Sep. 15, 2012
from Staff Reports

CUMBERLAND — The Panthers of MATHS, the Maryland Academy of Technology and Health Sciences of Baltimore, provided an early “uh-oh” moment for the partisan Fort Hill crowd at Greenway Avenue Stadium Friday night when running back Tyron Johnston broke off a 67-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of game to put the Sentinels in an early 6-0 hole. However, it was the Panthers who would be saying “uh-oh” for the rest of the evening as Fort Hill scored on all of its possessions but the last one to beat MATHS, 70-6.

The Sentinels (2-1) bounced back from last week’s loss to Keyser in fine fashion by piling up 525 yards of offense — 444 on the ground — and 22 first downs. Halfback Alex Barnes led the Fort Hill offense on seven first-half carries, gaining 176 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

Halfback Zac Elbin carried twice for 51 yards and two touchdowns and Adam Duvall seven times for 57 yards and a touchdown. Fullback-quarterback Rashaan Shives rushed for 84 yards on eight carries and passed for a touchdown, while quarterback Hunter Squires completed three of four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns.

Chris King was 8-for-9 on extra points and the Sentinels intercepted five passes, two being picked off by Devin Shreve.

After Johnston and the Panthers scored at 9:47 of the first quarter, Fort Hill came right back to cover 70 yards in seven plays, with Rashaan Shives at fullback carrying the first four plays and gaining 30 yards. On second-and-six from the Fort Hill 41, Barnes picked up 21, and two plays later took it in from 29 yards out for the touchdown, with King’s kick putting the Sentinels up, 7-6, at 7:20 of the first.

Fort Hill began its next possession at the MATHS 39 and gains of nine by Cody Arigo and 26 by Barnes took the ball to the four from where Ty Mance went across to make it 13-6.

After giving up a first down on the first play of the ensuing MATHS possession, Fort Hill took over at the Panthers 29 and went the distance in seven plays, with Shreve scoring from 10 yards out with 27.5 seconds remaining, with King’s kick making it 20-6.

Mance then intercepted a pass at midfield, taking the ball to the MATHS 18, but an illegal block penalty took it back to the Fort Hill 49. After an 11-yard completion from Squires to Shreve, Elbin took it the distance from 40 yards out at 11:47 of the second, with King’s kick making it 27-6.

From their nine, the Panthers were then picked off by Shreve, who returned it from the 26 to the 14. Then, on first down, Squires found Travis Bush for the touchdown at 11:27. The Sentinels passed for the two-point conversion, with Shreve coming out of the hold to hit David Linaburg to make it 35-6.

Shreve then picked off another MATHS pass at the Panthers 26 and returned it 12 yards to set up Elbin's second touchdown from the 11 at 11:06, the fourth Fort Hill touchdown in less than 82 seconds. It would take over six minutes before the Sentinels scored again, as Barnes traveled 58 yards at 4:44 to complete a two-play, 67-yard scoring drive, with King’s kick making it 49-6.

After Ryan Shives recovered a fumble at the MATHS 36 for the Sentinels, Squires found Bush on a crossing pattern, with Bush taking it all the way for the touchdown at 4:15.

Fort Hill’s fourth interception was by Michael Thornton and he returned it to the MATHS 16, setting up Duvall taking it in from the three with 2:48 left in the half, to put the halftime score at 63-6.

Fort Hill’s first drive in the third quarter took five plays and 58 yards with Rashaan Shives hitting Brandon Stotler with a 27-yard touchdown pass at 8:28. Linaburg intercepted the fifth pass for Fort Hill in the fourth quarter at the MATHS seven, but Fort Hill ran out the clock after moving 85 yards on 14 plays.

Fort Hill be on the road Friday to play North Hagerstown.