How good is Fort Hill?

[TDHelmick]

I find myself asking this question almost every week.

How good is Briar Woods? How good is Mountain Ridge? How good is Wadsworth? How good is New Oxford? How good is Allegany?

Surely all these teams are fairly legit given their impressive won/loss records. But you just never know because you can't be sure how good the competition is for all these teams. They all came from the top of their leagues in different states and regions far and wide.

However, I have come to this conclusion...FH may be the best FH team since they started playing 1A ball. Could the teams from 2013 through 2016 compare to this team? I think the answer is yes because some of those teams (including some of those teams with Ty Johnson) were pretty legit. But those teams never played the caliber of schedule this 2023 team has faced.

With that said...would I like to see FH square up against the likes of Martinsburg, Quince Orchard or maybe even DeMatha? Yes I would. Not sure they would win on the scoreboard but it would be a tough out for those opponents. Because there is something about this Sentinel team that makes them top flight. The offensive line is all seniors and very stout. The running backs are plentiful and exquisite each in their own way with a star in Jabril Daniels. The QB has developed into a solid weapon running or throwing. The defensive front is quick, strong and aggressive. The secondary, which was the obvious question mark heading into the season, has been so stout that they don't even use a safety much of the time. This defense is very quick and strong across the board.

Although I am tiresome of the Martinsburg debate the truth is that the Bulldogs would likely beat FH four out of five years. Simply put the Dawgs are all that with far more numbers to pick from. I never like to hear any FH fan shoot off about comparisons to Martinsburg. If you don't play them, shut up. That team rarely gets beat by anyone.

I truly do not believe there is a 1A team that can come close to this group. It would take a monumental breakdown for FH to not win state at this level. Honestly, FH could win the state title in every single class this year with their toughest opposition being the likes of Wise, Quince Orchard (all in 4A), Oakdale and possibly Dunbar. I do not feel Oakdale can beat FH based on what has been on display the past two years. There, I said it. I would also say that last season, both Mountain Ridge and FH could have won state titles in most of the classes. So stating such things are not a giant leap.

What is more amazing is that this FH team is still small ball. Kids play both ways. That would be their only weakness compared to the big league teams.

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact nature of what makes this FH so good. But damn, it is impressive. I did not have any hesitation the past week leading up to Homecoming realizing that FH was 21+ points better than Alco today. Not sure how so many felt this game had the makings of being a close one based on what we have seen the past six weeks. The common opponents were no comparison. Truth be told, FH is likely to face Alco or Mountain Ridge again in the post season because 1A football isn't good. I don't think it matters. FH is one of the best public school teams in all of Maryland.

 

[cumbfanatic]

This is the best FH team I remember seeing in recent times

 

[Dwj21]

Fun fact....

Cal preps has this year's team beating every title team since 2013 and the only team within one score was the 2017 team that lost to Dunbar. We might be witnessing the GOAT of FH teams.

 

[theprocessworks]

I believe their complete body of work justifies that…. Imho

 

[theprocessworks]

Hess is the best player in this program since Ty… he is a game changer like no other imho

 

[PowerRamRight]

Made all the more effective with three types of offense schemes (Wing T, Maryland I, Spread) and a passing game from all three. Really impressive.

 

[Waggle Pass]

Hess and Daniels are certainly worthy of all the POY talk, but to me the biggest thing has been the development of Brown at QB. Still marveling at the sideline throw he made with perfect touch to get it over the Allegany defender. Couldn't imagine him doing that after the Coolidge game.

 

[ravemwp]

How good is FH? Great question. Let's start locally and remember that Allegany and MR are not bad football teams. As a matter of fact they are some of the better teams in their respective classification. FH weakest scheduled opponent was and undermanned yet scrappy Northern team. The rest of the schedule was full of much larger schools with large areas to pull from. You could say that FH was a slight favorite or slight underdog with the rest of their schedule. FH dominated all but one. That's how good FH is. Dare I say maybe one day spoken in the same conversation with the 1973, and 1975 Sentinels. Arguably two of the best in FH history.

 

[Waggle Pass]

How good is FH? Great question. Let's start locally and remember that Allegany and MR are not bad football teams. As a matter of fact they are some of the better teams in their respective classification. FH weakest scheduled opponent was and undermanned yet scrappy Northern team. The rest of the schedule was full of much larger schools with large areas to pull from. You could say that FH was a slight favorite or slight underdog with the rest of their schedule. FH dominated all but one. That's how good FH is. Dare I say maybe one day spoken in the same conversation with the 1973, and 1975 Sentinels. Arguably two of the best in FH history.

Can't forget the '97 team that beat Dunbar for the 2A title. That team finished #2 in the final state poll.

 

[ravemwp]

Can't forget the '97 team that beat Dunbar for the 2A title. That team finished #2 in the final state poll.

I never got to see that team play, but have heard talk of them. Saw 73 and 75 up close and personal.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

I never got to see that team play, but have heard talk of them. Saw 73 and 75 up close and personal.

Don't know if anybody will ever impress me more than Trimble and Peck did. What would they do with this FH offensive line? Well they might still be running!

 

[K7w5]

I think fort hill would compete with all those teams save Dematha. Briar woods competing with stone bridge makes that win much more impressive. Stone bridge is not up to their standards this year(despite having very high expectations coming into the year), but they’re still a top tier team in NoVa(minus the Freedom Juggernaut). I think martinsburg and QO on their A game would be too much for Fort Hill, but the sentinels would certainly be capable of beating those teams on any given day.

 

[CumberlandHSFB]

Definitely the best of Zack’s teams. I don’t think they’re remarkably better than any of the teams that won titles from 2013-2018. Probably an equal level to be honest. I think all those teams could’ve handled this kind of schedule well enough, but this team has actually played that schedule so they have the edge in that department.

 

[3rd and goals]

Definitely the best of Zack’s teams. I don’t think they’re remarkably better than any of the teams that won titles from 2013-2018. Probably an equal level to be honest. I think all those teams could’ve handled this kind of schedule well enough, but this team has actually played that schedule so they have the edge in that department.

Depth, QB play, and an expanded playbook are what separates this years team from previous great teams in my opinion

 

[Tony54]

I’ve been asking myself the same question since the Ridge game. The Briar Woods game opened my eyes. Just the fact that so many of us are thinking about it is very telling.

I like to stand on the visitor side up along the fence on the 50 yard line and watch the pregame. As I am standing up there and watching Wadsworth, and then New Oxford the next week. I was thinking to myself, how is Fort Hill going to beat these big athletic kids on these teams. Fort Hill didn’t seem to pass the eye test to me.

Then the game starts and you realize that this Fort Hill team is special. They just jump on teams immediately. When have you seen Fort Hill win the coin toss and take the ball first . They do it now! This team seems to play a little harder for each other. I see a lot of hand, head slapping and communication. You really can tell these kids love playing with each other.

( You can’t put 10 or 11 men in the box anymore to stop the run) This team will burn you with the pass, and there good at it. let’s be honest. Previous teams were not capable. At least on a consistent basis they were not.

This team can run multiple sets, and they have no weaknesses. # 25 is all over the field and we don’t really talk about it because the whole team is so solid.

This coaching staff has been tremendous. Wadsworth beat so many of those Ohio teams by throwing the ball 5 yards at a time.. The coaches at Fort Hill took that away from them immediately by jamming the receivers. To their credit they adjusted, but that was the start that Fort Hill needed.

Ridge only has one loss. That loss was so lopsided to Fort Hill that we’ve relegated them to mediocrity.

Then there’s #3. Good speed. Good agility. Amazing vision and very hard to tackle. He’s playing at a level that is way up there. Just flat out dominating!

Don’t get me started on number 77. It’s been a great four years. The most dominating Fort Hill lineman I personally have witnessed.. it’s been almost impossible for anyone to run consistently up the middle.

If I were a betting man, I take this team over any previous Fort Hill teams I’ve seen play.

 

[RedFootball]

Don't know if anybody will ever impress me more than Trimble and Peck did. What would they do with this FH offensive line? Well they might still be running!

Trimble & Peck had a line that could (touch them running wind sprints after practice ) Durst was a hurdler! 75 team had speed!