Photo by Kim North Barnesville’s Christian Hannahs (56) pursues Union Local’s Eli Rogers during a week 10 game as the Shamrocks’ Jack Anderson (16) turns the play inside. The Shamrocks welcome Portsmouth to western Belmont County on Friday.

BARNESVILLE — After a rare week off, Barnesville is chomping at the bit to get back on the football field.

The No. 4 Shamrocks (8-2) received a first-round bye in the Ohio Division V, Region 19 playoffs after highly ranked Ironton was disqualified from the postseason due to a variety of issues. They will host No. 5 Portsmouth (8-3) Friday night at 7 on the artificial surface at Shamrock Stadium.

“It’s just something that we aren’t used to. Obviously, this is the first year Ohio has done it this way, but we did have a bye back during the COVID year,” Barnesville head coach Blake Allen said. “We had a tough second-half of a schedule, so we definitely thought our kids needed a rest. We didn’t have any major injuries, just some bumps and bruises from a rough second-half of the season against some physical teams.

“The big worry is to not let rust and complacency set in so we brought the kids in every day last week, but we also rested some,” Allen noted. “I thought we had a good (last) week. I thought the kids were mentally strong.”

Barnesville went 5-0 in the first half of the season but faced a gauntlet in the second five games. The two setbacks came to a pair of highly ranked West Virginia squads — George Washington (7-2, 5th, Class AAAA) and Independence (8-1, 3rd, Class AA) by scores of 17-14 and 43-14, respectively.

The Shamrocks have beaten Fort Frye (35-7), Meadowbrook (51-21), Bellaire (40-0), Buckeye Local (56-0), Monroe Central (48-7), Wheeling Central (43-14), Linsly (34-7) and Union Local (34-0). The loss by Fort Frye in its lone blemish, while Wheeling Central is ranked No. 1 in W.Va. Class A and Union Local is in the second round of the Division V, Region 19 playoffs.

“I’d like to think our schedule, especially in the second half of the season, has prepared us for games like this,” Allen continued. “We had a lot of new starters coming in, but there’s no inexperience anymore. We’ve played fast teams and we’ve played big, physical teams. I think we’re ready to go.”

The Trojans defeated Amanda-Clearcreek, 32-15, last week in their first-round matchup. They are riding a six-game winning streak, which includes a forfeit from Ironton in the season finale. They were 2-3 at one point with losses to Unioto (42-0), Gallia Academy (28-14) and Coal Grove (20-14). They have wins over Portsmouth West (13-12), Greenup (Ky) County (24-9), Chesapeake (49-0), Fairland (48-26), Rock Hill (48-7) and South Point (41-13).Only four of those opponents had winning records.

“Thry are a very athletic team. They don’t have a big roster, but the kids that play, play well,” Allen said. “They have a few 300-pounders across their line and their running back is right up there with the best we’ve seen this season, and we’ve seen some pretty good ones. The quarterback is athletic and they have speed on the outside. They present a lot of challenges on both sides of the ball.

“They are a run-first team, but we saw them put the game away last week with the pass,” Allen revealed.

Barnesville’s defense has played well all season, especially the front six of ends Koby Jones and Christien Hannahs, with down tackles Kaiden Berry and Gavin Morris. Allen said that several others rotate in at tackle.

“We try to keep the big boys fresh.”

Senior linebackers Hines Ford and Logan Craker are the “heart and soul” of the defense,” Allen said. “Hines is all-time leading tackler. He keeps adding to it at this point. He has a nose for the ball. His play overshadows what Logan does. He is working on his second straight 100-tackle season. It’s a blessing to have those two in the middle of our defense.”

Ford has charted 125 tackles this campaign, while Craker has made 92. Ford also has 10 tackles for lost yardage, four INTs, 3 pass breakups and a pair of sacks. Cole Francis, the starting quarterback, also has four picks.

Offensively, the Shamrocks can score from anywhere as junior tailback Trey Toliver has the speed and elusiveness to take any touch to the house. He has run for 1,359 yards and 23 touchdowns on 155 carries. He averages 8.7 yards a carry and has only fumbled twice. Jones adds 576 stripes and nine TDs while backup quarterback Evan Wells has carried 30 times for 374 yards and four scores. He averages 12.5 per carry.

Helping the team rush for 2,657 yards and 43 touchdowns is an offensive line that has grown as the season has progressed. It includes senior Mac Cacioppo (6-2, 255) and junior Braxton Byers (6-5, 285) at left tackle and guard, respectively, with Hannahs at center. The right guard is senior Dillon Lucas (5-9, 275) and the right tackle Morris (6-2, 280).

“Three of those guys were new to start the season but we’re averaging about 260 yards a game rushing, so they’ve stepped in and did the job,” Allen allowed.

Francis has passed for 1,222 yards on 68 of 117. He has thrown 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Junior Colt Carpenter, despite missing a few games with various injuries, is the leading receiver with 16 catches for 269 yards. Toliver has 14 for 288 and two TDs, while Jones has 11 receptions for 146 and a pair of TDs. Phoenix Graham has caught 10 passes for 259 and three TDs.

The Shamrocks also received a huge boost in the kicking department from junior placekicker Luis Garcia.

“He has done a great job for us,” Allen said. “It’s not something we had planned on, we just kind of stumbled into him and he’s been a welcome addition to the team