Barnesville Retains Bill Dowler Trophy
Barnesville retained the coveted Bill Dowler Trophy Friday night as the Shamrocks tamed the Meadowbrook Colts 51-21 at Shamrock Stadium.
Junior Trey Toliver was named Dairy Queen Player of the Game with 191 yards rushing on 26 carries. Toliver also scored four touchdowns. Senior Koby Jones had 88 yards rushing on 2 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Shamrocks were led by Hines Ford, Logan Craker, and Phoenix Graham with 12+ tackles. Defensive Coach Bryce Allen was pleased with the defense. “We gave up more yards than usual, but we were able to keep the Colts offense out of the endzone with the exception of two drives,” said Coach Bryce Allen. Dillon Lucas had a fumble recovery. Hines Ford had an interception return for a touchdown, which, according to Coach Bryce Allen, “was a major turning point in the game.”
Friday’s game was the 42nd all-time meeting between the Barnesville Shamrocks and the Meadowbrook Colts. The first meeting was in 1972. Barnesville leads the all-time series 26–13–2.
The long-running trophy memorializes the late Bill Dowler, who served as varsity football coach at Barnesville and Meadowbrook. Dowler coached the Barnesville squad to a 1983 OVAC Championship and coached the 1984 OVAC All-Star Classic. Dowler’s life was cut short in November 1987 when he died as a result of an auto accident when he was heading to teach class at Meadowbrook from his Barnesville residence.
Barnesville won its 38th straight regular-season game. Barnesville last lost a game on week four of the 2021 season. This week the Barnesville Shamrocks face the Bellaire Big Reds in Bellaire at 7:00 pm.
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