Photo/KRISTIN MAZGAJ BARNESVILLE'S Cameron Woods tries to break through a Marion Elgin tackle during Saturday's Division VI, Region 23 playoff game. The Shamrocks cruised to a victory and will welcome Lucasville Valley to western Belmont County for a regional quarterfinal game.

BARNESVILLE – The Barnesville Shamrocks entered Saturday evening’s OHSAA Division VI, Region 23 game following a bye looking refreshed and ready for the postseason, dismantling the visiting Comets of Elgin by a 63-20 count.

“It was just a great night all around, I’m very proud of our guys,” beamed Barnesville coach Blake Allen following the triumph. “I think we have a chance to do some things, I know we’ve got a good veteran group, and we’ve had a few lapses and had some injuries, and I’m so proud of the way they handled the bye week. We’ve improved so much during the bye week, we got some guys healthy, and we’ve worked on some things we needed to work on. We came in here expecting to win and we took care of business, so I’m very proud of our whole team; players, coaching staff, I just thought we all handled the bye outstandingly and had two excellent weeks of preparation.”

The Shamrocks (5-2) asserted themselves immediately when senior A.J. Dealing took the opening kickoff from his own 15 to the Comets (5-3) 39-yard line. Senior tailback Gage Hannahs took the first play from scrimmage and scooted 39 yards to the end zone avoiding would-be tacklers and skirting a safety for a touchdown at the 11:40 mark. Gavin Carpenter’s PAT made it 7-0 in favor of the hosts while some fans were still settling in.

Elgin’s first offensive drive saw the Comets get some traction, however, the visitors stalled at the Barnesville 29, fumbling on their fourth-down play to turn it over on downs. Barnesville struck again, as Ayden Hannahs chewed up 15 yards on a pass to Spencer Bliss before the run game took back over, with Gage Hannahs bowling in from two yards out to score. After a penalty on the Comets gave Barnesville the in the shadow of the goal line, Gavin Carpenter got to carry in a conversion attempt, getting a two-pointer instead of his usual PAT. This put Barnesville up 15-0.

Elgin’s offense showed signs of life on the following drive with the hosts putting together a five-play, 45-yard march that was capped when senior quarterback Jordan McCormack found Cy Starcher on a streak for a 31-yard touchdown. The conversion run failed, leaving Barnesville up 15-6.

Barnesville took little time finding paydirt again, as Hannahs found senior Jake Boulet for a 37-yard pass to move down the field. Gage Hannahs capped the drive from the four to score, and Ayden Hannahs ran in the conversion for a 23-6 score, which was the showing at the end of one.

After an Elgin three-and-out, Barnesville again quickly scored this time with Ayden Hannahs hiding behind the line after taking the snap and faking a handoff, then sprinting 46-yards down the field for a nifty TD. The PAT failed, leaving the ‘Rocks up 29-6

Elgin answered on its next drive, going 69-yards in nine plays, highlighted by a 28-yard pass from McCormack to junior back Kevin Kline, who was wrestled down at the two. Canyon Dickason went in from the one for the score. The conversion pass failed, leaving the hosts up 29-12.

Barnesville’s next drive lasted just two plays as Ayden Hannahs found Gage Hannahs for a 49-yard touchdown. The two-point pass was no good, making the score 35-12 Shamrocks.

Barnesville’s defense stepped up on their next trip to the field, as Bliss made a great move on a McCormack pass, snagging an INT at the 45. Four plays later, Gage Hannahs was in the end zone again, this time form eight-yards out for his fourth rushing touchdown of the evening and fifth overall. Carpenter was good again on the kick, making it 42-12, still in the second quarter.

After forcing a punt, Barnesville’s offense scored one more time before the half, this time with Boulet taking a 33-yard pass from Hannahs to the two-yard line, then being rewarded by burrowing into the end zone on the next play to score. Carpenter’s PAT made it 49-12, which stood at halftime.

With the second half playing under a running clock, Barnesville still had no issue finding pay dirt quickly. On its first drive of the second half, set up by an interception by Detling at his own 20, the ‘Rocks covered 80 yards in seven plays, with Hannahs finding Bliss for a 27-yard touchdown. Carpenter’s PAT made it 56-12.

The Green-and-Red scored one more time, with Hannahs finding Detling 15 yards behind the defense for a 52-yard touchdown. Carpenter’s kick made the score 63-12.

Elgin scored one more time, as senior tailback Carter Andich found the end zone from two yards out. McCormack ran in the conversion, taking the score to 63-20 in favor of Barnesville, which stood at the final horn.

Ayden Hannahs had a huge game, going a perfect 8-8 for 247 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, as well as a pair of rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Gage Hannahs ended the evening with 130 yards on 11 carries and four touchdowns to go with one reception, the aforementioned 49-yard score.

The fifth-seeded Shamrocks will host 13th seeded Lucasville Valley next week, which upset the four-seed, Worthington Christian, by a 27-21 count.