Todd Appel to be inducted into Md. Coaching HOF Saturday
Apr. 29—CUMBERLAND — Former Fort Hill coach Todd Appel will be inducted into the Maryland Football Coaches Hall of Fame on Saturday at the University of Maryland.
The ceremony will take place at the Gossett Team House at 9:30 a.m. prior to Maryland's spring game. This year's inductees will be honored during halftime.
No tickets are required for the induction ceremony. Appel will be entering the state HOF along with fellow head coach Reggie White (Milford Mill) and Steve Crounse (Patuxent) and assistant coach Jeff Cranford (Northern Calvert).
Inductees will give a brief speech and a plaque will be placed on the wall in their honor.
Appel, a 1987 graduate of Fort Hill, finished with a 142-16 record in 12 seasons as the head man in South Cumberland, winning five state championships in seven trips, nine region crowns, nine Area Coach of the Year awards and a state Coach of the Year honor in 2014.
In total, Appel was part of 13 of the school's 14 state championship appearances — seven as head coach, five as an assistant (1994, 1996-1998 and 2006) and one as a player (1986).
Under Appel, Fort Hill equalled a state record with four consecutive Class 1A titles between 2013-16 (Urbana, 1998-01) and still holds the area record of 32 consecutive victories.
Appel's 2016 Sentinels still hold the Maryland state record for most points scored in a 14-game season (682) and rushing yards in a season (5,086).
The Sentinels were 12-0 in Homecoming under Appel.
Appel will become the fourth Fort Hill coach to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Mike Calhoun ('01-'02), Charlie Lattimer ('89) and Bill Hahn ('88).
Other past area inductees include Jack Gilmore ('03-'04) of Allegany and Valley; Roy Lester ('96) of Allegany and later Richard Montgomery, Magruder and Paint Branch; and Jerry Calhoun ('90) of Beall.
