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).
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).
Last edited: