High state rankings for Quakers, Warriors
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COLUMBUS -- West Branch and Salem appear to be on a collision course.
The Eastern Buckeye Conference rivals received top 10 rankings in the initial 2026 Associated Press high school football poll released Tuesday.
The Warriors (4-0) are eighth in Division IV and the Quakers (4-0) are 10th in Division III.
The teams will meet in the regular-season finale, but have a long way to go before then.
Salem travels to unbeaten and unranked Beaver Local (4-0) on Friday in another Columbiana County showdown.
Salem features a run-oriented attack that is averaging 35.8 points a game this season. The Quakers have given up at least 17 points in every game this season and 16 of their last 17 games overall.
The Quakers will try to stop a Beaver Local team that is averaging 31.8 points a game.
West Branch is on the road Friday at Marlington.
The Warriors’ offense is led by senior quarterback Grady Hirst, a Youngstown State University commit. Hirst has completed 56 of 77 passes (73%) for 774 yards and six touchdowns and also leads the team in rushing with 482 yards and nine touchdowns on 56 carries (8.6).
West Branch is also doing defensively, giving up only three touchdowns this season.
East Liverpool (2-2) is ranked 16th in Division IV.The Potters will host 0-4 St. Clairsville on Friday.
Among other area teams, South Range (4-0) is ranked second and Mineral Ridge (4-0) is tied for ninth in Division IV and McDonald (4-0) is fifth and Toronto (4-0) is 10th in Division VII.
Toronto will host Oak Glen on Friday.