Key players step up for Fort Hill, Mountain Ridge in Annapolis

Dec. 3, 2022
by Jordan Kendall

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland 1A state title game is where legacies are cemented. Key players on both sides made sure to leave a positive one on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

“I said all week as a defensive player, it’s about who wants it first,” Fort Hill defensive end Landen Keech said. “Whoever’s going to take it. We took it.”

The Sentinels may have won 16-14, but the Miners also had several players have big games on the Midshipmen’s home field.

For Fort Hill, Tavin Willis led all rushers with 88 yards on 13 attempts. He scored both of the Sentinels’ touchdowns. His second came in the second quarter where he took a toss and walked in untouched from 27 yards out.

“As soon as Mikey (Allen) handed me the ball, I seen wide open (space) and turned it up field and knew I had to get in the end zone,” Willis said on his second score. “I seen wide open (space), so I had to make a play.”

Allen rushed 15 times for 59 yards. He joined the Sentinels as a football player after focusing on basketball at Bishop Walsh. He was one of the top basketball players in the area and hadn’t played football since middle school prior to this season.

“When Mikey came to us and said he wanted to come to Fort Hill, he was (direct),” Fort Hill head coach Zack Alkire said. “He wants to come to Fort Hill to win a state championship. … He’s not a big talker. He’s quiet. But I know this means a lot to him. This was one of his goals for the team and personally, and he accomplished that.”

On defense, Keech led Fort Hill with nine tackles with 1.5 for loss. Bryson Metz had five tackles and Carter Hess finished with four tackles with 1.5 for loss and a sack.

“It’s rough, but it’s my favorite spot to be,” Hess said on playing in the trenches. “It makes everybody else’s job easier. They know that, and I know that. It makes me happy being there.”

Quinn Cohen missed a field goal wide left from 39 yards out earlier in the fourth quarter. He got a second chance with two seconds left from 28 yards out. Cohen made the kick, but an offsides penalty forced him to try again from 23 yards away.

With a state title on the line, Cohen hit it to win it for the Sentinels. Cohen also punted four times for 171 yards including a 65-yarder that backed the Miners to their own five.

“I was just thinking of the people we do it for,” Cohen said on what went through his head after his game-winner. “Everyone’s got family on the team, F Club, Cumberland back home. Especially Quan (Saiquan Jenkins), because he’s not here with us (and) he should be. But we did it for him. At the end of the day, that’s who it’s for.”

For Mountain Ridge, Uma Pua’auli finished 4 of 9 for 71 passing yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 15 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Pua’auli’s touchdown pass to Landon McAlpine on the opening play of the second quarter was a record breaker. He surpassed his former Miners teammate Bryce Snyder and Moorefield’s Will Fisher with his 30th passing touchdown of the season, a new area record.

“I guess it’s a good thing but I’m not really focused on that right now,” Pua’auli said of the record. “I won’t miss how big of an accomplishment it is right now because I’m dwelling on the loss right now.”

Jaden Lee rushed 11 times for 65 yards, leading Mountain Ridge. On defense, Hunter Clise led the Miners with 14 tackles with 0.5 for loss. Jaden Rosales had 10 tackles with two for loss. Five other Miner defenders finished with at least a half tackle for loss.

“They played their guts out,” Mountain Ridge head coach Ryan Patterson said about his defense. “There’s great athletes on that other team and to be able to set edge, motion today and run our allies. Really proud of the defensive effort.”

The Miners have reached the 1A finals in back-to-back years after previously never reaching the finals. Several seniors talked about how they have laid a foundation for Mountain Ridge football going forward.

“I feel the expectations are high right now,” Clise said. “Everyone expects us to win when we go into games.”

Since October of 2021, Fort Hill has been playing in memory of Jenkins. They have carried his jersey to the coin toss for every game since his death. The Sentinels have since won back-to-back titles in memory of their beloved teammate.

“It shows how much we care about him,” Cohen said. “The town as a whole, everyone came together then and came together now, too. It just shows what kind of impact he had on everyone.”