By Thomas Grant Jr.
Posting a second straight shutout victory and 21st since 2016 would fully please most head coaches.
Dutch Fork’s Tom Knotts is not one of them. The 35-0 win over Gray Collegiate Academy drew a blunt mixed reaction from the head coaching legend.
“They (the defense) were just dominant and the offense sucked in the second half,” he said.
In extending a streak of scoreless quarters to 10, the Silver Foxes held the War Eagles to 143 total yards, 29 rushing. Conversely. Dutch Fork running back Maurice Anderson rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Ethan Offing threw for 219 yards, threw two touchdowns, and rushed for one.
Reserve running back Isaac Shine had a rushing and receiving touchdowns and wide receiver Boykin Bickley had six receptions for 113 yards.
All but Anderson’s touchdown runs took place in the first half. Dutch Fork’s offense contended with self-imposed mistakes like penalties, turnovers and missed assignments which frustrated Knotts.
On the defensive side, it was all high marks. Starting from the front seven where defensive linemen Daniel Williams and Julian Walker accounted for the team’s three sacks.
The linebacking crops of Josh Smith, Jarvis Jackson and Raleigh Salters stood out for Knotts for one of their best showings of the season. As for the secondary, West Columbia commit Elgin Sessions and fellow defensive backs Derek White and Jason Washington made it difficult for All-State quarterback Tyler Waller to connect with his wide receivers.
“The defense was just special tonight,” Knotts reiterated. “They gave up some yards in the first series which was a little bit disconcerting there and then, from there on, they were lights off.”
UP next this Friday is another charter school and last year’s Class 2A champion Oceanside Collegiate. This is the second visit to Irmo for the Landsharks, who dropped the season opener 35-7 to the Yellow Jackets and saw their head coach Chad Wilkes resign days later.
Offensive line coach John Patterson was promoted to the top position on an interim bases.
“Oceanside and Gray (Collegiate) aren’t very well-liked,” Knotts said. “I think I was one of the only people that would play them. Other public schools won’t play them because they say they recruit their kids. I don’t know. If my kids want to go there, go there. We’ve proved we’ve got the dominant program in the state and we’re going to just keep grinding. We worry about ourselves.”
While Dutch Fork won its 11th straight game, Irmo improved to 4-0 in claiming its 16th straight regular season win in a 55-7 rout at Carolina Forest.
It was another big game for senior quarterback A.J. Brand. The Virginia Tech commit completed 18-26 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 77 yards and two scores.
Tight end Joey Albritton both had two touchdown receptions. The wide receiving tandem of Donovan Murph and Maleek Miller each had eight catches and a touchdown. Murph finished with 181 receiving yards and Miller had 141.
On defense, sophomore defensive end Jaiden Bryant had eight tackles and a force fumble and senior safety Mathew Blocker had seven tackles.
The Yellow Jackets are back at W.C. Hawkins Stadium Friday to face Myrtle Beach. It’s a rematch of last years second round Class 4A matchup won by the Yellow Jackets 55-24.
In that game, Brand went 8-10 for 184 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 128 yards and a score. The defense sacked quarterback Gibson Goodroe eight times.
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
Class 5A
1. Dutch Fork (18) (3-0)
2. Gaffney (1) (3-0)
3. Northwestern (4-0)
4. Summerville (3-0)
5. Irmo (4-0)
6. Sumter (4-0)
8. JL Mann (2-1)
7. Hillcrest (3-0)
9. White Knoll (2-1)
10. Boiling Springs (3-0)
Others receiving votes: TL Hanna, Spartanburg, Chapin, River Bluff, Blythewood, Greenwood
Feature photo by Thomas Grant Jr. – Dutch Fork quarterback Ethan Offing
