By Thomas Grant Jr.
Dutch Fork and Irmo both earned first-round byes in the state playoffs for the second straight year.
The extra rest was well-deserved after their regular-season finale came down to the final play. A fourth-and-1 incompletion sealed Dutch Fork’s 28–21 win over Irmo, giving the Silver Foxes their 15th region title.
The victory not only extended Dutch Fork’s dominance in Region 4-5A but also secured the top seed in the Class 5A Division I playoffs. More importantly, the win snapped Irmo’s 27-game home winning streak and guaranteed the Silver Foxes homefield advantage through the Upper State final as they pursue their fourth straight state title and 10th overall under head coach Tom Knotts.
Dutch Fork enters the postseason riding a 17-game home winning streak and 14 consecutive playoff victories. They will open their championship quest Friday at home against Boiling Springs, a team the Silver Foxes have beaten in eight of the last nine meetings. Boiling Springs advanced with a 16–14 win over Mauldin. The winner will face either Rock Hill or fourth-seeded J.F. Byrnes in the third round.
Meanwhile, Irmo also earned a No. 1 overall seed in Class 4A Division II. A year after losing in the final seconds to Northwestern in the state championship, the Yellow Jackets will begin their postseason run at W.C. Hawkins Stadium.
Irmo opens against Lugoff-Elgin, a team the Yellow Jackets have defeated eight of nine times, with the only loss coming in 2019. Irmo is chasing its first state title since 1980. The winner will meet either Myrtle Beach or White Knoll in the third round.
If both Irmo and Dutch Fork advance, it could set up a fourth meeting in the past year — and their second postseason showdown in that span.
