Buirley, Stumpf run wild as Big Walnut holds off Szabo-led Kilbourne In battle of unbeatens
Friday, October 2, 2026
By Steve Blackledge
sblackledge@cbussports.com
Big Walnut’s Nolan Buirley (3), a Northwestern commit, ran for 288 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 35-28 home win over Worthington Kilbourne Friday . Photo: Kevin Lam
SUNBURY, Ohio – This was the kind of high school football game that must have driven the defensive coordinators of both teams batty.
Big Walnut was tasked with trying to somehow contain Worthington Kilbourne’s electrifying dual threat quarterback Jackson Szabo, who has emerged as a legitimate Ohio Mr. Football candidate.
Meanwhile, Kilbourne found itself staring at one of the state’s most dynamic and diverse quarterback/running back duos in Michigan State-bound Eli Stumpf and Northwestern-bound Nolan Buirley, the latter squarely in the conversation for Mr. Football.
Kilbourne came in averaging 48.8 points per game and Big Walnut 42.2.
With “wow” moments galore all night long, this battle of state-ranked 6-0 Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division powers lived up to its pregame billing and then some.
Ultimately, Big Walnut cashed in on a few more clutch plays and made a few more defensive stops to ward off visiting Kilbourne 35-28 before a festive Homecoming atmosphere.
“I’m sure glad (the Wolves) aren’t in Region 7 this year,” a relieved Eagles coach Curtis Crager said, just a week after his team rallied for a dramatic 47-40 overtime win at Ironton. “I’m not happy with some of the things we did tonight … it showed me that we’ve got a lot to work on yet. But style points don’t matter in games like this. You’re just happy to come away with the ‘W’.”
Ranked third in the Division II Associated Press state poll, Big Walnut (7-0, 3-0) raced to a 21-0 lead late in the first half as some onlookers no doubt wondered if a running clock might be in the offing. The Eagles produced incredibly proficient long drives of 11, seven and six plays.
Big Walnut quarterback Eli Stumpf (4), a Michigan State recruit, used both his arm and his legs to help the Eagles top Kilbourne Friday in Sunbury. Photo: Kevin Lam
Kilbourne, which came ranked No. 8 in its first season in Division I since 2010, refused to back down. Szabo completed five passes in a splendid two-minute drill before scoring on a 2-yard keeper with 26 seconds left.
“We’re down 21-7, but I feel like we’ve got the momentum coming out for the second half,” Wolves coach Michael Edwards said. “It was just kind of a weird start but I felt like we were finally settling into the game.”
Buirley broke free for a 49-yard TD run to make it 28-7, but Kilbourne would not let it be a back-breaker.
Despite being harassed by the Eagles’ pass rush all night, Szabo sandwiched drives of 81 and 88 yards around a defensive stop and suddenly it was 28-21 with 8:14 remaining.
With Big Walnut backed up at its own 11 yard-line and facing third-and-10, Stumpf scrambled for a clutch 11-yard gain.
“It wasn’t planned,” Stumpf said. “We had a little miscommunication with our receivers and I kind of ad-libbed. I have been running the ball a little better as the season has gone along. It helps to take some pressure off Nolan.”
Stumpf made two more timely runs of 16 and 8 yards before Buirley, executing a mouth-dropping spin move to elude two tacklers, rambled 48 yards to the 2, where he scored with 3:24 left.
After an excellent kickoff return by Shawn Rice, Kilbourne quickly drove the field, with Szabo finding Alex Meek on a 4-yard TD connection with 1:51 left.
The Wolves’ subsequent onside kick attempt bounced untouched out of the bounds and Big Walnut was able to run out the block.
Buirley, who is projected to play linebacker at Northwestern, rushed for 288 yards on 25 carries with three TDs, hiking his season total to 1,150 yards and 21 TDs.
Kilbourne junior quarterback Jackson Szabo passed for 222 yards and ran for 99 more in the Wolves’ game at Big Walnut Friday. Photo: Kevin Lam
Stumpf completed 13 of 19 passes for 115 yards and one TD and contributed 99 yards rushing with another score.
Big Walnut amassed 503 yards of total offense and picked up 26 first downs.
“We’re blessed to have those two guys for sure,” Crager said. “We haven’t really run Eli too much, but having that threat to go along with his arm is so beneficial to us. It really paid off tonight. That big run on third down way down in our end might have been the play of the game.”
After the Eagles won their first five games in routs, tight wins over a pair of undefeated teams were just what the doctor ordered with a challenging playoff path on the horizon. Big Walnut reached the state semifinals in 2024 and 2025.
“We thrive on playing in big games like this,” Buirley said. “We knew all along this was going to be huge in terms of us winning the OCC again.”
Edwards added. “Having two run threats like that makes them really hard to stop. And whenever (Buirley) gets the ball, geez. He can take it to the house on any play.”
Big Walnut has won seven straight games in the series. Kilbourne won the previous five from 2013-2017.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Szabo, who owns scholarship offers from Ohio State and Villanova in lacrosse but none in football, had another brilliant performance. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 222 yards with two TDs and rushed for 99 yards and two scores on 18 attempts. Many of his runs seemed instinctive rather than schemed.
Rice made eight receptions for 106 yards and a TD (his 12th of the season) and Alex Meek had seven catches for 88 yards and a score.
“We don’t believe in moral victories here, but I think we proved tonight that we’re not a fluke,” Edwards said. “To come from that far down and keep fighting and fighting and fighting makes me awfully proud. In spite of the outcome, we came out of here a better football team tonight.”
Kilbourne’s Shawn Rice (5) had 106 yards receiving on eight catches and scored two touchdowns in the Wolves’ game at Big Walnut Friday. Photo: Kevin Lam