Your Prep Sports

A comeback by West Branch came up just short in a 20-17 loss to Alburnett on Friday at Jim Carver Field in Alburnett.

West Branch rallied from a 13-0 first-half deficit but was held to three total points on two different trips inside the Alburnett 10 yard line while dropping to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in Class 2A, District 5 play.

Junior standout Laken Caves rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns and sophomore Owen Henriksen added 116 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries as Alburnett (4-1, 2-0) racked up 275 yards on the ground.

Caves and Henriksen scored touchdowns to give the Pirates a 13-0 lead before Brennen Dale got West Branch on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run that cut the lead to 13-7 at the half.

An 87-yard touchdown run by Caves pushed the Pirate lead to 20-7 but West Branch didn’t go away.

A 26-yard pass from Dale to Conner Capper cut the lead to 20-14 and West Branch had a chance to pull even when Lincoln Naber returned a blocked punt to the Pirate one yard line but the Bears settled for a 22 yard Reese Gingerich field goal that cut the lead to 20-17.

West Branch would get no closer as Alburnett came up with a game-ending interception.

Keaton Gates rushed for 72 yards and Dale finished with 42 yards and a touchdown on the ground and also passed for 41 yards and a score.

Cooper Gates had 8.5 tackles including one for loss and Michael Montgomery had 7.5 tackles with one for loss for West Branch.

Naber had 6.5 tackles with two sacks and Griffin Seydel picked off a pass for the Bears.

West Branch  0  7  7  3  –  17

Alburnett       7  6  7  0  –  20

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating