Barnesville ousts Martins Ferry to set up Division V regional clash with Girard
BARNESVILLE −Barnesville senior Trey Toliver spent the regular season rewriting the Shamrock record books. On Friday, Nov. 6, he added another historic chapter – and gave Martins Ferry a full-strength reminder of why he's one of the state's premier running backs. Entering the OHSAA Division V, Region 17 postseason as Barnesville's all-time leading rusher with 5,458 yards and 95 career touchdowns, Toliver put on a clinic, racking up 276 yards and four touchdowns on 28 carries to lead the second-seeded Shamrocks to a 35-18 victory over Purple Riders at Shamrock Stadium. The victory kept Barnesville's perfect season intact at 11-0 and punched their ticket into the regional semifinals. More than an impressive opening act in the OHSSA football postseason, Friday's performance from the dynamic Toliver served as a stark redo. Back on Oct. 10 at Martins Ferry, the Purple Riders gave Barnesville all they could handle in a tight 25-21 decision, holding Toliver to a rare off night of 160 yards on 26 carries. Round 2 between the Buckeye 8 Conference foes was a completely different story. Martins Ferry had contained Toliver once, but in the high-stakes atmosphere of the OHSAA postseason, the Purple Riders got the full, unrelenting dose
