DF football 5-0 at midseason; cross country teams get good start to season

By WORTHY EVANS

Contributing Writer HSSR

Columbia - The 2024 start to the Dutch Fork football season differs greatly from last year’s 2-5 start.

In 2023 the Silver Foxes were coming off a state championship win, but they were young, inexperienced, and had difficulty picking up a rhythm until after the first game of region play.

This time around, all the returners from Dutch Fork’s hard-earned 2024 state championship have done the offseason work, and it showed in the team’s non-region slate. Through five games the Silver Foxes have outscored their opponents 211-17.

Spartanburg’s Trey Burke threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Justin Rice in the second quarter of their game against Dutch Fork. After that score the Silver Foxes played 15 straight quarters of shutout football, ending with Chapin running back Gavin Stern scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter of Dutch Fork’s 63-10 beating of the Eagles in the Region 4-5A opener Friday night.

Leading the way on offense is junior quarterback Ethan Offing. Offing completed 78 of 114 passes over those five games for 1,075 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has rushed for 125 yards and two scores.

“I’ve always known what kind of ability he has. Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts said of Offing before the season. “Now, it’s just up to him to master the scheme and let the scheme and the playbook work for him. He’s a special athlete, he’s got a special arm and he can do great things with football. Throw that junior in with the mix of seniors we got on offense, we’re pretty good.”

Knotts’ early prediction holds true thus far. Boykin Bickley leads all receivers with 25 catches for 409 yards and four TDs, with K.J. Smith good for 20 catches for 248 yards and four scores. 

Behind Offing is running back Maurice Anderson, who has 426 yards and 11 touchdowns on 54 carries.

With a seasoned offensive and defensive lines, the Silver Foxes have posted three straight shutouts: a 38-0 blanking at Ridge View Sept. 6, a 35-0 dismissal of Gray Collegiate Academy Sept. 13, and a 51-0 blasting of Oceanside Collegiate Sept. 20.

Unlike last season, when Dutch Fork took on out-of-state powers Colquitt County (Ga.) and Hough (N.C.) early in the year, the Silver Foxes biggest challenges come in the region.

Irmo and River Bluff are both undefeated at 6-0 after the Yellow Jackets beat Lexington 34-8 and the Gators topped White Knoll 24-21 in overtime Friday night. The state 5A runner-up Timberwolves, Lexington, and Chapin are all 4-2.

Silver Foxes play host to White Knoll Oct. 11, travel to Lexington Oct. 18 and River Bluff Oct. 25, and close out the season at home against crosstown rival Irmo Nov. 1.

In cross-country action, the boys team won the Skyhawk Invitational Aug. 17. Junior Evan Demasi took third with a time of 16:11.92. Senior Zach Vowles placed 10^th, sophomore Eli Johnson took 14^th, Freshman Owen Warren was 17^th and Senior Evan Reese finished 29^th.

The girls team finished seventh. Eighth grader Taylor Gross was the top finisher for the Silver Foxes, finishing 20^th. Sophomore Averie Glenn finished 22^nd , sophomore Kennedy Fulton finished 35^th, freshman Leila Ortiz finished 49^th, and Sophomore Morgan Ford finished 65^th.