From Staff Reports

CUMBERLAND?— Top-ranked Fort Hill did all it needed to do in the first half to build a 35-0 lead, then waited out the second on a running clock and remained unbeaten with a 35-0 victory over the Rams Saturday evening at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

The Sentinels (7-0) scored three times in the first quarter, and totaled 282 rushing yards by halftime to take care of business on the offensive end.

The defense did its job by holding Southern to just over 30 yards and no first downs in the opening half.

Fort Hill began substituting players during the second quarter, and the only time the Sentinels didn’t look completely in sync were on a couple of pass plays in the first half.

Fort Hill got the scoring started when Dakota Welsh took off for a 60-yard touchdown on the team’s second possession.

Welsh would make a second trip to the end zone early in the second quarter, and would gain 125 yards on the ground in the first two quarters. The senior fullback entered the night averaging 114 yards per game.

Sam Walker punched in a two-yard run on the next Sentinel drive, and the third Fort Hill touchdown came around as the result of a Southern fumble. With 3:36 left in the first quarter, Kwam Kassim converted the turnover into a touchdown and gave Fort Hill a 20-0 lead.

Welsh’s 9-yard run and two-point conversion run gave the Sentinels a 28-0 lead with 9:55 left to play in the second quarter. Fort Hill would tack on its final touchdown when Walker scored from five yards out with 1:47 to go until halftime.

The pace of the game slowed during the second half and Southern was able to mount just one threat of breaking the shutout.

With three minutes to play the Rams were set up deep in Fort Hill territory, but the Sentinels defense got an interception from Andrew Blank to end the drive.

Fort Hill will play the next two weeks on the road beginning with a game at Thomas Johnson on Friday.

Southern (2-5) will play at Mountain Ridge on Friday.