Sports, achievement and community pride were on display Tuesday afternoon as reigning state 4A football champions Dutch Fork were honored by Richland County Council.

 Councilman Bill Malinowski, District 1, visited the high school to present the Silver Foxes with a resolution to mark the team's victory as a new season gets underway.

 “Supremely ready for the challenge, the Dutch Fork High School football team drove past Sumter 54-14 to capture the 2013 Class AAAA Division I State Championship held on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013,” Malinowski read from the resolution as the team and its coaches gathered under a tent at the stadium.  “The victory gave the Silver Foxes their first state football title in school history.”

 Coach Tom Knotts and principal Dr. Greg Owings accepted the signed resolution from Malinowski and thanked him for recognizing and praising the 2013 team.

 “It seems like a distant memory, but hopefully this will remind all of you what a great experience that state championship win was for us,” Knotts told his players. “We have a great team this year and we’re definitely going for two in a row.”

 Malinowski provided a copy of the resolution for each of the players and shook hands with them as they filed out of the tent and began warming up for practice.

 The Silver Foxes are already 1-0 this season after beating Greenwood last week. They travel to Allen, Texas, Sept. 5 to challenge Allen High School.

 “District 5 has always been successful academically and athletically,” Malinowski said. “There are a lot of qualified and capable teams throughout the district, and it just touches home when one of them wins a state championship.”