Four Straight. Only 1 loss in that four year span. Quite an accomplishment.
News, notes and late night rambles on today's 1A title game in Annapolis...
Like this Navy stadium better than M&T from parking lot to seating views to tailgating friendliness. Only issue I heard of was traffic getting out probably due to 2nd Walkersville title game folks trying to get in. Traffic in Annapolis was non-existent driving in or once you got out of the lot.
There was a handful of FH players either nicked up or getting nicked up today. I don't know the extent of injuries, especially with the QB who played through almost more than half the game with an ailing passing shoulder/arm. Just tough kids who don't want to come off the field.
If I had an MVP Award it would probably go to Troy Banks today coming up big at FB especially in the second half. Per usual there were times when Conley on the DL was so quick getting off of blockers that he just wrecked entire plays in the backfield. The Hammer continues to just base his game off of crushing people. Opponents really need to keep their head on a swivel when #4 is in the game on either side of the ball. My hat is off to defensive coach John McKenney. Some how this guy finds the most unsuspecting guys to line up on the DL and become worthy of All-State type honors. He could take a corner or quarterback and get him to be a stud defensive tackle.
But back to the FB thing again...I can still hear Coach Appel when he talks about the wing-T offense. You have to establish the fullback or it won't work. Even if the other team is taking the FB out for little to no gain, it's still important to continue trying to establish him. Everything else works off of this process. Well it looks like FH has another great one coming back next year. The offensive line next year has a chance to be the biggest in Fort Hill history. That doesn't equate to the best, just some really big kids available. Like 6'7 and 6'6 types. But still some holes that will need filled. Should be exciting to see how it all develops.
Kudos also to the offensive coaching staff. What's amazing is that Fort Hill set a state record today in total points scored for the year. What's amazing about this is...this isn't a spread offense, not a hurry up offense that gets in 80 plays a game. One would believe these are the type of teams setting scoring records flinging the ball all over the field. Nope...It's the freaking old school fullback dominated wing-T that is anything but a hurry up offense setting the record. They grind out the clock. To amass such a stat while doing this is truly amazing.
The play of the day that turned the tide, or should I say the drive of the day, was to start the 3rd quarter after Havre de Grace cut the lead to 21-14 and took total control of the momentum. Taking the ball at their own 16, FH put together a length of the field drive out of the I-formation and a wing back. Brayden Brown moves to tailback and starts running straight between the tackles with power. The only runs I have seen #2 make all season have been outside loops and sweeps. It's not until he gets running in a straight line where his speed makes him dangerous. Watching him out of the I run forward left me to wonder if this wasn't a more natural position for him in this offense. But then FH got out of it and went straight #5 up the gut back out the wing-T to close the game. Interesting coaching moves that paid off.
I thought Havre de Grace played as hard as they could, they were just out manned. Crazy spread formations utilizing 6 receiver sets at times. Thought their QB was decent, just didn't seem to put enough zip on his passes though. I remember thinking at the start of the game that FH would probably pick him off 2 or 3 times. Only got one. The 3rd quarter was about the most self destructive I have seen FH all year outside of a few spots against South Hagerstown. But you cannot always be perfect. How they responded on that drive to pull out of the spin was important.
Havre de Grace is still advertising for a Week 1 game next year. I don't know if they filled it but boy would that make a great 2 year deal opener home and home. Just a little under a 3 hour drive. Not to mention their current head coach is married to a former FH cheerleader
. I would remind other 1A teams like Boonsboro, Havre de Grace, etc. that it's better to play FH twice in my book. The second time around isn't always as comfortable for FH just because the old adage that it's tougher to beat a team a second time is really true in most cases and your kids get a chance to get through the initial shock.
The last thing I will say about 1A football is that you could take any of these last four FH teams or any of the great Dunbar 1A teams, and insert them into Class 1A on any given year since 1974 and they likely dominate much the same. Maybe not every year, but just about. It's not a case of 1A being super bad, that's why it's 1A. It's a case of FH just being too good for 1A at this time. Every time I witness FH driving home from a state title victorious reinforces why winning the state title is the #1 goal.
News, notes and late night rambles on today's 1A title game in Annapolis...
Like this Navy stadium better than M&T from parking lot to seating views to tailgating friendliness. Only issue I heard of was traffic getting out probably due to 2nd Walkersville title game folks trying to get in. Traffic in Annapolis was non-existent driving in or once you got out of the lot.
There was a handful of FH players either nicked up or getting nicked up today. I don't know the extent of injuries, especially with the QB who played through almost more than half the game with an ailing passing shoulder/arm. Just tough kids who don't want to come off the field.
If I had an MVP Award it would probably go to Troy Banks today coming up big at FB especially in the second half. Per usual there were times when Conley on the DL was so quick getting off of blockers that he just wrecked entire plays in the backfield. The Hammer continues to just base his game off of crushing people. Opponents really need to keep their head on a swivel when #4 is in the game on either side of the ball. My hat is off to defensive coach John McKenney. Some how this guy finds the most unsuspecting guys to line up on the DL and become worthy of All-State type honors. He could take a corner or quarterback and get him to be a stud defensive tackle.
But back to the FB thing again...I can still hear Coach Appel when he talks about the wing-T offense. You have to establish the fullback or it won't work. Even if the other team is taking the FB out for little to no gain, it's still important to continue trying to establish him. Everything else works off of this process. Well it looks like FH has another great one coming back next year. The offensive line next year has a chance to be the biggest in Fort Hill history. That doesn't equate to the best, just some really big kids available. Like 6'7 and 6'6 types. But still some holes that will need filled. Should be exciting to see how it all develops.
Kudos also to the offensive coaching staff. What's amazing is that Fort Hill set a state record today in total points scored for the year. What's amazing about this is...this isn't a spread offense, not a hurry up offense that gets in 80 plays a game. One would believe these are the type of teams setting scoring records flinging the ball all over the field. Nope...It's the freaking old school fullback dominated wing-T that is anything but a hurry up offense setting the record. They grind out the clock. To amass such a stat while doing this is truly amazing.
The play of the day that turned the tide, or should I say the drive of the day, was to start the 3rd quarter after Havre de Grace cut the lead to 21-14 and took total control of the momentum. Taking the ball at their own 16, FH put together a length of the field drive out of the I-formation and a wing back. Brayden Brown moves to tailback and starts running straight between the tackles with power. The only runs I have seen #2 make all season have been outside loops and sweeps. It's not until he gets running in a straight line where his speed makes him dangerous. Watching him out of the I run forward left me to wonder if this wasn't a more natural position for him in this offense. But then FH got out of it and went straight #5 up the gut back out the wing-T to close the game. Interesting coaching moves that paid off.
I thought Havre de Grace played as hard as they could, they were just out manned. Crazy spread formations utilizing 6 receiver sets at times. Thought their QB was decent, just didn't seem to put enough zip on his passes though. I remember thinking at the start of the game that FH would probably pick him off 2 or 3 times. Only got one. The 3rd quarter was about the most self destructive I have seen FH all year outside of a few spots against South Hagerstown. But you cannot always be perfect. How they responded on that drive to pull out of the spin was important.
Havre de Grace is still advertising for a Week 1 game next year. I don't know if they filled it but boy would that make a great 2 year deal opener home and home. Just a little under a 3 hour drive. Not to mention their current head coach is married to a former FH cheerleader
. I would remind other 1A teams like Boonsboro, Havre de Grace, etc. that it's better to play FH twice in my book. The second time around isn't always as comfortable for FH just because the old adage that it's tougher to beat a team a second time is really true in most cases and your kids get a chance to get through the initial shock.The last thing I will say about 1A football is that you could take any of these last four FH teams or any of the great Dunbar 1A teams, and insert them into Class 1A on any given year since 1974 and they likely dominate much the same. Maybe not every year, but just about. It's not a case of 1A being super bad, that's why it's 1A. It's a case of FH just being too good for 1A at this time. Every time I witness FH driving home from a state title victorious reinforces why winning the state title is the #1 goal.
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