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Playoff Preview: Barnesville gearing up for Lucasville Valley in D-VI

File Photo/KRISTIN MAZGAJ BARNESVILLE senior Jake Boulet runs away from the Marion Elgin defense during last Saturday’s Division VI playoff game. Boulet and the Shamrocks are back on the home turf Saturday to take on Lucasville Valley.

BARNESVILLE — Home sweet home. At least Barnesville hopes that old saying comes true.

The fifth-seeded Shamrocks (5-2) play host to No. 13 Lucasville Valley (4-4) Saturday night in a Division VI, Region 23 quarterfinal contest. The winner advances to the regional semifinals next week.

“It’s pretty exciting, especially since these seniors were freshmen when I took over,” Barnesville head coach Blake Allen said. “Every year we’ve gotten a little better and we’re still playing (in the playoffs) this year.”

The Shamrocks had a bye in the opening week of the playoffs as they healed up some key performers for the stretch run. They routed visiting Marion Elgin (63-20) last weekend.

“The bye week allowed us to get healthy. We’re as healthy as we’ve been this season,” Allen noted.

The Indians from Scioto County stayed alive last week by upsetting No. 4 Worthington Christian (27-21), thus allowing the Shamrocks at least one more home game this season.

“The thing I take away from watching them on film is that they are a really young team that is playing with a lot of confidence,” Allen said of the opponent. “They have improved in every game we’ve seen.”

Lucasville Valley has one regional title and four regional runnersup on its resume. Head coach Darren Crabtree is in his 31st year as the Indians chief. He has a career record of 228-101 and is 14-10 in the playoffs.

The Indians are led by the two-pronged running attack of sophomore tailback George Arnett and senior quarterback Carter Nickel. Arnett has gained 435 yards and found the end zone seven times on 85 carries.

Nickel, who took over as the starter when Andrew Andronis was injured, has 42 totes for 232 stripes and four scores. Nickel has also completed 42 of 91 passes for 570 yards and five touchdowns. Sophomore Ty Perkins has caught 27 passes for 595 yards and five TDs, while Chris Duncan has 15 receptions and Arnett 10.

Lucasville Valley has been outgained on the ground 1,888 to 832 this season but has as advantage in passing at 1,363 to 1,187. The Indians have scored 170 but have yielded 236.

After defeating Northwest (28-6) in the season-opener, Lucasville Valley dropped four straight to Oak Hill (42-28), Waverly (56-10), Portsmouth West (28-14) and Wheelersburg (63-14), but have bounced back with three consecutive victories over Minford (15-14) and Northridge (34-13) in their playoff debut.

Barnesville has won four of its last five after a 1-1 start. They have topped Buckeye Local (35-0), Edison (38-10), Shenandoah (22-8) and Union Local (24-21) in addition to last week’s triumph. The losses have come to Beaver Local (36-15) and River (27-0).

Quarterback Ayden Hannahs is the straw that stirs the Shamrocks offense. Despite missing a few games with a shoulder injury, the senior has accounted for more than 800 yards of total offense. He has passed for 758 yards and seven touchdowns on 42 of 67 (63 percent). He has just two interceptions.

“We nursed him through the bye week and he is throwing the ball like he did in the beginning of the season,” Allen reported. “He’s a tough kid who wants to win.”

When he hands the ball off it will more than likely go to his cousin, Gage Hannahs. The senior has a team-best 630 yards rushing with nine touchdowns on 108 carries. He averages 5.8 yards per carry and has also caught 14 passes for 293 stripes and three more TDs.

“We try and use Gage in as many ways as we can,” Allen said. “He carries the ball. He catches the ball. He returns kicks and punts and is special in the open field.”

He has 82 total points.

Cameron Woods (42-171-2) and Jacob Boulet (27-136-1) are also threats on the ground, with Boulet also catching a team-leading 17 aerials for 260 yards and a six-pointer. Spencer Bliss has 16 for 208 and three TDs. Chase Connor is also an option at tight end with a pair of touchdowns.

Allen was quick to praise the play of his offensive line.

“They are the heart and soul of our team. They often get overlooked for the job they do of opening holes and pass blocking.”

That group includes center Justin Jackson, guards Gavin Carpenter and Jacob Starr and tackles Luke Schultz, Quinten Leasure and Jadyn Lucas.

The winner will meet either No. 1 Fort Frye or eight-seeded Columbus Africentric.

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