branch Earns Dominant Road Win at Struthers

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 Hong (LB) - 2 tackles, 1 sack, caused fumble that led to turnover
What's Next: The Warriors return to action next Friday, September 12th, when they travel to face Chaney in a non-conference matchup. Game time is 7:00 PM at Rayen Stadium.
 
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Players Mentioned

Lukas Black

#4 Lukas Black

WR/LB
5' 11"
Senior
Grady Close

#3 Grady Close

WR/DB
5' 9"
Senior
Zach Coffee

#56 Zach Coffee

OL/LB
6' 3"
Senior
Drew Gaspar

#15 Drew Gaspar

WR/LB
5' 10"
Senior
Gavin Gregory

#84 Gavin Gregory

WR/DL
6' 7"
Senior
Jeremiah Thomas

#1 Jeremiah Thomas

WR/DB/QB
5' 9"
Senior
Brett Weisel

#6 Brett Weisel

WR/DB
5' 11"
Senior
Damon Edwards

#37 Damon Edwards

RB/DL
6' 2"
Junior
Grady Hirst

#5 Grady Hirst

QB/DB
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Lukas Black

#4 Lukas Black

5' 11"
Senior
WR/LB
Grady Close

#3 Grady Close

5' 9"
Senior
WR/DB
Zach Coffee

#56 Zach Coffee

6' 3"
Senior
OL/LB
Drew Gaspar

#15 Drew Gaspar

5' 10"
Senior
WR/LB
Gavin Gregory

#84 Gavin Gregory

6' 7"
Senior
WR/DL
Jeremiah Thomas

#1 Jeremiah Thomas

5' 9"
Senior
WR/DB/QB
Brett Weisel

#6 Brett Weisel

5' 11"
Senior
WR/DB
Damon Edwards

#37 Damon Edwards

6' 2"
Junior
RB/DL
Grady Hirst

#5 Grady Hirst

6' 2"
Junior
QB/DB