Sep. 21, 2013
From Staff Reports

CUMBERLAND — Fort Hill came out crisp and effectively put the game away in the first half in rushing out to a 39-0 lead on its way to a 53-14 victory over the Central Tech Falcons of Erie, Pa., Saturday evening at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

The Sentinels (3-0) amassed 483 yards of offense in the game, 332 rushing and 151 passing, taking over at their 48 for their first possession of the game after the Falcons’ punt attempt went awry.

Fort Hill would need just five plays to reach the end zone on that possession, the big play being a 41-yard pick-up by Alex Barnes to put the ball inside the Central 10. On first-and-goal from the nine, Ty Johnson went around tackle untouched for the touchdown at 7:01 of the first, with Chris King’s kick making it 7-0.

Fort Hill got the ball back on its 39 the next possession, and of the seven running plays they used to score, Dekarai Darr carried on six, accounting for all but eight of the 61-yard drive with a three-yard TD run over left tackle at the 2:00 mark of the first quarter.

Fort Hill took over again at the Central 49 and used three plays to get into the end zone, Johnson showing speed and power to cover the final 35 yards for the touchdown with 11:35 of the second quarter. The Sentinels then faked the conversion out of kick formation, and Ryan Shives’ reception on the two-pointer made it 22-0.

Fort Hill would need just three plays to score again from its 28. Quarterback Hunter Squires gained 12 on first down to take it out to the 40, from where Barnes followed a big block by Darr to gain 45 and put the ball at the Central Tech 15. On first down, Squires delivered to an open Shives for the touchdown at 8:44, with King’s kick making it 29-0.

The Sentinels made it 36-0 with a five-play, 64-yard drive, the big gain coming once more from Barnes, who followed blocks by Darr and Johnson to gain 34 yards to the Central 26. After Darr picked up six on a sweep, Squires again went to Shives, who took it in for the 20-yard TD pass at 1:29 of the first half.

Ryan Smith intercepted a pass for Fort Hill with 40 seconds left in the half, with completions to Ryan Shreve and Shives setting up a 38-yard field goal by King as time ran out in the half.

Fort Hill totaled 324 yards in the first half to Central’s 62, with Barnes rushing for 127 yards on five carries, Darr 71 yards on nine carries and Johnson 44 yards and a pair of touchdowns on two carries. Squires completed 5 of 6 passes for 71 yards, with two touchdowns to Shives.

Central (1-3) gained 27 yards on the ground on 27 carries.

Central scored at the end of the third period, following a Fort Hill turnover. Quarterback Josh Wells went across for the touchdown with 38 seconds left in the period.

The Falcons recovered their third fumble of the second half, then drove 65 yards, with Calvin Franklin scoring from the eight, and the two-point conversion making it 39-14.

After an another unsuccessful onside kick attempt by Central, Fort Hill took over at its 47 and used just five plays to score. The big gainer was a 38-yard pass from Devin Shreve that put the ball on the Central two from where Cody Dolly went in easily for the touchdown at 7:10 of the fourth.

On the ensuing Central possession, Fort Hill’s Richard Lloyd intercepted a pass at 4:34 of the fourth to give the Sentinels possession at their 47. They then used eight plays to close the scoring and the game with Jaraslov Candler going over the right side from 16 yards out, with King’s kick making the final 53-14.

Fort Hill will travel to Pittsburgh on Friday to play Carrick.