Big Walnut is the last unbeaten standing in the OCC-Capital. The Golden Eagles (7-0, 3-0) fought off Worthington Kilbourne 35-28 on Friday night to take sole possession of first place in the conference, a week after an overtime win at Ironton.
Big Walnut built a 21-0 second-quarter lead, then withstood a second-half rally from the Wolves and star quarterback Jackson Szabo. Running back Nolan Buirley, a Northwestern linebacker commit, rushed 25 times for 288 yards and three touchdowns (13, 44 and 2 yards), and added a 37-yard run on a fake punt for a key first down. Quarterback Eli Stumpf, a Michigan State commit, passed for 116 yards and a touchdown and ran for 99 yards and another score. The Eagles amassed 503 yards and 26 first downs.
Kilbourne and Ironton had both been undefeated until running into Big Walnut, and the Eagles are currently projected as the No. 1 seed in Division II, Region 7.
“Our kids are used to playing in these big games,” coach Curtis Crager said. “There’s a lot to get better still, a lot to clean up, but it’s definitely going to help us in the long run.” Elsewhere in the area, Gahanna beat New Albany 35-3 and Westland topped Westerville North 22-12.
