The sixth-seeded Irish defeated third-seeded host West Branch 38-31 in a lengthy Division IV, Region 13 quarterfinal Saturday night.

The Irish improved to 6-2 and will play at second-seeded Poland next Saturday.

“I wish we didn’t have to make it that close in the end, but we knew West Branch wasn’t going to quit; they’re too good for that,” Ursuline coach Dan Reardon said. “We had nice little lead and our offense was rolling, but a few times there late, we didn’t convert due to a bad (shotgun) snap and such.”

Still, the Irish finished in a way most teams want to finish – in victory formation running out the clock after Matt Reardon recovered an onside kick with 2:43 remaining and the Warriors with just one time out left.

Staff photo / Brad Emerine West Branch's Alek Wilson finds his path filled with obstacles.

“The biggest thing for us is we knew we had to play mistake-free to have a chance,” West Branch coach Ken Harris said. “It took us a while to adjust to their speed and it was a physical, testy game like you’d expect playoff games to be.”

Ursuline led 24-6 at halftime, as Dante Walker blocked a West Branch punt to set up the first touchdown and intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards late in the first half after the Warriors had pulled within 16-6 on Brock Hillyer’s 2-yard pass to Dru DeShields.

“I like the pick-6 better than the blocked punt because my heart was really pounding in that return and I picked up and nice block and made a cut,” Walker said. “It was my first pick-6 ever. I know the blocked punt got us going, though. My coaches told me that if I went hard, I was going to get one this week and we put in a special play to go for one.”

However, Alec Wilson intercepted Ursuline quarterback Brady Shannon and returned it 37 yards to paydirt just 15 seconds into the second half, as West Branch made it 24-12.

It began an avalanche of points.

Staff photo / Brad Emerine Ursuline's Jakylan Irving tackles West Branch's Nick Wilson after a reception near the goal line.

Ursuline scored just 1:25 later as Walker made a 38-yard over-the-shoulder reception on a great throw from Shannon to make it 32-12.

West Branch retaliated with a 2-yard TD pass from Hillyer to DeShields and Ben Tolson added the extra-point kick.

Both teams scored five total touchdowns, but the Irish converted four two-point conversions.

DeMarcus McElroy’s 5-yard run gave the guests a 38-19 lead with 5:05 left in the third quarter.

West Branch added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, with Hillyer tossing an 11-yarder to Nick Wilson with 9:20 left to make the score 38-25.

The Warriors, as they have done all season, kept hitting hard and fighting to the end. Hillyer scored on a 1-yard TD run with 2:45 left, but Matt Reardon recovered the onside kick and the Irish got a pair of first downs and took two knees the drain the clock.

“Sure, we have some things to work on, but that team (West Branch) over there is a very good football team,” coach Reardon said. “We’re going to be sore tomorrow and they’re going to be sore tomorrow, I can tell you that much.”