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BALTIMORE — When asked about the rarity of winning a fourth consecutive state championship, Fort Hill’s Brayden Brown pushed the dreamy idea away while cracking a wide smile.
“I don’t like to talk about that,” said Brown, the four-year varsity player. “Just need to focus on the present.”
That’s just the way Fort Hill operates, and Brown has inherited the laser-focused mindset. Look no further than to the back of the shirts the Sentinel coaching staff wear frequently, “Earned with … faith, hard work, commitment, sacrifices … Not given!”
Todd Appel has orchestrated such modus operandi that’s led Fort Hill to three consecutive state championships and a 40-1 record in those seasons.
“I’m very blessed to be in the program that I am at,” Brown said. “The community, the players, the coaches, I can’t say enough.”
In their three state championships (2013, 2014 and 2015), they have outscored their opponent by a total of 109 to 22 (def. Douglass, 25-0 in 2013; def. Douglass, 40-5 in 2014; and def. Havre de Grace, 44-14 in 2015). Brown is coming off of a year in which he won the Cumberland Times-News Overall Player of the Year with 2,022 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns.
On the ground, he racked up 1,102 yards on 12.4 yards per carry and 15 scores. As a receiver, he caught 19 receptions with five touchdowns. He also returned two punts for touchdowns, and totaled 49 tackles while snagging three interceptions at corner back.
With the graduation of standout running back, Ty Johnson, who is now playing football at the University of Maryland, Brown was given the keys of the offense and steered Fort Hill back to prominence like Johnson once did.
In 2014, Brown played as a role player and receiving threat to open up running lanes for Johnson. As a sophomore, he mainly contributed at the corner back position.
Brown claims the trail Johnson left him has played a large hand in his present success, and he still keeps in touch with Johnson until this day.
“Ty (Johnson) showed me everything,” Brown said, who sees himself as a slotback for his senior season and at the next level. “I continue to do the things that he told me, and I stay in touch with him. I always try to learn new things from people that know more than me.”
Brown currently holds offers from Albany, Army West Point, Delaware, and Towson. He has also received interest and has taken visits to Maryland, Syracuse, and West Virginia.
Though Brown and Fort Hill don’t like floating the idea around about a fourth consecutive state championship, it’s hard not to ponder about the possibility with the supporting cast returning for the Sentinels in 2016. Quarterback, Nathaniel Graves; running back, Raen Smith; linebacker, Brayden Poling; and Brown are just some names to list that will return to Fort Hill this year.
In the Ravens 7on7 passing tournament held at St. Paul’s School in Baltimore this past Sunday, they won their first two games against Thomas Johnson and Walkersville from Frederick County, before being eliminated by Gonzaga (D.C.) in the third round.
“We just want to take it one game at a time,” Brown said. “We all know we have spots to fill. We’re looking for that and are going to take it one game at a time.”
