No. 1 Dutch Fork keeps rolling, knocks off White Knoll
Dutch Fork entered Friday’s night’s Region 5-5A game with White Knoll as the No. 1 team in Class 5A. Then it went out and looked as powerful as a top team should.
The Silver Foxes rolled up 330 yards by halftime and cruised to a 42-10 win against the Timberwolves. Dutch Fork quarterback Reese Nichols found top target Bobby Irby three times in the first quarter, all for scores, and the team still wasn’t fully in sync.
“We seem to go in spurts,” Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts said. “Living dangerously. We start good. We have a little meltdown and then get real cocky. I can’t run it out of them enough. I don’t get it.
“We played in spurts really, really good.”
The Timberwolves (4-3, 1-2) had several chances to hang close, but a bad snap on a field goal and a penalty that took a touchdown off the board were too much to overcome a team as strong as the Silver Foxes (7-0, 3-0).
Dutch Fork alum and current Auburn player Stephen Davis Jr. was on the sidelines.
TURNING POINT
Early in the second quarter, White Knoll had a touchdown that would’ve made it 21-14 come off the board. The Silver Foxes scored two possessions later to go up three touchdowns.
KEY PERFORMERS
Bobby Irby, WR, Dutch Fork: His five catches for 122 of Nichols’ 245 yards, with three touchdowns in the first quarter.
Ron Hoff, RB, Dutch Fork: The freshman ran for 125 of his 216 yards after halftime, and reached the end zone twice.
KEY NUMBERS
2: Sacks for Dutch Fork’s Dylan Oliver.
4.3: Average yards per play for White Knoll, compared to 8.8 for Dutch Fork.
THEY SAID IT
“Reality is, we’d have to play perfect. There’s a reason they’re ranked No. 1 in the state and have won as many games as they have.” – Dean Howell, White Knoll coach
“Bobby Irby is one of the best players in the state. He just doesn’t get enough recognition. ... He’s a do-it-all guy” – Knotts
HOW THEY SCORED
1st Quarter
DF – Irby 19 pass from Nichols (Williams kick), 9:33
DF – Irby 37 pass from Nichols (Williams kick), 6:36
WF – Lindsay fumble recovery in end zone (Hernandez kick), 1:53
DF – Irby 40 pass from Nichols (Williams kick), 0:45
2nd Quarter
DF – Hoff 10 run (Williams kick), 2:13
3rd Quarter
DF – Hoff 24 run (Williams kick), 9:04
WK – Hernandez 30 FG, 3:57
4th Quarter
DF – Nichols 17 run (Williams kick), 11:33
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: WK: Jones 14-45, Meggett 3-21, Summers 2-12, Lindsay 0-2, Hope 1-1, Jeffcoat 4-(-2), Clariday 1-(-14). Totals: 25-65. DK: Hoff 19-219, Nichols 5-30, Ragin 4-6, Paredes 3-2. Totals: 33-257
Passing: WK: Jeffcoat 15-29-0-148, Clariday 2-2-0-30, Sheldon 0-1-1-0. Totals: 17-323-1-178. DF: Nichols 12-19-0-245, Underwood 2-3-0-43. Totals: 14-22-0-288.
Receiving: WK: Lindsey 4-35, Clary 3-26, Clariday 3-30, Jones 3-27, Hope 2-28, Crosby 2-22, . DF:Irby 5-122, Hacklin 4-54, Paredes 1-34, Reid 1-30, Connor 2-22, Cannon 1-26.
This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 11:34 PM.