Fort Hill shuts down Surrattsville
Cumberland Times-News - September 6, 2009

Welsh gains 164 yards, Sibley scores twice in 37-15 win

CLINTON, MD - Dakota Welsh ran for 164 yards and Colton Sibley scored a pair of touchdowns as Fort Hill kicked off its season with a dominating 37-15 victory over over Surrattsville on a sunny, hot Saturday afternoon.

Sam Walker, Devin Lee and Kwam Kassim also scored for the Sentinels, who piled up 26 first downs and 431 yards.

Welsh was the workhouse much of the day and gained his 164 yards on 22 carries over the first three quarters. Lee ran nine times for 41 yards and completed 5 of 7 passes for 70 yards for Fort Hill. He threw for two conversions and ran for another.

The Sentinels wasted no time in getting on the board. Starting at their own 30 after the opening kickoff, they marched 70 yards in just eight plays with Walker scoring on a 21 yard dash just 3:42 into the new season.

Surrattsville gambled and came up empty on a 4th-and-4 from its own 39 early in the second quarter, and the Sentinels took advantage of the short field by scoring six plays later on a three-yard run by Lee with 8:23 left in the half. Welsh carried the ball the five previous plays and set up Lee's run with a 14-yard gain to the three.

A kick for the conversion was blocked.

The Sentinels, who had 16 first downs and outgained Surrattsville 262 to 53 in the first half, led by only 13-0 at the break. They had one possession end with an interception in the end zone and were inside the Hornets 10 when the first-half clock expired.

When Surrattsville's Joseph Rollins sprinted 86 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the third quarter, the lead shrunk to 13-7.

But the Hornets' quick strike didn't faze the Sentinels, and Rollins' TD run would come on the only offensive play for Surrattsville in the third quarter.

Fort Hill immediately went to work and drove 80 yards on 14 plays, with Sibley scoring on a 14-yard run. Welsh ran nine times for 59 yards, and Lee hit Walker for the two-point conversion and a 21-7 lead with 4:24 to play in the third.

The ensuing kickoff deflected off a Surrattsville player and was pounced on by Fort Hill's Robert Vincent at the Sentinels 48. An 11-play, 52-yard drive ended in a Sibley one-yard plunge with just under 11 minutes to play, and Lee threw to Glen Vincent for the conversion to make it 29-7.

Surrattsville scored on another big play, this time a 55-yard run by Aurelius Kitchens that made it 29-15 with 8:23 to go.

The Sentinels answered in a hurry - 15 seconds to be exact - when Kassim fielded the kickoff and ran 86 yards for the final score. Lee ran for the conversion with 8:08 to go.

The Fort Hill offensive line, with no returning starters from last year, turned in a solid performance as the Sentinels ran 53 times for 361 yards. Fifty-one of the 53 runs netted positive yardage.

Rollins led Surrattsville with 12 carries and 124 yards, with 86 coming on the touchdown run in the third quarter.

Fort Hill will make its home debut Friday at 7 p.m. against defending Area champion Keyser.