Let the debate begin. Dutch Fork’s task in the Class 5A final was not just defeating T.L. Hanna. The Silver Foxes wanted their 3rd consecutive title at Williams-Brice Stadium last Friday to show they deserve a higher national ranking than 17th in USA Today Sports Super Expert Top 25 rankings and that they belong among the state’s all-time great high school football teams. With the 59-20 trouncing of the Upper State champion Yellow Jackets, Dutch Fork showed resiliency and domination. They rallied from 3 deficits and closed the game with 42 unanswered points. The Silver Foxes finished the season undefeated and, on Monday, moved up to 12th in the latest USA Today Sports Super Expert poll. In head coach Tom Knotts’ eyes, they are a team for the ages.

Back-and-forth start

“This is the best team I have ever coached,” said Knotts, who won his 401st career game and 11th state title, 4 at Dutch Fork. “We have been hard on them and strive for excellence. I am proud of the way we hung in there the whole year and stood with us.” The game opened in typical Dutch Fork fashion. Quarterback Tyler Olenchuk found a streaking Jalin Hyatt down the visiting sidelines for an apparent 77-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage. A questionable offensive pass interference penalty nullified the score. The Silver Foxes had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Graham Newboult. T.L. Hanna immediately showed why it won the Class 5A Upper State title with a 14-0 mark. They were led by imposing, 6-5, 245-pound fullback/defensive end and University of South Carolina commit Zacch Pickens. The Yellow Jackets used their punishing wing-T running game with Pickens as lead blocker to wear down the Silver Foxes’ defense. A 35-yard field goal attempt by Jay Billingsley hit the left goal post. A couple of minutes later, Pickens stepped in front of Olenchuk’s screen pass and returned it 24 yards untouched for a touchdown. “We talked about it all week,” Olenchuk said. “We put our biggest guy right there for that play and simulated me going around him. It was early in the game and it was frustrating, but my guys picked me up.” Dutch Fork responded with with a 9-play, 51-yard scoring drive capped by Olenchuk’s 7-yard TD run. This was the 2nd of 5 lead changes in the first half. T.L. Hanna regained the lead with an 11-play, 77-yard scoring drive. It only took 27 seconds for Dutch Fork to answer as Olenchuk connected with Gage Zirke from 67 yards to make it 17-14. Isaiah Norris’ 7-yard touchdown run put the Yellow Jackets up 20-17. However, the Silver Foxes blocked Billingsley’s PAT.

Turning point

With 47 left, Dutch Fork’s defense forced T.L. Hanna to punt for the first time. Juan Velarde’s kick from his own 30 was shanked out of bounds at the Yellow Jackets’ 40. After converting a 4th and 11 pass, Olenchuk found Hyatt from 23 yards with 5 seconds left to give the Silver Foxes a 24-20 halftime advantage. Just before halftime, the Silver Foxes sent a squib kick towards the Yellow Jackets’ Pickens, who then fumbled to Dutch Fork’s Trace Danley as time expired. In the 2nd half, Dutch Fork forced 4 more turnovers despite missing key players due to injuries in the 1st half. “We were down 2 outside linebackers,” Dutch Fork defensive coordinator Nick Pelham said. “We had some guys step up, play really well. We made one tackle, got a good feeling about it and then from there, made (4) huge turnover plays.” Dutch Fork increased its lead to 31-20 after the first of 2, 2-yard TD runs by junior Ron Hoff. T.L. Hanna then embarked on a time-consuming drive which extended into the 4th quarter and reached the Dutch Fork 1. The Silver Foxes forced a 4th and goal when Trey Irby stopped Norris at the 5 and forced a fumble. Tyrik McDaniel made the recovery and returned it 93 yards for a touchdown to put Dutch Fork up 38-20. “We all just bit down,” said McDaniel, who finished with a team-high 10 tackles. “We’ve been fighting for this all year. Just to show mind over matter and we all said we had more heart than them. We all got together and buckled down.”

“He’s telling the truth”

On the next series, Kendrick Allen sacked Alex Meredith, forced loose the football and Edward Owusu returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. Dutch Fork’s Lawson Danley forced the 3rd fumble in 87 seconds which DiMarco Johnson recovered at the

29. The Silver Foxes were held on 4th down, but a muffed punt recovered at the 9-yard line set up Olenchuk’s 2nd touchdown pass to Hyatt to make it 52-20. Olenchuk finished 13-22 passing for 295 yards. Both Hyatt and Zirke accounted for 5 catches each for a combined 266 yards. Owusu forced the Yellow Jackets’ 4th fumble of the 2nd half which Allen recovered. Hoff was in the endzone again 3 plays later. “I didn’t like to think about it all season,” said Olenchuk about his team’s place in history. “I felt like it would make us play worse. “I think about it now and how we played tonight, I don’t think there’s any doubt in my mind that he’s telling the truth.”