2024 Preview: Dutch Fork Silver Foxes

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith'] wasn't so much delivering a message to those outside the Dutch Fork program as he was to those inside of it.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“As long as we're staying true to ourselves in the weight room and on the practice field, we're unstoppable,” one of the state's best defensive players said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The reverberations from the comment, though, should echo far and wide.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, Dutch Fork won its eight state title in the last 11 seasons last fall. And, yes, coach Tom Knotts' team is almost automatically going to be considered the front runner to do so again year after year until something drastic changes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But the rallying cry for this year's squad is not stemming from last December's addition to the vast trophy case, but rather how poorly last season started and how close the 2023 team came to missing out on a special run.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The powerhouse program started 0-3 and ultimately 2-5 after a region-opening loss to White Knoll. While it certainly helped fuel the run that followed, nobody at Dutch Fork is testing fate again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We're fortunate this year because of the struggles early on last year,” defensive coordinator Scott Braswell said. “We have a great comparison of ‘Remember last year when we were 2-5 and not doing it the Dutch Fork way?' We have to work extra hard this year to make sure we don't repeat that.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Avoiding a slow start this year will likely revolve around some new faces on defense. Smith is joined by returning starters <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters']</strong> (linebacker), <strong>Daniel Williams</strong> (defensive line) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions']</strong> (pictured) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254033' first='Derek' last='Smith']</strong> at defensive back. Filling in the gaps will be a number of supporting cast members from last fall and a transfer or two. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively, things on a little more stable footing. Receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360308' first='Boykin' last='Bickley']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013047' first='KJ' last='Smith']</strong> will give quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing']</strong> two solid targets, while, [player_tooltip player_id='1012701' first='Maurice' last='Anderson'] is an established tailback. In front of them, linemen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012842' first='Josh' last='Benson']</strong> and <strong>Cayden McFadden</strong> will be bolstered by returning tight ends <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254046' first='Boone' last='Miller']</strong> and <strong>Carlos Sexton</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And if we have learned anything about Dutch Fork, it's that the next additions are always seemingly on the cusp of becoming major contributors. Even when the chip stack appears low.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Everybody doubted us,” <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith']</strong> said. “Coach Knotts drilled into us that it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. We can not start again like that. We're doing everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen again. Sometimes you can get a little complacent when you start winning. We find that to be very [unlike Dutch Fork]. We had to switch our mindsets and start from the ground up to get to where we were before.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith']</strong> LB, 2025 - The Coastal Carolina verbal commitment is transitioning from defensive end to more of a linebacker role after accumulating 63 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and a forced fumble last year. He'll still rush the passer but will be asked to keep more in front of him while backing up some from the line.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters']</strong> LB, 2026 - Salters was third on the team last year in total tackles (91). He's got great form and steps into a spot where he'll be expected to boost his own production in conjunction with the defense as a whole.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions']</strong> DB, 2025 - The high-profile two-way defensive back has offers from as far away as California and can impact a game in a heart beat. Sessions is among the best coverage players around, and he pitches in on special teams, where he's been known to block kicks.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing']</strong> QB, 2026 - The part-time starter from a year ago will enter his junior year with plenty of experience. He threw for 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 60 percent of his passes while also rushing for 412 yards and three more scores. He now gets the reins to the offense, foreseeably for the next two seasons.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Daniel Williams</strong> DL, 2025 - A former linebacker, Williams moved to the line and quickly started to flourish as a main cog on the defense. He's a solid edge who contains well and finished his junior season with 40 total tackles. Williams isn't big, but he plays with a spark that has come to define the Dutch Fork defense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16201606/6570ac0bbd74400bbc8fcb2b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969f4720b11"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deon Winsley</strong> LB - The 6-foot-3 linebacker was a force, piling up a team-high 122 tackles during the Silver Foxes' championship run.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jon Hunt</strong> QB - The expected starter at the beginning of last year recovered from an injury to throw for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns, with most of his production coming during the eight-game winning streak to end the season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sheldon Shine</strong> RB/ST, 2026 - The smaller back only appeared in three varsity games for the Silver Foxes last fall. However he's going to get a few more carries out of the backfield and should be a key piece in the return game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kye Fulton</strong> WR, 2026 - Fulton hasn't seen real varsity time, but that'll change this fall. He's got some wheels (he was clocked at 21.55 miles per hour during the state combine series) and adds another weapon to the outside.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["426647"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969f47230d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The more time that passes since Smith's transfer from nearby Irmo the more it appears he's going to be expected to be a bigger piece of Dutch Fork's defensive goals. He had 46 tackles a year ago for Irmo and now looks like a shoo-in to be a starter in his new digs. He'll make an already strong defensive backfield that much better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15239725/6565434e32dc7307d47dbf0a' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969f4723146"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->