THURSDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Here’s a riddle for you.

What do mail carriers and 2-time defending Class 5A champion Dutch Fork have in common?

Both do their jobs in the most adverse conditions.

Last Friday’s SC High School League 3rd-round playoff game marked the Silver Foxes’ 1st road football playoff game in 5 years.

They didn’t buckle under the rain, chill and unfriendly surroundings at Florence Memorial Stadium against West Florence.

Dutch Fork did what any team does after 16 consecutive road wins. The Silver Foxes embraced the cold in the most head coach Tom Knotts’ way possible.

“I’ve been harping on them about how soft they were,” Knotts said. “At practice in the morning, they were acting like it was freezing cold. I told them my old teams would go out naked.

“I walked into the locker room and they were all half-naked and they ran out without shirts. It was good. It put a smile on my face.”

The shirtless pregame workout was a prelude to the dominance Dutch Fork displayed before the Knights’ fans. They scored the first 38 points of the game and pulled away 59-14 for their 23rd consecutive victory. “It doesn’t matter where we play,” Knotts said. “It’s a football game and there’s not many left. Life’s too short to take things for granted. I’d figure these guys would come in and play great.” The Silver Foxes got their usual high performances for their gridiron giants: - QB Ty Olenchuk: 13-23 passing, 257 yards, 2 TDs - RB Ron Hoff: 178 rushing yards, 3 TDs - WR Jailyn Hyatt: 6 receptions, 145 yards - QB Graesem Underwood: 132 rushing yards, 2 TDs - Dutch Fork defense: 2 interceptions resulting in 10 points

The Silver Foxes are now 2 wins away from achieving a 3-peat and possible SCHSL football immortality as one of the best teams ever. The first stop is John McKissick Field where Dutch Fork will face a familiar playoff foe in Summerville for the Class 5A Lower State title.

This is the 4th meeting between the two teams in the post-season. Dutch Fork has won all 4, as well as a 28-8 victory during the 2016 regular season for a 5-0 advantage in the series.

The Green Wave (11-2) has won 8 consecutive games and avenged one of its 2 losses last Friday in a 21-19 win at Berkeley. They are led by quarterback Jonathan Bennett and are seeking their first state title appearance since 2007.

“I’m sure Summerville will be chomping at the bit to get us,” Knotts said. “We’ve knocked them out the last couple of years. It should be a great game. They’ve got a great quarterback and a solid football team.”

The winner will face either the TL Hanna Yellow Jackets or JF Byrnes Rebels from the Upper State for the championship Dec. 8 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Silver Foxes have never faced the Yellow Jackets. They are 2-1 all-time against the Rebels. Ironically, one of the victories was in Dutch Fork’s last road playoff game before last Friday. It defeated Byrnes 32-21 enroute to claiming the school’s first state football title.

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