Class 5A Upper State Final Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, where were we? A No. 2 vs. another No. 2, just like we drew it up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Well...not exactly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5A Upper State final pits a pair of teams with wildly different pedigrees against each other for a chance to compete for a state championship. Dutch Fork is no stranger, playing for 10 of the last 11 big-school titles, winning seven. Mann is in rare air indeed, as their only other trip to the state semifinals came in 1984, where the Patriots claimed the Upper State title before falling to Myrtle Beach in the championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both have explosive offensive capabilities. Both have stingy defenses. After a wild season, this one has the potential to be a great one. Here's a look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 2 J.L. Mann (11-2) at No. 2 Dutch Fork (8-5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>About the Patriots: </strong>Mann is in the midst of a football resurgence under head coach Scoot Watson. After a berth in the second round last season, the Patriots have taken the next step. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1144060' first='Ethan' last='Anderson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142457' first='Mikel' last='McClellan']</strong> (pictured) lead an explosive offense that's put up almost 40 points per game on the season. Anderson has been the chief weapon, throwing for more than 3,000 yards on the season. McClellan has 1,285 receiving yards and has hauled in a dozen touchdowns. But the Patriots aren't all offensive firepower. They're giving up a paltry 14 points per game, and they've held opponents scoreless four times and to a single score twice more. And they've been particularly good in the playoffs, blanking Blythewood, allowing Spartanburg just 7 (and scoring 14 defensive points), and shutting down a good Hillcrest team, giving up only 13. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1249737' first='Wyatt' last='Ward']</strong> has been an absolute tackle machine, with 110 stops and three interceptions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>About the Silver Foxes: </strong>Dutch Fork was dead. With QB <strong>Jon Hunt</strong> lost with an injury, the Silver Foxes were 2-5, had just lost to region leader White Knoll, and seemed to be in a tailspin. But they didn't panic, and Hunt came back, and since then Dutch Fork has won six in a row including last week's 35-10 thumping of Gaffney, the last team to beat Dutch Fork in the playoffs. Hunt's directed the resurgence, but last week <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing'] </strong>went the whole way at QB, throwing for 188 yards and a score. He added 51 yards and another two TDs on the ground. <strong>Trenton Lodge</strong> came up big in the rushing game, running for 72 yards and a touchdown. And like the Patriots, the Silver Foxes have done it with defense. They've allowed just under 12 points per game during their win streak, with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142713' first='Deon' last='Winsley']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith']</strong> leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Matchup:</strong> J.L. Mann RB <strong>Na'Cyus Morrison</strong> vs. Dutch Fork LB <strong>Bryce Nutall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is one of the most intriguing matchups in the state on Friday. Morrison has helped lead the Patriots all season, particularly in the rushing game. He's got nearly 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground, and his contributions help make everything go for J.L. Mann. He's a shifty runner who can make defenders miss, but he's physical enough to play LB for the Patriots as well. Nutall is a disruptive force for the Silver Foxes, with six tackles for loss to go with 84 stops. If Morrison can find some room at the second level, it opens the entire field for Anderson and takes a little pressure off - and he's very good in those circumstances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16162038/654935fc5eec0a0b902c1e17' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-655c17f204045"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>X-Factor:</strong> <strong>Joel Crespo</strong> DE, J.L. Mann</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Crespo has put together a quiet season, but he's been on a tear in the playoffs. He notched a pair of sacks in last week's win over Hillcrest. He iced the win over Spartanburg with a defensive lineman's dream - an interception return for a TD - and had a sack in that one as well. He sheds blockers, he's athletic, he's got a nose for the ball, and he's sometimes unstoppable on a straight-up bull-rush. If Crespo has a big night, good things happen for the Patriots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16112054/6559cbdd9a91ca024426d963' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-655c17f20409a"} /-->