Limiting Austin key for Fort Hill at Oakdale

Sep. 30—IJAMSVILLE, Md. — The game plan for Fort Hill is simple: limit Oakdale quarterback Evan Austin. The problem? The Sentinels would be the first team to do so.

With the duel-threat Austin under center, Oakdale has gotten off to a 4-0 start — the latest victory a 28-14 triumph against Linganore, which fell in the Class 3A title game in 2021.

Fort Hill won the matchup against the Frederick County squad handily last year, but this is a different Oakdale team, and it starts with the quarterback. If the Sentinels can't keep Austin inside the numbers, it could be a long night, and it could mean the end of a winning streak that's stretched 17 games.

"Both teams are loaded with talent and kids that can play at the next level," Fort Hill head coach Zack Alkire said. "The biggest key is not allowing the quarterback to get outside the pocket. I think that if we're able to shut him down, then we should be able to have some success."

Fort Hill (4-0) enters tonight's game coming off a 49-10 drubbing of Hollidaysburg, the second of consecutive lopsided wins following a come-from-behind thriller at Old Mill.

Fort Hill has played a variety of Frederick County schools over the years.

Frederick and Fort Hill used to have a longstanding series that dates back to 1956, which the Sentinels hold a 22-3-1 edge in. Friday is the first time Fort Hill will travel to Frederick County since destroying Brunswick, 73-0, in 2016. The previous was in 2009, when the Sentinels defeated Thomas Johnson, 12-0, on the road.

Fort Hill won the matchup with Oakdale, 42-7, at Greenway Avenue Stadium a year ago. However, the Sentinels and Bears are both vastly different teams this season.

Oakdale will put a quarterback on the field that's as dynamic as any in the state. Austin, who holds offers from Boston College, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Connecticut, among others, has amassed 535 rushing yards, 436 passing yards and 10 total touchdowns through four games.

If Austin gets into open space, nobody will be able to catch him — the QB runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, according to his coach Kurt Stein.

Keeping him contained will be important for Fort Hill's defense, which has been dominant through four weeks, holding opponents to per-game numbers of 65 rushing yards, 35 passing yards and six points.

"Make sure that our defensive tackles don't get upfield," Alkire said of the key to stopping Austin. "All week we've been preaching to contain. We've taught them that all year long, but we need to be more patient and make sure that he keeps the ball.

"That's what the read option does. With the read option, it allows the quarterback to be another weapon, and it's a numbers game."

The defending Class 1A state champion Sentinels boast a trio of running backs that can score on any given carry, led by Tavin Willis, who has 24 carries for 369 yards (15.4 yards a carry) and seven touchdowns. Mikey Allen has 282 yards and three scores on 18 carries, and Tanner Wertz has 45 carries for 266 yards and three TDs.

Yet, the Sentinels' talented rushers were unable to break off big runs against Old Mill, which put nine or 10 in the box to shut down the inside, and used its athleticism to prevent Fort Hill from getting to the outside.

While Oakdale is similarly talented, Alkire doesn't see a repeat of those struggles on Friday night.

"We're a much better football team today than we were against Old Mill," he said. "That game allowed us to take a look at ourselves and evaluate what we can improve. I do think we'll be able to open up some holes (against Oakdale)."

If Oakdale does stack the box as Old Mill did, Alkire expects Fort Hill to be able to make the Bears pay through the air, something they didn't have much success with in Millersville.

"We did throw a little bit, but we didn't as much as we probably should have," Alkire said of Old Mill. "Part of that was that the whole week of Old Mill, we wanted to get into our gun sets and throw the football more, but it just poured down rain. That hasn't been the case this week.

"We're ready to open it up if need be. We trust our quarterback, receivers and offensive line to get the job done through the air."

Fort Hill has also named a new starter under center in Anthony Burns, who came on during the second half against Hollidaysburg and completed 3 of 5 passes for 70 yards.

Burns provides more mobility than Lance Bender — more of a traditional pocket passer who started previously — which adds an extra element to a Fort Hill offense that hardly needs more weapons.

"He created a spark for us last week and the team really rallied around him," Alkire said of Burns. "We just feel that he's going to give us the best chance to win this game."

The other question mark for Fort Hill is the health of Shane Welsh, who was instrumental in the Sentinels' comeback at Old Mill two weeks ago. Welsh, a fullback, bullied the Patriots with a dozen bruising carries during the fourth quarter.

However, Welsh is still banged up, and he's too important to the Fort Hill defense to be a feature back. Don't be surprised to see Welsh with the ball in his hands if the Sentinels have their backs against the wall late against Oakdale.

"He's a tough kid," Alkire said. "He gives us everything that he has, but unfortunately he's banged up. Has been since last year, and he hasn't really gotten a whole lot better.

"We need him defensively, he's one of our top two linebackers, and the most experienced guy there. ... Offensively, we feel that we can get away with using him sparingly with the talent we have."

As for the battle in the trenches, Class 3A Oakdale will present a difficult test for defending Lineman of the Year Carter Hess and company.

"I think they're a different kind of good," Alkire said of the comparison between the lines of Old Mill and Oakdale. "(Old Mill) was big, fast and nasty, they just wanted to hurt you. Oakdale has a couple kids that can do that, but I don't think they're hardwired to do that defensively.

"They send a lot of blitzes and create issues that way. Old Mill was more fill gaps and stop you."

While Austin holds a laundry list of offers, he won't be the most-heralded recruit on the football field. Oakdale edge rusher Dominic Nichols is one of the state's top recruits.

The junior four-star prospect is ranked ninth in Maryland and 267th in the country by the 247Sports composite, holding offers from Penn State, Michigan State, Ole Mill, Maryland and West Virginia.

Fort Hill was able to make Nichols a non-factor last year, with Hess pancaking the top prospect on one occasion, but he and his Oakdale teammates will be hungry for revenge.

Not if the Sentinels have anything to say about it.

"We've had a really good week of practice this week," Alkire said. "Everyone seems to have come into focus and understands the importance of this game, and this stretch coming up. It's the best week of practice we've had this year."

Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal.