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The 5A Region 4 Championship will be decided as the Dutch Fork Silver Foxex (8-1) travel to take on the Lexington Wildcats (8-1). Both teams are unbeaten in region play and this game’s winner will go to the upstate bracket of hte playoffs while the loser will go to lower state and get at least one home game.
The Game: The Wildcats have had no success against the Silver Foxes and even in last year’s breakthrough season, was pummeled to a 49-3 loss. Both teams come in with strong ground games but there is a noticable difference in the make up of these two teams.
Dutch Fork: The Silver Foxes looked their most vulnerable early in the season, struggling against Hough (NC), Spartanburg and Creekside (Ga), before pounding Stratford. This team’s defense has never let up this season. Led by the strongest linebacker group in the state led by Jaylen Hinton and Chandler Perry, they have managed to hold almost every offense at bay, with the
exception of St Frances Academy of Maryland. They are strong in the secondary with Landon Danley and Jvon Mack roaming. Mack has 3 interceptions on the year. Offensively, it’s all about this stout offensive line and running back Jarvis Green, who scored a school record 7 touchdowns last week against River Bluff.
Lexington: This is the best I’ve seen the Lexington offense look in a very long time. RB Jonah Norris leads the state in rushing with more than 1,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. Junior QB Taiden Mines has several dangerous targets in WRs Kamadi Maxwell and Jarrod Mewborn. This offense is explosive and has been good for 4 or 5 plays of
50 yards or more in each game all season. Defensively, they are led by linebacker Christian Sexton and two strong edge guys in LB/DE Jacob Schroedt and DE Montrell Byrd. Junior DB Braden Woolbright leads 5A Midlands with 5 interceptions on the season.
The Breakdown: Dutch Fork does not have any superstars on this team. There are no Antonio Williams’ nor Jalin Hyatt’s. What they do have is a very good running back, and a group of players on both sides of the ball who will never be out of position and will always execute. Lexington’s vulnerabilty is their defense. They have, at times, not been in position in areas of the defense and there have been missed tackles, something you won’t see Dutch Fork do. There is also the point that Lexington does have a habit of getting penalties that kill their efforts.
My Pick: I’m picking with my head and not my heart: Dutch Fork
