Beloit, OH -- West Branch had already handled its business away from home, opening the season 2-0 on the road. Friday night, the Warriors finally got to play in front of their own crowd, and Grady Hirst made sure it was worth the wait.
Hirst was everywhere. He threw for four touchdowns, broke off a 98-yard touchdown run, and had a hand in every point West Branch scored through three quarters. Gavin Marshall was right there with him, catching two of those scores and racking up 102 yards receiving. Struthers hung around just long enough to force three West Branch fumbles in the first half, but it didn't matter. The Warriors piled up 470 yards of offense and rolled to a 34-8 win at Clinton Heacock Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
It took West Branch all of one play to get going. Struthers kicked off to start the game, and on the Warriors' very first snap from scrimmage, Hirst dropped back and found Marshall streaking down the field for a 52-yard touchdown. Cruz Leone's extra point made it 7-0 before most of the crowd had settled into their seats.
Then the floodgates opened in the second quarter. Hirst and Marshall hooked up again, this time from 46 yards out, and Leone's kick made it 14-0. A few minutes later, Hirst took a handoff, found a crease, and outran everybody on the field for a 98-yard touchdown run, the kind of play that gets people out of their seats. That made it 21-0.
Up front, the offensive line set the tone all night, giving Hirst a clean pocket to work with and opening up running lanes that turned into some of the Warriors' biggest plays.
West Branch wasn't finished. Hirst hit Jeremy Ramsey deep for a 72-yard score, though the extra point sailed wide, keeping it at 27-0. With 34 seconds left before halftime, Hirst found the end zone one more time through the air, connecting with Drake Stryffeler from 14 yards out. Leone's PAT made it 34-0, capping a first half where the Warriors put up 27 points in the second quarter alone and left no doubt about how the rest of the night would go.
West Branch turned the ball over three times on fumbles in the half, but Struthers couldn't turn any of those mistakes into points, and the Warriors defense made sure of it, coming up with the stops needed to keep the shutout intact.
Second Half
The second half was mostly about West Branch's defense keeping the door shut. Struthers didn't find the end zone until 1:14 remained in the fourth quarter, when Landon Fox found Ashton Pascarella for a 15-yard touchdown. Gionni Stewart added the two-point conversion, but by then it was well too late. The Warriors closed out a 34-8 win.
Offensive Highlights
- Grady Hirst went 20-for-27 for 312 yards and 4 TDs, plus a 98-yard touchdown run
- Gavin Marshall caught 3 passes for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns
- Drake Stryffeler had 4 catches for 35 yards and a touchdown
- Jeremy Ramsey's only catch went for 72 yards and a score
- The offensive line gave Hirst plenty of time to throw all night
- West Branch finished with 470 yards of total offense
Defensive Highlights
What's Next: West Branch stays home next Friday to open EBC play, hosting a Howland team that comes in unbeaten at 3-0. Kickoff at Clinton Heacock Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
