Barnesville, Toliver Run Past Wheeling Central
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BARNESVILLE - For the third consecutive week, Barnesville has found itself in a war. First it was Fort Frye. Then it was Martins Ferry. Friday night the Shamrocks hooked up in a shootout with Wheeling Central.
Trey Toliver carried the ball 46 times for 303 yards - both career highs - and scored two touchdowns as the state-ranked Shamrocks (9-0) outscored the visiting Maroon Knights, 27-21, at soggy Shamrock Stadium on Homecoming 2026.
"We knew we were in for another war," Barnesville head coach Blake Allen said. "That's three weeks in a row, but we were able to find a way to come out on top again."
The victory was the 37th regular-season triumph for the Barnesville seniors against just two non-OVAC opponent losses (George Washington, Independence) in their four years.
"These kids have worked their tails off for four four years and it's good to see them reap the benefits of that hard work," Allen said.
As for Toliver, Allen is running out of superlatives.
"Our game plan going in wasn't necessarily to have him carry the ball 46 times, but with the weather and the conditions it wasn't a good night to try and throw the ball, so let's run it," Allen added. "Trey has worked his tail off to get himself into condition to be able to carry that load."
The teams alternated touchdowns as Barnesville scored first in each of the four quarters while Wheeling Central answered each time, with the exception of the fourth.
The Shamrocks, after forcing a Clay Petry punt on the Maroon Knights' initial possession, drove 72 yards on six plays - all runs by Toliver - to take a 7-0 lead. Toliver capped the nearly 2-minute march with a 6-yard scamper. Linas Graef was perfect on the PAT.
Wheeling Central's Dustin Sanner picked off a pass on Barnesville's second set of downs, setting his team up at the Shamrock 25. On the third snap, quarterback Nico Kusic rolled right and looked as though he was going to use legs to get closer to the promised lane, he pulled up and spotted Brady Ernest all along inside the 5 to complete a 13-yard scoring play. Petry made it 7-7.
The second quarter saw both teams use lengthy, time-consuming drives to put points on the board.
Barnesville went ahead 14-7 when Toliver swept around his right end from three yards out and Graef's placement made it 14-7. The run culminated a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate up nearly seven minutes.
Not to be outdone, the Maroon Knights (4-4) went 83 yards, using 17 plays and taking 7:55 off the clock to end the first half. Sanner did the honors from four yards out and Petry made it 14-all at the half.
Colt Carpenter's 1-yard quarterback sneak capped a 16-play, 80-yard scoring march to start the third quarter as the Shamrocks took a 21-14 lead, but before the celebration even got started, Wheeling Central freshman Wyatt Stephens took an inside handoff, broke to the outside and outran everyone 80 yards to paydirt. Petry made it 21-all.
On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Carpenter faked a handoff to Toliver and cut behind the back, scooting 19 yards to the end zone. However, the all-important PAT was blocked, leaving the door open just a crack.
That crack was sealed shut by the Barnesville defense, led by Talon Anderson, Ridge Holliday and Jaxton Swallie.
"It was a hard-fought game where both teams played hard," veteran Wheeling Central head coach Mike Young said. "I'm proud of the way my kids battled and battled. I'm also proud of my coaches."
Barnesville concludes the regular season at home against western Belmont County rivals Union Local (8-1) next Friday. Wheeling Central, meanwhile, returns to Bishop Schmitt Field to host Cincinnati College Prep (7-1) for Homecoming.
Barnesville 27, W. Central 21
Central 7 7 7 0 - 21
Barnes 7 7 7 6 - 27
B-Toliver 6 run (Graef kick)
WC-Ernest 13 pass from Kusic (Petry kick)
B-Toliver 3 run (Graef kick)
WC-Sanner 4 run (Petry kick)
B-Co. Carpenter 1 run (Graef kick)
WC-Stephens 80 run (Petry kick)
B-Co. Carpenter 19 run (kick blocked)
RUSHING: W. Central 34-171-2tds (Stephens 6-87-td, Sanner 19-70-td, Czapp 1-10, Kusic 7-8, team 1 (-4). Barnesville 57-375-4tds (Toliver 46-303-2tds, Co. Carpenter 8-66-2tds, Wells 3-6)
PASSING: W. Central 4-7-47-td (all by Kusic). Barnesville 2-5-17-int (all by Co. Carpenter)
RECEIVING: W. Central 4-47 (Ernest 2-29-td, Stephens 1-10, Rine 1-8). Barnesville 2-17 (Wells 1-10, Swallie 1-7)
FIRST DOWNS: W. Central 10. Barnesville 23
FUMBLES: W. Central 1-0. Barnesville 2-1
PENALTIES: W. Central 11-105. Barnesville 4-25