HAGERSTOWN -- An estimated 10,000 crimson-clad, banner-carrying Fort Hill fans filed into the South Hagerstown High stadium, expecting to cheer the unbeaten Sentinels to their 13th straight win over 2A state title opponent Dunbar.
They left in stunned silence and had to make the one-hour, 15-minute drive back to Cumberland bitterly disappointed.
Neither the screaming horde of Sentinels faithful, nor Fort Hill (12-1), with its 43-man roster outnumbering Dunbar's by 17, could cancel the Poets' date with history as Dunbar (12-0) became Baltimore City's first state champion with a 30-15 victory.
"I feel very good about this one," said Dunbar coach Stanley Mitchell, in only his second season out of the recreation leagues.
"Since Aug. 15, the kids have given everything they've had for this. And I feel great for them."
The Poets (288 offensive yards) led 8-7 at the half but trailed for the first time this season, 15-8, when the Sentinels' Matt Calhoun (8-for-15, 167 yards) opened the second half with a screen to Shannon Trimble (four receptions, 149 yards), who turned it into a 70-yard touchdown.
But the Sentinels -- who averaged 37 points -- were outscored 22-0 from there, shut down by a Poets defense that entered the game allowing 2.1 points with seven shutouts.
Carl Carter picked up his 17th sack of the season, and linebacker Terrence Hinton his 14th sack. Lance Askins grabbed his 10th interception. Derry Williams had another. Dante Jones, Antar Simsel and Shamai Butler all recovered fumbles. Trimble had just two of his 57 rushing yards in the second half.
Only a few days before the game, Fort Hill coach Mike Calhoun said his Sentinels had "seen it all," having previously humbled teams from Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Howard, Washington, Frederick, Prince George's and Garrett counties.
But the Sentinels, who had come from behind to beat Martinsburg, 35-28, and Oakland Mills, 30-18, had not seen Baltimore City's best defense.
"We turned the ball over more times tonight than we have all year, but that's because Dunbar caused us to," said Calhoun. "We were in it until the second half, then they just got too physical."
Ali Culpepper's fourth punt-return touchdown of the year, a 60-yarder, cut the deficit to 15-14 with eight minutes left in the third period.
"That pass really got to us and we needed a motivator," Culpepper said. "I think the punt return got us right back into it."
With 4:14 left in the third, Anthony Wiggins (3-for-6, 90 yards) found Tommy Polley -- who outleaped Eddy Blizzard at the Fort Hill 35 -- on the end of a 78-yard pass. Wiggins' conversion run made it 22-15.
Benjamin Patterson set up Dunbar's final score when he recovered Trimble's fourth-period fumble at the Fort Hill 14. Two plays and one penalty later, wide receiver Gary Smith took a reverse handoff from Wiggins 21 yards for the touchdown. Wiggins-to-Polley made it 30-15 with 4:14 left in the game.
"We came out here and saw their crowd, and at first, we were nervous," said Hinton. "But after Coach Stan gave us a second-half pep talk, we came out just fired up to win."
Reggie Boyce (171 yards, 20 carries) entered the game with 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns. His effort last night made the 6-foot, 195-pounder the area's top rusher by 150 yards with 1,887 yards. He was playing with a shoulder injury.
fTC Trimble (57 first half yards) intercepted Wiggins to set up his first touchdown, a 10-yarder on a reverse that capped a six-play, 66-yard drive. Shaffer's extra-point kick gave Fort Hill a 7-0 lead .. with 1:29 left in the first period.
Boyce, who had 127 yards on eight carries in the first half, answered on Dunbar's next play from scrimmage, taking a left-side pitch from Wiggins and streaking 68 yards down the Dunbar sideline for the score. Wiggins then eluded tacklers to complete the conversion pass to Polley and the Poets led, 8-7, just 1:02 before the second period.
"We just came out and stepped it up in the second half," said Carter. "I don't think they've seen a defense like ours, and they couldn't handle it."
Dunbar, with about 300 supporters, escaped Poly's fate, a 15-12 loss to Seneca Valley, in last year's 3A title game, during city public schools' first year in the state association.