By Thomas Grant Jr.
The quest for a ‘second 3-peat” starts Friday for Dutch Fork.
The defending 2-time Class 5A Division I champions open the season at home against Spartanburg (0-1). It’s the first of two straight games in Irmo for the Silver Foxes against Top 10 teams.
Dutch Fork is 6-1 all-time against the Vikings, who are coming off a 39-7 loss to defending Class 5A Division II champion Northwestern. The lone loss in the series took place at home in 2023 during an 0-3 start.
Since then, the Silver Foxes have won 21 of their last 23 games to go with back-to-back state titles. Their 21-game winning streak is the longest for a S.C. High School League team and 27th in the nation.
This year’s offense will have a different look. Jaxon Knotts takes over at quarterback for his father’s team. He has a battle-tested offensive line led by sophomore center “Bruiser” Brody Lorenzo.
Dutch Fork has a pair of Chapin transfers in wide receiver Stone Furrey and running back Cole Martin.
The defense returns several players from a group that held opponents to 7.2 points a game. Defensive ends Julian Walker and Jaden Wuerth attack from the outside, with Luciano Cesario, Jayden Frazier and Jaquan Henderson along the line.
Seniors Raleigh Salters and Adrian Wilson lead the linebackers, while the secondary looks to replace All-State defensive back Elgin Sessions.
Brad O’Leary and Gabriel Medina take over the placekicking duties from Justin Welch.
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA WEEK ONE POLL
Class 5A
1. Dutch Fork (16) (1-0)
2. Northwestern (1) (1-0)
3. Summerville (1-0)
4. Irmo (1-0)
5. Gaffney (0-1)
6. Greenwood (0-0)
7. Sumter (1-0)
8. Byrnes (1-0)
9. Ridge View (1-0)
10. Spartanburg (0-1)
Others receiving votes: Dorman, James Island, Hillcrest, Berkeley, Boiling Springs, Nation Ford, TL Hanna
