Barnesville’s Trey Toliver runs for yardage against Bellaire in a game from earlier this season. Toliver and the Shamrocks head to Wheeling University’s Bishop Schmitt Field on Thursday to meet Wheeling Central. Photo by Kim North

WHEELING — It’s been a little more than a century — 111 years to be exact — since Barnesville and Wheeling Central have met on the gridiron. Meeting No. 2 will happen Thursday night on the artificial surface of Wheeling University’s Bishop Schmitt Field.

Kickoff is set for 7 o’clock.

The Shamrocks (5-1) won that previous meeting on Halloween night, 17-12, in 1914.

Barnesville saw its 41-game regular-season win streak come to an end last Friday with a 17-14 setback to W.Va. Class AAAA-ranked George Washington, which was, and still is, No. 2 behind Morgantown in the latest SSAC ratings. It was the third longest such streak in Ohio Valley history, trailing only Sistersville (42) and Steubenville (68).

Despite the loss, the first since week 4 of the 2021 campaign, Barnesville head coach Blake Allen will use the setback as a learning lesson.

“It will absolutely help us moving forward. Our kids’ effort was outstanding and we were very proud of the grit, fight, and toughness they showed,” Allen said. “That effort against a team of that size should give us confidence moving forward that we can line up and play and compete against anybody the rest of the way.

The Charleston-based Patriots enrollment was nearly triple of Barnesville’s.

“Playing a full four quarter game that came down to the end was huge for us,” Allen stressed. “We learned a lot that we needed to know about substitution patterns and rotations that we may need to adjust moving forward to make sure we are as fresh as possible to finish a game like that.”

When asked if there was a feeling of relief after the streak ended.

“At the end of the day, we are competitors and never want to lose a game. But there is a sense of relief that we no longer have to be asked about ‘the streak.’ It was never anything we discussed as a team, but it was becoming a larger talking point among the community and media each week,” Allen added. “So it makes it easier to focus solely on the next opponent and the task at hand. Plus, I think we are hungry to show that we can respond and bounce back to a loss as well.”

The Shamrocks are led by a balanced offensive attack that features three hard-running backs in Trey Toliver (87-848-15tds), Koby Jones (34-378-6tds) and Hines Ford (14-116-3tds). Quarterback Cole Francis has completed 33 of 63 passes for 617 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Colt Carpenter is the leading receiver with 11 catches for 173 yards. Parker Graham has seven receptions for 157 and a touchdown while Toliver has caught six for 128.

“Barnesville is really good. They played George Washington really well,” veteran Wheeling Central head coach Mike Young said. “That game could’ve gone to overtime, but it didn’t.

“Barnesville has a veteran staff that has done a great job out there,” Young added. “We’ll have to be ready Thursday night when they roll in here. It’s a short week of practice, but we’ll be ready.”

What has Young seen from his team that he likes?

“We’re coming off the ball better, but we still need to stay on our blocks longer,” Young noted of his offense. “Defensively, we need to swarm to the ball a little more, but, overall, we’re getting better every day and that is what we’re looking for. We’re working on fundamentals. That’s where games are won or lost.”

When asked about Barnesville’s response to its first loss in quite some time, Young replied, “Football is a game of emotions. It’s how they respond to it (losing) and not how we respond. We’ve got to control what we can control.”

The Maroon Knights are led by quarterback Nico Kusic who can hurt you with his arm and/or legs. The junior has passed for 552 yards and six touchdowns on 34 of 60 accuracy, with three INTs. He has also rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries.

Tailback Kade Koroneos is a threat running and/or catching the ball. He has run for 462 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 64 attempts. He has also snagged 12 passes for 241 yards and two more six-pointers. Max Olejasz had seven catches for 106 yards and two scores, while Joey Hall has caught six for 61 and two scores. Troy Mortakis has four receptions for 76 yards and a TD.

Allen knows it won’t be easy.

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Young and his staff. Their accomplishments over the years speak for themselves,” Allen said of the Maroon Knights. “Offensively, they are balanced; their running back is a hard-nosed runner, their line is physical, their quarterback is a tremendous athlete, and they have multiple wide receivers that make plays in space.

“Defensively, they are disciplined and play with great effort. This is a matchup that we have been looking forward to,” Allen added. ” I think there is a lot of excitement for it from both communities. We know it will be a great challenge to go into their place on a short week and they will be well prepared. We are excited and looking forward to meeting that challenge.”

The Shamrocks enter the battle ranked No. 4 in Ohio Division V, Region 19, while the Maroon Knights take over the top spot in W.Va. Class A.