No. 2 Weddington responds to coach’s challenge, takes down SC power Dutch Fork

Andy Capone did his best Kirby Smart speech at halftime of Friday’s game against Dutch Fork.

The Weddington coach challenged his team like Smart, the Georgia national champion coach did at halftime of last week’s game against South Carolina.

Capone’s message worked as his Weddington squad rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to defeat Dutch Fork, 17-14, in a matchup of powerhouse programs in the Carolinas.

“We played about as bad of a half football that we could play and we were only down 14-0,” Capone said. “So, I kind of used Kirby Smart, told them we are going to go in there, going to get five possessions and we are going to score on three of them. And we did.”

Not much went right for Weddington in the first half as the defending SC Class 5A champions scored twice in the first quarter to lead 14-0.

But the Silver Foxes’ offense was bottled up for much of the rest of the way and couldn’t take advantage of three Weddington turnovers.

The Warriors got the spark they needed on their second possession of the second half when Tyler Budge hit UNC commit Keenan Jackson on a flea flicker for a 70-yard TD to cut the lead to 14-7.

Weddington’s Caleb Hill had one of his two second-half interceptions as he picked off Ethan Offing on the final play of the third quarter. The Warriors capitalized on the turnover and Budge’s 4-yard run tied it at 14.

Weddington took the lead on its next possession as Everett Scott hit a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-14 with 6:08 left.

Dutch Fork turned it over on its next possession and Weddington ran out the final 5:16 with a pair of third-down conversions.

“This is a big one and the reason why we took this game,” Capone said. “Last couple of years, I felt we were right there but couldn’t get it done against top tier competition. We dropped the ball against Butler two weeks earlier.

“So for us to come, be resilient and fight, I think it is a great win heading into our bye week.”

Budge was 20-of-32 passing for 232 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. The Georgia Southern commit also rushed for 56.

Jackson had five catches for 118 yards.

The Silver Foxes drop to 2-4 on the season. The four losses are tied for the most in a season since Knotts took over the program in 2010. Dutch Fork also lost four games 2012 and 2015.

“I am not going to give up on them. I still think it is going to be the greatest story ever,” Knotts said. “I still believe it. I hope they believe in it. … We are going to gear up for White Knoll and make a run in region play. That’s the way I believe and feel about it.”

PHOTOS: Weddington at Dutch Fork

This story was originally published September 22, 2023 at 11:06 PM.