TEAM OF WEEK: Dutch Fork surging at end of season

Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts hasn’t had too many seasons like this one in 34 years of coaching.

The Silver Foxes’ year has been like a roller coaster, including a two-game losing streak to begin the season, losing four-star recruit Stephen Davis to a season-ending injury and dropping their region opener last month to Ridge View.

But since the 35-28 loss against the Blazers on Oct. 13, the Silver Foxes have rattled off three straight victories and go for their fifth outright region title in Knotts’ six years at Dutch Fork on Friday against Lugoff-Elgin.

Dutch Fork also moved back in the top 10 in Class 4A in the latest South Carolina Prep Writers poll.

“This has been my hardest year yet, but that is what life is all about,” Knotts said. “You are going to have some ups and downs, and we certainly had some ups and downs. I think we are playing our best football right now.

“We had hoped we played better the whole region. We dropped a bomb against Ridge View, but our guys seem to be focused now.”

Knotts hopes that intensity continues this week against one-win Lugoff-Elgin.

“It appears in South Carolina football this year, anybody can beat anybody at any time,” he said. “So, I have been pretty hard with them and cautioning them to take nobody lightly and play every game like it is your last.”

Knotts thought his team played loose and was “as good as anybody” in the first 42 minutes in Friday’s win over Westwood. Dutch Fork jumped to a 38-14 lead with 7:42 left before the Redhawks scored a pair of touchdowns in the closing minutes.

Dutch Fork outgained Westwood 428-333 and held an almost 13-minute advantage in time of possession.

“Coach Knotts made it pretty clear that we needed to step up or we wouldn’t go to the playoffs or state or anything like that,” Dutch Fork receiver Austin Connor said. “The seniors got together and started leading us. So, now we are on the right path we need to be on.”

Connor, a junior, also has played a big role after missing the first two games of the season with an ankle injury. He leads the team with 680 yards receiving and has 983 all-purpose yards.

Senior quarterback Cole Douglas bounced back from a rough game against Ridge View and has 2,499 yards and 26 total touchdowns. He needs 151 rushing yards to go over 1,000 on the season. Running back Clayton Jones is second on the team in rushing with 742 yards, and Alex DeBoer leads the Silver Foxes with 35 receptions.

Defensively, Rory Gallman is second in the Midlands with 11 ½ sacks, and the Silver Foxes’ secondary has picked off 10 passes.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 10:21 PM with the headline "TEAM OF WEEK: Dutch Fork surging at end of season."