Dutch Fork leaned on a dominant rushing attack and a suffocating second-half defensive effort to surge past Dorman 30-10 on Black Friday in the Class 5A Upper State championship at Dutch Fork Stadium, securing a return trip to the state title game and setting up a showdown with Summerville next week.
Dorman struck first behind a steady opening quarter, capping an early drive with a 23-yard field goal from Ranson Farr at the 2:28 mark. The Cavaliers extended the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter when quarterback Meek Slydell rolled right and found Tre’Gan Mickler for a 9-yard touchdown, briefly seizing momentum in front of a large traveling crowd.
From that point forward, Dutch Fork controlled nearly every statistical category. The Silver Foxes responded on the next possession with a methodical 10-play, 39-yard drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown run by standout back Quintin Wilson. After forcing a Dorman punt late in the half, Dutch Fork tied the game at 10-10 and immediately flipped the night’s trajectory. With three seconds left before halftime, Brad O’Leary knocked through a 29-yard field goal, giving Dutch Fork a 17-10 lead that served as the turning point of the game.
The second half belonged entirely to the Silver Foxes, who held the ball for more than 35 minutes overall and limited Dorman’s offense to just 56 total yards after the break. Dutch Fork outgained the Cavaliers 342-172 for the game, including a commanding 205 rushing yards on 39 attempts. Wilson led the charge with 84 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, while quarterback Jaxon Knotts added 115 yards on the ground and a 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that pushed the margin to 23-10. Sheldon Shine delivered the night’s most explosive play, breaking free for a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give Dutch Fork its first two-score lead.
Knotts complemented the run game by completing 17 of 22 passes for 137 yards, consistently finding Sheldon Shine, Chase Betts and Stone Furreys on short, high-percentage throws that extended drives and kept the Cavaliers’ defense on the field. Dutch Fork converted several manageable third downs and wore down Dorman’s front in the process.
Defensively, Dutch Fork limited Slydell to 79 passing yards and forced him into one interception while recording six tackles for loss. Raleigh Salters and Mario Anderson combined for 15 tackles to anchor a unit that closed off running lanes and disrupted timing in the passing game. Dorman finished with just 23 net rushing yards after accounting for tackles for loss and the lone sack of the night.
Dorman was led by running back Nick Means, who carried 20 times for 71 yards, accounting for the majority of the Cavaliers’ offensive production. Slydell completed 11 of 27 passes, with his touchdown to Mickler marking Dorman’s final score of the night. The Cavaliers managed only five first downs after halftime and were held scoreless over the final 32 minutes.
Special teams tilted in Dutch Fork’s favor as well, with Wyatt Moore’s directional punting and Brayden Johnson’s 155 kick-return yards repeatedly flipping field position. Farr turned in another strong night for Dorman, averaging 32 yards on five punts, including a long of 36.
Even with Dorman’s strong 10-2 season and early surge in Friday’s matchup, Dutch Fork’s depth, balance and ball control ultimately wore down the Cavaliers. The Silver Foxes closed the night on a 30-0 scoring run after falling behind by 10, controlling tempo and forcing Dorman into long-yardage situations that stalled potential responses.
With the win, Dutch Fork advances to the Class 5A state championship to face Summerville, which defeated James Island in the Lower State final. The Silver Foxes will enter the championship with one of the most efficient offenses in South Carolina and a defense that has allowed just 23 points total over its last two playoff games. Dorman’s season ends in the Upper State final, marking another deep postseason run for a program that spent much of the season ranked among the state’s best.