The last time Barnesville finished the regular season undefeated, current head coach Blake Allen was a senior back in 2006.
Those Shamrocks fell in the second round of the Ohio Division postseason to Warren JFK, 14-8, in overtime. JFK later went on to fall to St. Henry in the DV championship game.
Friday night, Allen’s current Shamrocks capped an unbeaten regular season with a cherished 29-26 victory against rival Union Local in the annual Battle for the Milk Jug.
The Shamrocks sit third in Ohio Division V, Region 19, and will face Piketon (6-4) on Friday night in what will be Barnesville’s third straight trip to the postseason in what is Allen’s sixth season at the helm. Safe to say, the moment was just as special for the coach as it was 16 years ago as a player.
“Definitely, it was certainly exciting and cool to be a part of both (seasons),” Allen said. “But first and foremost, I’m happy for our kids. I know how it feels, so I’m so happy for them and happy that all of the hard work they put in has paid off.”
The players have certainly put forth the effort; the coaching staff too.
Allen’s tenure took a few years to gain footing as he worked to transform the culture and the program into how he best saw fit.
The years between Allen’s graduation and when he first assisted then-head coach Matt Johnson in 2015 saw Barnesville muddle through marginal success, reaching the postseason only once in 2016 in Johnson’s final year.
That season, the ‘Rocks finished the regular season 8-1, having lost one game to COVID. They won their first playoff game before falling to Fort Frye.
Between 2007 and 2014, Barnesville finished 30-50, winning some, and losing more. A four-year stretch between 2009 and 2012 saw the Green & Red start strong each season, only to fade down the stretch against a daunting schedule that included the likes of Shadyside, Monroe Central, and Magnolia, when all three were at their respective peaks.
In 2009, BHS started 5-1, only to lose four of its last five. The next season the rocks finished 6-4, losing three of their last four. In 2011, the team started 7-3, but in falling in its final three games, lost on a potential postseason bid. That final year of the four-year stretch, Barnesville started 4-1, only to lose the final five games.
So you could forgive any longtime Barnesville fans who were questioning just how good this year’s team was after an impressive 4-0 start but against four teams that combined for nine wins all season; especially, with the likes of River, Toronto, Shenandoah, and Union Local waiting.
But as each week’s new opponent turned into another victory in the ‘Rocks march to the postseason, it became apparent nothing was going to break this team’s focus.
“We really do just focus on one game at a time,” Allen admitted. “I can’t say there’s any point where we thought or talked about running the able. That’s kind of just the position we’re in.
“The kids stayed focused on the task at hand and we played a lot of tough teams. The minute you look and think that you’re ahead is when you trip up. Their ability to stay focused and hone in on the opponent speaks volumes.”
Tough Schedules Make Tough Teams
Allen was complimentary of his team’s ability to retain its focus week in and out. That was probably made easier by the difficulty of the back portion of its schedule.
True, Barnesville’s opponents went a combined 45-55, but its final six opponents finished 36-24, including five playoff qualifiers.
And in fairness, Meadowbrook (1-9) and Shadyside (3-7) both were not representative of either program’s recent successes.
But it was a typical Barnesville schedule, tough all around, back-loaded with tough games.
“The schedule is the schedule, you can’t control what teams’ records are,” Allen said. “It’s only a matter of focusing on one game at a time. Our first goal always is to beat our rivals, which, we consider most of the teams on our schedule rivals because they are local teams we play each year. It’s easier to keep your focus there. When we’re playing teams we know, it’s easy to get them amped and excited.”
Allen knows just how difficult it is to finish undefeated too.
Talent alone is not enough to guarantee or even predict a potential unbeaten season.
Just look at last year. Barnesville finished 8-1 in the regular season, falling 35-12 to Shadyside in Week 4. It also won its first two playoff games before falling to Fort Frye in the regional final.
“It’s hard to do, that’s why it’s a rare achievement,” Allen said. “A lot has to fall your way and you catch some breaks. It’s hard to win one game, let alone all 10 of them, so it’s a major accomplishment to be excited about.”
But … Wait. There’s a but? Yes, there is. While Allen, his staff, and players are all elated about finishing the regular season unbeaten, that is not, nor was it ever, the goal.
“But 10-0 is never the goal,” Allen said. “Our goal is to make some noise in the playoffs and build on what we’ve been doing and not to rest on what we did during the regular season.”
The next season begins against the Piketon Redstreaks, a 6-4 team from Pike County that’s making the trek to Barnesville after defeating Huntington 24-6 to finish in the No. 13 spot. Huntington was the lone team the Redstreaks defeated that had a non-losing record. But that doesn’t mean Allen is expecting a cakewalk; far from it actually.
“They are a team that spreads you out, but spreads you out in order to run it,” Allen said. “They have a big running back, a young QB, and a big offensive line. Their defense is fast and aggressive and blitzes a lot.
“They were present a lot of challenges, but we are excited to get back to work.”
Work is the Key Word
Coaching, talent, and luck, all have played a part in the resurgence of the Shamrocks out in Western Belmont County.
But there’s no substitute for hard work and dedication, and Allen believes that has played an integral part in his team’s successes.
They are willing to do what’s necessary to get to where they want to be.
That arduous journey started where many such gridiron journeys begin—during the offseason.
“That’s kind of been my focus since I took the head job, and in talking to other (successful) programs in the area, that it really is the key to building that foundation is the offseason program,” Allen said. “What I’m really proud of is the kids have all bout into it and put the work in.
“High school football in Ohio is so competitive now, you have to keep training, keep working in the weight room, and keep active, not just in the fall.”
Barnesville’s senior class is only seven players strong, a stark contrast to Allen’s senior season when the rostered 12th graders numbered in the low 20s.
Now, it’s a sizable sophomore class that’s making major contributions as many are learning on the job, guided by a small but spirited senior class leading by example.
“We only have seven seniors, but those are seven great kids. They’ve been outstanding and have really set the tone for us,” Allen said. “The young guys came in and learning the ropes and are filling right in. That’s a testament to their buying in, and the (seniors) showing the younger guys the way we do things.
“And that sophomore group, I’m extremely proud of them. They’ve played well above their years.”
