Tommy Knotts’ Dutch Fork High squad romps through Cam Newton 7-on-7 tournament
Tommy Knotts made a successful homecoming of sorts to Charlotte … even if it wasn’t leading one of Mecklenburg County’s high school football teams.
Knotts saw his Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork High squad complete an undefeated run through the Cam Newton Foundation 7-on-7 tournament by winning the championship game Friday at Olympic High School.
The Silver Foxes, who have played for the South Carolina 4A-Division I title the past three seasons, beat Fort Mill’s Nation Ford High 20-12 for the title, earning the program $2,500.
“We had a couple of our wide receivers left at home because they were injured,” said Knotts, who won N.C. 4A state championships at West Charlotte (1995) and Independence (2000-2003, 2005-2006). “So I’m really pleased that we had some guys step up.”
Dutch Fork came out of Thursday’s round-robin play with the top seed in its division, and went on to take wins over Lancaster (S.C.), Shelby, Nation Ford in the winner’s bracket semifinals and Davidson Day to move into the championship game.
Nation Ford had beaten Rock Hill South Pointe and South Mecklenburg in the winner’s bracket before falling to Dutch Fork. But the Falcons fought back through the consolation bracket with wins over Hough, Blythwood (S.C.) and Davidson Day to set up a rematch with the Silver Foxes.
“It’s been a long day,” Nation Ford coach Michael Allen said. “We lost to Dutch Fork earlier in the day in a barnburner, and we had a chance (in the championship game) right there at the end as well. We had to fight back in the loser’s bracket.
“At the end of the day, I think we ran out of gas, but we had enough to make it a heck of a football game.”
Worth mentioning
Nation Ford had already earned an automatic berth into the CNF 7-on-7 Championship tournament, scheduled for July 10-11, by virtue of hosting the event. … Knotts said Dutch Fork will not compete in the CNF Championships because of a previous commitment to a 7-on-7 tournament in Georgia. … Davidson Day finished third in the tournament, earning $1,000. … In addition to Nation Ford, three teams – Hough, South Mecklenburg and Blythwood – earned wild-card berths into the CNF Championships, with at least two others to be named early next week.
This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 8:33 PM with the headline "Tommy Knotts’ Dutch Fork High squad romps through Cam Newton 7-on-7 tournament."