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Dutch Fork defeats Summerville, 40-20: live updates, highlights from South Carolina SCHSL Class 5A championship originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina, Dec. 6 — The NEXT No. 25 Dutch Fork [Irmo, SC] Silver Foxes clinched their 10th state championship Saturday night in a 40-20 win over the Summerville [SC] Green Wave.

The win gave Dutch Fork its fifth consecutive South Carolina SCHSL Class 5A state championship trophy. The Silver Foxes jumped out to an early 14-0 lead after forcing a pair of interceptions, but Summerville tightened up at that point and eventually pulled even at 14-all early in the second half.

From there, Dutch Fork turned up the heat, scoring the next 26 points to take a 40-20 lead. A late touchdown by Summerville provided the final margin.

Dutch Fork finishes the season 12-1 while Summerville concludes its 2025 season at 12-3.

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End of fourth quarter: Dutch Fork 40, Summerville 20

And that's your ball game. Dutch Fork is the South Carolina SCHSL Class 5A champions.

Summerville successfully converts the onside kick, but again, there's only a minute to play.

DUTCH FORK 40, SUMMERVILLE 20

Credit Summerville for playing to the end. They answer Dutch Fork's last score quickly, but with only 1:07 to play, it's academic at this point.

__________

DUTCH FORK 40, SUMMERVILLE 14

It was Dutch Fork early, and then Summerville in the middle of this contest. But here late when it really counts, it's been all Dutch Fork.

DUTCH FORK 33, SUMMERVILLE 14

Dutch Fork gets pressure on Summerville's quarterback who fumbles. Julian Walker is there for the scoop and score, and that should do it in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Still 6:01 to play, but it's a three-score game now.

DUTCH FORK 26, SUMMERVILLE 14

Dutch Fork scores what could be the clincher with an even seven minutes to play. They fail to convert on the 2-point attempt, but lead by 12.

End of third quarter: Dutch Fork 20, Summerville 14

We head to the final quarter with the outcome of this game very much hanging in the balance.

DUTCH FORK 20, SUMMERVILLE 14

Under two to play in the third quarter, Dutch Fork surges back to the lead. The PAT is no good.

DUTCH FORK 14, SUMMERVILLE 14

Summerville scores quickly to open the second half. Important to remember that the Green Wave trailed this game 14-0 early, and they've climbed out of that hole to even it up.

And the third quarter is under way!

End of second quarter: Dutch Fork 14, Summerville 7

All things considered, this could have been much worse for Summerville with the early turnovers. But they've settled down, and we've got a game headed into the half.

Dutch Fork finally forces a fourth down, and then blocks Summerville's field goal attempt.

Summerville has settled down. They just converted a 3rd-and-14 to enter the red zone.

DUTCH FORK 14, SUMMERVILLE 7

Summerville cuts Dutch Fork's lead in half with a solid drive to start the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Dutch Fork 14, Summerville 0

The story of the game so far is Dutch Fork converting turnovers into points. We head to the second quarter with Summerville in desperate need of an answer.

DUTCH FORK 14, SUMMERVILLE 0

Dutch Fork forces another turnover, and they convert it into points again. Summerville is in the undesirable position of having to win a game now where they've surrendered 14 points after turnovers.

DUTCH FORK 7, SUMMERVILLE 0

Dutch Fork forces an early turnover, and they convert it into the game's first points.

The game is under way in Orangeburg, South Carolina!

Summerville taking the field.

Coming soon!

Saturday's game between Dutch Fork and Summerville is being played at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

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Dutch Fork pulled away in the fourth quarter to pound Summerville 40-20 iin the 5-A Division 1 state championship Saturday night.

It was the Silver Foxes' fourth consecutive state championship and 10th overall. All 10 state championships have come under legendary coach Tom Knotts, who tied Summerville's John McKissick and Woodruff's Willie Varner for the most in South Carolina history.

Knotts has won 17 state championships, including seven in North Carolina. It was also the 300th win for the Dutch Fork program.

Jaxon Knotts, the coach's son, threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another.

K.J. Dupree had two interceptions which set up touchdowns and South Carolina signee Julian Walker returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown.

Braydon Johnson's 27-yard touchdown run broke a 14-14 tie late in the third quarter and the Silver Foxes rolled after that.

Summerville (12-3) had pulled even early in the third quarter on a 42-yard fumble return by Jaiden Kelly-Murray.

Preview

Dutch Fork (11-1) is seeking its fourth consecutive state title and 10th overall, all under legendary coach Tom Knotts, who has led the Silver Foxes since 2010. If the Silver Foxes win, Knotts will tie Summerville legend John McKissick and Woodruff''s Willie Varner for the most championships ever in South Carolina. Knotts also won seven state titles as a coach in North Carolina.

Summerville (12-2) is seeking to avenge last year's game, won 35-21 by Dutch Fork, that prevented the Green Wave from finishing undefeated.

Dutch Fork is led by a bevy of stars, including 6-foot-6, 230-pound Michigan commit Julian Walker, lineman Jaden Wuerth, wide receiver Stone Furrey, and quarterback Jaxon Knotts, the coach's son.

The Silver Foxes saw their 24-game winning streak snapped by Oceanside Collegiate Academy, a team vying for its third straight state title, on Sept. 19.

Summerville has a sophisticated passing attack featuring quarterback Max Stafford along with wide receivers Jaiden Kelly-Murray, Teru Davis and Jaelyn Pounds. Jayven Williams is a 1,500-yard running back.

The Green Wave had to overcome a two-touchdown deficit to edge Carolina Forest 29-28 in the third round before pummeling James Island 45-16 in the Lower State championship game.

Dutch Fork trailed 10-0 in the second quarter before rallying and pulling awa for a 30-10 win over Dorman in the Upper State championship game.

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Live Updates

(Refresh this page repeated for live updates once the game kicks-off)

-Dutch Fork kicks off. Summerville starts at its 20.

Big throw from Max Stafford to Jaden Kelly-Murray into Dutch Fork territory.

Timeout Summerville. Third and 8 from the Dutch Fork 45.

INTERCEPTION! off a deflection, KJ Dupree returns it 40 yards to the Summerville 27. Plus penalty on Summerville.

Chop block penalty on DF.

TOUCHDOWN! Jaxon Knotts with a 32-yard TD pass to Kye Fulton. DF leads 7-0.

Summerville has the ball at its 20 following another touchback on the kickoff. 8:23 left in the first quarter.

Dutch Fork lineabcker Raleigh Salters injured on the play,.

Stafford scrambles for no gain on third and 9.

Great punt puts DF back at its 25.

Summerville defense forces a three-and-out.

Green Wave takes possession at its 29.

INTERCEPTION! Dupree again on a deflection with a long return.

Big run by Knotts on a keeper.

Knotts sacked. Third and 11.

An incompletion. Fourth and 11 from the 24.

TOUCHDOWN! Knotts to tight end Wyatt Warner. Dutch Fork leads 14-0 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

Touchback. Summerville starts at the 20.

Jayven Williams breaks free for a 39-yard gain into DF territory.

END OF FIRST QUARTER

-Stafford gets the first down and then Williams takes it inside the red zone.

Williams again. First and goal.

TOUCHDOWN! Stafford to Jaden Kelly-Murray, 6 yards. Dutch Fork leads 14-7 with 9:22 left in the first half.

Dutch Fork will start from its 24.

Summerville stuffs an attemped hey sweep. Third and 15.

Screen pass stuffed. Fourth down.

Short punt gives Summerville possession at the DF 42.

Big run by Williams. First down at the 14.

Stafford sacked. Fourth and 18.

Field goal attempt blocked.

Three and out for DF.

Timeout DF with 1:44 left in the first half.

Summerville takes over at its 33.

Stafford sacked by Julian Walker.

-Summerville kicks off. DF starts from its 27.

TOUCHDOWN! Jaden Kelly-Murray returns a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown. Tie game.

DF takes over at its 29 after the kickoff.

Summerville defense forces another three-and-out.

Running into the kicker penalt. First down for DF.

Knotts scrambles inside the Summerville 30.

Fourth and 3 for DF.

The Green Wave make the stop. Summerville ball.

Walker makes the stop on third and three. Fourth and 1 from the Summerville 29.

Timeout Summerville with 4:16 left in the third quarter.

Summerville punts to the DF 40.

Holding penalty negates a nice DF run on a reverse.

Knotts to Fulton for a first down at the Summerville 48.

Big run by Knotts has the Silver Lions near the red zone.

TOUCHDOWN! Braydon Johnson on a 27-yard run. PAT no good. Dutch Fork leads 20-14 with 1:27 left in the third quarter.

Touchback on the kickoff.

Stafford sacked by Walker.

Williams stuffed inside the 10.

Stafford scrambles to the 11. Fourth and long.

END OF THIRD QUARTER

DF muffs the punt but recovers. Firdy down at Summerville 45.

Knotts again with a big run for a first down.

Knotts scrambles. Flag again. Helmet to helmet on Summerville.

Holding penalty on DF.

-Timeout with 8:41 left. Dutch Fork at the Summerville 21.

Double reverse pass to Knotts for eight yards. Penalty on Summerville. 12 men on the field.

Knotts on the keeper. First and goal from the 1.

TOUCHDOWN! Knotts takes it in. Try for two stopped. Dutch Fork leads 26-14 with seven minutes left.

Summerville to start from the 26.

TOUCHDOWN! Strip sack by Wuerth, Walker returns it 20 yards for the TD. Dutch Fork leads 33-14 with 6:01 left.

Timeout with 3:55 left. Dutch Fork closing in on history.

TOUCHDOWN! Kyle Henry takes it in from the 1. Dutch Fork leads 40-14 with 3:01 left.

TOUCHDOWN! Summerville gets a late one from Jayven Williams. 40-20 with 1:07 left.

FINAL

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.

Summerville stood toe-to-toe with the defending state champion for three quarters, but once again had to settle for state runner-up honors.

The Green Wave fell 40-20 to Dutch Fork on Dec. 6 in the South Carolina 5A Division 1 Football Championship at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. The loss marks the second consecutive season Dutch Fork has topped Summerville in the state finals.

“We got some momentum there in the third quarter, and we just couldn’t capitalize on it,” Summerville coach Ian Rafferty said. “We had a hard time blocking their guys up front. You know, when they have two Power 4 guys up front, it can make it difficult. Still, I’m proud of our kids. We were right there in it, and the wheels just kind of fell off.”

Dutch Fork safety K.J. Dupree intercepted two Green Wave pass attempts, both after a deflection by a teammate, in the opening quarter to help the Silver Foxes jump out to a 14-0 lead.

“You can’t turn the ball over in a state championship game,” Rafferty said. “We turned the ball over three times, and they only turned it over once, but I’m proud of our kids. I don’t think the final score indicates what type of game it was.”

After the pair of picks, Summerville regrouped and drove 80 yards on its ensuing possession to score on a 6-yard pass from Max Stafford to Jaiden Kelly-Murray with more than nine minutes remaining in the second quarter. Later in the quarter, Dutch Fork blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt, and the Silver Foxes took a 14-7 lead into the half.

Kelly-Murray got the Green Wave right back in the game in the first two minutes of the third, picking up a Dutch Fork fumble and returning it 43 yards for a touchdown. Unfortunately for Summerville, it did not have as much success running the ball from that point as it did in the first half.

“We just played a little more sound defense than we had been,” Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts said. “We had to shut down the run. They were handing the ball off left and right, picking up big yardage. Once we shored up the run, it made them more one-dimensional.”

Summerville running back Jayvyn Williams finished with a game-high 175 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Kelly-Murray led the Wave receivers with four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. Stafford completed 11 of 22 pass attempts for 127 yards and a score.

Outside linebacker J.T. Williams was Summerville’s leading tackler with eight tackles, including six solo stops and two for a loss. He also forced the fumble Kelly-Murray returned for a score. Defensive back Josiah Taylor had six tackles and linebacker Eli Pressley had five.

Dutch Fork went on top again when Braydon Johnson took a forward pitch on a misdirection play and dashed 27 yards for a touchdown. The extra-point kick was wide, leaving the Silver Foxes ahead 20-14.

The final quarter started with a play that got the Summerville fans riled up as Dutch Fork fumbled the ball on a punt. However, the Silver Foxes managed to recover and went on to score twice before Summerville could get much going, building a 40-14 lead.

Dutch Fork quarterback Jaxon Knotts rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. Shortly after, Julian Walker recovered a Summerville fumble and returned it 19 yards into the Green Wave end zone. Kyle Henry added a 1-yard TD run with 3:01 remaining to help seal the victory.

Knotts completed 12 of 15 pass attempts for 110 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 103 yards and another score. Kye Fulton led all receivers with three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Dutch Fork had roughly double the tackles in the offensive backfield. Defensive end Jaden Wuerth finished with nine tackles, including three for a loss. Walker finished with seven tackles, including 3.5 for a loss.

Summerville had a late touchdown drive that featured a heavy dose of Williams. He had a 40-yard run to get the ball inside the 10-yard line and capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run.

Dutch Fork has now won four straight 5A state football championships. Knotts now holds a prestigious spot in South Carolina high school football history since this championship is his 10th with Dutch Fork. That ties him with former Summerville coach John McKissick and former Woodruff coach W.L. Varner for the most state titles in a career, according to the Palmetto’s Finest record book.

“Well, I think it means I’m old, but that’s pretty cool,” Knotts said. “It’s special and a great tribute to those players and the great group of supporters we have. I have a lot of respect for Coach McKissick. I’ve visited him a couple of times and had a great time with him. I learned a little bit from him, and I’m honored to be in his company.”

For Summerville, one of the program’s top goals remains the same.

“I told Coach Knotts we are going to keep coming,” Rafferty said. “We’ll be back. We will get back to work and keep coming until we get a championship.”

While it has come close many times since, Summerville's last state football championship was in the 1998-99 school year, when McKissick was the coach.

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 .

“Let’s play for him now,” Knotts told his team in the huddle when Salters was being helped off the field.

The game was a rematch of last year’s state championship game won by Dutch Fork, 35-21.

And in a state championship weekend full of blowouts, this game was in doubt heading in the fourth quarter.

Down 14-7 at halftime, Summerville’s defense forced a fumble of Jaxon Knotts, and Jaiden Kelly-Murray returned it 43 yards to make it 14-14 early in the third quarter.

With the momentum in Summerville’s favor, the Silver Foxes took it back when Brayden Johnson scored on a 27-yard touchdown that put Dutch Fork up 20-14 with 1:27 left in the third quarter.

“The fumble was really close to shifting the game into their favor,” Jaxon Knotts said. “But everyone told me to keep my head up, and I told them that is not how I am going out. I am going out on top. And we came back, finished it off with a couple touchdowns.”

It was all Dutch Fork in the fourth quarter as its defense dominated and the Silver Foxes scored three times in a four-minute span to lead 40-14.

The Silver Foxes’ defense scored a touchdown. Jaden Wuerth forced a fumble of Summerville quarterback Max Stafford, and South Carolina signee Julian Walker picked it up and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown to make 33-14.

“My guy Jaden got to him, I saw the ball on the ground, picked it up and made sure I had some blockers and just reached out,” Walker said. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to score this.’ This was the first touchdown I have had in my life. That was a special moment for my first touchdown to be in a state championship game.”

The touchdown capped an eventful week for Walker, who began the week committed to Michigan before signing with the Gamecocks on Thursday. The senior defensive end finished with 3.5 sacks in Saturday’s game.

Wuerth also added 2.5 sacks as the Dutch Fork defense sacked Stafford eight times.

“The defense turned it on and did what they were supposed to do,” Tom Knotts said.

The Silver Foxes jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after a pair of KJ Dupree interceptions.

Jaxon Knotts hit Kye Fulton on a 33-yard touchdown and then found Wyatt Warner on a 25-yard pass on fourth-and-11 to make it 14-0 with 1:35 in the first quarter.

Summerville (12-3) got on the board when Stafford hit Kelly-Murray on a 6-yard TD to cut the lead to 14-7 with 9:22 in the second quarter.

Jayven Williams led Summerville with 175 yards rushing.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st quarter

DF - Fulton 33 pass from Knotts (O’Leary kick), 8:36

DF - Warner 25 pass from Knotts (O’Leary kick), 1:35

2nd quarter

S - Kelly-Murray 6 pass from Stafford (Beaver kick), 9:22

3rd quarter

S - Kelly-Murray 43 fumble return (Beaver kick), 10:56

DF - Johnson 27 pass from Knotts (kick failed), 1:27

4th quarter

DF - Knotts 1 run (O’Leary kick), 7:00

DF - Walker 19 fumble return (O’Leary kick), 6:01

DF - Henry 1 run (O’Leary kick), 3:01

S - Williams 1 run (Pass failed), 1:07

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PASSING - S: Stafford 11-22-2 127. DF: Knotts 12-15-0 110, Johnson 1-2-0 10.

RUSHING - S: Williams 22-175, Grayson 5-19. DF: Knotts 13-103, Wilson 7-24, Shine 3-17, Henry 2-6, Harley 1-4, Fulton 1-3

RECEIVING - S: Kelly-Murray 4-39, Pounds 2-30, Jackson 1-24, Davis 1-16, Gaskins 1-8, Burnett 1-6, Williams 1-4. DF: Johnson 4-23, Fulton 3-49, Shine 3-10, Warner 1-25, Knotts 1-10, Wilson 1-3.

One of the top prospects at edge rusher in the country, Walker had been a longtime Michigan pledge but USC stayed in constant contact with UNC a factor of late.

IRMO, S.C. — Two days before Dutch Fork faces Summerville in a rematch for the 5A Division I state championship, one of the country's top remaining undecided prospects for the Class of 2026 made his final college choice.

Julian Walker announced Thursday morning at Dutch Fork High School that he is flipping his earlier commitment and will play for the South Carolina Gamecocks. His decision came a day after the early signing period for college recruits began.

At Dutch Fork HS, edge rusher Julian Walker makes the call for Carolina. The longtime Michigan pledge flips to @GamecockFB where he his dad is on the strength & conditioning staff. @247Sports ranks him #12 nationally at his position.@Julian3Walker @dfhsfootball pic.twitter.com/PoiJ81d8tg

— Reggie Anderson (@ReggieWLTX) December 4, 2025

Julian Walker had been a Michigan pledge since the summer but South Carolina had stayed in contact with him which isn't hard since his dad is on the strength and conditioning staff for the Gamecock football team. The Gamecocks were expected to make a surge for Walker's services and that was the case with North Carolina trying to work its way into the mix late.

Walker had been to six home games this season at Williams-Brice Stadium before taking a trip to Ann Arbor Saturday for the Ohio State-Michigan game.

247Sports rates him as the 12th best edge rusher nationally and the 95th overall prospect. He is also a member of the ESPN 300, which ranks the top recruits in the country.

Walker will be in San Antonio for the Navy All-American Bowl on Jan. 10, 2026 at the Alamodome.