What We Saw: Dutch Fork 35, Summerville 21

ORANGEBURG | The Dutch Fork defense left a lasting impression on the 2024 season.   The Silver Foxes fittingly forced a turnover with 36 seconds left to end Summerville's Class 5A Division I title hopes. The Tyler White interception sealed the 35-21 victory at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium at Willie Jeffries Field.   The win clinched a third straight title and ninth in 12 appearances for Dutch Fork (13-0). This victory saw the Silver Foxes give up a season-high in points and most since J.L. Mann scored 30 in last year's one-point Upper State final win.   White's interception was one of several big plays on defense. Junior defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1592529' first='Julian' last='Walker'] whose two fourth quarter sacks helped get the football back in the fourth quarter.   “In that moment throughout the game, I knew I needed to get to him,” Walker said. “My mentality was to get to the quarterback, get to the ball. At that time and that moment, I knew this is the time to go get him. It took me a lot longer than I should have, but I knew it's time to make a play. There's no more time to play around. I knew I had to get to him and to get to him a second time, that was an effort play.”   The drive ended with a 38-yard touchdown run by [player_tooltip player_id='1012701' first='Maurice' last='Anderson']. It was the Touchstone Energy Cooperative Bowl selection's third score of the game and he finished with 145 rushing yards.   Shrine Bowl quarterback senior [player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions'] also had an interception and seven tackles. Upfront, Shrine Bowl and University of South Carolina signee Josh Smith, Michael Steed, Daniel Williams and [player_tooltip player_id='1463245' first='Luciano' last='Cesario'] matched Summerville's size with aggressiveness and intensity.   Yet arguably the most impactful Dutch Fork defender of the game was linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters']. Along with a team-high nine tackles, his memorable sack of Summerville quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='367350' first='Jaden' last='Cummings'] changed the complexion of the game.   It took place late in the first quarter. An isolated Cummings rolling out of the pocket got laid down hard by Salters onto the Willie Jeffries Field.     “That was just a play we've seen all week,” he said. “We were ready for it. I was ready to make the play. I saw it.”   Trainers rushed across the field to treat the injured senior. Cummings was helped off the field after several minutes grimacing in pain and favoring his right knee.   He did not return, leaving junior backup [player_tooltip player_id='1734478' first='Cooper' last='Kafina'] to finish the game. Despite Cummings' absence, there was not a significant offensive dropoff from Kafina who threw 13-27 passes for 179 yards.   ‘I thought (Cummings) going down would change the game,” Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts said. “It really didn't”.   Dutch Fork intercepted Kafina twice but had its share of difficulty slowing down [player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray']. He had seven receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns. A possible third on a diving, one-handed endzone catch was called incomplete.   “He's a great player,” said Knotts about Kelly-Murray. ‘He's going to play, not only just Saturday one day, but he's going to play on Sunday one day. He's a great player and he did a lot of good things.”   Running back Jayven Williams rushed for 138 yards. This included a 43-yard touchdown to open the second quarter following Cummings' injury.   Summerville led 14-6, giving the Silver Foxes their biggest deficit of the season. The defense remained undaunted, continuing to get stops which allowed the offense to surge back in the lead.   The senior duo of quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing'] and wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1360308' first='Boykin' last='Bickley'] helped account for 21 points. They connected on a 19-yard touchdown pass play 72 seconds into the game. Next was a 19-yard score to help tie the game at the eight-minute mark of the first half.   After Sessions' interception at the seven-yard line, the Silver Foxes went 93 yards on four plays for the lead. Offing found Bickley for passes of 51 and 13 yards to set up Anderson's second 8-yard touchdown run.     Offing and Bickley hooked up a 19-yard touchdown to close out the 22-0 scoring run. Offing finished 12-23 passing for 252 yards as his offensive line kept him mostly upright with just one sack.   Bickley had seven receptions for 149 yards, followed by Smith with three receptions for 72 yards.   Summerville's defense put forth an inspired effort upfront. Two-sport athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1578901' first='Melvin' last='Teal'] had a game-high 11 tackles. He and linemen Demarcus King, [player_tooltip player_id='1359137' first='Yasir' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1579492' first='Julian' last='Lofay'] did their best to contain the Silver Foxes.   Both linebacker Eli Pressley, who recovered a fumble, and [player_tooltip player_id='1639684' first='Tyree' last='Patton'] made fourth down stops.  Defensive back Jacquez Walker broke up a potential Bickley touchdown catch.   Summerville's efforts was not enough to stop the Silver Foxes picking up their 21st straight win.   “It's kind of a standard our coach sets for us,” Cesario said. “We always like to have a big goose egg for the other team. But it's a nice standard for us.”

ORANGEBURG | The Dutch Fork defense left a lasting impression on the 2024 season.