Photos by GoFlashwin.com
By Thomas Grant Jr.
The more things change at Dutch Fork, the more they stay the same.
This latest post-championship offseason saw the Silver Foxes hire a new defensive coordinator in former University of South Carolina safety Greg Wright. The new transfer portal for the S.C. High School League brought in an influx of talent to go with the returning All-State players on the roster.
Through all the changes, a state title remains the ultimate goal. The pursuit of a second ‘5-peat’ and Palmetto State-record 11th championship for head coach Tom Knotts begins Friday for Dutch Fork.
The Silver Foxes open the season with two straight road games. They start at Ridge View High School for the inaugural Bojangles Ridge View Kickoff Classic.
“We had more talent come in probably than what we had,” Knotts said. “I don’t really like it that way. I like old-time football where you develop, but the guys that I’ve got can really play football and I’m really happy to have them.
“They’ve been a benefit to our team. They bring an explosiveness that we haven’t had in a couple of years.”
Dutch Fork holds a 7-5 advantage in the series and have won the last two meetings. It pulled out last year’s contest in Irmo 28-21 as quarterback Jaxon Knotts scored on a 25-yard run with 38 seconds left.
The senior will have weapons in the form of former rivals. Corey and Maleek Miller arrived from Irmo High School to provide a boost at the wide receiver position.
The offensive line returns All-State junior “Bruiser” Brody Lorenzo and Niran Ford. Joining them upfront is Jeremiah McGowan, one of two transfers from A.C. Flora.
Highly-touted defensive lineman Peyton Bishop is the other. He will look to take the place of South Carolina freshman Julian Walker lining up on the opposite end of All-State senior and Clemson commit Jaden Wuerth.
“This year, I’m the leader,” he said. “Everyone’s looking to me. Last year, it was Julian. I was always there, always leading. This year, everyone’s looking to me. So, the expectation is you’ve got to do everything right the whole time. That’s just what it is.”
“We’re not meshing quite as well as what I had hoped, but we’re still a little bit of a work in progress,” said Knotts about the transfers and returning players working together. “But I think we’ll figure it out by region time.”
A non-transfer newcomer for Dutch Fork is placekicker Gabriel Medina. He looks to continue the good fortune the Silver Foxes have had at that position starting with Tyler Bass of the Buffalo Bills and most recently, Justin Welch, now starting at the U.S. Naval Academy.
“The expectation every week is just to go 1-0 and then, when we get to that point, the expectation is obviously to win a championship,” Wuerth said.
