Fort Hill stops stingy South Hagerstown, 27-13

Oct 15, 2016

HAGERSTOWN — Fort Hill received its first test of the season and the Sentinels passed it to win their 18th game in a row with a 27-13 victory over South Hagerstown Friday night at School Stadium.

Brayden Poling scored a pair of touchdowns for the Sentinels (7-0), including the final one, a 49-yarder that sealed the Fort Hill win, while quarterback Nathaniel Graves and Brayden Brown scored as well, with Graves' 58-yard run putting Fort Hill ahead for good, and Brown's creating space for the Sentinels before Poling's score put the game in the books.

The Fort Hill victory comes against at Maryland 3A opponent who now carries a record of 4-3 on the season, and will give the Sentinels at least 11 points in the Maryland 1A West Region standings. The Sentinels entered the weekend one point behind first-place and undefeated Allegany (8.17 to 7.17), who received a forfeit win this week from Capitol Christian. Undefeated Northern, a 51-21 winner over 2A Mountain Ridge on Friday, entered in third place at 6.80, followed by fourth-place Boonsboro, which played Friday at North Hagerstown, at 5.83.

After stopping Fort Hill on a three-and-out on the first possession of the game, the Rebels took over at their 19 and put together an eight-play scoring drive, running mainly to the left side and taking advantage of a roughing-the-passer penalty to get into the end zone.

South used big gains early by Taliek McKenzie and Jayswah Sanon of 24 and 28 yards to get first downs on the first two plays. After a big stop on third down by Poling, the Rebels went for it on fourth and passed incomplete. However, a called late hit on the quarterback gave South a first down at the Fort Hill 10.

After a seven-yard gain by McKenzie, Molony swept to his left for the seven-yard touchdown to complete the eight-play, 81-yard scoring drive. The kick failed and South led 6-0.

The Sentinels bounced back, however, with a 12-play, 72-yard scoring drive, gaining an early first down by Poling before Brown took the ball on the sweep to burst into South territory to the 45. Three plays later, Brown took the pitch right for 24 yards to put the ball on the 17. On third-and-three, Poling took the ball to the South five. Two plays later to start the second quarter, Poling took the pitch right to score standing up, with Jacob Rummer's kick making it 7-6, Fort Hill.

South was undeterred, coming right back with a six-play scoring drive with Sanon breaking a tackle and putting the ball on the Fort Hill 30 to set up Timmy Townsend's 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lincoln Ikwubuo on a post pattern, with the wide-open Ikwubuo diving in the end zone to catch Townsend's pass. Zack Rupp's kick put South back on top, 13-7.

Fort Hill wasted even less time in getting back into the end zone and back on top after Troy Banks fair caught the kickoff at the Fort Hill 41. Poling hit the left side for two yards before quarterback Graves faked left and bootlegged right, going off tackle and splitting two linebackers to get into and through the secondary and go the distance untouched for the 58-yard touchdown run with 7:51 left in the second quarter.The Sentinels defense then forced a three-and-out before the offense responded with a 12-play scoring drive. Graves gained the first first down of the drive on third-and-six, following up by pitching to Brown over the left side to get a first down that was marked back because of a hold. Brown then picked up 11 yards to set up a first down by Banks to the South 42.

Two plays later, Graves hit Noah Steckman for another first down along the left sideline, placing the ball over good South coverage, with Steckman's catch putting the ball on the six. After two short gains by Brown and Banks, and a procedure penalty on Fort Hill, Brown went into the end zone from six yards out with 1:17 left in the half, and Rummer's kick put the eventual halftime score at 21-13.

It was an eventful third quarter, although a scoreless one, as South used a 14-play possession to get into Fort Hill territory without scoring, and Fort Hill driving all the way to the South five before turning the ball over at the three on an interception. Through it all there were numerous penalties on both teams.

After South stopped the potential Fort Hill scoring drive, the Sentinels defense seemed to kick in and allowed the Rebels little, forcing a punt from the South 27.

It was here where the Sentinels put the game away early in the fourth quarter, taking over at their 35 and needing just five plays to score, with Banks and Poling combining for a first down on the first two plays. After a gain of nine by Banks got the ball near midfield, the Sentinels went to their inside reverse again, with Poling taking it 49 yards down the right sideline, picking up the key block by Graves, and scoring at 9:14 of the fourth to put the eventual final at 27-13.

The Sentinels then stopped the next South possession on a big play by Richard Hess. Then after being stopped by the Rebels, they stopped South again with Austin Layton and Brayden Conley making the key tackle on fourth and one at the South 34.

From that point, the Sentinels were able to run out the clock for the victory.

Fort Hill will host Sherando Friday at 8 p.m.