Staff photo / Dan Hiner West Branch receiver Lukas Black (4) cuts upfield during a practice behind West Branch High School on Aug. 1.

BELOIT — There are a lot of new toys with the West Branch football program for the 2025 season.

The most obvious is a new field turf surface and improved lighting system being installed at Clinton Heacock Stadium. Both will be ready for the Warriors’ home opener against New Philadelphia on Aug. 29.

The other, more subtle change, will be in Coach Tim Cooper’s lineup. Graduated are some of the most prolific offensive players in school history. Running back Boston Mulinix, now at Baldwin Wallace University, finished as the program’s all-time leading rusher (4,176 yards) and scorer (360). Joey Jackson (Lake Erie) had 38 career TD receptions and 2,872 receiving yards, both school records. He and Anthony Perry had a combined 24 touchdowns receiving last season.

Dom Slimon (Wheeling) was the leader of both the offensive and defensive lines. All of them, along with linebacker Jack Flickinger and lineman Cam Summers, were named to the All-Ohio team.

“Their competitiveness and willingness to accept roles speaks highly of their character,” Cooper said. “Boston could have been a 25-carry back for three years; instead he was getting 10-to-15 touches a game just because we had so many weapons.”

But the cupboard isn’t completely barren for Cooper (34-5 in three seasons) and the Warriors, who seek their sixth consecutive Eastern Buckeye Conference championship.

“We have some guys who have been in big situations,” Cooper said. “If we can lean on those guys who have done it before, at least the first couple of weeks, those other guys will come along.”

West Branch has five non-conference games, four of which are against Division III schools. The Warriors travel to Canfield for the opener, then New Philadelphia at home before back-to-back road games against Struthers and Chaney. West Branch will also play host to Howland in Week 5 before embarking on a five-game Eastern Buckeye Conference slate.

“The first four weeks are going to definitely test us physically,” Cooper said. “Canfield is a tough opponent and New Philadelphia has a running back [Caleb Carlisle] that runs a 10.5 in the 100 (meter) and they’re a physical test.”

OFFENSE

Senior Jeremiah (J.T.) Thomas, a four-year letterman, made the move from slot receiver to quarterback for the 2024 season and responded with a first team All-Ohio performance. The 6-foot-1 Thomas accounted for 44 touchdowns passing and running and 2,902 all-purpose yards. He completed 124-of-200 passes (62%) for 29 touchdowns against just three interceptions.

The other big (literally) names returning are tight end Gavin Gregory (6-7, 240), a University of Toledo commit, and linemen Gavin Hang (5-11, 215), Zach Coffee (6-3) and (5-10), all seniors.

The backfield will be “running back by committee,” Cooper said. Senior Clayton Day (5-10, 180) will get the first shot to carry the ball, along with Damon Edwards (6-2, 195) who had 113 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry in a backup role to Mulinix last season. Sophomore Justin Marra is also going to get a look.

“We had a lot of elite players last year, and sometimes it was almost hard to get every guy the ball. These guys just want to be out there on the field, playing football,” Cooper said.

The receiving situation is more muddied, though senior Jake Weingart (5-10, 160) has waited for his turn and will be one of the featured pass catchers. Gregory is the top returning statistical leader from 2024, when he caught 21 passes for 329 yards and a pair of scores.

Lukas Black (5-10, 170), another senior, will likely open at another wideout position, while the slot position is still up in the air. Cooper said there is a possibility Thomas could see playing time there with junior Grady Hirst (6-1, 175) taking snaps. Last season Hirst completed 35-of-75 passes for 311 yards and three scores.

Seniors Drew Gaspar and Brett Weisel and Drake Stryffeler, a sophomore, are also competing for playing time at slot receiver.

Hang, a guard, and Coffee, a tackle, anchor the offensive line on the left side. Jude Corallo, also a senior, will open at center. The right side of the line is a battle between seniors Nick Scofinsky (5-10, 240), Chase Gee (5-10, 215) and Damien Kicielinski (6-0, 310), junior Grady Rockwell (5-11, 220) and sophomore Jackson Shinn (5-11).

“In the off-season, we looked at who the guys are we want to feature,” Cooper said. “We broke that down and kind of simplified it for our guys. We are a big tempo team, so if we have simple stuff, we can go faster.”

DEFENSE

Linebacker will be the strength of the Warriors’ defensive unit, with Day returning at one inside position, and Coffee and Black starting on the outside. Day had 90 tackles last season, including seven for losses.

“Black earned our Ultimate Warrior award because of his leadership, his work in the weight room and in the classroom,” Cooper said. “He had a great offseason.”

The other inside position is being competed among Shinn, Marra, Gaspar and junior Owen Bloss (5-8, 155).

The line will feature Gregory at one end. He was second on the team in QB pressures and sacks in 2024. The other end will be junior Tyler Sprowl (6-0, 190), Edwards or Rockwell. Hang and Kicielinski are competing for time at nose tackle.

There is also competition in the secondary. Thomas, Weingart, Carson Wike (6-0, 160, senior) and Jeremy Ramsey (5-9, 135, junior) will rotate at the corners. Close will be at one safety, with Stryffeler, Weasel and Hirst sharing time at the other.

“Close is the brains of the operation,” Cooper said. “He’ll get guys lined up and be able to identify things.”

As on offense, the Warriors graduated a high percentage of their productivity. Garin Harlan, Zach Coffee, Jack Flickinger and Cam Summers accounted for nearly 350 tackles; Slimon was immovable in the center of the line, and Carson Graham had five interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Perry, who set a school record with a 48-yard field goal, and Eliza Hirst, who set the career record with 131 PATs, have graduated. Perry was also the team’s punter.

Gavin Clemens, who is West Branch’s all-time leading scorer in soccer, is the likely placekicker. The snapper, holder and punting positions are unsettled.

Cooper said Thomas and Stryffeler are the early candidates to return kickoffs and punts.