The Dutch Fork Silver Foxes defeated the Spartanburg Vikings 24-0 on Friday night to clinch an appearance in the 5A Division 1 Football State Championship. 

The Silver Foxes’ defensive front overwhelmed Spartanburg’s offense and kept the Vikings off the scoreboard.  

“It feels great,” Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts said. “It never gets old. It’s always good to win the Upper State Championship, but we’re going back to the real championship now.” 

In the second meeting of the season between the two teams, Dutch Fork quickly took a 7-0  lead with a long touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Offing to wide receiver Boykin  Bickley. 

“We made those big plays at first,” Knotts said. “Hitting Bickley on the post down the field, we thought we could when they jammed the box.” 

After a three-and-out by Spartanburg’s offense, the Silver Foxes moved the ball into the red zone after a pair of catches by Bickley for 14 and 38 yards. A 10-yard touchdown pass by Offing to wide receiver K.J. Smith gave Dutch Fork a 14-point lead midway through the first quarter. 

Searching for momentum, the Vikings got great field position after a long kickoff return by  Calvin Choice. Facing third down at the Silver Foxes’ 18-yard line, quarterback Trey Burke’s pass to wide receiver Justin Rice fell incomplete. On fourth down, a field goal attempt by kicker Will Love was blocked. 

Offing opened Dutch Fork’s next drive with a 20-yard scramble, followed by a 14-yard  completion to running back Maurice Anderson. On third and 12 at midfield, the Vikings defense forced an incomplete pass by Offing. A 10-yard punt by Dutch Fork gave  Spartanburg the ball at midfield. 

Facing third down and nine, Burke was intercepted by defensive back Mario Anderson. After the turnover, the Silver Foxes pushed the ball into Spartanburg territory following back-to-back completions by Offing. However, the Vikings stopped Dutch Fork on fourth down, giving the ball back to its offense. 

Spartanburg continued to struggle, though. Its next possession ended in a three-and-out when Dutch Fork linebacker Josh Smith made a tackle for loss on third down.

The Silver Foxes were stopped again on third down when Anderson was tackled by defensive back Jarious Mosley short of the line to gain. But a successful fake punt attempt by Offing kept Dutch Fork’s drive alive.  

After the conversion, Offing connected with Anderson for a 30-yard pickup. A successful field goal by kicker Justin Welch gave Dutch Fork a 17-0 lead with around two minutes to play in the second quarter. 

The Silver Foxes’ defense continued its strong performance late in the first half. Facing second down, defensive linemen Tyler Norris and Daniel Williams combined for a sack of  Burke. On the next play, defensive end Julian Walker dropped Burke in the backfield for a big loss.  

The Silver Foxes took a 17-point lead into the half. In the first two quarters, Offing went 13- 17 passing for 226 yards and two touchdowns. 

Offing began Dutch Fork’s first possession of the third quarter with a 14-yard scramble,  followed by a seven-yard rush by Anderson for a first down. A roughing the passer penalty against the Vikings moved the ball into the red zone, and Offing capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run. The Silver Foxes led 24-0 with around six minutes to play in the third quarter. 

“We need to run the ball consistently well,” Knotts said. “We didn’t take over until the end of the game. We didn’t run it very effectively at the beginning. It’s kind of been like that the whole year.” 

Looking for a spark on offense, the Vikings’ next drive opened with a 26-yard run by running back Trenton Lynch. However, the drive was derailed after a sack and tackle for loss by Smith.

 The Vikings quickly got the ball back after a fumble by the Silver Foxes at midfield. Facing fourth down, Spartanburg quarterback T.J. Johnson was stopped short of the marker.

 Late in the third quarter, Bickley made a leaping catch over a defender for a 30-yard reception.  Dutch Fork’s drive ended in another field goal attempt by Welch, which was no good.  

The Vikings’ offense continued to find itself behind the chains when Walker added another sack on third down. Dutch Fork then went on a long drive to run out most of the clock and clinch the 24-point win. 

“We just got a little bit conservative at the end and tried to run the clock out,” Knotts said.  “We were pretty sure that we had them once we got out here in the second half.” 

The Silver Foxes (12-0) will face the Summerville Green Wave (13-0) on Friday in a battle of unbeaten. Kickoff from Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg is set for 2 p.m.

“We’ll do just like we always do,” Knotts said. “We’ll do everything we’re supposed to do and hopefully we’ll come home with a W.”