The season didn’t begin in a normal manner for Dutch Fork, but the finish was very much the norm under veteran coach Tom Knotts, as the Silver Foxes defeated nearby rival White Knoll 21-6 Friday night at South Carolina State for the 5A State Championship. The title is number eight for the Silver Foxes, all coming under the watchful eye of the 67-year-old Knotts, who completed his 13th season at the suburban Columbia school.
After losing to White Knoll in their region opener October 6th, Dutch Fork fell to an unfathomable 2-5. That would be their last defeat of the season. But Knotts refused to let the season cave in around his team, and there he was Friday night holding yet another trophy high.
Defense was the story. Dutch Fork limited White Knoll to just 114 yards on 44 plays and without an offensive touchdown. The Timberwolves led 6-0 at halftime after recovering a fumble in the end zone following a bad snap late in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Dutch Fork quarterback Jon Hunt scored on a pair of two-yard runs, and the Silver Foxes capped the scoring the fourth quarter on a four-yard run by KJ Smith.
Dutch Fork finishes the season with a 10-5 record. White Knoll, denied their first championship, finished at 13-1.