ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Greatest Story Ever – GSE – has been a rallying cry for Dutch Fork, and those three letters and their meaning were a part of Friday’s 5A state championship game as the Silver Foxes won their seventh 5A state championship in the last eight seasons with a 21-6 victory over White Knoll at Dawson Bulldog Stadium on the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg.
Dutch Fork started off the season 2-5, with its last loss coming in October at the hands of Region IV-5A foe White Knoll (13-1).
But Friday’s game saw Dutch Fork overcome a 6-0 halftime deficit after White Knoll’s Lincoln Illunga had recovered a fumble in the end zone. The play was a 4th-and-1, but the snap got past quarterback Jon Hunt, and the ball ended up bouncing around before Illunga recovered it in the end zone for the Timberwolves.
The second was all Kelly Green, as the defense never let White Knoll’s offense come close to crossing the goal line. Dutch Fork took the lead for good on its opening series as Hunt scored on a short run. He added another touchdown, and K.J. Smith closed out the scoring with a touchdown run to give the Silver Foxes a 21-6 victory. For head coach Tom Knotts, it was his eighth at Dutch Fork and 15th overall. However, given how his team started the season, his 15th career state title might be one for the ages given the less than stellar start to the season.
White Knoll was making its first appearance in the state finals with former Dutch Fork defensive coordinator Nick Pelham in charge.