West Branch, Struthers scrimmage in what could be a high school football playoff preview
.jpg "West Branch quarterback Jeremiah Thomas, left, prepares to take the shotgun snap as members of the Sruthers defense, right, dig in during Friday’s high school football scrimmage in Struthers. The two team’s first units tied, 2-2. Photo/Mike Brown")
STRUTHERS — Two football teams that figure to be among the top powers in rugged Division IV Region 13 this season clashed Friday morning when West Branch and Struthers matched talented squads in a scrimmage at Laddie J. Fedor Field in Struthers.
The two team’s first units tied 2-2, while West Branch won the combined second-and-third team portion of the scrimmage 1-0.
In the first-team scrimmage, Struthers scored on a six-yard run around left end on the 10th and final play of its first 10-play series to take a 1-0 lead.
West Branch answered back on its second series when the Warriors scored on a 65-yard pass play down the left sideline.
West Branch then scored on a one-yard run up the middle on its third and final offensive series of the first-team scrimmage to take a 2-1 advantage. The score occurred one play after the Warriors connected on a long pass play to the WIldcats’ one-yard line.
Struthers tied the scrimmage at 2-2 on a five-yard run up the middle to close the scoring in the battle of the first units.
Several West Branch starters, including two of their standouts, did not play in the scrimmage as they were held out for precautionary injury reasons.
West Branch will close its scrimmage season next Friday when the Warriors host the South Range Raiders at 6 p.m. in Clinton Heacock Stadium.
Struthers will conclude its scrimmage campaign next Thursday when the Wildcats host the Canfield Cardinals at 7 p.m.