Tom Knotts and the Dutch Fork football program continued their assault on the S.C. High School League record book.
The Silver Foxes captured their 10th state championship Saturday with a 40-20 win over Summerville in the Class 5A Division I championship at S.C. State’s Oliver C Dawson Stadium.
Knotts is now tied with former Summerville coach John McKissick and Woodruff’s Willie Varner for most state titles (10) in state history. As a program, Dutch Fork’s 10 state championships are tied for fifth all-time in state history with Woodruff.
Knotts also won seven state championships as a head coach in North Carolina.
“I have a lot of respect for Coach McKissick,” Knotts said. “I visited him a couple of times, learned a bit from him. I am honored to be in his company, but it is a tribute to the players, the administrators and everyone I have around me.”
All of Dutch Fork’s championships have come since 2013. This one was a special for Knotts for a different reason: His son Jaxon was the Silver Foxes’ starting quarterback this season.
Jaxon Knotts had a strong game Saturday after bouncing back from a third-quarter fumble. The junior finished with 223 total yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Dutch Fork (13-1) won the championship despite losing one of its top players in senior linebacker Raleigh Salters, who fractured his forearm in the first half and didn’t return. Tom Knotts and the team used Salters’ injury as motivation .
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