The Big Walnut football team played Buirley ball — its version of bully ball — to pull away from visiting Groveport-Madison for a 24-13 non-league win Friday night in Sunbury.

Down 6-0 at halftime and 6-3 entering the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Nolan Buirley and company went to work.

After the defense came up with a stop, forcing a punt after a sac by Clint Stover set up a third-and-27, the Golden Eagles got the ball back at their own 44-yard line with 8:44 left.

On the very next play, Buirley powered through a pile of bodies, found some room up the middle and sprinted 56 yards to the end zone. Jake Neff’s extra point was true as BW took a 10-6 lead at the 8:32 mark of the fourth — a lead it only added to down the stretch.

Big Walnut (2-1), blanked by Watterson in the home opener and held to just three points through three quarters against Groveport (2-1), didn’t take long to score again, either.

After the Cruisers muffed the ensuing kickoff, Big Walnut’s Cole Hysell jumped on the loose ball to set the Eagles’ offense up at the Groveport 15.

A few plays later, on a third-and-goal from the five, BW quarterback Eli Stumpf used a nice play-action fake to find Owen Pollock open in the back of the end zone for what proved to be the game-clinching TD. Neff added the PAT to make it a 17-6 game with 4:50 left.

After another stop, this time a turnover on downs, Buirley scored his second touchdown of the game, this time from 11 yards out, to all but seal the deal with 2:42 left.

The Cruisers added a touchdown in garbage time, getting a 38-yard scoring strike from Baker Bowden to Jeriah Golden, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Buirley had a huge night, closing with 29 carries for 167 yards and two touchdowns while Stumpf went 5-for-10 passing with 102 yards and a TD.

Bowden finished 14-for-22 passing for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Joshua Moore was his top target, closing with two grabs for 87 yards and a touchdown.

The Big Walnut offense got going late, but the defense was good all game long. The Eagles allowed just 58 yards on the ground and forced a couple turnovers, including an interception by Brody Hatfield.

Delaware Hayes 35, Mount Vernon 0

The Pacers pitched their second straight shutout, using a dominant ground game and stout defense to roll to a non-league win over the host Yellowjackets Friday night in Mount Vernon.

Hayes (3-0), thanks to a pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns from Favour Akih and Owen Willis, led 14-0 after the first quarter.

Willis added another one-yard TD run in the second and Akih got his second score, another one-yarder, to balloon the lead to 28-0 in the third.

Caleb Rowe found Caleb Christian for a 12-yard scoring strike later in the quarter to smooth out the scoring summary.

Akih led the charge with 19 carries for 175 yards and the two scores while Rowe rushed for 118 yards and Willis had 56 to go with his two touchdowns.

Through the air, Rowe finished 3-for-6 passing with 45 yards and the touchdown.

Olentangy Berlin 40, New Albany 14

The Bears started fast, using a pair of first-quarter touchdowns to set the tone en route to a lopsided non-league win over the visiting Eagles Friday night in Delaware.

Berlin (2-1) quarterback Aiden Eviston broke the scoring seal with a six-yard TD run before finding Colton Less for an 18-yard TD later in the quarter.

New Albany answered with a long TD connection, but Alejandro Aguilar intercepted a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown to make it a 20-7 game in the second.

Berlin only added to its edge from there.

Eviston completed seven of his 10 passes for 84 yards and a TD while adding another 62 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Olentangy Orange 36, Hilliard Darby 17

The Panthers broke the scoring seal and led 3-0 after a quarter, but the visiting Pioneers (3-0) won the middle two quarters by a combined 29-7 margin to cruise to a non-league win Friday night in Hilliard.

Cohen Weaver paved the way on the ground, rushing for 93 yards and three touchdowns. Levi Davis was solid in the win, too. The QB completed 13 of his 20 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another 66 yards and a score.

Olentangy Liberty 31, Gahanna Lincoln 0

Andrew Leonard went 14-for-22 passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns and Grayson Davis and Antonio Kish both scored on the ground as the Patriots pummeled the visiting Lions Friday night in Powell.

Christian Moulton was Leonard’s top target, finishing with five grabs for 141 yards. Jake Struck was also solid, finishing with six receptions to go with a pair of touchdowns.

The Liberty (3-0) defense, meanwhile, allowed just 12 first downs and less than 200 yards of total offense. Landon Hunter and Bailey Byrd had sacks while Cameron Cole had an interception.

River Valley 37, Buckeye Valley 7

Nathan Huss found Zaine Furr for a 31-yard scoring strike to get the Barons on the board in the third, but it was too little too late as the visiting Vikings parlayed a 28-0 halftime edge into a non-league win Friday night in Delaware.

Huss completed 15 of his 27 passes for 182 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was also the Barons’ (1-2) leading rusher, closing with 11 carries for 60 yards in the setback.

Also: Olentangy 27, Westerville South 14.