THURSDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

So much for championship fatigue.

The question for some high school football observers is not if the 2-time defending Class 5A champions are the odds-on favorite to 3-peat this year.

It’s whether a team in ANY classification in South Carolina can give the Silver Foxes a game.

This past Friday’s 66-28 shellacking of Northwestern marked their 16th consecutive victory dating back to last season. It marked the sixth time during the streak Dutch Fork has posted 50 or more points and fifth time (third time this season) it has posted 60 or more points.

The Silver Foxes’ success has garnered national attention. USA Today High School Sports ranked them 23rd in its latest Super 25 rankings and sixth in the Southeast regional rankings.

The next order of attention for Dutch Fork is Region 5-5A play. The Silver Foxes will look to extend its region-winning streak, which is also at 16 wins in a row. They play host to Chapin, who’s making its Region 5-5A debut and look to rebound from its first loss of the season. This is the first meeting between the two Lexington/Richland District 5 schools since 2011. Dutch Fork leads the all-time series 4-2 and have won the last four meetings.

TEAM OF THE WEEK - Pelion

The Panthers snapped a 7-game losing streak in the 42-20 victory. They erupted for 36 unanswered points at Charles W. Johnson Stadium on the campus of Benedict College to end the skid.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK - Ty Olenchuk & Gage Zirke (both of Dutch Fork) & Reed Charpia (Brookland-Cayce)

It’s back-to-back week honors for the Clemson University-bound pitcher. He completed 25-32 passes for a school-record 438 yards and three touchdowns against Northwestern. Olenchuk also joined Gray Collegiate quarterback Hunter Helms in the Chronicle Country 1,000-yard passing club. For the season, Olenchuk has thrown for 1,090 yards and 13 TDS.

Helping Olenchuk to rewrite the school record book was his senior wide receiver. He caught 16 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown to go with 78 kick return yards to finish with 359 total yards.

The theme of school records broken continued at “Fort Knox”. Quarterback Reed Charpia erupted for a school-record 445 yards and 4 TDs in the 56-35 win over Newberry and former Bearcats’ head coach Phil Strickland.

WEEK 5 GRIDIRON GIANTS

Brandon Caughman (Airport) - 200+ passing yards, 4 TDs Dante Chirico (Chapin) - 11 tackles Roger Pedroni (Chapin) - 285 passing yards, 2 TDs Jaylin Thomas (Chapin) - 5 receptions, 128 receiving yards, TD Dutch Fork defense - 48 rushing yards allowed, 4 sacks Dillon Cronwell (Gilbert) - 9 tackles Matt Reed (Gilbert) - 7 receptions, 118 yards, TD Omarion Dollison (Irmo) - 110 rushing yards, 3 TDs; 7.5 tackles and 99-yard fumble recovery TD Akeem Nicholas (Lexington) - 188 rushing yards, TD Jeremiah Green (Pelion) - 128 rushing yards, 2 TDs DeShontez Gary (Pelion) - 13 tackles, fumble return TD Will Jeffcoat (Pelion) - 9 tackles, fumble recovery Colby Miles (Pelion) - 89-yard interception return TD Antonio Gantt (River Bluff) - 177 total yards, 4 TDs Braden Walker (River Bluff) - 183 rushing yards, 2 TDs Brayden Rivers (River Bluff) - 6-6 in PATs Aveon Smith (White Knoll) - 9-13 passing, 136 yards, 2 TDs, 72 rushing yards, TD Jamias Holloway (White Knoll) - 109 total yards, 3 TDs Emori Mills (White Knoll) - 3 interceptions, forced fumble

RIVALRY RENEWED

The Region 2-2A opener marks the 43rd meeting between Abbeville and Batesburg-Leesville. The “Battle of the Panthers” series is deadlocked at 21-21 with Abbeville having won four of the last five meetings, including the 2016 Class 2A final.

BY THE NUMBERS

Dutch Fork has outscored its four opponents 250-35 this season. Northwestern looks to become the fourth straight team to win the week after losing to Dutch Fork this Friday...River Bluff’s 5-0 start is the best in school history...White Knoll has won four straight games for the second time in three years. Quarterback Aveon Smith has thrown for 790 yards and 9 TDs and rushed for 549 yards and 11 TDs...GCA quarterback Hunter Helms has thrown for 1,201 yards.