Ridge Wanted It More

[TDHelmick]

It was the Mtn Ridge defense that won this game. Not just on the line but with the second level flow eliminating potential big plays and red zone defense.

FH didn't meet the will to win full force. Much of that had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing...determination, physicality on the line of scrimmage, grand design and grit on the field. Being fed all week after a complete domination over Frederick County power Oakdale that this one on the road in Frostburg should be a blow out for FH isn't the mind set the Sentinels want against an obviously good football team.

However, taking a few pages out of head coach Ryan Patterson's 2021 excuse book...Fort Hill cannot turn the ball over three times and commit 11 penalties. The Sentinels had four consecutive kick returns flagged (3 holding calls, 1 unsportsmanlike) that continually set them up in horrible field position. The score was only 6-0 in the third quarter before consecutive lost fumbles on the Mtn Ridge side of the field and 15 yard penalties decided the outcome of this game. Despite the mistakes and as bad as FH was getting beat on certain plays, they were every bit in a position to take this game to the wire before the turnovers and penalties took over. Even when down 17-0 FH fought back and had a chance to make it a one score game late in the fourth if they make the two-point conversion.

RED ZONE
A key to the scoreless game early was FH getting in the red zone with a first and goal. Coaches decided to go shot gun, lost three yards on a first down carry and the QB was forced to throw two incomplete passes of 20 yards into the wind of the end zone, which led to a missed field goal. They punch it in there after a long drive down field and the game changes - more duplicate Patterson verbiage from the state title game last year. But you have to credit Mtn Ridge for a great red zone defense. The Miners were not going to allow FH to run the ball across the goal line. I think FH was in the red zone like four times and only came away with six points.

Some of the FH weaknesses were exploited by Mtn Ridge. We saw this at the Old Mill game. Me thinks Mtn Ridge coaches saw it also. The Sentinels do not have the standard fullback and they have some issues in the middle of the OL. #20 is a great running back but as I have stated here before, he is being forced to play a wing-T fullback that does not fit his frame or style. The senior who normally would play there has been injured since the last time these two teams played in the regular season and cannot seem to get healthy enough to play offense. Finding another fullback option on the roster has not happened and FH has made their bed here. What is currently in place works against lesser defenses but not good ones. One aspect fans don't pay attention to is that blocking in this wing-T system isn't just about the OL. The FH running backs graded out super poorly Friday night in the blocking department. They checked out Friday night if they didn't have the ball in their hands. I don't want to make the negatives sound like they were all a bad case of what FH didn't do (outside of a long list of penalties and fumbles). As stated in the first couple of paragraphs, much of it had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing. Tip your hat to the Miners for that.

While leaving the stadium last night a fan mentioned that the Miners finally got their first official football win over Fort Hill since the 2007 consolidation of county schools resulted in a new building with new facilities on The Ridge. Yea, I know the 2021 spring COVID game counted somewhat...I guess. But those were way different times and way different circumstances. This time in the fall of 2022 it counted big time. For the first time in 18 attempts, Mountain Ridge has finally gotten it's first official win over that Cumberland school.

No one can be quite sure what a loss can do for a dominating team. After the game FH head coach Zack Alkire was mentioning on the radio that his kids have never experienced a varsity loss yet. That they were to take it all in and absorb it, learn from it. Guess what, neither has this FH coaching staff. Time will tell. As crazy as it may sound, this type of loss can be way more lesson learning as opposed to what pulling out a win may have created mentally. If these two meet again in the post season as most people expect, FH better come ready to play with a different plan of attack and a different mind set. Pretty much like Mtn Ridge had in Frostburg last night. They had a game plan and wanted it more (see post title).

 

[theprocessworks]

good analysis. I was at the game. They had more energy than FH. Their crowd. The kid body slamming Burns should have woke FH up but it didn’t. That play fueled ridge and got their side excited. FH looked stunned. That play should have ignited something in FH and it didn’t. If I’m Alkire A pic of that would be put up all throughout the school. Ridge would feel that next time

 

[theprocessworks]

Hats off to Ridge though. They earned it.

 

[ravemwp]

It was the Mtn Ridge defense that won this game. Not just on the line but with the second level flow eliminating potential big plays and red zone defense.

FH didn't meet the will to win full force. Much of that had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing...determination, physicality on the line of scrimmage, grand design and grit on the field. Being fed all week after a complete domination over Frederick County power Oakdale that this one on the road in Frostburg should be a blow out for FH isn't the mind set the Sentinels want against an obviously good football team.

However, taking a few pages out of head coach Ryan Patterson's 2021 excuse book...Fort Hill cannot turn the ball over three times and commit 11 penalties. The Sentinels had four consecutive kick returns flagged (3 holding calls, 1 unsportsmanlike) that continually set them up in horrible field position. The score was only 6-0 in the third quarter before consecutive lost fumbles on the Mtn Ridge side of the field and 15 yard penalties decided the outcome of this game. Despite the mistakes and as bad as FH was getting beat on certain plays, they were every bit in a position to take this game to the wire before the turnovers and penalties took over. Even when down 17-0 FH fought back and had a chance to make it a one score game late in the fourth if they make the two-point conversion.

RED ZONE
A key to the scoreless game early was FH getting in the red zone with a first and goal. Coaches decided to go shot gun, lost three yards on a first down carry and the QB was forced to throw two incomplete passes of 20 yards into the wind of the end zone, which led to a missed field goal. They punch it in there after a long drive down field and the game changes - more duplicate Patterson verbiage from the state title game last year. But you have to credit Mtn Ridge for a great red zone defense. The Miners were not going to allow FH to run the ball across the goal line. I think FH was in the red zone like four times and only came away with six points.

Some of the FH weaknesses were exploited by Mtn Ridge. We saw this at the Old Mill game. Me thinks Mtn Ridge coaches saw it also. The Sentinels do not have the standard fullback and they have some issues in the middle of the OL. #20 is a great running back but as I have stated here before, he is being forced to play a wing-T fullback that does not fit his frame or style. The senior who normally would play there has been injured since the last time these two teams played in the regular season and cannot seem to get healthy enough to play offense. Finding another fullback option on the roster has not happened and FH has made their bed here. What is currently in place works against lesser defenses but not good ones. One aspect fans don't pay attention to is that blocking in this wing-T system isn't just about the OL. The FH running backs graded out super poorly Friday night in the blocking department. They checked out Friday night if they didn't have the ball in their hands. I don't want to make the negatives sound like they were all a bad case of what FH didn't do (outside of a long list of penalties and fumbles). As stated in the first couple of paragraphs, much of it had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing. Tip your hat to the Miners for that.

While leaving the stadium last night a fan mentioned that the Miners finally got their first official football win over Fort Hill since the 2007 consolidation of county schools resulted in a new building with new facilities on The Ridge. Yea, I know the 2021 spring COVID game counted somewhat...I guess. But those were way different times and way different circumstances. This time in the fall of 2022 it counted big time. For the first time in 18 attempts, Mountain Ridge has finally gotten it's first official win over that Cumberland school.

No one can be quite sure what a loss can do for a dominating team. After the game FH head coach Zack Alkire was mentioning on the radio that his kids have never experienced a varsity loss yet. That they were to take it all in and absorb it, learn from it. Guess what, neither has this FH coaching staff. Time will tell. As crazy as it may sound, this type of loss can be way more lesson learning as opposed to what pulling out a win may have created mentally. If these two meet again in the post season as most people expect, FH better come ready to play with a different plan of attack and a different mind set. Pretty much like Mtn Ridge had in Frostburg last night. They had a game plan and wanted it more (see post title).

I must agree, you have to come every game, and every play, fully ready to play. I really didn't see that from the FH offense. So you really have to give MR so much credit for FH offensive issues. Something that gets lost in what happened last night is that many of the same FH players, with the exception of that last long TD run with the game out of reach, and the sideline play where 21 of 22 players stopped playing thinking the runner was out of bounds, is that the FH defense played very well. I asked myself on the way home, what stood out about the MR offense, couldn't think of anything other than protecting the ball. Very well played game by MR. FH defense was fine. One of my questions was the FH 3 wide sets for most of the game, with trying to throw jump all passes as opposed to trying to get Willis, Allen, and Palmisano the ball in space, slants and drags seemed to be there all day. Didn't seem to use them until way to late. I like # 20, but he had close to as many touches as #1, #2, and #5 combined, not sure that works to what FH does best. It seemed that MR made up its mind that Willis,and Allen were not going to beat them, and it seemed as if FH helped them out by going away from them way to early, and not involving them for most of the first 3 quarters. The one positive is that FH problems are fixable. I can't say it enough though. Kudos to MR. Very well played.

 

[CumberlandHSFB]

good analysis. I was at the game. They had more energy than FH. Their crowd. The kid body slamming Burns should have woke FH up but it didn’t. That play fueled ridge and got their side excited. FH looked stunned. That play should have ignited something in FH and it didn’t. If I’m Alkire A pic of that would be put up all throughout the school. Ridge would feel that next time

Those kids had already given up at that point. That slam was essentially Moutain Ridge pounding in the final nail.

Really, really, really bad display out of FH last night. Embarrassing to watch really. Coaches didn't seem to have a clue and the boys didn't seem like they wanted to be there.

 

[theprocessworks]

Time to recover and get better each week so that the final will be sweet revenge. The reaction to this will tell you a lot about this staff

 

[Tony54]

It was the Mtn Ridge defense that won this game. Not just on the line but with the second level flow eliminating potential big plays and red zone defense.

FH didn't meet the will to win full force. Much of that had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing...determination, physicality on the line of scrimmage, grand design and grit on the field. Being fed all week after a complete domination over Frederick County power Oakdale that this one on the road in Frostburg should be a blow out for FH isn't the mind set the Sentinels want against an obviously good football team.

However, taking a few pages out of head coach Ryan Patterson's 2021 excuse book...Fort Hill cannot turn the ball over three times and commit 11 penalties. The Sentinels had four consecutive kick returns flagged (3 holding calls, 1 unsportsmanlike) that continually set them up in horrible field position. The score was only 6-0 in the third quarter before consecutive lost fumbles on the Mtn Ridge side of the field and 15 yard penalties decided the outcome of this game. Despite the mistakes and as bad as FH was getting beat on certain plays, they were every bit in a position to take this game to the wire before the turnovers and penalties took over. Even when down 17-0 FH fought back and had a chance to make it a one score game late in the fourth if they make the two-point conversion.

RED ZONE
A key to the scoreless game early was FH getting in the red zone with a first and goal. Coaches decided to go shot gun, lost three yards on a first down carry and the QB was forced to throw two incomplete passes of 20 yards into the wind of the end zone, which led to a missed field goal. They punch it in there after a long drive down field and the game changes - more duplicate Patterson verbiage from the state title game last year. But you have to credit Mtn Ridge for a great red zone defense. The Miners were not going to allow FH to run the ball across the goal line. I think FH was in the red zone like four times and only came away with six points.

Some of the FH weaknesses were exploited by Mtn Ridge. We saw this at the Old Mill game. Me thinks Mtn Ridge coaches saw it also. The Sentinels do not have the standard fullback and they have some issues in the middle of the OL. #20 is a great running back but as I have stated here before, he is being forced to play a wing-T fullback that does not fit his frame or style. The senior who normally would play there has been injured since the last time these two teams played in the regular season and cannot seem to get healthy enough to play offense. Finding another fullback option on the roster has not happened and FH has made their bed here. What is currently in place works against lesser defenses but not good ones. One aspect fans don't pay attention to is that blocking in this wing-T system isn't just about the OL. The FH running backs graded out super poorly Friday night in the blocking department. They checked out Friday night if they didn't have the ball in their hands. I don't want to make the negatives sound like they were all a bad case of what FH didn't do (outside of a long list of penalties and fumbles). As stated in the first couple of paragraphs, much of it had to do with what Mtn Ridge was doing. Tip your hat to the Miners for that.

While leaving the stadium last night a fan mentioned that the Miners finally got their first official football win over Fort Hill since the 2007 consolidation of county schools resulted in a new building with new facilities on The Ridge. Yea, I know the 2021 spring COVID game counted somewhat...I guess. But those were way different times and way different circumstances. This time in the fall of 2022 it counted big time. For the first time in 18 attempts, Mountain Ridge has finally gotten it's first official win over that Cumberland school.

No one can be quite sure what a loss can do for a dominating team. After the game FH head coach Zack Alkire was mentioning on the radio that his kids have never experienced a varsity loss yet. That they were to take it all in and absorb it, learn from it. Guess what, neither has this FH coaching staff. Time will tell. As crazy as it may sound, this type of loss can be way more lesson learning as opposed to what pulling out a win may have created mentally. If these two meet again in the post season as most people expect, FH better come ready to play with a different plan of attack and a different mind set. Pretty much like Mtn Ridge had in Frostburg last night. They had a game plan and wanted it more (see post title).

Great analysis as always

 

[4R341]

Those kids had already given up at that point. That slam was essentially Moutain Ridge pounding in the final nail.

Really, really, really bad display out of FH last night. Embarrassing to watch really. Coaches didn't seem to have a clue and the boys didn't seem like they wanted to be there.

Succinctly said. There was life, occasionally here and there, but not until they were behind. But, let's face it, MR was firing on all cylinders. They played a damn near perfect game.

 

[westernMD]

30-8 Final was misleading. Mountain Ridge was the better team on this night and won the line of scrimmage. However, it was 17-8 with 5:45 left and I believe the FH coaches made two critical mistakes. First, you have to kick the PAT to make it a one possession game. Even with the offsides and half the distance to the goal penalty, you still have to kick it there and make it a one possession game. If you go for 2 and don't get it, you have a less than 2% chance of winning the game. If you kick the PAT then kick it deep, FH has the momentum for the first time all night and MR starts to feel the pressure.

That leads to mistake number two. Onsides kick with 5:45 left was too soon. MR was expecting it. You have a better chance of kicking it deep and getting a turnover than recovering that kick. MR is not Old Mill. Game was over once MR recovered the kick. Add the 2 personal foul penalties and FH handed MR another TD and it snowballed from there into a 30-8 rout.

MR was the better team in all 3 phases (punting was phenomenal) but I wouldn't bet against FH making the adjustments in a rematch. I expect a one score game if there is a rematch.

 

[GenSneaky]

Personally I would post a picture on the wall with of MR’s coach getting the Gatorade bath… during a regular season game tho 😏…. Does it feel THAT GOOD to beat FH?

was nice to see everyone gather together after.

 

[ravemwp]

30-8 Final was misleading. Mountain Ridge was the better team on this night and won the line of scrimmage. However, it was 17-8 with 5:45 left and I believe the FH coaches made two critical mistakes. First, you have to kick the PAT to make it a one possession game. Even with the offsides and half the distance to the goal penalty, you still have to kick it there and make it a one possession game. If you go for 2 and don't get it, you have a less than 2% chance of winning the game. If you kick the PAT then kick it deep, FH has the momentum for the first time all night and MR starts to feel the pressure.

That leads to mistake number two. Onsides kick with 5:45 left was too soon. MR was expecting it. You have a better chance of kicking it deep and getting a turnover than recovering that kick. MR is not Old Mill. Game was over once MR recovered the kick. Add the 2 personal foul penalties and FH handed MR another TD and it snowballed from there into a 30-8 rout.

MR was the better team in all 3 phases (punting was phenomenal) but I wouldn't bet against FH making the adjustments in a rematch. I expect a one score game if there is a rematch.

Absolutely agree, down by one score there changes every decision made for the remainder of game. After the failed 2 pointer, body language changed, and complete loss of focus. FH defense played very well up til then. MR was better Friday night. I think the FH coaching staff, and players need to refocus, and re-dedicate themselves for the remainder of the season. Won't be able to beat playoffs teams with the same effort shown Friday.

 

[3rd and goals]

Absolutely agree, down by one score there changes every decision made for the remainder of game. After the failed 2 pointer, body language changed, and complete loss of focus. FH defense played very well up til then. MR was better Friday night. I think the FH coaching staff, and players need to refocus, and re-dedicate themselves for the remainder of the season. Won't be able to beat playoffs teams with the same effort shown Friday.

This game reminded me of the 2015 blowout loss to keyser. Both teams were on long winning streaks that started to consume the season and both teams needed to lose. Everyone knows how the 2015 season ended and this season will end the exact same.

 

[CumberlandHSFB]

This game reminded me of the 2015 blowout loss to keyser. Both teams were on long winning streaks that started to consume the season and both teams needed to lose. Everyone knows how the 2015 season ended and this season will end the exact same.

You're remembering wrong. FH got blown out by Keyser in 2012 and lost in the regional final. They lost to them by a touchdown in 2015.