For Dutch Fork’s football team, deep runs in the postseason are inevitable. It’s just a matter of how they will get there.

This time, the Silver Foxes advanced to the 5A Division I semifinal after a gritty 21-0 win over Byrnes. Dutch Fork’s defense clinched the shutout over the Rebels and sent the team to its 13th state semifinal under Knotts. 

“ It was one of the most disjointed offensive performances I've ever been a part of, but the defense played just incredible,” Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts said after the game. “ If somebody had told me we were gonna shut them out, I would've been surprised, although we have a great defense. Finally, they're playing there at their best.”

Byrnes finished the game with 117 total yards of offense, while Dutch Fork had over 300. The Rebels made it across midfield just one time during the entire game, and that drive resulted in an interception. 

Rebels running back Tre Segarra is a four-star recruit and the fifth-best prospect in the nation at his position, according to 247Sports. The Silver Foxes held him to just 84 yards on 20 rush attempts. It was his second-worst performance of the season, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.   

Segarra’s only worse performance was 3.3 yards per carry against Dutch Fork’s next opponent, Dorman.

The Cavaliers have a powerful defense, just like Dutch Fork. If the Silver Foxes want to improve their chances of advancing to the state final, they’ll need a better offensive performance than they had against Byrnes. 

Dutch Fork never really got the separation it needed to comfortably put the game away, despite the inspiring defensive effort. That is because the Silver Foxes’ offense struggled to get in rhythm.

The team had no problem moving downfield. Dutch Fork extended drives by forcing defensive penalties, making timely runs and connecting on the occasional intermediate throw. The problem was finishing those drives. 

“ We just missed some passes by six inches, a yard, two yards,” Knotts said.  “We’ve got to hit one of those out of three or four. They kept grabbing us, and that was part of the issue. The secondary got a bunch of defensive pass interference, which really helped us out, but those might have been touchdowns had they not grabbed us and interfered.”

Dutch Fork went three and out on its first drive before crossing midfield and turning the ball over on downs on its second. 

It appeared the team was going to score on its third drive, but a fumble trying to punch it in from the one-yard line gave Byrnes the ball back. 

The Silver Foxes finally got on the scoreboard with just over four minutes left in the first half. 

Dutch Fork’s defense set up the score, getting the ball back for its offense after the fumble by recovering one of its own.  The offense moved into the red zone before Kyle Henry eventually ran it in from seven yards away. 

Byrnes looked to respond before halftime, but a deep shot downfield ended in disaster when Dutch Fork’s defense again made a play. This time, defensive back Sebastian Lake ran under the ball and caught it out of the air. 

Dutch Fork was unable to capitalize on the free possession, ending the drive with a missed 40-yard field goal as time expired in the half. 

The third quarter was similar to the first two. Each team traded possessions with no scores until the final few minutes of the period. 

Dutch Fork made it into the endzone for a second time after a pitch to Sheldon Shine scored from five yards. The Silver Foxes now led 14-0 with two minutes left in the third quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, as long as Byrnes wasn’t scoring, Dutch Fork was in no real rush. The Rebels continued to find nothing, giving the ball back to the Silver Foxes, who just ran until they turned it over on downs. 

The game’s final touchdown came with less than 90 seconds left in the game. Dutch Fork took over inside the red zone after a Byrnes turnover and scored a 14-yard rushing touchdown from Quintin Wilson. 

“When you get victories, and you shut down good guys like that, that will only breed confidence,” Knotts said. “But confidence is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it can make you a little bit complacent, so hopefully, we're gonna be hungry.” 

Knotts has seen enough success in his career to know how not to get complacent. Under his leadership, the team has won 16 straight postseason games and nine state championships.

Dorman will be a tough test standing in the way of Dutch Fork and an appearance in the championship game. The Silver Foxes are fortunate to have home-field advantage, where they’ve won 31 straight playoff games.