FORT HILL RELEASES 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES - Varsity, JV and Freshman

[TDHelmick]

LINK: 2024 FORT HILL FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

Fort Hill will open their 2024 varsity football season with the first two games on the road, the first in Accident versus Northern Garrett.

Changes to the varsity schedule from last season include a two year deal for Week Two versus the Dunbar Poets out of Baltimore. The first year (2024) will be at Dunbar, the second year (2025) will be at Greenway Avenue Stadium. The game at Dunbar is set to be played at Morgan State University either on Friday or Saturday, that has yet to be determined based on field availability. Both teams are in the midst of a very rare consecutive three time state championship run and have posted a combined 77-1 record during that time.

Briar Woods out of Ashburn, VA will visit Fort Hill in Week Five. This will be the second year of the contract after Fort Hill traveled there last season on the same week and defeated a then undefeated Briar Woods 28-0.

Joining the Fort Hill schedule for the first time in school history will be Riverdale Baptist. The private school out of Upper Marlboro, MD in Prince George's County finished last season with a 6-4 record after having lost to some quality football teams in Bishop McNamara, Paul VI, Georgetown Prep and Friendship Collegiate by a mere 18 points combined. The Crusaders were ranked as high as No. 20 in the Maryland State Media Poll.

Smithsburg comes back to the schedule after a one year hiatus. This will be a three year deal between the two schools with 2024 and 2026 games to be played at Smithsburg. The 2025 game will be at Greenway Avenue Stadium.

The rest of the schedule falls in line with last season. Fort Hill will travel to Mountain Ridge on Week Six where the Miners currently have a 26 game winning streak. The Miners last lost at home in 2019 and are the only team to have beaten Fort Hill since the 2020 COVID season ended, a 30-8 victory in 2022 on the same field in Frostburg.

Southern Garrett cancelled their varsity season last year but will rebound to have a varsity squad for 2024. That Week Three game will be played at Greenway Avenue Stadium on a Thursday night at 7:00 pm.

The annual Homecoming game against cross-town rival Allegany is set for Saturday, November 2.

For the first time since 2019, Fort Hill will field a full time 9th grade freshman squad. Two games were set up last year in an attempt to get players extra time on the field. This season will include a full eight game schedule. The Freshman and JV schedules are set with only one open date left to be filled for both.

Please keep in mind that all schedules are subject to change, especially the Freshman and JV schedules. Many fall sports programs, both girls and boys, have to share Greenway Avenue Stadium, which forces inevitable changes to be made.

GO BIG RED!

 

[cumbfanatic]

Riverdale Baptist looks like a good pick up they are a solid opponent.

 

[TDHelmick]

Riverdale Baptist looks like a good pick up they are a solid opponent.

I have been told that Riverdale Baptist picked up a senior transfer RB who is committed to Maryland. But have not been able to ascertain such. If anyone discovers this to be true and has some info to share, please do.
Peace!

 

[cumbfanatic]

Cortez Harris transferred from Dematha to Riverdale last year as a junior. I think he is a defensive end leaning towards Penn State. Cortez is a 4 star, he can pick where he wants to go. Riverdale Baptist basketball team is about the same level as BW was with the National Team, gives you an idea athletics is big there

 

[cumbfanatic]

247 sports also has them having an OL Jayvonn Mcfadden 6-5 300 pound 3 star. He has not selected a D1 school yet.

 

[Pkc1031]

You guys know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about RB. But you will find out

 

[Bleedred4life]

Don't be too quick to call the bluff of the people on this board. Sure, you always have some that will spout off, but for the most part, people here do their homework. I've watched four different game tapes or RB. They are a very solid team, and with teams that recruit, it's hard to say who is returning. ( I have not gone through their lineup to determine Seniors, Juniors, etc .. Their line play last year was very good on both sides of the ball. Oline was big, fast, and physical. The Dline was noticeably smaller (220 to 230 range) physical and very quick off the ball. Thei QB was an athlete who could throw the ball. The good news for FH is that he was a senior and will be heading to WV next year. If they had a weakness, I'd say that it was at running back. That issue is now fixed. Cumbfanatic is correct, FH will have their hands full. The young line will have to come on strong ASAP. There is some good news, RB's schedule is full of spread type teams. They may have some issues consistantly stopping FH's rushing attack.

 

[cumbfanatic]

Looks like they are filling the QB spot with Blake Carter a big qb at 6’2 215 pounds, I believe he came from Wise. If you type some of these players in the computer Cortez Harris, Jayvonn Mcfadden, etc you will see they have college recruited players and lots of talent. They run and play against the Pro Style offense. As stated the wing t will give them issues.

 

[Waggle Pass]

You guys know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about RB. But you will find out

So who peed in your cornflakes? There are no disparaging comments.

 

[TDHelmick]

Sharing a few schedule details...another long winded ramble. I type fast...

FH had a few other offers for that week 7 hole (very few). Those options were not first choice for a couple of reasons. Some really good and big programs knocked on the door. When I say big, I'm referring to size of the school. Over 1800 students.

We found out last year vs. Wadsworth that it is absolutely a distinct advantage to having a 73 man roster versus a 36 man roster - Capt. Obvious. Especially when the opponent is very good and runs a spread no-huddle, players get worn out from never coming off the field. Depth is one aspect schools in this area will never have again in regards to numbers. The boys have to play both sides of the ball.

FH coaches, as can be seen from the schedule yet again this year, understand that tough opponents cannot and will not be avoided. To fill the schedule leaves not much choice. There has to be some common sense however with those tough opponents in regards to the size of their school and more important size of the roster. Not every big school has a big roster. Some do.

FH had offers to play versus Central York (PA) - a Class 6A school. They might have been on the schedule had FH not just picked up Dunbar at the same time. When I looked over their team, they have a 42-5 record over the last four seasons. The Panthers had four players named to All-State Class 6A and three of them were juniors. Again, the shear size of their school and roster did not make them a logical option.

Another was Highland Springs (VA) - just outside of Richmond and a 4 hour drive. FH has no business with teams like this however. 2,023 students. They were Class 5 state champs two years ago with a 15-0 record. Beat Martinsburg 34-3. Last season they went 13-2 and lost to Freedom in the state title game by 8 points. Um, yea.

A game was almost set up with Steubenville (OH). That would have been a great match up but both Steubenville and FH needed a home game and we could not work it out. Two identical schools...same size, same mechanics, same traditions, same great coaching, same great won/loss records. I feel good we can make this game happen in the near future. The Big Red (as they are called) is only a 2.5 hour drive just across the Ohio River from Weirton, WV. They are coached by a legend - Reno Saccoccia - who is the Woody Hayes of Ohio high school football. He won the Ohio Coach of The Year honor this past season and was up for the NFHS National Coach of The Year. 2024 will be his last year coaching at age 75 as he told me he was retiring. Would have been a great deal. Look that coach up if you want a good read. It was my luck and good fortune to talk with him several times on the phone.

Believe it or not, Wheeling Central checked in because they were in need of filling four holes on their schedule. They decided in the end that FH was not an option. No problem - it all flows both ways.

The Dunbar story writes itself. Much more on that game as time moves forward. I will say that Coach Lawrence Smith set this game up with the approval of their AD and Principal.

Briar Woods was a young team last season (another 1500+ student enrollment). Their top receiver, running back, quarterback, tackler and interception leaders were all juniors last year. Cumberland will get to see a really good QB on October 4 when Brady Carmical comes to town. The 6'2 gunslinger can ball. I suspect he has a D1 offer before that time.

Riverdale Baptist is a concern because you don't know what their roster will hold as they are a private school that recruits the high school transfer portal of the DC area. The game is a one year deal in Cumberland. They will have their share of D1 studs, but that's good for the FH players. They want to see how they match up with these type of opponents.

 

[cumbfanatic]

There should be high attendance at the stadium for Riverdale Baptist and Briarwood. There is no reason the stadium shouldn’t be mostly full except for if it rains.

 

[TDHelmick]

There should be high attendance at the stadium for Riverdale Baptist and Briarwood. There is no reason the stadium shouldn’t be mostly full except for if it rains.

That type of statement used to be true. High attendance this day in age (outside Homecoming) represents about a half filled stadium at best regardless of opponent. WMD a'int what she used to be in regards to people. And students at games.

I support somewhere down the road moving a soccer (boys/girls double header), a volleyball and a varsity football game to a Friday at 1:00pm. Students have to attend until the bell rings, then they are free to go. I'm sure the BOE loves this idea. Less Trigonometry and more Stadium Pizza!

 

[Waggle Pass]

Lawrence Smith is still involved with the Dunbar program?

 

[TDHelmick]

Lawrence Smith is still involved with the Dunbar program?

Yes