Barbara, Liberty-Benton rout Norwayne

L-BENTON 38NORWAYNE 0CRESTON – The stakes keep getting higher, but the results have stayed essentially the same.In Friday's Division V Region 18 playoff game against Creston Norwayne, Liberty-Benton did what it has done to every team it has faced this season.Connor Barbara had touchdown runs of 54 and 53 yards, threw a pair of touchdown passes, and led the 12-0 Eagles to a 38-0 trouncing of the Bobcats.L-B's defense punished Norwayne, holding it to a single rushing yard on 14 carries. The Eagles also intercepted Bobcats quarterback Jacob Bruner twice, limiting him to just 10 of 24 passing for 130 yards.Overall, L-B forced four turnovers in the win.Now, Liberty-Benton will prepare to face undefeated, top-seeded, and No. 1-ranked Liberty Center next Friday. The Tigers secured a spot in the regional semifinals with a 56-6 thrashing of Oak Harbor. It will be the second consecutive year Liberty-Benton will face Liberty Center in the playoffs. Last year, in a second-round matchup, the Tigers won, 35-0.On Friday, Liberty-Benton jumped all over the Bobcats, scoring four first-quarter touchdowns. The Eagles led 28-0 after one quarter and went up 31-0 in the second after a 37-yard field goal by Jairo Colina.Colina, a star on the Eagles regional final-qualifying soccer team, continues to be remarkably consistent. Not only did he make his field goal attempt, but he was 5-for-5 on point after kicks.Barbara finished with 139 yards rushing on just seven carries. He completed 10 of 12 passes for 124 yards.That included a pair of first-quarter touchdowns strikes. Barbara hit University of Toledo commit Seth Elchert from 7 yards, and connected with Karson Griffin on a 29-yard TD.Seth Elchert – whose brother Zach, a star running back, was injured last week – caught five passes for 46 yards. Fellow Eagle Austin Collert had two receptions for 37 yards.With Zach Elchert out, Asher Norman finished with 12 carries for 86 yards. Norman added a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.Overall, the Eagles ran for 243 yards on 27 attempts.Liberty-Benton pulled its starters late in the third quarter.Norwayne ended its season at 8-3. Ryder Ingold caught two passes for 51 yards for the Bobcats,Liberty-Benton 28 3 7 0 – 38Norwayne 0 0 0 0 – 0 FIRST QUARTERL-B -- Connor Barbara 54 run (Jairo Colina kick)L-B –Seth Elchert 7 pass from Barbara (Colina kick)L-B – Karson Griffin 29 pass from Barbara (Colina kick)L-B – Barbara 53 run (Colina kick)SECOND QUARTERL-B—Colina 37 field goalTHIRD QUARTERL-B – Asher Norman 10 run (Colina kick) COL. GROVE 28GIBSONBURG 6COLUMBUS GROVE – It wasn't that Columbus Grove didn't give up yards in Friday's Region 26 playoff game against Gibsonburg.The Golden Bears' Grant Smith had a big night, running the ball 20 times for 134 yards.For the game, Gibsonburg had 205 yards on the ground, a healthy total.The problem for the Golden Bears was that Columbus Grove's defense did an exceptional job not letting them score.Smith had a 19-yard dash for a touchdown in the third quarter. But that run (along with a successful 2-point conversion) were the only points Gibsonburg scored all night in a 28-6 loss to the Bulldogs.Columbus Grove's defense made things difficult on quarterback Reece Walby. He had just four completions on 12 pass attempts for 28 yards. Grove also intercepted him twice.Meanwhile, Columbus Grove's offense was efficient. Gavin Barraza only ran for 28 yards, but two of those carries went for touchdowns, from 9 and 5 yards, respectively.Brody McCluer was the Bulldogs workhorse, getting the ball 12 times and running for 102 yards. Landon Best completed 10-of-14 passes for 75 yards. One of those passes was a 20-yard strike to Trevin Baxter for a touchdown.Best also added a 13-yard touchdown run.Grove led 21-0 at the half; 21-8 after three quarters.For Columbus Grove, the win sets up a rematch.The Bulldogs will play at Lima Central Catholic next Friday. Just three weeks ago, the teams squared off in Lima in a pivotal NWC showdown.Grove won that game, 33-25. A week later, the Bulldogs clinched the outright Northwest Conference crown.Gibsonburg 0 0 8 0 – 28Columbus Grove 7 14 0 7 – 28FIRST QUARTERCG – Gavin Barraza 9 run (Evan Verhoff kick)SECOND QUARTERCG – Landon Best 13 run (Verhoff kick)CG – Trevon Baxter 20 pass from Best (Verhoff kick)THIRD QUARTERG – Grant Smith 19 run (Rodriguez pass from Walby)FOURTH QUARTERCG – G. Barraza 5 run (Verhoff kick)