Sentinels shut out Keyser

Sep 9, 2011
by Steve Luse

CUMBERLAND — The Fort Hill backs used their tremendous speed to turn what coach Todd Appel described as “simple plays” into big ones and the defense spun another shutout as the Sentinels ran over Keyser, 42-0, Friday night at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

The Sentinels, who opened the season with a 43-0 victory over Silver Oak Academy, sent the game into the 35-point mercy rule when Dylan Clay caught a 45-yard scoring strike from Mike Austin to make it 35-0 with 4:19 left in the third period.

Garrett Clay touched the ball only six times, but finished with 107 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Briner scored the first touchdown on a 31-yard blast up the middle and Evan Harden raced 49 yards to conclude the scoring on a punt return.

Fort Hill finished with 283 yards on only 24 attempts for an average of almost 12 yards a carry. Keyser had a huge edge in time of possession in the first half, holding the ball 9 minutes and 41 seconds to only 4:19 for the Sentinels, who ended up scoring over four points for every minute they had possession.

“We knew after the game with Silver Oak that we had some things to work on and we had a great week of practice,” said Appel. “We just run simple plays, but when you have kids that run 4.5s in the 40 they can quickly become big plays. We came out in the second half and scored quickly and that took some of the pressure off the defense. They played great in putting up another zero. It was a great team effort.”

Keyser took six minutes off the clock on the first possession and moved to the 40 before being forced to punt after two sacks.

Briner, who ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the opener, went 31 yards on the Sentinels fourth play to cap the 46-yard drive at the 4:20 mark in the opening quarter. Dylan Clay dove in for the two points after a fake kick.

The second touchdown came on a 16-yard run by Garrett Clay at the 8:56 mark in the second quarter that capped a five-play, 60-yard drive. Lance Fullwood had a 25-yard run in the drive. Cullin Brown kicked the first of his four extra points.

Keyser had its best opportunity to score in the closing minutes of the half after Danny Fife recovered a fumble at the Fort Hill 40 for the game’s only turnover. The Golden Tornado advanced to the four, but Garrett Clay and Cody Dolly came up with big tackles for losses to stop the drive.

Dylan Clay opened the second half with a 62-yard run on his first carry and Garrett Clay scored his second touchodwbn on a two-yard run at the 10:45 mark.

It only took two plays for the Sentinels to score their next touchdown with Garrett Clay breaking loose on a 67-yard run with 8:12 left in the quarter.

The pass from Austin to Dylan Clay that made it 35-0 capped a four-play drive.

The Fort Hill defense bent at times but held Keyser to only 130 yards in total offense. Dolly, a sophomore linebacker, led the team with a sack and seven tackles. Also turning in outstanding defensive performances were D.J. Jolley, Nick Greise, Austin Lee and Wesley Wills.

Providing big holes for the big plays were tight end Micah May, tackles Jolley and Ethan McDermott, guards Bryce Lowery and Greise and center Austin Lee.

“We were controlling the ball in the first half, but you have to score when you have the opportunities and we didn’t,” said Keyser coach Sean Biser. “We are playing eight sophomores and we just didn’t do a good job on defense.”

Sophomore fullback Danny Fife led the Golden Tornado with 60 yards on 23 carries.

Keyser (1-1) plays at Northern on Friday and Fort Hill hosts Perry of Pittsburgh on Saturday.