Irmo-Dutch Fork showdown headlines local football slate. 5 storylines to watch
The community of Irmo, once again, is hosting one of the area’s biggest high school football games of the season when Irmo High battles Dutch Fork.
Irmo (9-0, 4-0 region) is the No. 1 ranked team in the latest Class 5A high school football media poll, with perennial power Dutch Fork (7-1, 4-0) coming in at No. 3.
Irmo leads the all-time series 17-14, but Dutch Fork has won 12 of the last 13, including last year’s 24-14 victory. Before last year, the teams that are separated by just eight miles hadn’t played since 2019.
“It is a rivalry game,” Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts said. “We broke off from Irmo, we come from Irmo. No matter what our records are, it is going to be a big game. We’ve got one loss, they got no losses. I think it is going to be a great game.”
Irmo hosts Friday’s game at W.C. Hawkins Stadium.
“I know it is a rivalry by proximity, but it can’t be a true rivalry until you get a victory or two under your belt,” said Irmo coach Aaron Brand, who is 0-2 against the Silver Foxes. “We hadn’t played them a bunch since I have been here. But I think the rivalry will start if we can get a win this weekend.”
Here are five storylines to watch in this year’s matchup:
Irmo vs. Dutch Fork: What’s at stake
With the two teams in different divisions in Class 5A, meaning they can’t meet in the playoffs, this will be the only time they face off this season.
The winner of the game wins the Region 4-5A championship. Dutch Fork has only lost one region game since 2016, and has won 14 region titles and nine state championships since Knotts took over in 2010.
Irmo has one region title (2023) since Brand arrived in 2019, and a second would be big at the expense of their rivals. The Yellow Jackets made it to the 5A Division II state title game last year, its first championship appearance since 2006.
The game also has postseason seeding at stake. With a win, Dutch Fork likely wraps up the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the 5A Division I Upper State playoffs. The Silver Foxes entered the week No. 1 in RPI, which determines seeding, in the Upper State. A Dutch Fork loss and Dorman win over Eastside would give the Cavaliers the No. 1 seed.
Win or lose, Irmo is guaranteed the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the 5A Division II Lower State playoffs for the second-straight year. The Yellow Jackets are No. 1 in RPI, and no team in the bracket is a region champion.
Tom Knotts vs. Aaron Brand
The game is a great coaching matchup between two strong personalities who have known each other for decades. Brand worked under Knotts at Independence High School in Charlotte for several years.
The two reflected on their relationship this week. Knotts remembers hiring Brand on his staff and the times the two would spend hours talking football after summer workouts.
“He was a quarterback in college, was smart and can throw the ball,” Knotts said. “We hit it off in the beginning … and when we see each other it is like old times. But we are rivals now and they expect to win and tell me that. I got the message, AB, and we hope to give you a battle and see who comes out on top.”
Brand remembered getting the phone call from Knotts about coming to work at Independence. He was at another school at the time, but the two had a mutual friend who told Knotts about Brand.
“I knew about his program and would have been a fool not to want to be a part of the success he was having at Independence,” Brand said. “I jumped on board early.”
Brand called Knotts the best high school coach he has ever been around. And when he arrived at Irmo, he tried to model his program after Dutch Fork. A win Friday would be a big step in another accomplishment for the Yellow Jackets program.
“He is my friend, and a lot of people around don’t like the fact that he is my friend, but it goes a little bit further than football with us — but I’m still gonna whoop him,” Brand said with a smile.
College-level talent all over the field
The game will not lack talent, with many players on track to play college football. The strength of the talent for both teams lies on the offensive and defensive lines.
Dutch Fork senior defensive end Julian Walker is a Michigan commitment and Navy All-American Bowl selection. Walker is the No. 3-ranked player in the state, according to 247Sports and On3/Rivals, and leads the team with 42 tackles, including a team-high 12 for loss.
Walker is paired on the defensive line with junior Jaden Wuerth, who has several Power 4 offers and is the team’s leader in sacks (nine) during his first season after moving from Georgia.
Dutch Fork sophomore center Brody Lorenzo is one of the top players in the Class of 2028. Others to watch include WR Stone Furrey, LB Raleigh Salters, DL Luciano Cesario and OL Hunter Colgrove.
Junior defensive end Jaiden Bryant headlines Irmo’s talented lineup. Bryant is ranked No. 11 in the country in the latest On3/Rivals Class of 2027 rankings. He leads the team with eight sacks, including a pair last week against Chapin.
Yellow Jackets junior offensive lineman Nate Carson is a four-star prospect with plenty of Power 4 offers and is the anchor of the team’s offensive line.
Irmo has a pair of FCS commitments in defensive end Major Taylor (Yale) and offensive lineman Bryson Moore (Charleston Southern). Taylor also is used on offense, along with Bryant, in the team’s short-yardage and goal-line packages.
Junior RB/WR Maleek Miller also has several Division I offers and is the team’s top playmaker, along with running back Amire White.
Both teams have talented freshmen in Dutch Fork cornerback TJ Gibson and Irmo WR Corey Miller, who was offered by South Carolina over the weekend.
Big stage for new quarterbacks
The game will be a big test for the two quarterbacks, Dutch Fork’s Jaxon Knotts and Irmo’s Drevon Dopson.
Knotts, a junior and the son of Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts, is in his first year as starting quarterback for the Silver Foxes and his father liked the progression his son has made this season.
Jaxon Knotts has just over 1,800 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns.
Dopson is in his first year starting at Irmo but had plenty of experience prior to transferring this year. The senior started games in stints at Gray Collegiate and Brookland-Cayce.
Dopson has the ability to throw (420 passing yards against Myrtle Beach) but the Yellow Jackets also like his running ability, either scrambling for yards or designed quarterback runs behind Irmo’s big offensive line.
The X factors
With both teams liking to chew up yards in the running game and short passes, there are two players, Irmo’s Maleek Miller and Dutch Fork’s Stone Furrey, who can stretch the defense and could play a big role in the game.
Miller is the Yellow Jackets’ all-purpose weapon who is lined up all over the field in the game, either as a receiver or sometimes running back. He has the ability to take a short pass and turn it into a big gain or beat the defense deep down the middle.
Beating defenders deep is Furrey’s specialty. The senior and son of South Carolina receivers coach Mike Furrey is the Silver Foxes’ top pass catcher with 30 receptions for 609 yards and four touchdowns.
If Dutch Fork can run the ball successfully, it will open up big plays in play-action passing. Furrey was able to do that against White Knoll a few weeks ago.
Other top games this week
Camden (7-2, 4-1) at AC Flora (8-1, 4-1): Second place in Region 3-4A on the line with the winner getting two home playoff games instead of just one.
Swansea (8-1, 2-1) at Newberry (9-0, 3-0): Newberry with a win earns the Region 4-3A title and has the school’s seventh undefeated regular season. A Swansea win creates a likely three-way tie for region lead.
Heathwood Hall (7-2) at Northwood (8-1): Northwood wins SCISA 1-4A with victory. A Heathwood win creates a three-way tie with Hammond. Highlanders are looking for just their second eight-win season since 2010.
Mid-Carolina (3-6, 2-1) at Eau Claire (5-4, 1-2): Winner is third and loser is fourth in Region 3-2A. An Eau Clarie win gives it the most wins in a season since 1986.
Saluda (5-4, 2-2) at Batesburg-Leesville (6-3, 3-1): Second place in Region 2-2A on the line between two programs.
Game schedule, predictions
(Winner picks in boldface. All Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted)
Thursday’s games
American Leadership at PELION
BROOKLAND-CAYCE at Airport
Camden at AC FLORA
Cardinal Newman at HAMMOND, 6:30 p.m.
Chapin at WHITE KNOLL
Gilbert at GRAY COLLEGIATE
Lexington at RIVER BLUFF
Richland Northeast at SOUTH POINTE
Friday’s games
Augusta Christian at BEN LIPPEN
Blythewood at RIDGE VIEW
CA Johnson at LEE CENTRAL
CENTRAL at North Central
Columbia at FAIRFIELD CENTRAL
DUTCH FORK at Irmo
Heathwood Hall at NORTHWOOD
MID-CAROLINA at Eau Claire
NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN at Camden Military, 4 p.m.
RICHARD WINN at Wardlaw
Saluda at BATESBURG-LEESVILLE
SUMTER at Westwood
Swansea at NEWBERRY
Thrornwell at CLEAR DOT CHARTER
WEST FLORENCE at Spring Valley
WW KING at Laurens Academy
Last Week’s Record: 24-5
Season Total: 243-52
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 9:20 AM.
