BELOIT — The lone remaining unbeaten high school football teams in the Eastern Buckeye Conference — Alliance and West Branch — meet tonight at Heacock Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p..m.
Alliance and West Branch each enter the game 2-0 in EBC play and 6-1 overall. Tonight’s winner has an inside track to winning the league title. West Branch has won five straight league championships and 28 straight EBC games.
Return here throughout the night for live updates on the game.
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JR Jackson intercepts West Branch
JR Jackson intercepts West Branch. Alliance is called for an illegal block in the back on the return but will start at the West Branch 48-yard line. West Branch leads 20-7 with 9:24 left in the second quarter.
Kam Burton puts Alliance on the scoreboard
Kam Burton catches a 16-yard touchdown pass from JR Jackson with 9:47 to go in the second quarter. Burton was wide open with nobody around. The extra point attempt is good. West Branch leads 20-7.
West Branch leads after one quarter
West Branch leads 21-0 after the first quarter of play. Alliance will have it second-and-eight at the Aviator 45-yard line to start the second quarter.
Jeremiah Thomas runs for West Branch touchdown
Jeremiah Thomas scores on a 6-yard touchdown run. Thomas actually almost tripped and fell but somehow recovered and cut back into the line for the score. A bad snap on the extra point attempt leads to a failed run conversion attempt. West Branch leads 20-0 with 1:30 left in the first quarter.
West Branch defense forces punt
West Branch forces a quick three-and-out and Alliance is forced to punt. West Branch gets great field position. West Branch takes over at its own 45-yard line with a 14-0 lead with 4:17 left in the first quarter.
Grady Hirst runs for West Branch touchdown
Grady Hirst takes a quick snap up the gut for a 1-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt is good. West Branch leads Alliance 14-0 with 5:35 left in the first quarter.
Lukas Black intercepts Alliance
Lukas Black pulls down a one-handed interception on a deflected Alliance pass on a third-down play. West Branch takes over at its own 47-yard line with a 7-0 lead. 9:18 left in the first quarter.
Case Sanor catches early touchdown for West Branch
It takes just two offensive plays for West Branch to strike paydirt. Case Sanor catches a 10-yard touchdown pass from Grady Hirst with 10:45 to go in the first quarter. The kick is good. West Branch leads 7-0. The touchdown was set up by a 66-yard repection by Jeremiah Thomas on the play before.
West Branch begins game at own 20 yard line
West Branch catches the ball at the 20-yard line to start the game. We are officially underway here in Beloit.
West Branch and Alliance ready for kickoff
The teams have taken the field and we are getting set for the opening kickoff. West Branch will receive to start the game. Alliance will get the ball first in the second half.
Fall has arrived in Beloit
We’re more than an hour away from kickoff here at West Branch High School and the weather seems to have finally turned. We have a chill in the air as a few Alliance players are out on the field going through preliminary individual workouts. I’m working in tight quarters tonight but I’ll keep the updates coming. This should be an exciting, high-scoring game.
Eastern Buckeye Conference football standings
Alliance Aviators football schedule
West Branch Warriors football schedule
Reach Cliff at cliff.hickman@cantonrep.com
On X: @chickmanREP
The Canton Repository sports department can be contacted via email at sports@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: OHSAA football scores, Alliance vs. West Branch live updates, highlights
Reporting by Cliff Hickman, Canton Repository / The Repository
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