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Dutch Fork Silver Foxes in 2021 football state championship: How they got there

A look at how Dutch Fork got to this year’s Class 5A high school football state championship game. The Silver Foxes play Gaffney in the title game at 5 p.m. Saturday at Benedict College’s Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

TEAM HISTORY

Dutch Fork opened in 1992 and has only had two head football coaches in its history: Bill Kimrey and Tom Knotts. Prior to Knotts’ arrival in 2010, the Silver Foxes made one trip to the Lower State championship in 2006 and lost to Irmo. In that playoff run, Dutch Fork beat a Summerville team that featured future NFL star A.J. Green.

Since 2010, the Silver Foxes have been one of the most dominant programs in the Carolinas and are playing in their ninth state title game in the past 10 seasons. Dutch Fork has won a state record five-straight Class 5A championships. The Silver Foxes have a 62-game unbeaten streak, with their last non-win coming against Mallard Creek in a 27-27 tie in the opener of the 2019 season. Dutch Fork is ranked No. 22 in the USA Today Super 25 poll and No. 20 in the MaxPreps Top 25 poll.

STAR FOOTBALL ALUMS

Some of the more notable Dutch Fork football alumni include Erik Kimrey (played at USC/Gamecocks TE coach); the late Mike Gasparato (Penn State); 2014 South Carolina Mr. Football Matt Colburn; Chad Geter; Tyler Bass (kicker with Buffalo Bills); Bryce Thompson; Ty Olenchuk (Clemson); 2019 Mr. Football finalist Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee); and Will Taylor (Clemson baseball/football).

HEAD COACH

Tom Knotts was hired at Dutch Fork in January 2010, and the Silver Foxes have played for nine state championships in 12 seasons. Dutch Fork won the school’s first state title in 2013 and will go for its seventh title Saturday. If Knotts earns that seventh title, he will move into third place by himself for most titles in South Carolina. Woodruff’s W.L. Varner and Summerville’s John McKissick are tied for most with 10. Knotts’ record is 141-21-1 at Dutch Fork.

Prior to Dutch Fork, he coached at West Charlotte, Harding and Independence high schools in North Carolina, winning 296 games and seven state championships in that state. Six of Knotts’ seven N.C. state titles came at Independence, which had a 109-game winning streak. Knotts left for one year during the streak and was an assistant at Duke before going back to Independence.

THIS YEAR’S TOP SILVER FOXES

QB Davin Patterson: First-year starter has completed 72.8% of his passes for 2,446 yards and 16 touchdowns, and also has ran for seven TDs.

RB Jarvis Green: Has rushed for 1,464 yards, 32 touchdowns, caught 25 passes for 376 yards and four scores.

WR Antonio Williams: Four-star prospect has 68 catches for 1,414 yards, 13 touchdowns and also has three punt returns for TDs and one kickoff.

LB Chris Wicker: Has team-high 122 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, nine sacks, six pass break-ups and four forced fumbles.

LB Chandler Perry: Second on team with 121 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles

DB Landon Danley: Leads team with four interceptions, to go along with 68 tackles.

THE 2021 SEASON

Aug. 30: Dutch Fork 70, Wren 8: Jarvis Green ran for three of the team’s nine rushing touchdowns, and Jaylen Hinton picked off two passes in the season opener.

Sept. 3: Dutch Fork 56, Byrnes 25: Quarterback Davin Patterson threw for 267 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers in the Silver Foxes’ emotional victory. The game was Dutch Fork’s first since the death of senior offensive lineman Jack Alkhatib.

Sept. 17: Dutch Fork 56, Greenwood 16: Antonio Williams caught eight passes for 150 yards and a TD and also returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. Davin Patterson was 13-of-16 for 303 yards and four TDs.

Sept 24: Dutch Fork 42, Spartanburg 13: Davin Patterson threw four touchdown passes, three to Antonio Williams, in the Silver Foxes’ home opener. Williams had six catches for 183 yards and three touchdowns.

Oct. 1: Dutch Fork 60, White Knoll 7: Jarvis Green rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns in a matchup against former Dutch Fork assistant Nick Pelham. Dutch Fork had 604 yards of total offense and held WK to 40 yards.

Oct. 8: Dutch Fork 69, Chapin 21: Jarvis Green rushed for five touchdowns and Antonio Williams returned two punts for touchdowns.

Oct. 15: Dutch Fork 48, River Bluff 0: The Silver Foxes recorded the first of their three shutouts of the season in the region win over the Gators.

Oct. 22: Dutch Fork 49, Lexington 3: Jarvis Green rushed for four touchdowns and Antonio Williams caught 10 passes for 169 yards as the Silver Foxes wrapped up the Region 5-5A championship.

Nov. 5: Dutch Fork 56, Socastee 0: Davin Patterson threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns as the Silver Foxes won their playoff opener.

Nov. 12: Dutch Fork 56, Cane Bay 0: Davin Patterson threw four touchdowns and Jarvis Green ran for four TDs in the Silver Foxes’ final home game of the season.

Nov. 19: Dutch Fork 49, Sumter 21: Jarvis Green had two of his three touchdowns in the third quarter as the Silver Foxes broke open a 28-21 game in the third quarter to advance in the playoffs.

Nov. 26: Dutch Fork 21, Fort Dorchester 14: Jarvis Green caught a TD pass and ran for one and Davin Patterson hit Antonio Williams on a 96-yard touchdown pass to give Dutch Fork a 21-7 lead. Fort Dorchester cut it to 21-14 in the fourth, but Williams intercepted a Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game. It was Dutch Fork’s smallest margin of victory since 2019. The Silver Foxes picked off three passes in the game.