By Andy Walter

DOVER — Ethan Roth never expected to end up with the football in his hands.

But once the Dover High linebacker pulled in the interception, he knew where he was headed.

“When you catch the ball, you’re like, ‘Alright, this is my chance,’” Roth remembered with a smile. “You’ve got to take it, you’ve got to score.”

And Roth did score, registering his first varsity touchdown on a 20-yard return in the Senators’ 34-13 loss at Smyrna on Oct. 22.

Teammate Byron Evans was excited for his teammate and friend.

“Our freshman year, we played JV together,” said Evans. “He had a touchdown there, too. And he was always talking about him getting another touchdown. He ended up getting one so it was a good moment.”

Both players know they’ll have to make some more big plays Friday night if the No. 5 Senators (7-4) are going to topple top-seeded Smyrna (9-2) in the DIAA Class 3A state semifinals. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Smyrna.

Whatever happens, though, chances are that Evans and Roth won’t be in the spotlight. Guys like them, who play in the trenches, rarely do get noticed by the outside world.

Roth and Evans will play a big role, nonetheless, rarely leaving the field because they play on both sides of the ball.

“Those guys have both done whatever the team needs to be successful,” said Dover coach Chip Knapp.

Knapp said he has five players starting both ways right now. The others are tight end/linebacker Elijah Sessoms, running back/linebacker Jakwon Kilby and receiver/defensive back and Tyir Trott.

“But there’s very few that don’t play on both sides of the ball,” Knapp said about his team overall.

Roth has played well enough that he made first-team all-district on both defense and offense, where he’s a guard. Evans was a first-team pick at offensive tackle and a second-teamer at defensive end.

Knapp knows those players are making sacrifices by playing so much. He said Evans could be a pretty dominant player if he only lined up on defense.

“We’ve got to pick and choose our spots for him on defense,” said Knapp. “If he was just a defensive player, he’d be definitely a standout in the state. His stats are not as impressive because the offensive line position is vital to our whole operation.”

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Evans knows the season is going to take its toll on him. He tries to prepare himself the best he can for playing so much.

“I just want to be on the field as much as possible,” said Evans, who’s expected to play defensive end in college. “I’ve always got to put in countless hours in the gym to make sure I’m conditioned and then able to withstand the beatings. I’ve got to put on muscle.”

At 6-foot-1, 188 pounds, Roth knows that he’s not the biggest guy in the world. But he works hard, too, to be in good physical shape.

He said a lot of it comes down to being mentally strong as well.

“When you have a certain mentality and play hard, nothing holds you back,” said Roth.

Players like Evans and Roth live for games like Dover’s 9-7 victory over No. 4 St. Georges in the Class 3A semifinals last Saturday. Both teams’ defenses dominated the contest at times, which made every play seem a little bigger.

“That was probably the most fun game I’ve ever played in,” said Evans. “It was back and forth, a defensive game.”

The game wasn’t decided until the Senators’ defense made a stop on a fourth-and-two at Dover’s 24 yard line with just 44 seconds left.

“I saw it as it happened,” Evans said about the stop. “I just knew we won the game. You could just feel it. And then once we got on offense and took the kneel, it was just amazing.”

For all Dover’s players, the state tournament victory was the first of their careers. The Senators hadn’t won a tourney game since 2013.

Roth said it’s just exciting to still be playing in December.

“The intensity is on a whole other level,” he said. “It’s make or break and everyone is just fighting their hearts out to win that game and get to the next level.”

Extra points

Dover’s Darius Bush also made first-team all-district as an offensive tackle. ... The NFHS Network is planning to show both the Dover-Smyrna and Wilm. Friends-Woodbridge games on Friday night. ... Smyrna junior defensive end Nathaniel Chandler began his high school career at Dover. ... Among the five remaining downstate teams, Woodbridge (2019) and Smyrna (2017) have both played in state championship games recently. But it’s been a little longer for the other three: Laurel (2014), Indian River (2011) and Dover (2001).