Alliance, OH -- Nobody has put more than eight points on West Branch this season. Marlington did not come close. The Warriors scored all 42 of their points before halftime and blanked the Dukes 42-0 on Friday night, their second straight shutout, to move to 5-0.

Grady Hirst was nearly perfect running the offense. He completed 14 of 17 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns and ran one in himself, accounting for four of the six West Branch scores. Gavin Marshall caught two of those touchdowns, and JJ Marra took a Hirst pass 63 yards to the end zone. On the other side of the ball, the defense held Marlington to 83 total yards and eight first downs. The Dukes ran the ball 16 times and finished with minus four yards.

First Half
West Branch got on the board midway through the first quarter. Hirst punched it in from a yard out, Cruz Leone added the extra point, and the Warriors led 7-0. Late in the quarter, Hirst found Marshall from seven yards out, and Leone's kick made it 14-0.

The second quarter is where the game got away. Marra scored from five yards out early in the period, and after the extra point missed, it was 20-0. Three minutes later Drake Stryffeler fielded a Marlington punt and took it 56 yards for a touchdown. Leone's kick made it 27-0.

Hirst then hit Marra for a 63 yard touchdown, and Stryffeler ran in the conversion for a 35-0 lead. Hirst and Marshall connected again from 18 yards out with 1:45 left in the half, that sent West Branch into the locker room up 42-0.

Second Half
The second half belonged to the defense. Marlington never found any rhythm, nobody scored in the third or fourth quarter, and the Warriors walked off with another shutout.

Offensive Highlights

• Grady Hirst completed 14 of 17 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns, and ran seven times for 54 yards and a score
• Drake Stryffeler caught four passes for 73 yards, returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown and added 23 yards on the ground
• JJ Marra caught two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, and ran six times for 25 yards and a score
• Gavin Marshall caught three passes for 30 yards and two touchdowns, and added 33 yards on four carries
• Jeremy Ramsey caught two passes for 36 yards, and Landon Coffee caught two for 34
• The Warriors finished with 426 total yards, 167 on the ground, and 17 first downs, and punted just once

Defensive Highlights

• Marlington was held to 83 total yards and eight first downs
• The Dukes rushed 16 times for minus four yards
• Landon Coffee, Tyler Sprowl and Mason Cosma each recorded a sack, and Coffee added a tackle for loss
• Colton Stillion came up with an interception
• JJ Marra and Owen Bloss each made three tackles, and Bloss added a pass breakup

What's Next: West Branch (5-0) returns home next Friday to host Canfield (1-4) on Military Appreciation Night. Canfield's record does not tell the whole story, as its losses have come in close games, so expect a battle. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Clinton Heacock Stadium.