Huntington 34, Westfall 21
CHILLICOTHE — Despite losing the turnover battle, Westfall still was in a position to get a ‘W’ Friday night, but the fifth interception of the game sealed a Huntington win as the Huntsmen secured a 34-21 victory.
Westfall was trailing 26-21 in the fourth and had the ball near midfield.
A short pass paired with a Huntsmen penalty moved Westfall to the Huntington 35. After an incompletion on first down, the Mustangs dropped back to pass again.
As he already had done a couple times in the game, Huntington’s Frankie Hirsch intercepted the attempt. This time he ran it back 75 yards for a score. With a two-point run tacked on, the Huntsmen went up 34-21 to put the game out of reach.
Westfall’s Eli Wright opened the game’s scoring on a two-yard run but the next three scores came from Huntington’s Isaac Taylor on runs of 1 (first quarter), 2 (third quarter) and 29 yards (fourth quarter). Taylor’s third score made the score 20-7.
Westfall got the lead back with two quick TDs.
On the second play of the ensuing possession, Joey Wright went 69 yards for a score.
After the Mustangs recovered an onside kick, Quinn Eberly went 40 yards on second down and Carson Deskins’ kick made it 21-20 in favor of the Mustangs.
Huntington responded with a 10-play drive that ended on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Hirsch to Jackson McNeal to go up 26-21.
Joey Wright had a big night as he ran for 224 yards on 18 carries and had one catch for 23 yards. Eberly ran for 75 yards on 11 carries and Eli Wright ran for 21 yards on six carries.
The Mustangs (5-3, 3-2) host Piketon (5-3, 3-2) next week.
Fairfield Union 6, Circleville 3
RUSHVILLE — A second-quarter touchdown pass produced all the points Fairfield Union needed to send visiting Circleville home with a 6-3 loss Friday.
The Tigers scored first when Kaden Paxton put a 27-yard field goal through the uprights midway through the first quarter.
The Falcons got their go-ahead touchdown pass a few minutes into the second and unsuccessfully went for two to lead 6-3.
The teams traded fumbles, and the Tigers turned the ball over on downs deep in Falcon territory in the final minute of the half.
While both teams moved the ball deep into the other’s territory at times in the second half, neither could finish a drive.
The Tigers (5-3, 1-3) return home to take on Liberty Union and are sitting in the ninth position in their region with the top 12 teams making the playoffs.