Barnesville High School
Shamrocks Hungry For More After 10-0 Regular Season
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BARNESVILLE -- The Barnesville High Shamrocks have been one of the better high school football teams in the Ohio Valley for the past decade. They are an eye-popping 21-3 in the last two campaigns, including a perfect 10-0 regular season last fall, just the fifth in school history.
Despite losing a quality senior class that featured OVAC Rudy Mumley All Star game participants and all-Ohioans C.J. Hannahs and Quentin Leasure, head coach Blake Allen is looking for another successful season in western Belmont County.
"We have had back-to-back 10-win seasons which we are very proud of," Allen said. "Going undefeated was big for the kids. That's something that hasn't been done many times here, but I think the kids are hungry for more."
Barnesville reached the second round of the Division V playoffs last season before falling at home to Wheelersburg, 55-31, to end its dream season.
"We were right there with Wheelersburg for three quarters before the game got away from us in the fourth quarter," Allen remembered. "It (the loss) kind of stung and served as off-season motivation."
Coach Blake Allen on the upcoming season
With motivation and 20 starters returning, things are still looking up for the Green Machine.
"We've got seven or eight guys back on each side of the ball. We played a lot of younger guys last year and they got a lot of valuable playing time.
"We're in a different scenario this season compared to other years in recent history," Allen continued. "In the past we were replacing starters and this year we have some guys back and the stakes are higher. We're going to have a target on our back. Everyone will be gunning for us and we will get everyone's best shot.
"I've told the kids that we need to get better in a hurry and now rest on our laurels from past seasons," Allen added. "We need to get better every day in practice in order to be ready when the lights come on."
The Shamrocks will be breaking in a new quarterback in junior Casey Carpenter (5-10, 180). The southpaw saw some mop-up duty under center last fall, but started at tight end and outside linebacker.
"It's not like he was just standing around on the sidelines watching a year ago," Allen noted. "He got a ton of playing time. He has really stepped it up in the offseason. He is more mature. He controls the huddle and he has a very strong arm. He can make all the throws."
Allen said Carpenter has a different skill set than Hannahs had.
"Casey is more of a pocket passer. If he runs it will be between the tackles, so we need to tailor our offensive around him. He needs to get better at his reads and decision making."
Backing Carpenter up is freshman Cole Francis (5-10, 140).
Having an all-Ohio tailback and five returning offensive linemen will help Carpenter settle a little more quickly than usual.
"We return four starters from last year on the offensive line and we added a player from the backfield in junior Salvador Almaraz (6-0, 300)," Allen said. He played some there as a freshman but moved to fullback last year. He is a really good blocker and has added about 50 pounds from last year."
Back for another season are junior Marshall Meade (6-1, 215) at center. The guards are senior Hank Johnson (5-10, 190) and junior Braden Butler (6-0, 270). The tackles are junior Luke Taylor (6-2, 195) and Almaraz.
"We're going to count on those guys to be our leaders," Allen said of the five.
"We've also got a pair of first-year seniors out in Adrian Tolewitz (6-3, 280) and Chase Riley (6-1, 305)," Allen noted. "They should be able to provide us with some depth."
Other line candidates are juniors Blake Kirk (5-10, 250) and Montgomery Evans (6-0, 210); sophomores Eric Wilson (6-0, 275), Brayden Wells (5-11, 235), Max Cacioppo (5-11, 255) and Dillon Lucas (5-8, 230); and freshmen Christian Hannahs (5-8, 200), Austin Armstrong (5-6, 150), Braxton Byers (5-10, 235) and Kaiden Berry (5-11, 265).
The running backs are led by senior Taison Starr (5-10, 170) who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season.
"Taison can do it all in the backfield," Allen said. "He can run the ball and he can catch it out of the backfield. He's a great athlete and a great kid."
Junior Camden Carpenter (5-10, 180) is another kid who will see a lot of time.
"Cam is very fast," Allen said. "He got hurt mid-season last year, but has fully recovered and should give Taison a blow here and there."
Sophomores Koby Jones (5-8, 170) and Hines Ford (5-8, 160) are also pressing for playing time, as is freshman Trey Toliver (5-9, 180).
"We've got some options at running back," Allen said with a smile.
Also listed in the backfield are freshmen Evan Carpenter (5-9, 145), Ryot McCort (5-9, 145) and Gunner Disher (5-8, 150).
A pair of veterans lead the receiving corps in seniors Jason Castello (5-9, 160) and Luke Detling (5-8, 150). Both are two-year letterwinners.
"They both had great seasons last year and we will be counting on them for big plays again this year," Allen said of Castello and Detling. "They are also great leaders."
Junior Bradey McIntire (6-0, 160) will switch between wide receiver and tight end. He is also a two-year veteran.
Other targets are juniors Bode Carpenter (5-2, 120) and Chase Sharp (5-6, 140); sophomores Easton Huntsman (5-11, 150) and Eli Messenger (5-11, 145); and freshmen Vince Taylor (5-2, 110), Brody Schaeffer (5-8, 125), Jack Anderson (5-7, 135), Colt Carpenter (5-6, 130), Skyler Werts (5-11, 145), Phoenix Graham (5-9, 150), Brayden Watters (6-0, 110), Joel Detling (5-6, 115) and Braylon Lucas (5-7, 125).
Playing behind McIntire at tight end are junior Karter Kaplet (5-8, 170); sophomores Logan Craker (5-9, 170) and Evan Huff (5-6, 180); and freshman Parker Sobutka (5-7, 165).
According to the head coach, Barnesville's special teams is in good hands with junior Evan Lough (6-2, 165).
"Evan has a very strong leg. He set a school record for most PATs in a season last fall," Allen said. "He had a tremendous season but needs to be more consistent. He has great accuracy and can kick it deep on kickoffs."
Lough will also do the punting.
Defensively, the Shamrocks will line up in a 4-4 with Luke Taylor and Meade at the ends.
"We're looking for big things from those two," Allen stressed.
Jones will also see time at the end.
The tackles are Alamaraz, Butler, Kirk and Tolewitz, with Johnson, Butler, Evans, Riley, Hannahs, Armstrong, Byers, Cacioppo, Wilson, Wells, Lucas and Berry.
Starr returns as the leading tackler from his inside linebacker spot. He is joined on the inside by Ford. The outside linebackers are Casey Carpenter, Camden Carpenter, Messenger, Craker and Tolliver.
Backups are Sharp, Evan Carpenter, McCort, Huff, Kaplet, Disher, Sobutka and Joel Detling.
The secondary has Castello, Luke Detling, Huntsman, McIntire, Bode Carpenter, Vince Taylor, Schaeffer, Francis, Anderson, Colt Carpenter, Werts, Graham, Watters and Lucas.
Barnesville only has three changes to its schedule, but one is huge. The Shamrocks will host Bellaire in week 2 for the first time ever.
"That is hard to believe," Allen said. "Two Belmont County schools that are 30 minutes apart and they've never played. Unbelievable."
The other additions are Caldwell and Newcomerstown.
Only one name is new within the coaching staff as Steven Shumaker takes over for D.J. Butler who has stepped away from the game. Other assistants are Bryce Allen, Dylan Rogers, Tony Starr, Neal Zaccagnini, Brady Treherne.
"Coaching in the OVAC All Star game was great for our staff," Blake Allen said. "It was two weeks of bonding as a staff. It was fun."
Lost to graduation in addition to Hannahs and Leasure were Robbie Nixon, Corbin Wise, Jordan Smith, Easton Little and Hunter Phillips.