Warriors clinch share of EBC title
BELOIT — West Branch clinched a share of its sixth straight Eastern Buckeye Conference title with a 48-7 win over Carrollton on Friday.
West Branch is 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the league. The Warriors have won 30 EBC games in a row and can end the league slate perfect with a win at Salem next Friday. The rival Quakers have one league loss and can clinch a share of the league title with the Warriors if they win on Friday.
Grady Hirst had an all-around day for the Warriors with six carries for 100 yards and a rushing touchdown. Through the air he completed 13 of 19 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He added an interception on defense.
Jeremiah Thomas caught five balls for 92 yards and two touchdowns. He added two rushing touchdowns.
CA–0-7-0-0–7
WB–13-28-0-7–48
WB–Jeremiah Thomas 5 run (Gavin Clemens kick)
WB–Grady Hirst 76 run (kick failed)
WB–Jeremiah Thomas 3 run (Clemens kick)
WB –Jake Weingart 9 pass from Hirst (Clemens kick)
WB–Thomas 40 pass from Hirst (Clemens kick)
C–Isaac Husted 1 pass from Hunter Allison (Paycen Haven kick)
WB–Claton Day 4 run (Clemens kick)
WB–Damon Edwards 19 run (Clemens kick)
Columbiana 40, East Palestine 7
EAST PALESTINE — Columbiana looks ready to compete for the playoffs after a 40-7 win over rival East Palestine on Friday night.
Danny Mangiarelli scored the Clippers first touchdown and then added another after the Clippers recovered a Bulldog fumbled punt. Mangiarelli tallied yet another touchdown to put the Clippers up 20-0 after the Bulldogs came up short of a fourth down conversion.
Hayes McCoy extended the lead to 28-0 in the second quarter with a touchdown of his own.
The Clippers led 40-0 at the break and sent the game into running clock territory. Columbiana had won 19 times out of the last 23 games played in the series.
Columbiana is 5-3 and 4-1 in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference. The Clippers are at Lisbon next Friday with the playoffs on the line for both schools.
East Palestine is 7-2 and 4-2 in the EOAC. The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Valley Christian to finish the regular season.
East Palestine has already clinched a Div. VII playoff berth but may now miss out on a first round bye.
United 42, Wellsville 7
WELLSVILLE — United jumped out to a 35-0 lead in opening 16 minutes and beat Wellsville, 42-7, Friday to clinch at least a share of third straight Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference title.
The Eagles — winners of 17 straight EOAC games — improve to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in league play. They can capture the title outright as they host Southern Local on Friday.
United jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Eagles added touchdown runs of 41 yards by Tom Brown, 6 yards by Quentin Taylor and 11 yards by Will Gundersen for a 42-0 halftime lead.
The Tigers scored in the fourth quarter on Jeron Jackson’s 19-yard pass to Ethan Morris.
Wellsville drops to 0-9 and 0-6 in the EOAC heading into Friday’s home finale against Leetonia. The Tigers have lost 14 game in a row and have three wins in their last 31 games — all three against Leetonia.
U: 21-21-0-0–42
W: 0-0-0-7–7