Minerva, OH -- Minerva calls its home field the Lions Den. West Branch spent Friday night making itself comfortable, rolling past the Lions 50-7 to improve to 7-1.
Minerva has not beaten the Warriors since 2019. Over that stretch, West Branch has now outscored the Lions 423-33.
First Half
Drake Stryffeler got the Warriors on the board first, running in from 6 yards out with 10:32 left in the opening quarter. Grady Hirst found Landon Coffee for an 11 yard touchdown a few minutes later, and Stryffeler ran in the two point conversion to make it 14-0.
Hirst took over on the ground from there. He scored from 17 yards out late in the first quarter, with Cruz Leone adding the extra point, to make it 21-0 after one.
Hirst added a 25 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Just before the half, he hit Stryffeler for a 13 yard touchdown, and the Warriors went to the locker room up 35-0.
Second Half
The Warriors kept the pressure on after the break. Minerva's punter kicked the ball out the back of his own end zone for a safety, and Hirst then connected with Johnny Edwards on a 35 yard touchdown to make it 43-0.
Minerva got on the board with 11:03 left in the fourth, when Kannon Kirkpatrick hit Lane Tarbet from 8 yards out. West Branch answered on its next possession. Stryffeler broke loose for a 65 yard touchdown run to set the final score.
Offensive Highlights
- Grady Hirst completed 18 of 21 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for two more scores
- Drake Stryffeler ran for 81 yards and two touchdowns on three carries, and caught three passes for 63 yards and a score
- Landon Coffee caught four passes for 31 yards and a touchdown
- Johnny Edwards caught a 35 yard touchdown pass
- Logan Hawk caught three passes for 36 yards, and eight Warriors caught a pass
- West Branch finished with 465 total yards, including 236 on the ground, and 17 first downs
Defensive Highlights
- Cam Mason forced a fumble with a strip sack, and Sean Coker recovered it
- Brock Woost intercepted a pass
- The Warriors held Minerva to 138 total yards and 8 first downs
What's Next: West Branch (7-1) returns home to host Alliance next Friday, Oct. 16, for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Salem fell to Howland on Friday, which means a Warriors win over Alliance would clinch at least a share of the EBC title. A win over Salem after that would give West Branch the league championship outright.
