FROM STAFF REPORTS
Sep 25, 20165

KEYMAR — Undefeated Fort Hill scored on its first eight possessions, with seven players getting touchdowns as the Sentinels rolled to their 15th straight victory, a 55-6 win over Silver Oak Academy Saturday afternoon at Silver Oak.

Quarterback Nathaniel Graves passed for a pair of touchdowns and rushed for another one, while Brayden Poling scored two touchdowns. Kaleb Harden, Brayden Brown, Troy Banks, Noah Steckman and Raen Smith scored touchdowns as well.

The win makes the Sentinels 4-0 on the season.

“Silver Oak is a physical, physical football team,” said Fort Hill head coach Todd Appel. “They play fast and hard, and they will win games through the course of their season.

“A lot of people played today and I told our kids at halftime they were playing against a fast, hard football team and that this will help us later in the season. They run hard and fast, so if you can tackle those guys, you can tackle anybody.”

On the first possession of the game, the Sentinels’ Markel Spencer intercepted a third-down pass by Silver Oak quarterback Daron Savoy and gave Fort Hill possession inside Rams territory.

First downs by Raen Smith and Brayden Brown took it deeper into Rams territory, and on third and 10 from the 14, Graves faked the sweep and found tight end Harden alone in the end zone for the touchdown, with Jacob Rummer’s kick making it 7-0.

After forcing a Silver Oak punt, the Sentinels took over again as Poling returned the punt 32 yards to the Rams 21. Raen Smith just missed a touchdown on first down when gained he 19, before Graves took it in from the one for the second Fort Hill touchdown.

Poling then made a big play on fourth down for the Sentinels, shooting the gap from his linebacker slot and stopping Traquan Waller for a loss on fourth-and-one. Poling then carried for the Sentinels for another first down, before Graves faked a handoff left, then rolled left to find Poling for the 21-yard touchdown pass.

The Rams (1-4) then put together the longest drive of the season against the Fort Hill defense, beginning at their 15 and using 13 plays to take the ball near midfield. However, a botched snap from the shotgun got away from Savoy and found its way into the hands of the Sentinels’ Braeden Smith at the Fort Hill 40.

The Sentinels countered with a one-play drive, as Brayden Brown, from his right wing, came off the left side and followed a Steckman block on the edge, turning upfield and then turning on the jets to outrun two would-be tacklers for the 60-yard touchdown run.

On another Silver Oak punt, Brown turned in another fine Fort Hill return, picking up the ball on the bounce and following the Sentinels wall down the sideline to the Rams 27. On first down, Banks ran the trap down to the four, before taking it in untouched for the fifth Sentinel touchdown.

After a Silver Oak pass on fourth-and-five from the Fort Hill 30 was dropped, the Sentinels started and finished their sixth possession of the day on first down when Graves found a wide-open Steckman on the post pattern for the sixth Fort Hill touchdown. Rummer’s kick made it 42-0.

After another Silver Oak punt, the Sentinels used a six-play, 45-yard drive to score the final touchdown of the half just before the half, with Poling taking the quick pitch from Graves from one yard out.

Unofficially, the Sentinels rushed for 180 yards on 14 carries in the half, while Graves was 4 for 5 passing for 68 yards for 248 yards of total offense. The Rams rushed for 103 yards on 26 carries and passed for 16 more for 119 total. Silver Oak, however, was penalized 14 times for 119 yards in the half.

To a running second-half clock, the Sentinels wasted little time scoring on their eighth straight possession, using a pair of Carter Swan first-down pick-ups, and one more by Raen Smith, before Smith went in standing up from the one. Ryan Hipp’s kick made it 55-0.

The Rams took over and behind quarterback Savoy, who finished the day with nearly 150 yards off offense, marched 10 plays and 75 yards to get on the board, with Savoy running for first downs, including a big gainer to put the ball at the Fort Hill five. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Savoy faked it to Waller and went into the end zone for the score.

The Sentinels then punted and the game ended when the Sentinels’ Johnny Kincaid intercepted Savoy’s pass.

Fort Hill will host Capitol Christian on Friday.