"This right here was a hard game."”

Dutch Fork wide receiver Jalin Hyatt

The ‘Drive For 4” is now complete for the Dutch Fork football team.

Ty Olenchuk’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Jalin Hyatt in overtime lifted the Silver Foxes to a dramatic 34-31 victory over Dorman Saturday in the Class 5A final at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Playing on the field of future SEC rival the University of South Carolina and in front of Gamecocks’ head coach Will Muschamp, Hyatt caught 3 touchdown passes from the Clemson baseball signee. Olenchuk finished with 236 passing yards and 4 TDs, with Hyatt finishing with 7 receptions for 165 yards. 

"Coach (Tom) Knotts said we've never had a tough game," Hyatt said. "This right here was a hard game. At halftime, he was just saying 'What are you going to do when adversity hits you?' We stuck through it. We stayed as a team. We believed as a team. We all believed in Coach Knotts and (Defensive Coordinator Nick) Pelham. We came out with the win." 

The duo helped Dutch Fork jump out to a 14-0 lead. It was just 13 seconds into the game on the opening snap when Olenchuk found Hyatt at the 35 and he turned upfield and down the sidelines for a 80-yard score. 

This was the 6th time this season Olenchuk and the University of Tennessee wide receiver commit connected on an opening score.

After Dutch Fork defensive lineman Rasheed Rucker recovered a fumble at the 37, Olenchuk and Hyatt connected again on a 7-yard touchdown pass play to cap an 8-play, 63-yard scoring drive with 6:25 left in the 1st quarter. 

The Cavaliers (14-1) answered with 21 unanswered points. Lee found Nathan Storch for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 2:07 left in the 1st quarter and then capped a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a 13-yard touchdown run.

In the 3rd quarter, Lee scrambled out of trouble and found Kendall Norman for a 53-yard touchdown to put the Cavaliers ahead 21-14. 

Dutch Fork turned to its running game to rally back. Senior Jon Hall broke free for a 57-yard run to set up his 7-yard reception to tie the game with 7:21 left in the 3rd quarter.

After the 2 teams exchanged punts, Olenchuk’s pass was deflected and intercepted by Hudson Lee at the Dutch Fork 43. Dorman capitalized when Lee found Jayvon Hall for a 16-yard touchdown to put the Cavaliers up 28-21 headed to the 4th quarter.

Back up at its own 5, Dutch Fork embarked upon a 12-play, 95-yard game-tying scoring drive. Olenchuk and Hyatt connected on 2 critical 3rd down conversions and Hall scored from 18 yards to tie the game again with 4:16 left.

It was Hall’s 37th rushing TD of the year and he finished with 189 rushing yards. 

Both teams were unable to score at the end of the regulation. Dorman took the ball to start overtime and Omar Khan connected on a 25-yard field goal to put the Cavaliers up 31-28.

After an incomplete pass to Hall on 1st down, Olenchuk drew a fade route to Hyatt who managed to snag the ball just inside the right end of the goalline for the game-winner.

Dutch Fork (14-0-1) became the 7th team in South Carolina High School League history to win 4 straight titles. It was also their 40th straight game without a loss, 39th consecutive win over a South Carolina-based team and 20th consecutive playoff victory. 

The senior class finished with a 55-1-1 overall record. The lone loss occurred in 2017 against Fort Dorchester and the tie took place during this year's season-opener against Mallard Creek.

I’m already starting thinking,” said Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts about winning a state record 5th consecutive title. “I’m going to take this weekend off, Sunday off and Monday I’ll be getting back to work.”

Read more about the game and see more photos in the upcoming Lexington Chronicle.