Forsyth County hasn’t had a region-championship football team since 2017. The odds are good in 2020 as the new Region 6-AAAAAAA comprises the six Forsyth public high schools plus one.
The outsider is Gainesville, which was moved into the highest classification for the first time since 1965. No offense to the Red Elephants, who haven’t had a winning season since 2015, but that’s good news for Forsyth teams that struggled under the reign of Milton, which dominated the former Forsyth-dominated region the past two seasons.
Also new to the group is Forsyth’s newest school, Denmark, but the Danes are not toddlers. Denmark was a 7-3 playoff team in Class AAAA last season and probably was the county’s best team. Denmark also is among three Forsyth schools with new head coaches.
Below is a look at the region’s seven teams in spring.
-Denmark: The Danes' head coach and program founder, Terry Crowder, has retired from public schools and taken the head coaching job at private King's Ridge Christian. Denmark made an impressive hire in attracting Mike Palmieri of Mallard Creek near Charlotte. Palmieri's Mallard Creek teams were 139-34-1 in his 13 seasons and 136-15-1 over the last 11. They won state titles in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in North Carolina's highest classification. Denmark returns rising senior Aaron McLaughlin, who threw for 2,018 yards. He had been committed to Auburn but backed off. Receiver Ze'vian Capers, perhaps the best player in county history, has graduated along with Virginia Tech-signed running back Jordan Brunson. About five starters are back on offense, four on defense. Justin Bradford, a cornerback, has more than 10 offers. Running back Zach Ogbogu and wide receivers Casey Gunn and Teddy Davenport will be among the region's yardage leaders. Gunn has an offer from Southern Miss
-Forsyth Central: The Bulldogs were 4-5 in 2019 under veteran coach Frank Hepler. Several underclassmen made all-region last season. They include fullback Eli Ruis, linemen Robby Watson, Nick Cribbs and Canaan Clark, receivers Noah Chol and Caydin Mowen and defensive back Graham Long. Also returning is quarterback Bronson Landreth, who led the team in rushing in an offense that passes fewer than 10 times per game.
-Gainesville: Just when the Red Elephants seemed to have turned a corner, imroving to 5-6 after a 2-9 finish, a new challenge emerges – the highest classification. On the other hand, they might be relieved to escape a region with Dacula and Lanier. Gainesville is about to graduate two all-state players in defensive lineman Makius Scott (South Carolina) and offensive lineman Jordan Williams (Georgia Tech). But some good talent remains. Back is quarterback Gionni Williams, named Region 8-AAAAAA's athlete of the year last season. Cedrick Nicely and Elijah Ruiz were all-region offensive linemen. Ethan Reeves was an all-region defensive lineman.
-Lambert: After an 0-10 finish, Lambert has hired Lowndes assistant Tommy Watson to replace Louis Daniel, whose teams were 28-36 in six seasons. Watson has been a head coach at Upson-Lee and spent the past five seasons at Lowndes, where he was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach. Lambert has a four-star recruit, Kojo Antwi, who was first-team all-region last season, when he had 48 receptions for 679 yards as a sophomore. Tight end Braden Bamburowski had 426 yards receiving in nine games. Other proven returning players include defensive lineman Josh Mullininx, defensive back Nick Pasonski, linebacker Harrison Peyton and wide receiver Jack Stewart.
-North Forsyth: North Forsyth was 7-5 overall last season and the only Forsyth team to win a playoff game. The Raiders beat Brookwood 44-41 in the first round (North's first playoff win since 2005) after trailing 34-9 in the second half. Brady Meitz passed for 362 yards and five touchdowns in that game and threw for more than 2,000 yards on the season. He's back. Jared Lucero, who rushed for a team-leading 868 yards, is another rising senior. Other all-region players returning are outside linebacker Patrick Corrigan, defensive back Jumel Lewis and defensive lineman Max Bryant.
-South Forsyth: The War Eagles were 6-5 in 2019 and made the playoffs for the sixth straight time under coach Jeff Arnette. The offense, typically up-tempo and air-borne, has a promising quarterback, Kyle Durham, who threw for 815 yards in five games as a sophomore. Tight end Devin McGlockton, who is 6-6, is getting scholarship offers and could have a huge season. He was the Forsyth County News basketball player of the year. South Forsyth is the only team in the region that returns two first-team all-region offensive linemen. They are Bruce Myers and Ethan Patrick. Gavin Morris was a first-team all-region outside linebacker as a sophomore. Running back Tre Green (525 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns) and linebackers Taft Hilton and Elton Stephens also got all-region recognition.
-West Forsyth: The Wolverines hired Etowah's head coach, Dave Svehla, to replace Shawn Cahill, whose teams were 17-16 in three seasons. Svehla led Etowah to the playoffs each of the past seven seasons and had a record of 49-41. The new coach will have the most highly recruited rising senior in the region. Guard Dylan Fairchild is a four-star recruit with reported offers from Georgia and other SEC schools. West Forsyth also returns its leading passer, Drew Southern (979 yards), and leading rusher, Daba Fofana (535 yards). West Forsyth will bring back seven starters on defense. Dalton Tjong was a first-team all-region defensive back and was second on the team in tackles behind graduating linebacker Eli Orr, the Region 5 defensive player of the year.
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