CUMBERLAND — After back-to-back losses against quality competition, No. 2 Fort Hill looked like its old self on Friday at Greenway Avenue Stadium.
The Sentinels (3-3) won the most lopsided game against Mountain Ridge in the series’ history with a 62-0 shutout victory.
“Really happy with our guys’ performance, they showed a lot of intensity,” Fort Hill head coach Zack Alkire said. “The focus all week long has been to show more intensity throughout the week, show more excitement and they did a really good job with that. It started on Monday, it was a really fiery practice and that led into Tuesday and the rest of the week.”
It only took the Sentinels two plays to find the end zone.
Noah House found Jameson Powell-Morris wide open over the middle for a 46-yard touchdown on Fort Hill’s second play from scrimmage.
A quick three-and-out and a 26-yard punt return from Channing Logsdon set up Braelyn Younger for a one-play, 32-yard touchdown on the following play.
The ensuing Miners (2-4) drive stalled on a fumble recovered by Landen Richardson, setting up a one-yard score from Younger to extend the Sentinel lead to 20-0 after one quarter.
“Not a whole lot of things went our way,” Mountain Ridge head coach Nathan Shipe said. “We talked about consistency and that’s something we need to continue to work on. Consistency, compete and then getting our confidence back.”
Younger recorded 11 carries for 90 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and finished with 12 carries for 111 and four scores.
Last week against Bridgeport, the Indians led 14-0 early and won 49-14.
“Not making the key mistakes,” Alkire said of the difference in the start last week compared to Friday. “I thought we played well, especially in the first half against Bridgeport. But we made mistakes at crucial times. We didn’t make as many of those tonight.”
Fort Hill had three penalties early in the second quarter on kickoffs, two on one play that led to a quick punt.
The third was a blindside block on a punt that took away a return inside Mountain Ridge’s 10, but the Sentinels drove down and Carson Bender scored from 32-yards out.
Another quick Miner drive and a 19-yard punt return from Logsdon set up Younger for a five-yard score.
“I think we’re all just trying to find that play or series of plays that work for us,” Shipe said. “Carter (Clites) ran the ball well tonight, and I think that’s something we can continue to build on is the quarterback run. But when we’re behind the sticks, I think there was a lot of that. Whether it was pressure on the quarterback or negative plays, being behind the sticks is a big problem for us. I think a lot of that has to do with confidence.”
Powell-Morris caught a 68-yard touchdown on a deep ball from House late in the first half.
Powell-Morris caught all four of House’s completions in the first half for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
“It starts up front, we’re doing a great job protecting Noah,” Alkire said of the passing game’s success. “Allowing him to do what he does. He does a great job keeping his eyes downfield and finding open receivers.”
Fort Hill led 41-0 at halftime and had 296 total yards with 165 passing and 131 rushing.
Against Bridgeport, the Sentinels were held to 72 yards on 31 carries.
Mountain Ridge had 17 yards of offense in the first half with minus 10 rushing, mostly off of sacks and fumbles.
Powell-Morris returned the opening kickoff of the second half 57 yards to the Miners 21, setting up a Younger touchdown on the next play.
“He’s brought a lot of excitement, it was a little slow start with our passing game the first couple games,” Alkire said of Powell-Morris. “We’ve really come alive and Jameson’s been a big part of it. Expectations are that he’s gonna continue to be a big part of it.”
Chase Lamb broke off on an 82-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter down the left sideline.
Lamb finished with 97 yards on two carries.
Owen Walker’s only carry went for a 78-yard, untouched touchdown late in the fourth quarter for the Sentinels.
Fort Hill combined for 475 yards on only 28 plays with 344 on the ground.
Mountain Ridge finished with 97 yards on 41 plays.
No one had more than 24 yards from scrimmage for the Miners.
“I think the biggest key is our preparation,” Shipe said of turning the season around. “Coming back tomorrow morning and then Monday at practice, being able to prepare in a way that sets us up to compete and win three football games. That’s gonna be the key, how we prepare and how the coaches are able to pull the kids back in and prepare for Northern.”
Both teams are at home on Friday.
The Sentinels face Class 3A North Hagerstown at 6:30 p.m. for the first time since 2014.
The two teams played every year from 1957 to 1996 and last played in 2014.
Fort Hill is 36-6-1 all-time against the Hubs (5-1).
“I know I always watched them in the ‘90s, they were always week one,” Alkire said. “But I don’t know a whole lot about them now. They run the Wing-T, they’ve had a pretty good season so far.”
Mountain Ridge hosts Northern (3-3) at 7 p.m. The Huskies won 31-0 over Uniontown on Friday.