Fort Hill routs MATHS

Oct 2, 2010
by Steve Luse

CUMBERLAND — Fort Hill bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 42-0 victory over the Maryland Academy of Technology for Health Sciences (MATHS) Friday night at Greenway Avenue Stadium. But head coach Todd Appel sees a need for a lot of work if the Sentinels have a shot at winning the next five games.

Fort Hill lifted its record to 3-2 after losing to Mount St. Joseph 14-0 and Martinsburg 42-10 for consecutive losses for the first time since 2001. MATHS is still looking for its first win after five games in its first season of football. The Panthers lost to Allegany 41-0 in an earlier visit to Cumberland.

Garrett Clay and Shawn Matheny ran for two touchdowns apiece, Jaron Wadkins returned a punt 33 yards to the end zone and set up the final TD with a 75-yard kickoff return. Dylan Clay caught a 33-yard scoring pass from Joe Howser. Philip Giugliano kicked six extra points.

After turning the ball over on a fumbled pitch on their first possession, the Sentinels scored the next five times they had the ball to build a 35-0 halftime lead that put the game in the mercy rule with a running clock in the second half.

With Matheny leading the way with 84 yards on 11 carries, Fort Hill had 202 yards rushing on 31 carries and added 47 yards through the air.

The Fort Hill defense, in posting its third shutout, held MATHS to only 56 yards in total offense with nine tackles for losses. Joe Howser and Garrett Clay had interceptions.

“We were sluggish at the start and we haven’t started out quick all year,” said Appel. “We need to correct that and we need to fix some other issues. They gave us some problems early and we really didn’t get going until near the end of the half.

“We got to play a lot of people and it’s a win,” added the Fort Hill coach. “We are 3-2, but obviously we have a lot of work to do if we are going to win the next five games.”

The Sentinels first possession ended with the fumble on fourth down that Joseph Speed recovered for MATHS at its own 41-yard line. The Panthers got into Fort Hill territory at the 45-yard line only to have Howser come up with the interception.

Starting at the MATHS 47 after a seven-yard return, the Sentinels needed just four plays to get on the board. Garrett Clay had runs of 20 and 12 yards and Matheny went eight yards to set up the seven-yard touchdown run by Clay with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

Fort Hill went 60 yards on six plays on its next possession with Matheny starting the drive with a 20-yard run. Clay busted tackles for 13 yards and Matheny went 19 yards to the six to set up Clay’s second touchdown run at the 10:22 mark in the second quarter.

A short MATHS punt of only nine yards gave Fort Hill the ball at the Panthers’ 34-yard line and Matheny scored his first touchdown on a four-yard run with four minutes left in the half.

Wadkins’ punt return and Giugliano’s four extra points made it 28-0 with 1:50 still on the clock in the first half.

A sack by Zach Cohen gave Fort Hill the ball back at the MATHS 28-yard line with 33.6 seconds remaining before the break. After a delay-of-game penalty, Howser found Dylan Clay open on the 33-yard scoring pass with 21.2 seconds on the clock. Giugliano's kick resulted in the running clock for the second half.

On the kickoff to open the second half, Wadkins raced 76 yards before being knocked out of bounds at the five-yard line. After a two-yard gain by Garrett Clay, Matheny scored the final touchdown with a three-yard run with 10:03 left in the third quarter.

Fort Hill will be travelling to Shenandoah Junction, W.Va, Friday night to play Jefferson.