Dutch Fork secures the repeat with victory over Summerville

By Roger Lee

Contributing Writer

Orangeburg – In a battle of undefeated teams, Dutch Fork claimed a 35-21 win over Summerville to capture the 2024 5A, Division 1 Football Championship.

Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts has now led the Silver Foxes to nine state titles since taking over the program 12 years ago.

“They are all special and all so different,” Knotts said after the win Dec. 13 at South Carolina State University’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. “This year we just said as a team ‘we have to win this one because this senior group is so special and so talented.’ For the most part, they did everything that I asked and wanted them to do.”

Dutch Fork senior Maurice Anderson led all rushers with 16 carries for 146 yards and three TDs and made two receptions for 31 yards. Senior Boykin Bickley had seven receptions for 149 yards and two TDs. Junior QB Ethan Offing was a good field general. He completed 12 of 23 pass attempts for 252 yards and two TDs with no interceptions and had some key rushes. He also punted twice, averaging 34 yards per punt.

“With our run game, we found something that worked, finally, and we just kind of stuck with it,” Knotts said. “We didn’t run the ball as good as I thought we were going to. With our passing game, Boykin is a special talent. He can really go and get it and when the ball is in his hands he has some moves. He can shake and bake and get a lot of yards after the catch and that’s what he did tonight.”

Dutch Fork had two interceptions in the game and five sacks. The Silver Foxes did lose the ball on a fumble, but it didn’t cost them any points.

Senior Silver Foxes’ defensive end Daniel Williams had two sacks, as did junior defensive end Julian Walker. Junior linebacker Raleigh Salters had the other sack.

Salters had 10 tackles while junior linebacker Josh Smith had seven and Williams had six. They all had four unassisted tackles. Senior lineman Michael Steed had eight including two solo stops.

Senior defensive back Elgin Sessions and junior DB Tyler Brown had the interceptions.

“Our defense bowed its back when it had to,” Knotts said. “I was surprised by some of the things we did give them, but we got the stops when we needed them.”

Summerville (13-1) lost starting quarterback Jaden Cummings to a leg injury late in the opening quarter, but took a 14-6 lead in the first minute of the second quarter.

However, Dutch Fork (13-0) answered with a touchdown drive and two-point conversion for the tie. The Silver Foxes then drove 93 yards for a touchdown to take a 21-14 lead just before halftime and never trailed again.

Despite the momentum shift toward Dutch Fork, the Green Wave battled to stay in the game until late in the final quarter.

“We had some opportunities that we squandered away,” Summerville coach Ian Rafferty said. “We had a fumble recovery that we didn’t capitalize on. We had them pinned at the 10-yard line and they moved the ball on us, made a big play, right before the half. We had our chances but listen, this is a resilient group of teenagers. We could have easily laid down but we didn’t.”

Cummings only attempted four pass attempts before being injured and completed two of them for 33 yards and a touchdown. Backup QB Cooper Kafina stepped behind center after the injury and completed 13 of 27 pass attempts for 173 yards and a TD. He did throw the two picks.

Green Wave sophomore receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray finished with seven receptions for 152 yards and two TDs to lead all receivers. Kemori DeWeese had three receptions for 29 yards.

Sophomore running back Jayvyn Williams rushed for 133 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Cummings is also the starting punter. In his absence, Bryce O’Rear punted four times, averaging 33 yards per punt.

Senior strong safety Melvin Teal led the Green Wave defense with 11 tackles including nine solo stops. Junior linebacker Tyree Patton and sophomore linebacker Eli Pressley both had six tackles including four solo stops while junior linebacker JT Williams had five tackles including four solo stops.

Kelly-Murray forced the Dutch Fork fumble, which Pressley recovered with 5:49 remaining in the second quarter.

“We have a great group of kids coming back, but we also lose a great group of seniors,” Rafferty said. “Those kids did everything we asked for three or four years and with them we didn’t lose many games. The ones we lost were to some pretty good teams. We will get back to work and try to make another run at it.”

Dutch Fork 35, Summerville 21

  D - Maurice Anderson 8-yard run, kick failed

  S - Jaiden Kelly-Murray 18-yard pass from Jaden Cummings, Bennett Kelley kick

  S - Jayvyn Williams 43-yard run, Bennett kick

  D - Boykin Bickley 19-yard pass from Ethan Offing, Jayden Westbrook catch

  D - Anderson 8-yard run, Justin Welch kick

  D - Bickley 20-yard pass from Offing, Welch kick

  S - Kelly-Murray 38-yard run, Bennett kick

  D -Anderson 38-yard run, Welch kick