Sentinels sizzle in 62-6 win over Southern

Oct 15, 2011
From Staff Reports

CUMBERLAND — Top-ranked and undefeated Fort Hill gained first downs on half of their offensive plays, 15 to 30, piling up 424 yards in overwhelming Southern, 62-6, Friday night at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

Dylan Clay scored four touchdowns, two rushing and two on pass receptions, while Garrett Clay and Jaron Watkins both scored two touchdowns, with Watkins’ coming on a 72-yard punt return to start the second quarter and a 93-yard kickoff return to start the second half.

Garrett Clay rushed for 144 yards on five carries, with his touchdown runs covering 34 and 70 yards, all in the first half. Quarterback Mike Austin completed 8 of 10 passes for 133 yards and the two scores to Dylan Clay, and Dillon Darr scored for Fort Hill (7-0) as well, on a 54-yard run in the fourth quarter.

For Southern (3-4), quarterback Kurt Gangler completed 16 of 33 passes for 198 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Logan Stewart.

On the first possession of the game, Southern used a hurry-up offense to cover 54 yards, but the drive stalled at the Fort Hill 24 where the Sentinels took over.

Garrett Clay peeled off a 15-yard run on second-and-nine from the 25. Then, two plays after a 25-yard completion from Dylan Clay to Micah May, Garrett Clay finished the drive covering 34 yards for the touchdown to get the Sentinels on the board, with Cullin Brown’s kick making it 7-0 at 7:39 of the first quarter.

Working at a less-frenzied pace, the Southern offense had a three-and-out before punting, with Fort Hill taking over at the Rams’ 36. After Garrett Clay picked up 17 yards, Dylan Clay improvised on an option play to go in from 19 yards for the touchdown at 5:48, with Brown’s kick making it 14-0.

The Sentinels got the ball right back at their 37 and used just six plays to score again, with Dylan Clay running 13 for the first first down, and then 18 yards on a quarterback sneak for the third touchdown of the night at 1:15 of the first.

Southern gained a pair of first downs on its next possession, but was still forced to punt, which Watkins fielded at the Fort Hill 28, promptly finding the Sentinels’ wall of blockers. Following that wall, Watkins made a beautiful run to break the Southern punt coverage and complete the 72-yard return for touchdown at 10:13.

After another three-and-out by Southern, Fort Hill would need just one play — this one a Garrett Clay 70-yard run for touchdown — to make it 35-0 with Brown’s kick going through at 9:00.

The Sentinels went to the air on their next possession, with Austin completing six passes — two to May for 25 yards and two to Dylan Clay, including the eight-yard touchdown completion at 1:27 to make it 41-0 — in directing Fort Hill on the nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive.

The Rams then put together a crisp six-play, 66-yard scoring drive with Gangler completing passes of 28 yards to Stewart and 15 yards to Kevin Colaw to put the ball on the Fort Hill 24.

On fourth-and-four from the 24, Gangler went to the end zone and to find Stewart, who made a beautiful catch for the touchdown with 16 seconds left in the half.

On a running clock to start the second half, due to Maryland’s 35-point rule, Fort Hill’s Watkins allowed the kickoff to hit, circled back to secure it at the 7, then bolted to midfield where he out-maneuvered two Southern defenders on his way to completing the 93-yard kickoff return, with Brown’s kick making it 48-6.

Fort Hill scored in just three plays on its first possession of the half, with Austin finding Dylan Clay on a fade route, and Clay going the distance for the 65-yard touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, Darr would score the final touchdown of the night, breaking a trap to race through the Southern secondary and into the end zone for the 54-yard TD run.

Fort Hill (7-0) will host Carrick of Pittsburgh on Friday. Southern (3-4) will visit Mountain Ridge on Friday.