Dutch Fork playing tough, road-heavy schedule in 2022 with a big chip on its shoulder
It’s been six months since Dutch Fork lost in the Class 5A championship game, but it is still fresh on coach Tom Knotts’ mind.
Gaffney defeated the Silver Foxes 22-19 to snap their 61-game unbeaten streak and the chance for their sixth straight state championship.
Dutch Fork and the rest of the South Carolina public schools hit the field Friday as first official practices began around the state. The S.C. Independent School Association programs began practice Thursday.
“For guys like me, I am still harboring that bad feeling. Still a tough pill to swallow,” Knotts said Friday after the two-hour practice. “We just don’t know how to handle that thing. All I know is to get back to work, right the wrong, correct some things we did poorly, move on and not let it happen again.”
Schedule not quite the norm
Dutch Fork will definitely be tested as it attempts to make its 10th state championship appearance in the past 13 seasons, all under Knotts.
The Silver Foxes play a brutal non-region schedule, which Knotts said earlier this summer is the toughest schedule his team will play since he arrived in 2010. The non-conference schedule includes three out-of-state matchups against Hough (N.C.), Creekside (Ga.) and nationally-ranked St. Frances Academy (Md.).
The Silver Foxes open up against Hough at Kickoff Night in Charlotte in a Thursday late-afternoon game. The Creekside matchup is part of the Cam Newton Classic in Georgia, which will also feature S.C. teams Gray Collegiate and Fort Dorchester.
St. Frances Academy will be the Silver Foxes’ home opener on Sept. 23. SFA has several future Division I players on its roster, including LSU commit Dashawn Womack, Pitt commit Isiah Neal and Maryland commit Ryan Manning. St. Frances is ranks No. 3 nationally in a MaxPreps preseason poll.
Knotts has never been one to shy away from playing tough opponents, but said he couldn’t find many schools around South Carolina to take on the Silver Foxes, who will play just three home games this year.
The S.C. teams on their non-region schedule are Spartanburg, North Augusta and Stratford.
“Our schedule sucks, our home schedule sucks, but people wouldn’t play us. But I give kudos to North Augusta and Stratford. I asked all the other normal powers and no one would play us,” Knotts said. “Might be a little different Dutch Fork season. Obviously, we are shooting for a state championship, but we got six games right at the beginning and are really, really tough.
“We will play anybody, but we don’t want to come out all banged up. Then we will progress to region play where we want to be as good as we could be, and then the playoffs.”
Dutch Fork workhorse returns
Jarvis Green will shoulder much of the workload on offense. The senior running back has been the team’s leading rusher the past two seasons and was the team’s third leading receiver last year.
Green amassed 2,125 yards of total offense last season and had 36 touchdowns.
Green has several Division I offers, including Memphis, Appalachian State, Middle Tennessee and Georgia State. He is visiting James Madison this weekend and will take an official visit to JMU on Sept. 10.
“I am going to have to do a little bit more this year,” Green said. “Coach Knotts told me I am going to have to be a leader on the field, so I am going to take charge and do my best to do my job this year.”
QB battle, other question marks
Knotts wasn’t ready to name a starting quarterback, but said Aliam Appler has the upper hand right now because of his familiarity with the offense. Appler took most of the reps with the first team on Friday.
Appler transferred from New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina last year and saw action in 10 games backing up Davin Patterson.
Jonathan Hunt will be pushing Appler at quarterback. Hunt, a junior, moved to South Carolina from Vermont, where was quarterback at North Country Union High School.
Dutch Fork also will be looking to replace Clemson signee Antonio Williams and Nick Sowell at receiver. Jacob Hamilton will get first crack at being the team’s No. 1 receiving option and is the team’s top returning wideout from last season.
Other options at receiver will be Isaiah Jones, who was an all-state selection at Thornton Academy in Maine last season; South Aiken transfer Braylen Bowers; and tight end Prince Ross.
Right tackle Jacob Beasley anchors the Silver Foxes’ offensive line. Defensively, the Silver Foxes have college prospects in linebacker Chandler Perry, safety Landon Danley and linebacker Jaylen Hinton.
Dutch Fork 2022 football schedule
All games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Aug. 18 vs. Hough (NC) at Charlotte Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m.
Aug. 26 at Spartanburg
Sept. 3 vs. Creekside (Ga.) at Cam Newton Classic, 5 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Stratford
Sept. 16 at North Augusta
Sept. 23 vs. St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Oct. 7 vs. White Knoll
Oct. 14 vs. Chapin
Oct. 21 at River Bluff
Oct. 28 at Lexington
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 3:14 PM.
