Class 5A Championship Preview

Old school and new school are about to clash. The Class 5A football championship game between T.L. Hanna and Dutch Fork will feature two teams with completely different offensive styles. The Yellow Jackets and coach Jason Tone rely up on a double-wing set while Tom Knotts’ Silver Foxes are a combination of spread and power blended just about perfectly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> But none of it works without the right pieces executing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> <strong>ON T.L. HANNA</strong> Very few teams spread the wealth quite the the Yellow Jackets. Tone’s run-based offense has piled up 452 carries for 2,916 yards in nine games (conversely, it has attempted only 21 passes all season).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> “Our scheme is a 1950s offense. That’s when it was created,” Tone said. “Nobody really runs it in 5A anymore. It’s difficult as far as that’s concerned. Our kids have really gotten better each and every week with it.” Although 19 different players have rushed the ball at least one time this season, <strong>J.J. Hudson</strong>’s influence here is at the top of the list. The senior leads the Yellow Jackets with 822 yards and also has seven touchdowns. He’s put up three 150-yard games, including in the second-round win against Gaffney that came down to the wire. T.L. Hanna is going to need him to keep the chains moving and the offense on the field for as long as possible so the Silver Foxes have limited opportunities. After all, that’s what this offense was designed to do. <strong>ON DUTCH FORK</strong> A year ago, the Silver Foxes were getting ready to head into the state championship game with a Clemson baseball signee leading the way from his quarterback position and all the momentum in the world. Flash forward to this week, and Dutch Fork is doing it again. Behind signal-caller <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50218" first="Will" last="Taylor"]</strong> - who inked with the Tigers baseball program last month - the Silver Foxes and their high-powered offense will again be going wherever the talented player takes them. “Will had some big shoes to fill,” head coach Tom Knotts said. “Ty Olenchuk’s been our quarterback for three years. I wasn’t a bit apprehensive about Will and his ability. He’s a dynamic quarterback. He can throw it. He can run it. … He’s not only met my expectations. He’s exceeded them. He’s one of the main reasons we’re sitting here right now.” Taylor has thrown for 2,090 yards and 21 touchdowns. And while he’s not a typical running quarterback, he’s already proved he can do that, too. In the Lower State semifinal win over Carolina Forest, the 6-foot, 175-pounder ripped off 224 rushing yards and five touchdowns. <strong>PREP RED ZONE’S PICK</strong> Dutch Fork wasn’t built in a day. It took Tom Knotts time to do all of this after he relocated to the Midlands from Charlotte a few years back. Others have tried to replicate the North Carolina-to-South Carolina coaching moves, but four straight state titles later, it’s clear Dutch Fork is one of a kind right now. The dynasty continues, and the Silver Foxes will be state champs for the fifth straight season.