CUMBERLAND — No. 2 Fort Hill scored early and often, with all of its drives lasting no longer than five plays, as it cruised past Southern, 75-0, Thursday at Greenway Avenue Stadium.
“I’m really happy with our performance,” said Fort Hill head coach Zack Alkire.
“The guys did a great job.”
The Sentinels had eight first-half drives and scored on seven of them — their final drive was a pair of kneel downs to get to the break.
Brady O’Neal led the way with a perfect 5 of 5 through the air for 238 yards — four completions went for touchdowns.
O’Neal hit Carson Bender for a 52-yard score to open the scoring, then tossed a 39-yarder to Channing Logsdon on a one-play drive to make it 13-0.
After an eight-yard touchdown run from Neek Taylor, the Sentinels’ next drive went one play and 79 yards on a pass from O’Neal to Jameson Powell-Morris that made it 27-0 after one.
Following a 10-yard pass from O’Neal to Taylor, Bender rumbled in from three yards out to make it 35-0 after O’Neal’s two-point run.
Logsdon scored Fort Hill’s next two touchdowns on a 58-yard pass from O’Neal and a 53-yard scamper.
Isaiah Welsh closed out the first-half scoring with a 13-yard touchdown run, making it 55-0 at halftime.
Fort Hill outgained the Rams 407 to minus-two in the opening 24 minutes before a running clock in the second half.
The Sentinels had 12 first downs in the first half to Southern’s zero.
“I think that whether it was first-team guys, second-team guys, or third-team guys,” Alkire said, “they all came out with a lot of fire and executed really well.”
Fort Hill added a pair of third-quarter scores from Owen Walker on a 16-yard carry and Jaiden Beck on an 18-yard run.
The scoring came to a close on a one-yard run by Logan Jones with just over five minutes to play.
The Rams nearly got on the board with less than a minute to play when Hayden Williams ran 57 yards to the Fort Hill 7.
Southern got a snap off just before the clock hit zero, but lost four yards on the play.
Fort Hill finished with 494 yards to Southern’s 50 and converted on its only third-down try on Bender’s 52-yard receiving touchdown.
The Rams were 1 for 10 on third down, with Williams’ 57-yard scamper moving the sticks on third-and-10.
Logsdon led the ground game with 77 yards on three totes. Isaiah Welsh added 54 yards on four carries.
The Sentinels were without kicker Bobby Brauer, who traveled with the Fort Hill soccer team to its match at Keyser.
Lineman Divonte Jones stepped in at kicker, converting 5 of 9 point-after tries and manning kickoff duties.
“We were already on a short week,” Alkire said, “and basically we took some of the guys that might not be on first team of offense or defense, and let them try it while we were doing some things with our offense and defense.
“And he’s the guy that was the most consistent. He did a great job today.”
Southern (1-2) hosts Clear Spring next Friday.
Fort Hill hosts Hollidaysburg next Friday, looking to avenge a 35-30 loss from a year ago.
“We’re going to start with (our Hollidaysburg prep) tomorrow,” Alkire said.
“We’ve already got some stuff on them that we’re looking to put in this week, so Hollidaysburg week starts on Friday.”