IRMO – A record breaking and historic season for Fort Mill High School football came to a halt at the hands of the Dutch Fork Silver Foxes.
Dutch Fork used a strong rushing attack to beat Fort Mill 42-14 in the second round of the 5A state playoffs. Fort Mill finished their season at 9-3 overall.
“We got a little outmatched up front,” said Fort Mill head coach Rob McNeely. “You have to establish the run game, and you have to protect the passer, and we struggled to do that tonight. It is hard right now. I am so proud of the senior class and they way they bought in. They set a standard for these underclassmen. I couldn’t be more proud.”
The Silver Foxes for the opening kick to start the game. Dutch Fork easily controlled the clock and capped off a seven-play drive with a 29-yard touchdown run with 9:36 in the first quarter.
Fort Mill kept the ball on the ground to start the drive as Broden Mitcheson was able to pick up small gains. Jackets quarterback Harper Love then found Jerrell Douglas for a big gain to get Fort Mill to inside the red zone. The Jackets were aided by a couple of Dutch Fork penalties pushing them to the 2-yard line. After losing a yard, Love found Jameson Terrell for a 3-yard touchdown reception to tie the game.
Penalties started becoming an issue for Dutch Fork. Fort Mill’s defense pinned the Silver Foxes deep forcing them to punt out of their end zone. The Jackets’ Aiden O’Hara ran the ball back 45-yards for a touchdown only to have the score negated by a penalty.
Love was then picked off on the next play giving the ball back to Dutch Fork. Two plays later, the Silver Foxes fumbled fixing the ball back to the Jackets at midfield.
Another two plays and another Fort Mill turnover gave the ball right back to the home team.
The Silver Foxes were able to start finding some rhythm and were able to move the ball on the ground picking up huge chunks of yards. Dutch Fork scored as the quarter ended and carried a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.
The Jackets’ offense sputtered on their first series in the second quarter. Mitcheson was hurt on the drive and came out of the drive for the next Fort Mill series which also resulted in a punt. He would eventually reenter the game for Fort Mill.
On defense, the Jackets continued to struggle slowing down the Silver Foxes‘ run game. With about four minutes left in the second quarter, Dutch Fork scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to extend their lead.
The Silver Foxes defense started pressuring Love more sacking him multiple times in the backfield.
Fort Mill opened the second half going three and out having lost yards on the drive and being forced to punt out of their own end zone.
Dutch Fork had a big 58-yard pass play to get them into the red zone and down to the 4-yard line. Two plays later they scored on their first series of the third quarter.
Fort Mill was unable to move the ball well and turned it over on downs around midfield.
The Silver Foxes scored on a 55-yard pass play on their next possession. Things worsened for the Jackets as they fumbled on their next possession in their own territory. Dutch Fork would score again in five plays as their series transitioned into the fourth quarter. The Silver Foxes punched it in from 7-yards out to make it 42-7.
The Jackets kept battling and again used penalties to help advance the ball. Love threw a strike to Jerrell Douglas over the middle who broke several tackles to get to the end zone from 35-yards out with 2:54 left in the game.
Fort Mill finished with 130 total yards, compared to 477 from the Silver Foxes. Love was 8-of-14 for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two interceptions. His main target was Douglas, who caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Mitcheson had 16 carries for 61 yards in his final game on the gridiron for Fort Mill.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
