File Photo Barnesville’s Trey Toliver runs behind his blockers during a game last season. Toliver and the Shamrocks will host Fort Frye in their week one matchup on Friday.

BARNESVILLE — Barnesville puts its 36-game regular-season winning streak on the line Friday night when Fort Frye visits what is expected to be a standing-room-only crowd at Shamrock Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7.

The Shamrocks have had three consecutive 10-0 seasons, but head coach Blake Allen is a believer in looking forward and not back. They have not lost since week 4 of the 2021 season.

“We know how good Fort Frye is. We have a ton of respect for them,” Allen said. “We went down there last year and we got the best of them, so we know they will come here looking for revenge.”

Barnesville prevailed 51-16 last fall in Beverly, but it is the lone triumph in the last seven meetings with the Cadets, including a trio of setbacks in the playoffs. None of those six contests have even been close.

Fort Frye returns plenty of firepower from 2024, while Barnesville graduated a huge, very successful senior contingent.

“We have a lot of guys back and we have big expectations,” veteran Fort Frye head coach Eric Huck said. “There are some spots where guys have emerged and they’re fighting for positions.”

Barnesville must replace two-time all-Ohio quarterback Casey Carpenter, who re-wrote the Shamrocks passing record books. Junior Cole Francis, a two-year letterman in the defensive secondary, will start under center.

“He’s a great athlete,” Allen said. “As far as talent goes, he can run and has an incredible arm.”

Taking some pressure off of Francis will be junior tailback Trey Toliver. He ran for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore after having a breakout freshman season. Seniors Kobe Jones and Hines Ford will also get carries.

A majority of the offensive line picked up diplomas in May, but the cupboard isn’t bare with the return of seniors Dillon Lucas and Gavin Morris, along with junior Christien Hannahs.

The Cadets boast the return of quarterback Grady Hesson, fullback Kainan Bradford and wingback Tyce Beardsley, who ran for 1,231 yards and 10 TDs last fall as a junior. Hesson combined for more than 1,100 yards in total offense and had 17 total touchdowns, with 10 coming on the ground.

Hesson and Bradford were also mainstays on the Beverly/Lowell Post 389/750 American Legion baseball team that won the Ohio State title and competed in the Great Lakes Regional Tournament.