By Thomas Grant Jr.
The quest for a second ‘5-peat’ begins Friday at home for Dutch Fork football.
As the Silver Foxes prepare to face Fort Mill in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs, question marks remain at the quarterback position. Starter Jaxon Knotts left the Oct. 30 finale against White Knoll with an apparent hand injury.
No update has been made publicly about his status. When contacted, father and head coach Tom Knotts said he was hopeful for Jaxon’s return for the playoff opener.
The elder Knotts is seeking to win a state record 11th state title at Dutch Fork. He’s also won seven state titles in North Carolina.
Dutch Fork (9-0) will face Fort Mill (9-2) to open the post-season. This is the first meeting between the two schools since 2013 and the Silver Foxes have won all four previous games.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 58-21 win over Dutch Fork’s Region 3-5A rival Lexington. It was their first post-season win since 1998.
In comparison, the Silver Foxes defeated Lexington 28-7.
Dutch Fork resumes play after a bye looking to extend several streaks:
- 17-0 in playoff openers under Knotts
- 18 consecutive overall victories, including an active 18-game playoff winning streak, both the longest active streaks in the S.C. High School League.
- 30 straight home playoff wins
- 24 straight home victories
A win Friday would also give Dutch Fork 15 double-digit win seasons under Knotts. The winner faces either Hillcrest or J.F. Byrnes in the third round.
