Class 5A Title: Breaking Down Dutch Fork

Jed Blackwell December 2, 2022 @ 06:49 AM

There's no substitute for experience. That's what the 5A state championship matchup between Dutch Fork and and Fort Dorchester might come down to.   Put simply, Dutch Fork has been here before. The moment won't be too big for the Silver Foxes. There's been exactly one championship game in the state's largest division without Dutch Fork in it, dating back to the 4A Division I championship in 2012. The Silver Foxes have been in every single 5A championship game. Dutch Fork is 6-3 in the previous nine state title appearances, and they've faced just about every scenario. They've had overtime nailbiters, one-sided blowout wins, and just about everything in-between.   THE MAINSTAYS   It all starts with [player_tooltip player_id='91136' first='Jarvis' last='Green']. It's possible that the Mr. Football finalist is the best player on any field where he's participating. Green is the lynchpin of the Silver Foxes' offense, which relies on a heavy dose of him to put teams away. He's rushed for 2,071 yards and 30 TDs on the season, and averages 9.7 yards per carry and 169.2 per game. He's also a threat in the passing game, as his 39-yard TD catch in the Upper State final against Gaffney showed. Green has added a team-leading 33 catches for 478 yards and five more scores.   He's far from the only weapon on offense for the Silver Foxes. Isaiah Jones and [player_tooltip player_id='448992' first='Jacob' last='Hamilton'] are both near 600 yards receiving, and have combined for eight TDs for Dutch Fork. Up front, a deep and talented offensive line paves the way, led by Jacob Beasley.   On defense: Dutch Fork has got heavy hitters everywhere. [player_tooltip player_id='262550' first='Landon' last='Danley'], [player_tooltip player_id='336148' first='John' last='Buetow'], and [player_tooltip player_id='132398' first='Chandler' last='Perry'] are the names everybody knows, but the under-the-radar guys are who help make the Foxes so strong on that side of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id='262678' first='Jaylen' last='Hinton'] leads the team in tackles, AJ Johnson is a force in the middle with 15 sacks and seven tackles for loss, and five Silver Foxes have at least two interceptions, led by Jvon Mack with five. It all adds up to a Dutch Fork defense that gives up just under 14 points per game.   PLAYER TO WATCH   It's odd to say the starting QB on the 5A Upper State champion might be a guy who could surprise people. But it's true about [player_tooltip player_id='44974' first='Aliam' last='Appler']. In a year where QB was supposed to be a question for the Silver Foxes, Appler has been sneaky-good. He's completed 64 percent of his passes, thrown for 1,519 yards and 15 TDs, and has given Dutch Fork another dimension with his legs. On the move, Appler is downright dangerous, as the team's second-leading rusher. He's picked up 533 yards on the ground, averages 7.3 yards per carry, and has scored 12 TDs.   Class A State Championship   No. 7 Fort Dorchester vs. No. 1 Dutch Fork   When: Saturday, Noon   Where: Benedict College, Columbia   Tickets: $15, available only through gofan.co. Parking an additional $10.

There's no substitute for experience. That's what the 5A state championship matchup between Dutch Fork and and Fort Dorchester might come down to.