FH flourishes, 73-0 over Brunswick

FROM STAFF REPORTS
Sep 3, 2016

BRUNSWICK — Defending Maryland 1A state champion Fort Hill won its 12th straight game, opening the season with a convincing 73-0 win over Brunswick Friday night at Brunswick.

Nine different players scored touchdowns for the Sentinels, with fullback Raen Smith scoring two and placekicker Jacob Rummer kicking a 21-yard field goal.

The Sentinels, who have won the last three Maryland 1A state titles, have now won 41 of their last 42 games, with, conversely, the last two teams to defeat them being Brunswick, 46-42 in the 2012 West Region final, and Keyser, 48-41, in last season’s second game to end Fort Hill’s area-record 29-game winning streak.

It will be the Golden Tornado who the Sentinels will visit in this season’s second game next Friday night at Keyser.

After an Austin Martin interception halted the first Railroaders possession of the game, the Sentinels needed just five plays to get into the end zone on their first possession of the season, with quarterback Nathaniel Graves finding tight end Kaleb Harden on a 21-yard scoring strike at 8:12 of the first. Rummer made the extra point to make it 7-0.

After a three-and-out, Fort Hill got the ball back and needed just one play this time, as Brayden Brown, out of his right halfback slot, ran the sweep to his left to glide easily into the end zone for the score, with Rummer’s kick making it 14-0.

Another Brunswick three-and-out ensued, as did another quick Fort Hill score, as Smith scored on second down from 37 yards out, breaking three tackles at the line of scrimmage, then one more downfield following Sentinel linemen. Rummer’s kick made it 21-0 just like that.

Very soon thereafter, the Sentinels got the ball back, and soon thereafter scored again. After Graves found Luke Hamilton for 22 yards, Brayden Poling gained six to put the ball at the Brunswick five. Smith then followed with the touchdown run, going in untouched, with Rummer’s kick making it 28-0.

The Railroaders went for it on fourth down from deep in their territory on their next possession, and that did not work out too well for them, as Graves picked off the pass at the Brunswick 43 and returned it to the five, following good downfield blocking on coverage. After a motion penalty moved the ball back to the 10, Poling moved the ball into the end zone, taking a pitch and following a big block for the score. Rummer’s kick made it 35-0 early in the second.

On the next Fort Hill possession, it was a Luke Hamilton touchdown from the six to help make it 42-0 at 8:01 of the second. RaShaan Haines then recovered a fumble for Fort Hill at the Brunswick 21, and Troy Banks took it right into the end zone, running through a huge hole untouched for the score. Ryan Hipp gave Rummer a breather and kicked this extra point to make it 49-0 Fort Hill.

After a Fort Hill fumble, Brunswick took possession at the Sentinel 31 and moved the ball down to the 16, when on fourth-and-six Railroaders quarterback Kadin Roberts went into the end zone where Fort Hill’s J.T. Stevenson provided blanket coverage, then turned around to intercept the pass.

From its 20, Fort Hill mounted the closest thing to a sustained drive that it would have in the first half, using six plays, including a 25-yard gain by quarterback Logan Johnson on a bootleg, and a 17-yard run by Markel Spencer behind a block over the left side for the eighth touchdown of the night. Hipp’s kick made it 56-0 with 1:27 left in the half, and that would be the halftime score.

In the half, seven different players scored for the Sentinels, who did not have a third down on offense.

After Fort Hill fell on the second-half onside kick attempt by the Railroaders, sophomore quarterback Carter Swan took the ball off tackle on the third play of the drive and turned it upfield for the 44-yard TD, with Hipp’s kick making it 63-0. The Sentinels’ Keegan Miller then recovered a fumble on the next Brunswick possession to give Fort Hill another short field to work with. After Fort Hill ran three plays into the line, the Sentinels decided to practice their field goals, and Rummer did so successfully, kicking a 21-yarder to make the lead 66-0.

In the fourth quarter, Johnny Kincaid turned in a fine punt return for the Sentinels to start the next possession before Kenneil Smith broke a long run and appeared to have a touchdown. But the ball was fumbled into the end zone where Fort Hill offensive tackle Griffen Bidwell fell on it for the score, with Hipp’s kick making the eventual final 73-0.