ForsythCountyNews
20
16
THE FUTURE IS NOW NEW COACHES. NEW REGIONS. NEW SWAGGER. FORSYTH COUNTY FOOTBALL IS READY TO TAKE OFF.
MORE INSIDE: TEAM PREVIEWS, ROSTERS AND MUCH MORE THIS IS THE SEASON WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR, PAGE 28
(Table of contents) Team Previews
(Contributors) SPORTS EDITOR Brian Paglia bpaglia@forsythnews.com 770-205-8976 Twitter: @BrianPaglia SPORTS WRITER Michael Foster mfoster@forsythnews.com 770-205-8972 Twitter: @michaelsfoster CREATIVE DIRECTOR Micah Green mgreen@forsythnews.com 770-205-8980 Twitter: @micahgreen15 ADVERTISING Ryan Garmon Advertising Director rgarmon@forsythnews.com 770-205-8960
GHSA TEAMS
Forsyth Central......................................................6 Lambert..................................................................8 North Forsyth.......................................................10 Pinecrest Academy..............................................12 South Forsyth......................................................14 West Forsyth........................................................18 GICAA TEAMS
Horizon Christian Academy...............................20
Extras FCN Preseason All-County Team........................2 Big games, big names.......................................27 The season we’ve been waiting for..................28
On the cover
Cheri Boghos Connor Kelly Allison Althauser Account Executives GRAPHIC DESIGN Angie Decker PRODUCTION MANAGER Tracie Pike MANAGEMENT Vince Johnson Publisher vjohnson@forsythnews.com 770-205-8945 Kayla Robins Editor krobins@forysthnews.com 770-205-8971
(Connect) Follow us twitter.com/forsythsports instagram.com/fcnsports Like us facebook.com/forsythsports Email us sports@forsythnews.com
4|
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
Photos by Micah Green Forsyth County News/Staff illustration
Forsyth County football players, from left, Eli Huggins (West Forsyth), Simon Holcomb (North Forsyth), Sabrian Howard (Forsyth Central), Davis Shanley (South Forsyth), Ryan McCarthy (Pinecrest Academy), Jacob Grinstead (Horizon Christian) and Mac Redmond (Lambert) will help lead their respective teams in what figures to be an exciting 2016 season. FALL 2016
(forsythcentralbulldogs)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
Forsyth Central has veteran leaders like Sebastian Legarra (from left), Sabrian Howard and Jacob Ward to keep the Bulldogs on track as they enter a new region with a new head coach.
BULLDOGS HIT RESET BUTTON FORMER WEST COACH PUTTING STAMP ON CENTRAL By Cameron Adamcyzk
For the Forsyth County News
For the Forsyth Central Bulldogs, the upcoming season represents a fresh start. The oldest high school in the county
6
| 2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
has struggled to eclipse mediocrity for years. A new head coach and new competition gives the Bulldogs hope that this season won’t look like the seasons of past. New head coach Frank Hepler is not an unfamiliar face around Forsyth County football. He started West Forsyth’s football program back in 2007 before moving to Florida in 2014. Hepler gained a reputation of building winning programs, as demonstrated by his 58-17 record while
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 26 at Dawson County Sept. 2 vs. River Ridge Sept. 9 vs. Meadowcreek Sept. 16 at Duluth Sept. 23 vs. Kennesaw Mountain Oct. 7 at North Forsyth* Oct. 14 vs. West Forsyth* Oct. 21 at Milton* Oct. 28 vs. South Forsyth* Nov. 4 at Lambert* * Region 5-7A game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season: 1955 Playoff appearances: 5 (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001) Region titles: 3 (1996, 1997, 2000) State titles: none
FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 2 Jeff Repasz 3 Zac Kennedy 4 Calvin Morris 5 Jacob Woodard 6 Matt Falink 7 Jacob Bump 8 Spencer Pagley 9 Blake Wood 10 Hunter Stephens 11 Sebastian Legarra 12 Kyle Marzullo 13 Tristen Rose 14 Dalton Edmunds 15 Jacob Ward 16 Hunter Cagle 17 Brad Thiltgen 18 Cameron Cox 19 Brooke Goodrow 20 Dylan Buchs 21 Mark Heard 22 Parker Jeppson 23 Derrick Richemond 24 Cayden Sherman 25 Sabrian Howard 27 Patrick Leathers 28 Ben Kronz 29 Michael Corona 30 Dallas Partridge
Year 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 10 10 12 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 10 11 11 11
the head coach of West Forsyth. Hepler inherits a program that has had one winning season in 14 years. On top of the new staff, the Bulldogs will be facing a step up in competition. The class realignment places Forsyth Central amongst county rivals like North Forsyth and Hepler’s former employer. “Familiarity with the county will help some. Two years out of the county, it changed a little bit,” Hepler said, “But I have kept a close eye on what has happened here. That familiarity will help with playing in [Class] 5-7A.” For Hepler, this season isn’t about an instant turnaround. Central has its eyes set on smaller targets that will accumulate into success over time. “We don’t have set wins and losses as goals,” Hepler said. “We just have to work hard and get better. The scoreboard will take care of itself. It is a factor, but we are just focused on improving and making the program better.” The Bulldogs offense is going to feel different this season, but they will have familiar talent riddled across the field. Sabrian Howard, Central’s leading rusher in 2015, returns for his senior season. Howard proved to be one of the most talented backs in Forsyth County last season when he gained 645 rushing FALL 2016
No. Name 31 Drake Church 32 James Davies 33 Chris Quinlan 34 Kyle Zifcheck 35 Warren Walker 36 M.J. Brand 37 Brody Palmer 38 Kyle Hawthorne 39 Kyle Owenby 40 Jackson Leak 41 Avery Duff 42 Jacob Walter 44 Devran Orsan 45 Josh Weihrauch 46 Matt Creszenzo 47 Dariel Underwood 48 Austin McKinzie 49 Christian Petino 50 Bryce Malone 51 Davis Coats 52 Michael Page 53 Anthony Preschetti 54 A.J. Jean Baptiste 55 Ruben Aguiliera 56 Rett Winter 57 Matt Olson 58 Tyler Williams 59 Sean Bielicki
Year 11 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 11 11 11 11
No. Name 60 Blake McDaniel 61 Garret Nash 62 Colton Hines 63 Haygen Rabensdorf 64 Matthew Dees 65 Davis Mullivan 65 Jorge Torres 66 Ethan Jagnandan 67 Patrick Rudisill 69 C.J. Sheets 70 Wyatt Riney 71 Billy Francis 72 Ben Ranke 73 Eddie Gueteriez 74 Austin Payne 75 Jake Gardner 76 Matthew Quinn 77 Chris Clapper 78 Justin Thorne 79 Cameron Mattis 81 Sam Lawrence 84 Ryan Smith 85 Richard Pellini 88 Keaton Platzke 90 Jahir JT Tinjaca 99 Angel Garcia
yards and scored seven touchdowns. Howard will be depended on to carry a large chunk of the offense again in 2016. “We are looking to run a balanced offense, but when you have a young man like that, you are going to look to get the ball in his hand as much as possible,” Hepler said. “He wants to carry the load and be a guy that we can rely on.” The Bulldogs return four out of their five offensive linemen from last season. Two of the standouts are seniors Billy Francis and Ethan Jagnandan. The tandem will lead the way in opening gaps for Howard, but they are also in charge of protecting young quarterback Brad Thiltgen. It’s no secret that Frank Hepler likes his traditional quarterbacks. While at West, Hepler’s offenses were pass-heavy, throwing the ball at least 200 times per season. Last season, Central threw the ball just 80 times total. This season, Hepler hopes to strike balance, and he hopes to find that balance with junior Thiltgen. “My philosophy on offense is do what your athletes can do best and strive for balance,” Hepler said. “That’s what we’re working towards, but we aren’t See CENTRAL | 22
Year 11 10 10 10 10 10 11 12 10 11 10 12 10 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 11 10
THE COACH Frank Hepler
At Central: 0-0, first season. Overall: 188-59, 23rd season.
2015 RESULTS 4-6 overall, 1-5 in 7-5A, Div. B Central 28, Dawson County 8 Central 39, Woodland-Cart. 7 Cass 42, Central 18 Kell 14, Central 13* Riverwood 50, Central 13* North Atlanta 39, Central 33* Sprayberry 9, Central 0* Central 56, North Springs 14* Cambridge 36, Central 21* Central 36, Woodland-Cart. 10 * Region 7-5A, Div. B game Passes thrown by starting quarterback Brad Thiltgen last season. The junior will be expected to direct Central’s new balanced offense under Coach Frank Hepler.
5
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW |
7
(LAMBERTLonghorns)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
Lambert’s Brian Wright (from left), Richie Kenney, Marcus Chatelain, Dylan Shepherd and Mac Redmond lead a Longhorns team accustommed now to making the state playoffs.
HORNS ON SOLID GROUND LAMBERT BELIEVES IN SYSTEM DESPITE HOLES TO FILL By Brian Paglia
bpaglia@forsythnews.com
A football season for Lambert has been a lesson in repetition. Winning season. Playoff appearance.
8
| 2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
First-round loss. Repeat. T h a t ’s b e e n t h e r e s u l t f o r t h e Longhorns five of the past six seasons, and three straight after last season’s 35-13 loss to Collins Hill in the Class 6A first round. So Lambert is now firmly established as a region title-contender, a state playoff-caliber program. That can’t be disputed. “We have a tradition where we expect to compete for a region championship
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 26 at Mountain View Sept. 2 vs. Collins Hill Sept. 9 vs. Cherokee Sept. 16 at Lanier Sept. 23 vs. Wheeler Oct. 7 vs. South Forsyth* Oct. 14 at North Forsyth* Oct. 21 at West Forsyth* Oct. 28 at Milton* Nov. 4 vs. Forsyth Central* * Region 5-7A game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season 2010 Playoff appearances 5 (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015) Region titles None State titles None FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Position Year
Ken Dicks RB Noah Beck WR Justin Bruno TE/DL Marcus Chatelain FS Jaryd Jean-Felix DB Deshon Stoudamire WR/DB Cole Bennett WR/DB Sam Carlson WR/DB Tyler Gillis WR/CB Richie Kenney QB Bobby Gabriel QB Will Merriam WR Steven Majors WR/DB Noah Johnson TE/DL Taylor Brinkerhoff TE/DL Drew Triplett WR Jakob Unhoch WR/DB Bryce Chason TE/DL Bryce Christensen K Josh Nasser WR/DB Tyler Ray CB/WR Tyler Wright OL/DL Harrison Pomfret RB Camron Carter WR Hayden Gargosh WR/DB Jacob Givens LB/RB Will Kohlins RB/LB Brian Wright RB/LB Eric Kohlins RB/LB Brandt SchimmelpfennigFB/SS
11 12 11 11 12 10 12 10 11 12 11 12 11 11 12 11 11 11 11 12 12 10 12 12 12 10 11 12 12 10
every year,” Lambert third-year head coach Louis Daniel said. “If you’re not doing that, you’re probably not setting your goals correctly.” The question now is: what more can Lambert be? The first place to look for the answer is the Longhorns’ offensive line. Last season, Lambert had the most experienced unit in the county, an allsenior group led by East Carolina signee Sean Bailey. They allowed the Longhorns to overcome a rash of injuries to running backs over the course of the season and still average 182 yards a game on the ground and score 27 touchdowns. As many as eight players have been competing to fill last season’s group’s shoes. There are seniors Sam Glass, Blake Hardee, Matt Housley and Ford Stroup, and juniors Bryce Chason, Josh Hawkins, Mark Rupert and Sean Warren. “It’s hard to replace Sean Bailey and Cliff Snyder,” Daniel said. “But the top six or six across the board, they’re a talented group of kids. And they’re gelling together. I don’t look for this group to take a back seat.” They’ll have plenty of experience around them. Senior Richie Kenney returns at quarterback after completing 56.5 percent of FALL 2016
No. Name 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61
Alex Creel Chris Taylor Mac Redmond Dylan Shepherd Zach Ansari Hunter Gore Jeff Benjamin Kyle Jones Jake Rising David Standeven Anthony Nasah Chris Nealy Alec Fields Clay Wells Drew Dockter Jackman Bartow Max Benedict Daniel Kim Easton Folley Ford Stroup Mason Sheets Tom Sweeney Partick Bouhan Blake Hardee Mark Rupert Max Wilson Jacob Pulliam Jack Fleming Lucas Kochevar Sam Glass
Position Year RB/LB LB/TE LB/FB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB FB/LB FB/LB RB/DB OL/DL TE/DL WR/DB TE/LB FB/DL RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL
11 10 12 12 10 10 10 11 9 10 11 11 12 11 9 11 11 10 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 11 10 11 11 12
No. Name 62 63 64 65 66 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 88 92 93 98 99
his passes for 1,517 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Junior Bobby Gabriel returns as a change of pace. He threw a few passes (9-for-20 for 84 yards and 2 TDs) but was most effective as a runner with 165 yards and eight touchdowns on 46 carries. They’ll have a big hole at wide receiver with the loss of Georgia Southern signee Tanner Hall – or not. Junior Tyler Gillis was a dangerous compliment to Hall last season, catching 24 passes for 433 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, track sprinter Camron Carter joined the team, and Daniel likes the group competing for catches like Gabriel, Will Merriam, Steven Majors and tight end Alex Snyder. “Our perimeter kids are not bad this year,” Clack said. Whatever questions there are at wide receivers, there are none at running back – other than, perhaps, who will stay healthy. Six players return who combined for 1,859 yards and 18 touchdowns, and none played an entire season due to injuries. Will Kohlins (601 yards, 6TDs in six games), Harrison Pomfret (428 yards, 5TDs in eight games), Dylan Shepherd (133 yards, 2TDs) and Brian Wright (419 See LAMBERT | 27
Dylan McKinney Brandon Weiss Parker Reynolds Nick Shelley Ethan Young Ryan Mills David Stein Jonathan Hemings Matt Housley Ethan Anderson Slaton Horton Carson Campbell DJ Bryan Sean Warren Josh Hawkins Ben Matray Michael Kloster Anthony Shumake Blake Nichols Andrew Gold Jacob Greiser Jack Bennett Alex Snyder Johnathan O’Neill Michael Wilkins Nik Propes Ryan Worth Chandler Evans Nathan Smith
Position Year OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB TE/DL TE/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/DL WR/DB TE/DL K WR/DB OL/DL TE/DL
11 12 12 10 12 11 12 10 12 10 10 12 12 11 11 10 11 11 10 10 10 10 11 12 11 12 11 11 10
THE COACH Louis Daniel
At Lambert: 15-7, third season. Overall: 15-7, third season.
2015 RESULTS 8-3 overall, 8-1 Region 6-6A Lanier 17, Lambert 7 Lambert 32, Johns Creek 15* Lambert 45, Centennial 36* Lambert 17, Alpharetta, 14* Lambert 42, North Forsyth 14* Lambert 21, Habersham 7* Lambert 41, Northview 7* Lambert 35, West Forsyth 31* Lambert 41, Chattahoochee 26* South Forsyth 31, Lambert 6* Collins Hill 35, Lambert 13** * Region 6-6A game ** GHSA playoff game
27.3 Points per game last season by the Lambert offense, a school record.
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW |
9
(northforsythraiders)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
North Forsyth’s Griffin Hughes (from left), Robert Bishop and Bradley Thomas are eager to taste success under first-yead head coach Robert Craft.
RAIDERS WITH NEW CAPTAIN NEW COACH CRAFT RETOOLS OFFENSE, EXPECTATIONS By Cameron Adamcyzk
For the Forsyth County News
At times, the North Forsyth Raiders have struggled to get people to believe. Even when they reeled off a 7-4 season
10 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
in 2013 and made the state playoffs, it looked more like an aberration than a sign of stability after the Raiders won three games the following two seasons combined. But North’s perception was not important for new head coach Robert Craft. He knew he only had one group of guys that he needed to worry about getting to believe. The team that Craft inherited is young. They are missing key players like Jackson
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 19 vs. Sequoyah Aug. 26 at Johns Creek Sept. 2 at Loganville Sept. 16 vs. Pickens County Sept. 23 at Woodstock Oct. 7 vs. Forsyth Central* Oct. 14 vs. Lambert* Oct. 21 at South Forsyth* Oct. 28 at West Forsyth* Nov. 4 vs. Milton* * Region 5-7A game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season: 1994 Playoff appearances: 8 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013) Region titles: 1 (2001) State titles: none
FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Position Year
Jonathan Fleming CB Honus Wagner SS Charlie Aiken WR Simon Holcomb WR/CB Carter Mullikin QB Todd Short Ethan McGehee RB/SS Nathan Cook SS/FS Thomas Sheets DE Chuck Nordholz WR Cedric Touchstone RB/FS Gavin Schubiger WR/DB Benjamin Bales QB Tristan Howard RB/CB Clayton Bardall OLB/TE Mason Mulnix QB Arthur Boyzo K/P Yaw Perry RB Robert Bishop FS/WR Nicky Dalmolin WR Shaun Herock OLB/SS Griffin Hughes MLB/OLB Griffin Heffington RB/LB Kolten Dickerson JC Wilkinson WR Bryson Trigg RB/SS Brice Davis RB/CB Jeffery Rice RB/CB Michael Bun DE Sam Atha RB
10 10 10 12 10 10 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 11 11 10 11 11 12 9 12 12 12 10 10 10 11 12 12 11
Bardall (Eastern Kentucky) and Jacob Bailey who anchored the team over the past few seasons. The group that experienced the state playoffs is gone, and Craft is left with the challenge to re-establish a winning mindset. “The biggest thing we wanted to bring into this program is to raise the expectations within our program,” Craft said. “Begin to get our players, parents, coaches, fans and everyone involved believing that we can win and win big.” C o l q u i t t C o u n t y, C r a f t ’s f o r m e r employer, is the two-time reigning state champion and has one of the best football programs in the entire country. Bringing that experience has brought new life into the school. “There is lots of excitement and energy [for the season],” Craft said. “I am excited where this program is going, excited where our athletic department is going, excited about the general direction our entire school is going. The energy in our building is very contagious.” The narrative for this football team is overcoming. Overcoming the doubt. Overcoming the big losses of personnel on both sides of the ball. Overcoming the idea that North can’t compete with the teams in their region. The first step in overcoming these question marks has FALL 2016
No. Name 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Position Year
Chase Johnson QB/SS Gavin Struminger WR/DB John Allen Whitacre CB/WR Caleb Rosario CB Jake Hurley TE Hudson Stone OLB/TE Bradley Thomas CB/RB Isaiah Ruiz FB/MLB Caleb Vercek CB Luke Nielsen OLB Dalton Crawford TE/DE Jonathan Perez CB/RB Preston Peretti WR Jean-Pierre Descous OLB/RB Ethan Holland Brent Grab C Cade Jensen DT/G Austin Kennedy G/MLB Dakota Bryant G/DT Kohnor Martin MLB Nicholas Sing FB/DT Guillermo Chavarria G/NG Isaac Ridings NG Mason Wacker NG/DT Grant Scalia MLB Colt Walls TE/DT Jake Murrah G/DT Sidney Gibson T Bryce Golden G Parker Brinton T/C/DT
11 11 11 10 10 12 12 12 10 12 11 11 11 11 10 10 11 12 12 10 12 11 12 12 10 11 11 10 10 11
No. Name
65 66 67 68 69 70 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 94 95 97 98 99
been reinventing itself during the offseason. “We have had a really good offseason. I have been so impressed by how hard our kids have shown up every day to work,” Craft said. “We have made several changes within our program, but the kids seem to adapt to those changes and do everything we as a coaching staff ask of them.” The Raiders became known for their traditional approach under former head coach Jason Galt. They ran the ball 431 times compared to only 147 total pass attempts during the 2015 campaign. The new regime looks to change that. “We want to be a balanced offense, meaning, try to spread the ball out to as many people as possible,” Craft said. Rebalancing the offense begins with offensive focal-point Simon Holcomb. Holcomb is coming off an impressive junior season where he led the Raiders with 678 yards on the ground and 588 yards receiving. “Simon Holcomb returns after a big junior year,” Craft said, “so he is definitely the guy that our offense will run through.” Holcomb is as dynamic of an athlete as they come, but he has big shoes to fill.
Position Year
JT Simonds C/NG Ryan Foust G Connor Ramey G Elijah Byrd T Jesse Patton Jeremy McGinnis DT Jacob Sheets DT Phillip Smith DE Daniel Espinoza T Harrison Allen Chandler Cates G Jeremy James T Seth Ferguson T Nate Grimes WR Nick Janik WR Trevor Morone WR Chris Cutter DE/LB/TE Nick Lanier TE/DE Hampton Wingruber TE/OLB Cason Sturtevant TE/DL Kenneth Lyerly WR Alex Janik WR/CB Grant Sarbon TE Shaker Awad OLB Matthew Lajoie DE Joseph Lora DE Nicholas Tomassetti K Thor Billstrom K Jahelle Golding DT Een Bice MLB
11 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 12 12 11 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 12
THE COACH Robert Craft
At North: 0-0, first season. Overall: 49-21, seventh season.
2015 RESULTS 2-8 overall, 2-7 Region 6-6A Cherokee 33, North 24 North 37, Chattahoochee 27* Northview 26, North 9* South 35, North 3* Lambert 42, North 14* West 48, North 17* Johns Creek 17, North 14* Centennial 49, North 39* North 20, Habersham 14* Alpharetta 35, North 21* * Region 6-6A game
1,429 All-purpose yards last season for senior wide receiver Simon Holcomb.
See NORTH | 22 2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW |
11
(pinecrestacademypaladins)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
Garrison Winter (from left), Ryan McCarthy, Corey Downes, Carson Holler and Wills Brown helped Pinecrest Academy have a breakout season in 2015 with a region title and state quarterfinal run.
BUILDING ON A BREAKOUT EXPERIENCED PALADINS HOPE TO ECLIPSE 2015 RUN By Michael Foster
mfoster@forsythnews.com
Last season was a breakthrough year for the Pinecrest Academy Paladins, who had yet to reach double digit wins in a season
12 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
as members of the Georgia High School Association (they went 11-2 under Charles Wiggins in 2009, but as part of GISA). Todd Winter’s program has shown progress each year since he took over in 2012. After winning five games in his first two seasons the team won seven in 2014 and went 10-2 last year. Their only loss in the regular season was a 35-19 result against defending state champion Mount Paran Christian, but they turned around and beat the Eagles in the region title game just
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 26 at South Forsyth Sept. 2 vs. Discovery Sept. 16 at Walker* Sept. 23 at Mount Pisgah* Sept. 29 vs. Mount Paran* Oct. 7 vs. King’s Ridge* Oct. 14 at Fellowship Christian* Oct. 21 vs. Whitefield Academy* Oct. 28 at St. Francis* Nov. 4 Region 6-1A crossover * 6-1A, Div. B game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season: 2004 Playoff appearances: 6 (2004*, 2005*, 2007*, 2008*, 2009*, 2014**, 2015**) Region titles: 3 (2007*, 2009*, 2015**) State titles: none * GISA ** GHSA FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 1 Patrick Sullivan 2 Bryan Bradford 3 Addison Ehle 4 Carson Holler 5 Michael Bizores 7 Danile Duke 10 Hogan Palmer 11 Ethan Massey 12 Stuart Jeans 13 Ryan McCarthy 15 Sawyer Hufstetler 17 Mickey Mangan 20 Matt DelBalzo 21 Jack Binkley 22 Hunter Hawk
Position QB/LB RB/DB RB/OLB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB QB/DB K QB/LB WR/OLB QB/OLB OL/LB WR/DB RB/LB
Year 10 10 12 12 11 12 10 9 12 12 9 11 9 12 9
over a month later. If the Paladins can shrug off the thought of their 43-15 state playoff loss against Stratford Academy they should be in for another special season. Many of the expectations come thanks to the return of Ryan McCarthy, who should contend to be the county’s offensive player of the year as a senior. The Citadel commit rushed for 1,284 yards last season with 22 touchdowns as the facilitator of the team’s dangerous triple option offense. He’s also considered one of the best linebackers in Class A after registering 77 tackles and intercepting four passes a season ago. McCarthy, now well over 200 pounds, makes Pinecrest a tough out on both sides of the ball. “A lot about Ryan has changed actually,” Winter said. “He’s much bigger than he was, a lot stronger than last year, and he’s become even more of a leader for us. What we want to do this year is give him the opportunity to change plays at the line. He is going to have the ability to handle more, and he actually played 10 games last year with a torn meniscus, so he’s healthier.” With a dominant McCarthy at the helm, Pinecrest will look to make a splash against some high class competition outside of its region schedule. The Paladins will play a road game a mile from campus when they face South Forsyth, last season’s Region 6-6A champion, in the season opener on
FALL 2016
No. Name Position 23 Will Patota WR/LB 25 Brooks Binkley RB/LB 26 Troy Laplaca WR/DB 27 John Paul Caprara WR/DB 31 Bosco Sanchez Mejorada RB/LB 40 Peter Hoover RB/LB 41 Joe Metz RB/LB 44 Jackson Wilmot OL/DL 45 Brandon Redecker RB/OLB 51 Carson Boyles OL/DL 52 Nolan Stafford OL/DL 55 Stone Brown OL/DL/LS 56 Garrison Winter OL/DL 58 Zachary Schectman OL/DL 61 Joey Kiernan OL/LB
Year 11 11 9 11 10 10 9 12 9 10 11 10 12 10 9
No. Name 62 Alan Yadav 64 Tyler Schmidt 65 Michael Newcomer 67 Zachary Haynes 70 Jackson Mueller 71 Chad Pacas 72 Peter Haynes 73 John Paul Rodriguez 74 Kyle Gadaleta 75 Billy Bear 79 Cameron Kingsley 81 William Brown 82 Corey Downes 83 Tripp Hochman 88 Matt Stone
Aug. 26. After that contest they’ll turn around and host Discovery, a brand new Class 7A school that was briefly in the hands of Frank Hepler (now at Forsyth Central), that will be playing just its third game in team history. The schedule is all a strategic move from Winter, who had been trying to schedule a game against a Forsyth school for a few seasons. “A lot of people say we shouldn’t play the 7A schools,” Winter said. “But with the way the point system is set up it’s just an advantage for us. We get rewarded for playing higher class teams. At the end of the day it’s a huge challenge and opportunity for us.” The biggest challenge for Pinecrest, personnel wise, will be replacing Mitchell Ojeda, who made big plays on offense and defense last season as a senior, finishing second on the team in touchdowns (eight) and snagging four interceptions. McCarthy should continue to produce a bulk of the team’s rushing yardage, but slot backs Michael Bizores (46 carries for 359 yards) and Corey Downes (three receptions for 58 yards) both return after being named second-team all-region last season. Carson Holler, who led the team with 13 catches last year, returns as a weapon at receiver or in the backfield. See PINECREST | 24
Position Year OL/LB 12 OL/DL 9 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 9 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 9 OL/LB 9 OL/DL 9 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 9 OL/DL 10 OL/DL/LS 12 WR/DB 12 WR/DL 9 WR/DB/K/P 9
THE COACH Todd Winter
At Pinecrest: 27-15, fifth season Overall: 103-102, 18th season
2015 RESULTS 10-2 overall, 5-0 Region 6-1A, Div. B Pinecrest 42, North Springs 15 Pinecrest 34, Walker 12 Pinecrest 27, Trion 24 (OT) Mount Paran 35, Pinecrest 19 Pinecrest 19, Whitefield 0* Pinecrest 49, St. Francis 13* Pinecrest 28, Mount Pisgah 25* Pinecrest 34, Fellowship 21* Pinecrest 38, King’s Ridge 6* Pinecrest 28, Mount Paran 21 Pinecrest 20, Athens Christian 7** Stratford Acad. 43, Pinecrest 15** * Region 6-1A, Div. B game ** GHSA playoff game
1,284 Rushing yards by Pinecrest QB Ryan McCarthy last season, a school record.
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW | 13
(southforsythwareagles)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
South Forsyth’s Jack Winkie (from left), Ryan LaFlamme, Davis Shanley, Max Slott and Julian Mingo.
CAN THEY SOAR AGAIN? KEY SPOTS TO FILL OFF 2015 CONTENDER By Michael Foster
mfoster@forsythnews.com
It’s hard to believe in hindsight that South Forsyth head coach Jeff Arnette had tempered expectations for his football team
14 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
heading into last season. The War Eagles were preparing to replace 14 starters from a 6-5 football team, and Arnette didn’t know who would be his quarterback. It turned out that Arnette’s “what ifs” and “we don’t knows” were a gold mine. A special group of seniors, led by the FCN’s Defensive Player of the Year Cameron Kline, safety Curtis Roach, receivers Jalen Camp and Ronnie Chambliss, running backs Sam Outlaw, Stanley Epeagba and Toki Adeosun and
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 19 vs. Hillgrove, 8:45 p.m.+ Aug. 26 vs. Pinecrest Academy Sept. 2 at Centennial Sept. 9 vs. South Gwinnett Sept. 23 at Lassiter Oct. 7 at Lambert* Oct. 14 vs. Milton* Oct. 21 vs. North Forsyth* Oct. 28 at Forsyth Central* Nov. 4 vs. West Forsyth* + Corky Kell Classic (McEachern) * Region 5-7A game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season: 1991 Playoff appearances: 9 (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2014, 2015) Region titles: 2 (1997, 2015) State titles: none FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Caleb Outlaw Jake Nicholas Julian Mingo Guy Morra Kyle Elkins Brice Pearce Tyler Bowman Jaylen Pearson Myles Ellis Ryan Pontrelli Corey Peacock Cole Aycock Carsen Hepworth Drew Morris Jess Lucas Davis Shanley Cal Morris Max Slott Shane Doyle Sean O’Malley Jackson Parker Landon Sims Jake Wilson Andrew Stephens Jack Pehrson Zach Miller Dustin Ellsberry Jared Honey Martin Armenta Francis Agyeman Joey Johnson Hudson Foy
Position Year QB/DB RB/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB/DB RB/DB QB WR/QB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB K RB/LB FB/LB WR/LB
11 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 12 11 11 10 11 12 11 12 11 12 11 10 11 12 10 12 12 11 10 11 12 12
many more helped South win 11 games — the most in school history — and earn wins over former state champions in Norcross and Tucker. South then held a lead against Colquitt County in the fourth quarter of the state quarterfinals — the only team to do so in the postseason. The bottom fell out, the Packers went on to win a state title, but South put itself on the map. Now Arnette has been sitting in his office wondering the exact same things as last season. If the War Eagles are to build on last year’s incredible campaign they’ll have to have the luck of filling in key spots with great players for the second year in a row. “It’s not just replacing players, but it’s how well those guys can gel together. Each group is different. It’s about injuries as well. There’s so many intangible things that you just don’t know about until you play your first few games,” Arnette said. “One thing however, compared to last season, is that we know who our quarterback is.” Last year’s FCN Offensive Player of the Year Davis Shanley has South in good hands. As a junior he passed for 2,348 yards, completed 63 percent of his passes, rushed for 623 more yards and scored 33 total touchdowns (25 in the air, eight on the ground). If Shanley, who committed to Western Kentucky on August 6, is to repliFALL 2016
No. Name 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
Alex Shawa James Porter Axel Webber Max Pehrson Nick Sewing Jacob Meersman Ryan LaFlamme Daryn Rogers Patrick King George Najdek William Burch Andrew Crews Daniel Relf J.B. Gerring Nick Barton Richard Jordan Jordan Nelson Christian Welch Cameron Michini Dylan Nissley Matthew Hutcheson Adam Thomas Gabe Cleveland Grant Pearce Briggs Hutcheson Harvey Coleman Ryan Anderson Branden Prince Jamal Camp Vincent Donati Jack Winkie Ryan Gallagher
Position Year
WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DL RB/DL TE/LB RB/LB WR/DB TE/LB FB/LB FB/DL RB/LB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL
12 11 11 11 11 12 11 10 12 11 10 11 12 12 10 11 11 10 10 12 10 12 11 12 11 10 11 12 10 11 12 12
No. Name 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 96 97 98
cate his banner season he’ll need the group of first-year starters around him to grow up fast. He built chemistry with the team this spring and summer in 7-on-7 camps, including the Corky Kell Classic and USA Nationals. South’s leading returner at receiver, Guy Morra, had just 13 receptions for 205 yards last year, but the diminutive pass catcher has big time ball skills. Backup quarterback Cal Morris has impressed Arnette more than anyone as a receiver and should start opposite of Morra, while tight end Ryan Pontrelli has the potential to be very reliable. Even though South takes a big hit with the loss of offensive lineman Tyler McLellan, who has moved to South Carolina, the returning core up front with Jordan Nelson, Dylan Nissley, Jack Winkie will anchor what Arnette thinks is the deepest position group on the team. The big guys up front will create blocking room for senior running back Jake Nicholas and junior Tyler Bowman. “We are very fortunate to have depth on the offensive line,” Arnette said. “They will continue to be our strong suit this season, we expect anyways.” Only four starters return on defense, but
Position Year
Aaron Vuong OL/DL Matthew Barry OL/DL Luis Gonzalez OL/DL Davis Duncan OL/DL Ian Hunt OL/DL Nicholas Hartman OL/DL Matthew Breindl OL/DL Jake Nitowski OL/DL Trevor Patrick OL/DL Andrew Artz OL/DL Nick Patrick OL/DL Jake Lasprilla OL/DL Peyton Kelley WR/DB Charlie Hale K Evan Ginsburg WR/LB Josh Taylor WR/LB John Brannigan WR/DB Douglas HandschumacherWR/DB Ehren Achtermann WR/DB Matthew Leachman TE/DL Alec Whitley TE/DL Zavian Capers WR/DB Haris Ahmed TE/DL Ryan Hughes OL/DL Cameron Fox WR/DB Pierce Meier WR/DB Andrew Hill WR/DB Josh Tew TE/DL Dante Johnson DL Alex Hardy K
12 11 10 11 11 10 12 11 10 12 11 12 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 12 12 9 12 10 10 10 10 11 11 11
THE COACH Jeff Arnette
At South: 36-29, seventh season Overall: 81-53-1, 14th season
2015 RESULTS 11-2 overall, 8-1 Region 6-6A South 45, Mountain View 14 South 21, Centennial 6* South 55, Habersham 35* South 35, North 3* South 40, Chattahoochee 9* South 41, Northview 7* West 38, South 34* South 49, Alpharetta 7* South 42, Johns Creek 3* South 31, Lambert 6* South 20, Norcross 14** South 42, Tucker 35** Colquitt County 49, South 31** * Region 6-6A game ** GHSA playoff game
See SOUTH | 24 2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW | 15
SOUTH
201
16
FORSYTH
(westforsythwolverines)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
West Forsyth seniors Eli Huggins (from left), Jackson Brantley, Grant Torgerson, Kiernen Hamilton and Joey Congrove will have to lead the Wolverines through a challenging non-region schedule.
EYES ON A BIGGER PRIZE AFTER RETURN TO PLAYOFFS, WEST AIMS FOR MORE By Brian Paglia
bpaglia@forsythnews.com
Last season, West Forsyth got back to where it feels it belongs: the state playoffs. The Wolverines had a run of four consec-
18 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
utive state playoff appearances from 201013 snapped in 2014 under first-year head coach Adam Clack despite going 6-4 and tying for fourth place in the region. West lost a tiebreaker, and so it missed out on a fifth straight appearance, which would’ve been a Forsyth County record. Instead, its season was over. So the Wolverines left no doubt in 2015, going 7-3 in the regular season to finish third in Region 6-6A and return to the state playoffs.
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 19 at Woodstock Aug. 26 vs. Pace Academy Sept. 9 vs. Hillgrove Sept. 16 at Dacula Sept. 23 vs. Newnan Oct. 7 at Milton* Oct. 14 at Forsyth Central* Oct. 21 vs. Lambert* Oct. 28 vs. North Forsyth* Nov. 4 at South Forsyth* * Region 5-7A game
TROPHY CASE First varsity season: 2008 Playoff appearances: 5 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) Region titles: 1 (2012) State titles: none
FALL 2016
2016ROSTER No. Name 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Grant Torgerson Zachary Wheeler Clay Crocker Zach Burns Joshua Nash Heath McConnell Blake Snee Kiernen Hamilton Mark Claiborne Thomas Arundale Casey Cowart Russell Kenny Bryce Jones Abraham Camara J.R. Brockman Caleb Bell Wesley Ross Alex Parris Joey Congrove Saxby Waxer Ricky Zacholski Cade Vela Reece Hollis Jason Valesquez Trevor Hickman Matt Nalley Trevor Jennings Eli Huggins Easton Baggett Eli Harbin Zach Taylor
Position Year TB WR RB QB DB DB RB QB DB DB QB DB WR TB DB DB DB DB DB RB WR DB DB DB LB DB DB DL RB LB LB
12 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 11 12 9 10 11 10 11 10 12 10 12 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 11 12 10 12 11
Now, West has even bigger things in mind. Loaded with offensive weapons and experience on defense, the Wolverines are feeling ambitious. A state playoff appearance won’t suffice. They want more. “Our big thing this year is finish — we want to finish ballgames,” Clack said. “We want to not look back on any opportunity we have this year and think, ‘What if?’” And so West designed a non-region schedule to fit its ambitions. The Wolverines will face a returning state champion (Pace Academy), two returning playoff teams (Hillgrove, Newnan) and a traditional Gwinnett County power (Dacula). “We’ve got some tough opponents,” Clack said. “We see that and welcome that challenge because of the expectations that we have for this year.” West’s offense centers around senior quarterback Kiernen Hamilton, and it will even more this season. Yes, while the 6-foot-3, 220-pound signal caller had an impressive junior season — completing 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,563 yards and 29 touchdowns — it was more impressive considering he jumped into an offense not tailored to his strengths. Hamilton had moved to West’s district from New York the June before school started and went through a position battle through the
FALL 2016
No. Name 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 59 60 61 62
Jacob Weldy Mikhari Sibblis Jacob Coffman Casey Bishop Jake Cummings Zach Claiborne Kyle Ruiz Riley Gravitt Austin Casey Mitch Hollyfield Jordan Dreyovich Grayson Smith Cole Heindl Jackson Brantley Ryan Wnek Parker Echols Jermaine Harris David Carrillo Walker Mims Steven Graffius Will Knieper Will Jones Cade Pruitt Zach Tryon Jake Huggins Aaron Wagoner Austin Hitchcock Jamison O’Dell Carter Cherry Marco Hernandez Chase Purnell
Position Year LB TE LB DL LB LB DB LB DB LB DB LB DB LB LB LB LB DL OL LB DE DL OL OL DE LB DL DE DE OL DT
10 10 11 11 10 10 11 10 11 10 12 10 12 12 11 11 10 10 12 10 10 11 11 10 10 12 12 10 10 10 10
No. Name 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 91 92 95 98
summer up until the Wolverines’ scrimmage. This time, West has had an entire offseason to create an offense around Hamilton. “We’re going to try to do some things we think will suit his strengths,” Clack said. One of Hamilton’s strengths was getting the ball to a strong group of wide receivers, led this year by juniors Ben Bresnahan, Zach Burns and Bryce Jones. Burns returns the most production, having caught 47 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns last season. Bresnahan (31 rec., 389 yards, 4TDs) returns with the most potential, evidenced by the 6-foot-5 target picking up an offer from Wake Forest this summer. Jones (14 rec., 176 yards, 2TDs) returns with the most to gain from seniors Austin Reid and Garrett Groxson graduating. Blake Snee and Zach Wheeler will also be in the mix, as will tight ends Greg Jones and Thomas Arundale. West also figures to have a capable running game to go to when needed. Leading rusher Grant Torgerson (165 car., 788 yards, 8TDs) returns, but he became such a force on defense that Clack said the Wolverines could spread out the carries more this season with Clay Crocker (46 car., See WEST | 24
Luke Yearwood Derek Hughes Carson Davis Tanner Rose John Lacrosse Stephen Wortman Jonathan Hall Ben Simerly J.R. Reis David Bowman Will Pittman Ryan O’Neill Blake Anderson Hunter Jolly Andrew Pilgrim Payton Dunagan Chapman Lowe Brandon Whitfield Stephon Bland Ayan Javed Mathew Ratliff Garrett Woodall Corey Culberson Brian Atsu Ben Bresnahan Greg Jones Fernando Armenta Kai Rios Nathanel Gedion Chrsitian Bass
Position Year DL OL OL OL DL OL OL DT OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR WR WR DB WR WR TE K DB DT DL
11 10 11 12 11 10 10 11 10 10 10 12 11 12 11 11 11 12 10 11 11 10 10 11 11 12 12 10 10 12
THE COACH Adam Clack
At West: 13-8, third season Overall: 13-8, third season
2015 RESULTS 7-4 overall, 7-2 Region 6-6A Mill Creek 51, West 13 Alpharetta 43, West 39* West 45, Chattahoochee 27* West 54, Habersham 20* West 28, Northview 7* West 48, North 17* West 38, South 34* Lambert 35, West 31* West 31, Centennial 21* West 38, Johns Creek 6* Peachtree Ridge 51, West 3** * Region 6-6A game ** GHSA playoff game
4 Consecutive state playoff appearances by West, from 201013, tied for the county record.
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW | 19
(horizonchristianwarriors)
Micah Green Forsyth County News
Horizon Christian made one of the more remarkable one-year turnarounds in recent memory, going from 2-9 in 2014 to 9-3 last season and coming within one game of winning a GICAA state title.
unfinished business LAST YEAR’S NEAR STATE TITLE FUELS WARRIORS By Cameron Adamcyzk
For the Forsyth County News
When you come one game shy of winning a state championship, it changes the mindset of a program. Horizon Christian
20|
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
Academy stood 48 minutes away from a storybook ending to one of the most miraculous program turnarounds this county has ever seen. The team went into last season with the goal to eclipse a .500 record. At the time, even that goal seemed a little lofty considering their 2-9 record in 2014. They were a young program in the smallest school in the county. They barely had enough playSee HORIZON | 30
2016 SCHEDULE All games 7:30 p.m. unless noted Aug. 20 vs. Lanier Christian Aug. 27 at Life Christian Sept. 3 vs. Community Christian* Sept. 17 vs. Skipstone Academy Sept. 23 at Young American Chr.* Oct. 1 vs. Griffin Christian* Oct. 7 at Creekside Christian* Oct. 14 at Dawson Christian Oct. 22 vs. Johnson Ferry Oct. 28 at King’s Academy, 6:30 p.m. * GICAA II Region 1 game
THE COACH Charles Wiggins
At Horizon: 11-22, fourth season Overall: 56-66-1, 12th season
FALL 2016
FROM 7
Central quite there yet.” It is clear that Hepler has high hopes for his offense and a few tricks up his sleeve. “We are going to surprise people with the offense that we run,” Hepler said. One of the biggest adjustments that comes with jumping up in competition will be the types of offenses that Central will have to face. Class 7 A f e a t u r e s fa r m o r e spread offenses, and that is especially true with teams in their own region like South Forsyth and West Forsyth. With the p r eva l e n c e o f s p r e a d offenses, Central plans to make big adjustments. “We are really trying to put all the speed we can
22 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
onto the field,” Hepler said. “You are going to see a lot of multiple defenses with different defensivefronts and dynamic secondary looks.” To help with this speed, Hepler looks to rely on his senior core of lineb a c ke r s . J a c o b Wa r d , Sebastian Legarra and Hunter Stephens combined for 171 tackles last s e a s o n , a n d t h ey a r e expected to match and potentially exceed that mark this season. The Bulldogs return seven of their 11 starters, which combined with their senior linebacker corp, sets them up for an easier transition into Class 7A. “I have been very impressed with all the returners because of their level of commitment and welcoming me and the new staff,” Hepler said. “I am overall impressed with all the defensive guys.”
FROM 11
North The Raiders lost key skill players Jacob Bailey and Cody Dwyer, who accumulated over 1,000 yards of offense last season. Bailey, Dwyer and Holcomb all took snaps at quarterback, running back and wide receiver under Galt, and it is still unclear who Craft will lean upon to replace those key skill players. An even bigger question mark is how the Raiders plan to fill the holes left on the offensive line. The most notable offensive lineman to graduate was Jackson Bardall. “We will be young on the offensive line,” Craft said, “but we feel like we have a few juniors who are really ready to step up and have a major impact.” The story is very similar for the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders lost multi-
ple key starters, but Craft sees real potential for guys to step up. For Craft, his new 4-3 attacking style defense is going to be anchored by senior defensive ends Michael Bun and Chris Cutter, who combined for 54 total tackles. Also returning are linebackers Griffin Hughes and Shaun Herock. It’s an old football cliché that you can’t pressure the quarterback if the secondary isn’t locking down the receivers. For Craft’s aggressive style, the front seven provides most of the pressure, but with a region stacked with quarterback talent, the secondary might be even more important. Craft is going to look to defensive backs Robert Bishop and Bradley Thomas to lead the secondary against the big air attacks like West Forsyth and South Forsyth.
FALL 2016
FROM 13
Pinecrest Three all-region offensive linemen return, including all-state honoree Garrison Winter, who is currently being courted by The Citadel as well. Alan Yadav and Stone Brown were allregion selections last season and will push the running game forward in the trenches. On the defensive line Jackson Wilmot should
FROM 15
South they’re a solid group — defensive end Ryan LaFlamme, who was second on the team with five sacks last season, is expected to make huge strides in his junior season, while linebackers Max Slott and Julian Mingo will provide plenty of thump at the second level. Safety Sean O’Malley had multiple starts last season at safety, registering 40 tackles. Jaylen Pearson, a rising
FROM 19
West 255 yards, TD), Trevor Hickman and even senior Joey Congrove, one of the team’s defensive leaders. The offensive line will be anchored by seniors Hunter Jolly and Ryan O’Neill, while the rest of the unit is still a work in progress. “We have a gang of guys competing there,” Clack said. “It’s like six or seven guys we’re hoping to rep and roll through those first five games.” Clack has issued a specific challenge to the Wolverines’ defense this season: be the
24|
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
become a force. Wilmot, now 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, transferred from North Gwinnett last season and played in the last three games for the Paladins. “He made a big impact for us in a short period of time,” Winter said. “We expect big things out of him.” Linebackers Brooks Binkley (48 tackles) and Will Patota (59 tackles) will anchor the middle of the defensive unit, while Holler and Downes are expected to make plays in the second-
ary. Downes had three interceptions, four pass breakups and 43 tackles last season as a defensive back. Stuart Jeans, Matt Del Balzo and Michael Bizores will compete for the kicking job, while McCarthy is slated to work again as the team’s punter. Overall, the Paladins are adjusting to having major expectations for the first time since becoming a GHSA member. But, internally, things have stayed consistent during Winter’s tenure.
“It’s been a process, really since 2012,” Winter said. “I don’t see a huge difference between last year and this year. I don’t think we put in more work but I think we’ve made bigger strides in the weight room this year versus last year. I think the kids are really starting to understand what we are trying to accomplish. “But, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about doing things right. If you do things right and put Christ first the rest takes care of itself.”
junior, has potential to step in the defensive backfield and become a playmaker if he’s not doing the same on offense. Another name to watch will be rising sophomore Jamal Camp. The younger brother of Georgia Tech receiver Jalen Camp transformed in the offseason, growing a few inches and adding tons of muscle, and could become an impact player. “He’s got a chance to be really good,” Arnette said. “Whether it be this year or next year he can be a great
player. He’s probably the strongest underclassman we have.” The kicking game is a “major work in progress,” according to Arnette. The War Eagles have to replace all-state caliber kicker Alex Barbir, who is now at Penn State this fall. That means big changes for South’s special teamers because the War Eagles rarely had to cover kickoffs during Barbir’s tenure. South will see some new faces in its non-region schedule. After opening the season against Hillgrove in
the Corky Kell Classic at McEachern High School the War Eagles will visit former Region 6-6A foes Centennial and Lassiter, while they’ll host South Gwinnett. While South Gwinnett and Lassiter sound scary at first glance both teams are coming off difficult seasons. The second game of the season at home against next door neighbor Pinecrest Academy might be the most intriguing game in the county — the two schools are seven classifications apart and both coming off region titles.
best. “We want to be known as the best defense in the county,” Clack said. It’s a good start having arguably the best defensive player in the county in senior defensive lineman Eli Huggins. The 6-foot-6, 270-pounder who has verbally committed to Kansas State had 80 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 11 sacks last season, his first ever playing defensive end. “He’s gotten bigger. He’s gotten stronger,” Clack said. “We want to have him in condition for us to be a force all four quarters.” Huggins could also benefit from senior Jackson Brantley moving from line-
backer to defensive end this season. Brantley (62 tackles, two sacks) will play opposite of Huggins on the line. “Those guys are going to serve each other,” Clack said. Aaron Wagoner will lead the linebacker corps. The senior had 68 tackles last season, and he’ll direct an outside linebacker group that includes Torgerson (35 tackles, 5TFL), Jordan Dreyovich (47 tackles) and Arundale (34 tackles). Heath McConnell (25 tackles) will also join the group after playing defensive back last season. Congrove will lead the secondary. The senior had 71 tackles, 14 pass breakups and three tackles for
loss last season, but his leadership will be even more valuable this season in a position group that lacks experience. Wesley Ross (35 tackles, five pass break-ups) is lone returner besides Congrove. He’s competing with senior Matthew Nalley and junior Cade Vela, who moved in from North Carolina. Bryce Jones will handle West’s kicking duties. He went 6-for-7 on field goals last season and 42-for-46 on extra points. Jones will also share punting with Burns, while Payton Dunagan, Cade Truitt and Brandon Whitfield have been competing at long snapper. FALL 2016
2016
2016 FCN PRESEASON ALL-COUNTY team OFFENSE
DEFENSE
Pos. Player
School
Year
Pos. Player
School
Year
QB Davis Shanley
South Forsyth
Sr.
DL Eli Huggins
West Forsyth
Sr.
RB Sabrian Howard
Forsyth Central
Sr.
DL Ryan LaFlamme South Forsyth
Jr.
RB Brian Wright
Lambert
Sr.
DL Hunter Stephens Forsyth Central
Sr.
WR Ben Bresnahan
West Forsyth
Jr.
LB Ryan McCarthy Pinecrest Academy
Sr.
WR Zach Burns
West Forsyth
Jr.
LB Julian Mingo
South Forsyth
Sr.
TE Ryan Pontrelli
South Forsyth
Jr.
LB Mac Redmond
Lambert
Sr.
OL Stone Brown
Pinecrest Academy So.
LB Max Slott
South Forsyth
Sr.
OL Jordan Nelson
South Forsyth
Sr.
DB Robert Bishop
North Forsyth
Sr.
OL Dylan Nissley
South Forsyth
Sr.
DB Marcus Chatelain Lambert
Jr.
OL Jack Winkie
South Forsyth
Sr.
DB Joey Congrove
West Forsyth
Sr.
OL Garrison Winter
Pinecrest Academy Sr.
DB Carson Holler
Pinecrest Academy
Sr.
ATH Simon Holcomb
North Forsyth
Sr.
P
North Forsyth
Jr.
K
West Forsyth
Jr.
LS Payton Dunagan West Forsyth
Bryce Jones
Arthur Boyzo
Jr.
Experience our Famous Hot Shave with a Steam Towel for that close shave that will leave you feeling refreshed and dapper. We combine the quality service of yesteryear’s barber shops with today’s contemporary amenities.
770-888-5500 Walk-Ins Welcome South Forsyth 415 Peachtree Pkwy. | Suite 220 Cumming, Ga 30041
North Forsyth 2840 Keith Bridge Rd. | Suite 101 Cumming, Ga 30041
$2 OFF any Haircut $3 OFF Hot Shave $5 OFF Haircut & Hot Shave Combo
www.americabarber.com
26 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
FALL 2016
big games mean big names COUNTY TEAMS WILL FACE SOME OF GEORGIA’S ELITE TALENT By Michael Foster
mfoster@forsythnews.com
With the realignment of the GHSA came the reduction of the number of teams per-region. Last season the Region 6-6A schools played nine region games, split between the north Fulton County schools and fellow Forsyth members. Now the Class 7A teams are preparing to play five non-region games to start the season, and with that comes the opportunity to schedule more intriguing opponents. The bigger the games, the more talent Forsyth will either see on the road or host in the fall. If you’re a recruiting junkie you may know that Forsyth has still been pushing to get into the same realm in terms of churning out prospects that places like south Georgia, Cobb
FROM 9
Lambert yards, 4TDs in five games) will all get carries, as will Will’s older brother, Eric, who returns after missing last season with a torn ACL. Justin Bruno will add depth, too. Lambert’s defense faces the same challenge as the o ff e n s e i n h a v i n g t o replace almost half its starters, but the Longhorns have leadership and talent at all three levels. On the line, there are FALL 2016
Blue-chip recruits
and Gwinnett, but there’ll be plenty of opportunities for Forsyth players to test their wits against some of the state’s best players in the early part of the year. Just look at what West Forsyth has to deal with in Week 2. The Wolverines will be hosting Class 2A state champion Pace
Academy (now Class 3A). The Knights are loaded with top Division I talent. Two Georgia commits are part of Pace’s senior class — including offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and wide receiver Trey Blount. Duke commit Deon Jackson will keep West’s linebacker’s eyes off Blount
and in the backfield, while guard Jamaree Salyer, who has 18 college offers, adds to the team’s powerful offensive line. Lambert will have its hands full with Lanier, even with the departure of one of the nation’s biggest stars in Derrick Brown — now an Auburn Tiger. It’s all about defense, still, for the team that held the Longhorns-inred to less than 100 yards of total offense in last y e a r ’s s e a s o n o p e n e r. Seniors Michael Allen ( d e f e n s ive e n d , Wa k e Forest) and Juwaun Jones ( l i n e b a c k e r , We s t e r n Kentucky) already have their college choices made, while linebacker Tyler Taylor, offensive lineman Jake Smith and tight end Jordan Ferguson are all wanted prospects. South Forsyth may think South Gwinnett, which went 2-8 last year, is an easy game — but with three big time prospects in the trenches, it may not be anywhere near a cakewalk. Of course, plenty of new faces and rising stars emerge in the coming weeks.
seniors Taylor Brinkerhoff (56 tackles, 17 tackles for loss) and Parker Reynolds (19 tackles, three tackles for loss). Ethan Young, B r u n o , C h a s o n , Wi l l Kohlins and Snyder will contribute too. At linebacker, senior Mac Redmond (72 tackles, 10 tackles for loss) returns as the clear leader of the unit. Shepherd (33 tackles) adds experience, as will a healthy Eric Kohlins, to help bring along newcomers Noah Beck, Hayden Gargosh and Christopher taylor. In the secondary, junior
Marcus Chatelain (62 tackles, 3INT) had a breakout season in 2015, and he’ll combine with Tyler Ray (21 tackles, 10 pass break-ups) and Jaryd Jean-Felix (11 tackles) to give the Longhorns an ex p e r i e n c e d u n i t . Ke n Dicks, one of the team’s promising but oft-injured running backs last year, will focus on defense this season and provide the secondary will impressive speed. So will Carter, the track sprinter, and Majors will add depth. “Systematically we have a way in which we do
t h i n g s ,” D a n i e l s a i d . “There’s a system in place. You like to pick up where last year led off. We make it a goal to try to be the top defense in the region.” Lambert has one of the more promising kickers in the county returning in Bryce Christensen, who in seven games last season was a perfect 5 of 5 on field goals and 18 of 19 on extra-points. Nick Propes will push Christensen on kicking duties, and both are expected to share punting with Brian Wright. Bryce Chason will do the long snapping.
Below is a complete list of Division I prospects that will face Forsyth schools this season. CLASS OF 2017 Player Andrew Thomas Trey Blount Michael Allen Tyler Taylor Troy Simon Tyriq Hardman Deon Jackson Malik Robinson Jake Smith Juwaun Jones Chase Hooper Jordan Ferguson Drew Dinsmore Luke Martin Elijah Watson
School Pace Academy Pace Academy Lanier Lanier Milton Lassiter Pace Academy South Gwinnett Lanier Lanier Milton Lanier Collins Hill Dawson County Mountain View
CLASS OF 2018 Player Justin Mascoll Jamaree Salyer Derrick Allen Robert Cooper Peyton Woulard
School South Gwinnett Pace Academy Lassiter South Gwinnett Collins Hill
Pos. College OT Georgia WR Georgia DE Wake Forest LB 31 offers CB Wake Forest CB 21 offers RB Duke LB UNC OL 7 offers LB W. Kentucky DT 6 offers TE 15 offers QB 9 offers LB 10 offers DT Arizona
Opponent West West Lambert Lambert 5-7A teams South West South Lambert Lambert 5-7A teams Lambert Lambert Forsyth Lambert
Pos. College DE 20 offers OG 18 offers CB 31 offers DT Florida State S 11 offers
Opponent South West South South Lambert
Source: 247Sports.com
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW | 27
THE SEASON WE’ve BEEN WAITING FOR NEW COACHES, REGIONS BRING FRIDAY NIGHT ACTION TO EVEN MORE THRILLING LEVEL By Michael Foster
mfoster@forsythnews.com
You have to go back to 1998 to find a time when all of Forsyth County’s public, football-playing schools were together in one region. Back then Forsyth Central, North Forsyth and South Forsyth finally came together in Region 7-2A. Those three schools were grouped alongside one another as they moved up to Class 4A in 2002, but South’s enrollment pushed it into Class 5A in the next reclassification two years later. Then West Forsyth hit the field in Class 3A in 2007 and Lambert followed in that same classification in 2009. Needless to say, the arms race to get to Georgia’s highest classification in the G e o rg i a H i g h S c h o o l Association has taken time and meant a split between schools across the county. But starting this fall all five of the county’s public schools will not only be in the highest classification — the newly created Class 7A, but they’ll all link up in Region 5, along with one of Georgia’s legacy schools in Milton (the Eagles are an ideal travel partner with West).
28 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
This is as good as it gets, especially considering that outside of Class 7A many of the GHSA’s regions are still full of geographical oddities and logistical nightmares for bus drivers. “I’ve said it over and over. The quality of football in this county just keeps getting better. It has been since I got here, and being able to be in the same region with everyone else — this is what high school football is all about,” South head coach Jeff Arnette said. “It’s great for the community. Every game on the schedule from the sixth game on is a rivalry, so we’re looking forward to it.” The first week of region play, is in fact, already tabbed as “rivalry week.” Lambert will visit South in a rematch of last season’s Region 6-6A title tilt; North will host Central in a battle between two coaches leading their respective programs in their first season; Milton, whose athletic department is now led by former West assistant coach Gary Sylvestri, will host the Wolverines for the first time. “It’s funny, we were all meeting and talking about rivalry week. When West
and Milton were paired together I said, ‘What rivalry?’ It was sarcasm. I think it goes without saying that that was the game and that has potential to be a big game moving forward,” Sylvestri said. Even though Milton is a big name across athletics the football program has just two region titles in its history that dates back to 1950, and the team has only one double-digit winning season since 1952. The champion of Region 6-6A, South, returns Western Kentucky commit Davis Shanley, a dangerous dual-threat quarterback, but must replace every skill position on offense and many on defense. The region race should be a three-headed one between the War Eagles, Lambert and West. Last season Lambert used a stout defense and running back-by-committee approach to start 8-1 and 8-0 in region play before finally stumbling, 31-6, against South in the season finale. West returns the core of its dynamic passing attack, including senior quarterback Kiernen Hamilton, who was top-10 in the state in passing yardage for much of last year. Central and North will look to play spoiler week in and week out during region competition as they look to establish new systems, while Milton will hope to
assert itself in the first-place race instead of falling to the bottom tier. Of course, six-team regions mean just five region games. The race will be short, but each game will be magnified, especially considering that Lambert, North, South and West played last season in a 10-team region. “It’s going to be a solid region from top to bottom,” Lambert head coach Louis Daniel said. “I don’t think I see one team going in and FALL 2016
Photos by Micah Green and Brian Paglia Forsyth County News
running the table. West, South, us, we’ve kind of been beating each other up the last couple of years. You throw Milton in there, it’s another card in the deck, so to speak. “Then you’ve got coach Craft at North, he’s going to be a quality coach. They’re going to be competitive and turn things around. Then coach Hepler, his record and history speaks for itself. You’re talking about quality at Central. You cannot circle a win.” FALL 2016
History lesson Each Forsyth County high school football team’s farthest run in the postseason. School Round Coach Class North Forsyth Semifinals (‘01) Bruce Miller Class 3A South Forsyth Quarterfinals (‘01, ‘15) Jeff Arnette Class 6A West Forsyth Quarterfinals (‘10) Frank Hepler Class 5A Forsyth Central Second round (‘97) Bob Herndon Class 2A Pinecrest Acad. Second round (‘15)* Todd Winter Class 1A Lambert First round (‘10-11, ‘13-15) Louis Daniel Class 6A * Since joining the GHSA in 2010
“being in the same region with everyone else — that’s what high school football is all about.” Jeff Arnette South Forsyth head coach
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW | 29
2016ROSTER No. Name
1 5 8 12 14 15 16
Leon He
Position Year
RB/DB John Michael Booth RB/LB Ian Kwak RB/LB Alex Dalhberg WR/DB Jake McTyre QB/DB Jacob Grinstead QB/DB Daniel Durnwald WR/DB
FROM 20
Horizon ers to fill out a roster. Just a few years ago they had to cancel a season because not enough players signed up to play. Warriors head coach Charles Wiggins never bought into tempering expectations. Wiggins built the Pinecrest football program from the ground up, and he knew he had the talent to do the same at Horizon. Behind quarterback Jacob Grinstead, the Warriors clinched a winning record just six games into the season. They went on to win their region, win eight regular season games and earn a spot in the state playoffs. The Warriors didn’t have a lot of playoff experience. They didn’t have much experience period. But just like the regular season, Wiggins didn’t let his players buy into that excuse. Horizon squashed the naysayers and earned a spot in the state championship game. In the state title game, they fell short, losing 27-14 to Johnson Ferry Christian Academy. That loss, and being so close to winning it all, reset the expectations for the team. A winning record is no longer a lofty goal — it’s an expectation. Winning a playoff game is no longer a pipe dream — it’s an expectation. For Wiggins, even winning the state title game is now an expectation. “With Jacob as our quarterback, and with our offensive line, if they can hold the oppos-
30 |
2016 PIGSKIN PREVIEW
9 12 10 11 10 12 12
No. Name
18 20 21 24 25 45 50
Eric Choi Brody Huntt
Position Year
WR/DB RB/LB Matthew Kimbrough RB/LB TJ Kim RB/DL Wesley Harris WR/DB Peter Park OL/DL Geoff Gilley OL/DL
ing defensive line and give him time to throw and open holes for our running backs,” Wiggins said, “we can get back there and we can win.” A large part of the Warriors success last season was because of quarterback Jacob Grinstead. Grinstead is set to return for his senior season where he will be the anchor of another potential state playoff run. “If Jacob puts his focus on what he needs to do, he can be player of the year,” Wiggins said. “He has the skills to make a big difference on our football team.” Grinstead possesses the ability to run the Warrior’s traditional spread offense effectively. The threat to stretch the field over the top combined with senior back John Michael Booth makes the Warriors’ offense one of the most balanced in GICAA I-AA. However, Wiggins knows that the offense won’t work without a stable offensive line. “Our offensive line is the key to everything we do,” Wiggins said. “We have three returning starters. What we need them to do is to maintain their line of scrimmage. If they do that, we will be OK because we have strong skill players.” In GICAA I-AA football, being able to get stops is just as important as putting up points. As the games progress deeper into the season, the final scores often end as one possession contests. The Warriors know this better than anyone. They were two stops away from being state champs. This season the defense is returning six players, and one of those players is Daniel
9 11 12 12 9 9 12
No. Name
55 60 62 65 70 71 80
Michael Gul Kim Jun Jae Lee Clark Garland Kyle Huntt Peter Oh Jake Walker
‘Dbo’ Durnwald. Durnwald plays safety, but he is the captain of the entire defense. He is in charge of picking coverages while on the field. Last season, he was top three in tackles and top three in receiving yards. He hopes to lead the team in both categories when the season comes to an end. “The kid is super talented,” Wiggins said. “He is a big playmaker on offense and even more important on the defensive side of the ball.” Much like the offense, Wiggins pressed the importance
Position Year
OL/LB OL/DE OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/LB
10 10 11 11 9 11 11
of a consistent defensive line. GICAA I-AA features mostly run-based offensive attacks. These attacks are gassing, and having experienced guys who know how to withstand the barrage of runs is important for getting stops down the stretch. With senior Jake Walker and junior Clark Garland both returning, the Warriors have the base it needs to do exactly that. Michael Gul looks to control the kicking duties. According to Wiggins, he is good from about 40 yards out.
FALL 2016
August 2015
2015 pigskin preview •
31