Barnesville Making Program History When Girard Visits Shamrock Stadium
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BARNESVILLE - For the first time in program history, Barnesville will play a regional semifinal at Shamrock Stadium Friday night when the No. 2 Shamrocks (11-0) host No. 3 Girard (11-0) in an Ohio Division V, Region 17 playoff contest.
"It's huge. They just changed the rules a couple of years ago where you play the regional semifinals on the higher seeded teams home field, so this is the first time in school history we're able to host one," Barnesville head coach Blake Allen said. "It will be a memorable night for our school and community. If we win, we're going to the regional finals."
Allowing schools to host third-round games - regional semifinals - began at the start of the 2025 season. It was approved in June of that year.
Barnesville is in the postseason for the 14th time and the seventh under Allen. It is 14-13 following last week's 35-18 triumph over Martins Ferry. The Shamrocks were state semifinalists in 1992. Six of their victories have come against teams with above .500 records.
The Indians from Trumbull County are making their 17th playoff appearance and their 10th consecutive. They are 19-16 following a 35-21 victory over Youngstown Cardinal Mooney last week. They were state runnersup in 2018. However, only four of their 11 opponents had a record above .500.
Girard has scored 497 points and has put up at least 34 in every game with a high of 62. It has given up 209, including 42 and 35 in single games.
"This will be a totally different challenge for our kids," Allen said. "Girard is dynamic ... explosive. They run a lot of spreads with empty sets. The quarterback is one of the best I've ever seen on film. He's a warrior, a tough kid. They have several really fast, explosive, wide receivers and a big line. They are tough to defend so we have a lot to work on for this challenge."
Girard is led by AJ Pearson who has combined more than 4,000 total yards and 58 touchdowns this season. The 5-11, 190-pound junior has passed for 3,229 yards and 34 scores - four INTs - on 167 of 253 (66 percent). He has run for 797 yards and 24 touchdowns on 125 carries. Senior Christian Mahone has carried the ball 125 times for 554 yards and eight touchdowns. Seven different receivers have at least 10 receptions, led by senior Amire Brown who has caught 48 passes for 1,056 and nine TDs. Junior Braxton Sloan has 39 receptions for 738 yards and 11 six-pointers, while sophomore Devin Sanders checks in with 20 catches for 377 yards and two scores. Sophomore Mario Lipinski has six touchdowns on 10 catches.
"They've scored against everybody. They play a tough schedule and find ways to put points on the board," he noted. "It's not as much about trying to shut them down as it is to get a stop or two. They're going to make plays and get yards, we just need to find ways to get stops."
Ian Pearson leads Girard in tackles with 107, of which 80 are solo stops. He also has 14 tackles for lost yardage. Grayson Meszans has 91 tackles and 11 TFLs. Sloan adds 102 tackles and three interceptions.
Defensively, it's a lot of the same kids playing both ways. They only have 41 kids on their roster, so depth could be a problem for them. That's been a problem in the past for us."
While Trey Toliver has set just about every school rushing record with 2,377 yards and 41 touchdowns this season, Barnesville's defense has been kind of overlooked. The Shamrocks have given up 161 points so far, while scoring 441.
"I don't know whether our defense has seen this collection of athletes but we've seen good quarterbacks, good running backs and good receivers," Allen said. "Girard has all of those parts on one team, so, like I said earlier, this is really going to be a challenge for us, but knowing our kids, they'll be ready for it.
"Our schedule, especially the back end, has prepared us for games like this," he added. "We need to execute the game plan and limit the big-play scores. That hurt us in the Union Local game, but other than that game, I think we've done a great job of not giving up a lot of big plays. We're really difficult to score on in the red zone," he continued. "We're big on the line and we've had several goalline stands this season."
Two players - junior Ridge Holiday and sophomore Knoxx Mankin - had their names called numerous times in last week's win.
"When Evan Carpenter got hurt, Ridge stepped in on both sides of the ball and did a fantastic job," Allen praised. "He blocks well on offense as the fullback and defensively, he had a great game against Martins Ferry, at linebacker. Knoxx has been outstanding for us. He's our stopper back there (in the secondary). He usually covers the other team’s best receiver. He's getting better and more confident."
While Toliver was running at will, like he has all season long, it seemed whenever the Shamrocks needed some clutch yardage it went left behind seniors Austin Armstrong (guard) and Braxton Byers (tackle).
"We've got two seniors that do a great job, but a lot of times it has to do with matchups and what we're feeling," Allen allowed. "We feel confident running either way and up the middle. We're a run-first team and we try to even it out. Colt (Carpenter) has really developed into a good runner and Evan (Wells) was banged up earlier, but he is healthy."
Christien Hannahs (center), Kevin Phillips (right guard) and Talon Anderson (right tackle), along with tight ends Jaxton Swallie and Cole Atkinson also provide blocking.
Colt Carpenter has completed 70 percent of his passes (48-68) for 839 yards and eight touchdowns, compared to a pair of interceptions. He has also run for 245 yards and five scores. When he takes to the air, which he only did once last week, his favorite targets are Parker Graham (16-227-1) and Swallie (9-151-1) and Wells (9-101).
Kick is set for 7 p.m. The winner advances to the regional finals against the winner of the No. 4 Garrettsfield Garfield (11-0) and No. 1 Perry (11-0) semifinal. That contest will be at a neutral site.
GAME NOTES
- Barnesville's senior class went four years without losing to an OVAC opponent. They are 22-2 at Shamrock Stadium and 42-5 overall in their careers.
- Barnesville is 38-5 at home since 2020.
- The Shamrocks finished No. 5 in the final Associated Press Division V poll, one spot behind the Indians.
- This is the first-ever meeting between the schools in football.
- Six of Barnesville's 10 opponents had a record better than .500.