As Jarvis Green continued his transition to  basketball at Dutch Fork High School Friday, honors from football continue to be bestowed upon him.

Before helping the Silver Foxes win their second straight game, Gatorade named the Clemson University signee its 2022 South Carolina Football Player of the Year. The award, which — recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field — distinguished Green as the state's best high school football player.

“Well-deserving,” Dutch Fork head football coach Tom Knotts said.

“I couldn’t do that without my teammates, family and just the coaches,” Green said.  “Coach Knotts really blessed me by putting in position where I needed to be to make plays. And just to have all of this coming my way just taking my blessing and God doing his work for me.”

A three-time state champion with the Silver Foxes, Green rushed for 2,272 yards and 33 touchdowns and caught 36 passes for 527 yards and five scores as a senior. He scored 16 touchdowns in Dutch Fork’s run to a seventh state title, including four TDs in the championship game.

In addition to earning All-State honors, Green was named a finalist for the state's Mr. Football honor. He also played in the Shrine Bowl and scored the go-ahead touchdown for South Carolina.

Off the field, Green has volunteered locally with the Adopt-a-Highway program and on behalf of the Special Olympics. As a member of Faithful Black Men of America, he has also donated his time as a mentor for at-risk youth.

“Jarvis is simply the best player I have seen in South Carolina for the last two years,” said Nick Pelham, head coach of White Knoll High School who previously served as Dutch Fork defensive coordinator. “He does so many things well. Yes, he is fast, powerful, and dynamic with the ball in his hands. But what separates Jarvis is how hard he plays on every single snap. A lot of running backs can wear down or take plays off — not Jarvis.”

Green is just the seventh Midlands football player selected for the award and the first in 19 years. The previous local winners were:

• 2003 – OL Leon Hart (Spring Valley)
• 2001 – RB Demetris Summers (Lexington)
• 1999 – WR/LB Michael Boulware (Spring Valley)
• 1992 – RB Nathan Perryman (Columbia)
• 1990 – WR Bobby Engram (Camden)
• 1988 – Stacy Steegers (Andrew Jackson)

The national Gatorade Player of the Year will be announced later this month. The program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which uses experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.

This past year saw Lexington catcher Sarah Gordon win the statewide honor in softball.