What We Saw: Gaffney Dethrones Defending Champ Dutch Fork

<p style="font-weight: 400;">For the first time since the South Carolina High School League created five classifications in 2016, a new team can hoist the championship trophy. Junior WR <strong>Suga Jefferies</strong> caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Junior QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="89340" first="Grayson" last="Loftis"]</strong> with 3:30 remaining to propel Gaffney to a 22-19 victory over five-time defending state champion Dutch Fork Saturday night at Benedict’s Charles W. Johnson Stadium.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">The win stopped the Silver Foxes 62-game unbeaten streak (they suffered one tie in 2019), the longest such streak ever in South Carolina. Gaffney’s last title came in 2012, which also came in a victory over Dutch Fork. Gaffney has a state-record 17 state titles and at least one in five straight decades.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">After four blowouts in the earlier state championship games over the past three days, this one lived up to the billing of the battle of unbeatens. A near capacity crowd was on hand along with several college recruiters and neither team disappointed.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Gaffney trailed 19-7 entering the fourth quarter. They also trailed in the last two playoff games against Spartanburg and Northwestern before rallying for the victories. They were tied with T.L. Hanna in the fourth quarter of the second-round win.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Here are the notes.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Loftis and Jefferies will garner much more recruiting interest after this one. Loftis faced constant pressure from a stout defensive Dutch Fork front but managed to go 23-for-35 for 248 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Jefferies was one of the main targets. He caught seven passes for 153 yards and both scores. They were from 47 and 40 yards. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31310" first="Tyler" last="Smith"]</strong> caught eight passes for 28 yards and added 107 yards on 25 carries with a 4-yard touchdown run.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Gaffney allowed 444 yards but made the stops when they needed to. Senior LB <strong>Landon Bullock</strong> intercepted two passes including one at the Dutch Fork 24-yard line late in the third quarter. It took four plays to cover the 24 yards and Smith scored on the 4-yard run to pull within 19-14 with 11:20 remaining. The game-winning drive started after a fourth down stop at the Indians 30-yard line with 7:07 remaining. In total, Dutch Fork went 0-for-4 on fourth down attempts, all coming in Gaffney territory. Bullock added six tackles.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Gaffney senior defensive back <strong>Marquis Bradley</strong> had the task to shadow Dutch Fork senior WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="61070" first="Antonio" last="Williams"]</strong>. Despite the fact Williams had 12 catches for 155 yards and a 42-yard touchdown reception, Bradley more than held his own. He finished with eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Gaffney had several good-looking prospects on defense. Junior <strong>Kaliber Hoey</strong> recorded 11 tackles and one tackle for loss. Senior LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="59498" first="Jesus" last="Dowdle"]</strong> and senior DL <strong>Carlos Lopez</strong> added six tackles each and Lopez had one of the four Gaffney sacks. Junior LB <strong>BrayShawn Littlejohn</strong>, junior DL <strong>Nathan Johnson</strong>, and sophomore DL <strong>Jarriel Jefferies</strong> also recorded sacks.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Dutch Fork junior RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91136" first="Jarvis" last="Green"]</strong> came into the game hobbled with a deep thigh bruise but still managed 117 rushing yards on 13 carries and four receptions for 47 yards. Senior QB <strong>Davin Patterson</strong> ran for 74 yards on 14 carries and was 17-of-29 for 221 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">-          Dutch Fork senior LB <strong>Chris Wicker</strong> recorded 11 tackles and a tackle for loss in his final high school game. Senior DB <strong>Nick Wright</strong>, junior FS <strong>Landon Danley</strong>, and junior LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="132398" first="Chandler" last="Perry"]</strong> all recorded nine tackles. Wright and Perry each had interceptions.</p>