Barnes Rushes for Six Touchdowns as Saline Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

Saline senior Justin Barnes is hitting his stride. And anything else that gets in his way.

A week after setting the school record by rushing for 355 yards, the 6-foot, 220-pound running back ran for six touchdowns and 226 yards on 39 carries as Saline defeated Skyline 42-21. Saline improved to 4-4 and kept its playoff hopes alive.

Barnes has rushed for 11 touchdowns in two weeks.

“I love to get the ball and I love the physical contact when I run. I live for it,” said Barnes, who rarely gets stopped by the first hit these days. “My offensive line is playing great and I’m having fun.”

Coach Mike Glennie said the team is gelling after injuries and other issues plagued the team early in the season.

“Justin Barnes is a powerful running back and we’ve seen him improve. At the same time, our offensive line has stepped up and is playing better than it has all year,” Glennie said.

The Hornets visit Novi (3-5) next week. Novi lost to Canton 35-6 Friday. With a win, Saline has a chance to make the playoffs.

“We just look at next week like it is our playoffs,” said Barnes.

Glennie agreed.

“If we win, then the guys with the calculators can tell us whether we make the playoffs or not. If we lose, we’re done. So it is a playoff game for us,” said Glennie.

Skyline struck first on a brilliant passing play. On 3^rd-and-15 from their own 15, Eagles QB Nelson Hansen zipped a perfectly placed bullet over the Saline defensive back and into the hands of 6’3 receiver Jordan Woods, who streaked down the sideline for an 85-yard touchdown.

The Hornets, thanks to a 60-yard kickoff return by Brandon Gordon, bounced right back. They started at the Skyline 38. In contrast to the flashy, quick-strike Eagles, the Hornets offense went the black-and-blue route, smashing the ball up the middle. Barnes had a couple carries for a first down. QB Reece Dils (2-for-3 passing, 29 yards, 1 Interception) connected with Gordon to convert a big 3^rd-and-10 and put Saline at the Skyline eight-yard line. Two Barnes rushes later, Saline was in the end zone. Dylan Mulder’s kick tied the game at 7.

Skyline started their next drive at the 20 after Mulder’s kick sailed into the end zone for a touchback (all seven of Mulder’s kicks went for touchbacks). A great catch by Theron Wilson gave Skyline the ball at midfield. Then 5’3 running back Torrey Juide scooted 11 yards for first down at the Saline 36. But there, the Hornets’ defense drew a line in the sand. The defense sniffed out a reverse and dropped Woods for a two-yard loss.  Joey Zakrasjsek (two tackles, two broken up passes) broke up a long pass on second down. A third down pass fell incomplete and Joel Stroebbe (two sacks, five tackles) sacked the quarterback on fourth down to get the ball back for Saline.

Saline moved the ball up the field on runs by Gordon and Barnes. On 4^th-and-9 from the Skyline 34, Dills scrambled through a maze of Eagles for a 14-yard pickup. Jordan Magenta’s seven-yard run up the gut on 3^rd-and-4 gave Saline a first down at the Skyline two. Barnes rushed it in from there. Mulder’s kick (6-for-6 on PATs) made it 14-7.

Skyline started its next drive at the 20 and went nowhere. The Saline secondary, burned on the first couple drives, adjusted to the speed and the height of the Skyline receivers.

“We watched film, but you can only learn so much on film. Once they got out there and played, they picked it up. Skyline has some very talented athletes and they’re very explosive. You can’t coach height, but I think we did a good job doing the kinds of things you can do to defend against their attack,” Glennie said.

On 3^rd-and-10, Hansen’s pass over the middle was intercepted by Magenta, who returned it 20-yards to the Skyline 11. Three plays later, Barnes rushed from five yards out. Mulder’s kick made it 21-7 to end the first quarter.

Skyline answered on its next drive. On 3^rd-and-10 from the 33, Hansen threw a screen pass to Woods, who cut to the middle and bounced back to the right sideline, sprinting to a 67-year touchdown. Erik Lundberg’s kick made it 21-14 with 9:48 to play in the half.

Saline began its next drive at its own 13. A 10-yard first-down run moved the Hornets out to the 27. On the next play, Barnes burst up the middle for 14 yards. Barnes handled the rest of the drive and capped the 87-yard, 5:09 drive with a one-yard TD rush. Saline led 28-14 after Mulder’s kick.

Skyline closed the gap early in the third. The Eagles began their scoring drive at the Saline 36. The first three plays went a grand total of one yard. Hansen and Woods connected for a 15-yard pickup on 4^th-and-9 to keep the drive going. A screen pass to Wilson moved Skyline to the Saline 3. On 2^nd-and-Goal, Hansen dished a short pass to Joe Clark who stiff-armed a Saline tackler and ran into the end zone. Lundberg’s kick make it 28-21.

Saline’s grasp on the game began to look tenuous when Skyline recovered an onside kick at the Saline 40. Jake Swick dropped Percell Franklin in the backfield for a seven-yard loss. Two plays later, Brandon Gordon intercepted a pass and Saline got the ball back at its own 30.

The Hornets, mostly on carries by Barnes and Hunter Leslie (7 carries, 28 yards) ran the ball up the field, eating time off the clock. Barnes rushed in from three yards out for the touchdown. Mulder’s kick made it 35-21 with 9:25 to play.

Considering Skyline’s quick-strike ability, Saline wasn’t out of the woods yet. And Skyline put a scare into the crowd two plays later with a 65-yard touchdown pass from Hansen to Wilson. The play was called back, however, because of an ineligible receiver down field. The Skyline drive sputtered near mid-field and the Eagles punted the ball away.

Another Skyline drive was quashed by Gordon’s second interception of the night. Gordon returned the interception 15 yards to the Skyline 15. On first down, Barnes rushed in for his sixth touchdown of the game with 2:30 to play. Mulder’s kick made it 42-21.