It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but West Branch had no problem doing just that on Friday. They put the hurt on the Norton Panthers with a sharp 35-14 win. The Warriors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by 21 points or more this season.
West Branch's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Grady Hirst, who rushed for 54 yards and one score, and also threw for 171 yards and one TD. Another rusher making a difference was Jeremiah Thomas, who gained 91 total yards and two touchdowns.
Another reason for the win was West Branch's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Gavin Hang and Zach Coffee, who racked up all four sacks between them. Coffee also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with 14. West Branch received some extra help from Gavin Gregory, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Warriors
| 11/07/25 vs Norton | 35-14 |
| 10/24/25 @ Salem | 27-13 |
| 10/17/25 vs Carrollton | 48-7 |
| 10/10/25 vs Alliance | 34-28 |
| 10/03/25 vs Marlington | 62-0 |
| + 5 more games |
The win was the tenth in a row for West Branch, bringing their record up to 10-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 41.3 points over those games. As for Norton, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 10-2.
Coming up, West Branch is taking a road trip to challenge Perry at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Norton does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
