Forsyth County 2012 Pigskin Preview

2 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 6-AAAAAA

West Forsyth

Welcome to the 2012 Pigskin Preview, your source for information on Forsyth County’s high school football programs.

Local squads tread into uncharted territory this season, as the new Class 6A reshapes the state’s high school football landscape.

South Forsyth, North Forsyth, West Forsyth and Lambert will compete against each other in Region 6-AAAAAA, marking the first time four Forsyth County schools have shared the same region. Forsyth Central ascends to Region 7-AAAAA, while Pinecrest Academy looks to break out in Class A during its third year in the GHSA. Whichever team you support, we’ve got you covered with full previews, rosters, schedules and more.

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

What’s Inside West Forsyth — 2 Lambert — 3

West Forsyth senior quarterback A.J. Erdely takes off on a keeper during practice.

Wolverines look to build on postseason success

South Forsyth — 4

Division I recruits lead West

North Forsyth— 6

By Jared Putnam

Forsyth Central — 10

West Forsyth made history last season when it became the first Forsyth County football program to win a playoff game in Class AAAAA. The Wolverines proved they

Pinecrest Academy — 20

jputnam@forsythnews.com

could compete with the top teams in the state, upsetting No. 4-ranked Hillgrove in the second round of the postseason before falling to eventual state champion Grayson in the quarterfinals.

Now entering their fifth year of varsity competition, the Wolverines hope to consistently continue playing

Head Coach: Frank Hepler Offense: Multiple Wing-T Defense: Multiple 30 2011 record: 11-2 overall

into late November and December. “[We’re] not so much a young program anymore, but a program that wants to be at the top each year,” coach Frank Hepler said.

See WEST | 8

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 3

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 6-AAAAAA

lambert

Horns eye playoff three-peat Lambert faces tough test in 6A

By Jared Putnam

jputnam@forsythnews.com

Lambert’s young football program has set a high bar for success during its first two varsity seasons.

The team’s 2010 and 2011 campaigns were almost carbon copies of one another, as the Longhorns twice reached the Class AAAA state playoffs and finished 8-3 both times.

Lambert battled through injuries to key players and ball security issues throughout the 2011 campaign and narrowly missed the program’s first postseason victory in a 35-32 loss to Clarke

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

Lambert quarterback Brock Maxwell throws downfield during practice at The Horn.

Head Coach: Sid Maxwell Offense: Wing-T Defense: Multiple 2011 record: 8-3 overall

Central, but a third consecutive trip to the playoffs is not a given.

The road to an 11th game becomes much tougher this season, as Lambert moves to the new Class AAAAAA and shares a region with Alpharetta, Chattahoochee, Johns Creek and West Forsyth — a quartet of teams that

See LAMBERT | 14

4 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 6-AAAAAA

south Forsyth

War Eagles hope year of experience shows South joins three county rivals in new classification Head Coach: Jeff Arnette Offense: Multiple Defense: 4-3 2011 record: 2-8 overall

By John McWilliams

jmcwilliams@forsythnews.com

Third-year head coach Jeff Arnette returns 15 seniors and expects experience will be the biggest difference for South Forsyth this season.

The War Eagles (2-8) got off to a solid start last season before dropping their final six games.

“We didn’t have a lot of experience on the team last year,” Arnette said. “We had to play a lot of underclassman, probably one of the youngest teams I’ve ever had.

“I think the fact that we have so many kids coming back who have had starts [matters]. On both sides of the ball, at least eight or nine kids had starts last year. I’ve gone from probably the most inexperienced and youngest team I’ve ever coached in 22 years to possibly one of the most experienced teams.”

Arnette will only play a few two-way starters in order to keep his players fresh. The grind of moving from Class AAAA to Class AAAAAA, Arnette said, won’t allow teams to play many players on both sides of the ball and still expect to win.

“They’re definitely fresher,” Arnette said of his players. “In 6A, you’re not going to see a lot of kids going both ways, so you’re definitely going to be at a disadvantage if your guys are going both ways and they are not. Hopefully, we’ll just have three or four kids who will have to play both ways.”

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

South Forsyth coach Jeff Arnette applauds his team’s execution during practice at War Eagle Field.

Offense Senior quarterback Jantzen Jeffrey will look to jumpstart an offense that averaged 14 points per game last season.

Jeffrey, who has been offered a scholarship by Division I Air Force, has impressed Arnette with his leadership early this season.

“Jantzen was really, really coming into his own last year in week six against Creekview,” Arnette said. “He had 190 yards throwing and 130 yards running and messing his ankle up cost him the rest of the year.

“He can do it all. He can run it and he can throw it, and he can run the team.

We are going to use him as much as we can. He’s a great talent and has it all.

He’s probably the strongest quarterback I’ve ever had.”

The War Eagles will count on seniors Alex Winski and Nick Cochran at the wide receiver position.

Junior wide receiver and running back Sam Walker will carry much of the load for the team. Walker, who started every game last season, is the team’s edge rusher. Fullback Isaiah Williams will get many of the carries between the tackles.

While other parts of the team return several experienced starters, the offen-

sive line may have the most questions.

Mike Scullin and Sterling Abney give the unit two returning starters who Arnette said will provide the War Eagles with stability up front. Junior Kyle Watford claimed his first starting job at center.

Defense Although the defense allowed 30 points per game last season, Arnette is confident the unit is much improved.

Junior Brett Larkin caught the attention of his coaches in practice on

See SOUTH | 16

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

South Forsyth Roster 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Khalil Rice Tyler Laflamme Parker Chambers Nick Cochran Griffin Wilcox Dylan Chatelain Eddie Mirynowski Sam Walker Jantzen Jeffrey Alex Winski Matthew White Brent Mouton Daniel DeLeon Morgan White Nick Shepherd Brandon McKee Austin Tibbetts Kyle Soles Austin Ataide Zack Laflamme Ricky Relf Jordan Arnett Drew Witalis Sanjay Vellapan Peytne Douglas Matt Cira

RB/DB RB/LB WR/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB QB/DB WR/DB QB/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB/DB K WR/DB TE/LB RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/LB RB/DB RB/DB

12 10 10 12 11 11 12 11 12 12 10 10 11 11 11 12 11 11 10 12 11 12 10 11 10 11

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 43 44 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 58 60 61

Dean Carr Tyler Crawford Isaiah Williams Robby Johnson Everett Cleveland Sam Slott Justin Jones Brennan Hale Daniel Dickson Brian Tobon Bryan Troye Brett Larkin Emmanual Godswill Mickey Thomas Billy Jenkins Zack Miller Daniel Verdon Riley Street Davis Winkie Eric Purks Michael Diem Bryce Allison Isaiah Kim Dylan Jenkins Sterling Abney Kyle Watford

WR/DB TE/DL RB/LB RB/LB TE/DL WR/DB K RB/LB RB/DL TE/LB WR/LB RB/DB RB/DL WR/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

10 11 11 10 12 10 10 10 12 12 11 10 10 12 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 11 10 10 12 11

63 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 90 93

Tommy Jenkins Austin Williams Ross Schaber Caleb Lummus James Bronk Alex Ehlinger Joey Henggeler Thomas Foster David Sampiero Leo Rodriguez Griffin Landrum Mike Scullin Jonathan Jagoe Jonathan Bice Ozzie Lozano Zach Martin Paul Mann Derrick Chalmers Stefan Bozeman Chris Harris River Faulkner Patrick Gant Manny Godswill Cameron Kline

OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/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 WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB TE/DL RB/DL TE/DL

11 11 11 10 11 12 11 10 11 10 10 12 12 11 10 11 11 11 10 11 10 10 10 9

Good Luck to Our Forsyth County Student Athletes!

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6 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 6-AAAAAA

North Forsyth

Raiders aim to rebound from rebuilding year North returns 17 starters from 2011 squad Head Coach: Blair Armstrong Offense: Wing-T Defense: 3-5 2011 record: 1-9 overall

By John McWilliams

jmcwilliams@forsythnews.com

Head coach Blair Armstrong is eager to get his second season at North Forsyth under way, and it might have something to do with the Raiders returning 17 starters.

After finishing 1-9 last season with many inexperienced players, the team brings back 11 starters from the offense and six from the defense.

With so much experience back in the fold, Armstrong is confident in his team.

“We have had a great fall practice and offseason,” Armstrong said. “We are really tired of playing against ourselves. We are ready to go against a different colored jersey.

“Our team strength revolves around the family atmosphere that our seniors and juniors have created. They care about each other, they have each other’s backs and they are a team.

Having good players is important, but when they have the brotherhood and team togetherness that these guys have, we will be a force to contend with.”

Offense North’s offense struggled to put up points in 2011, scoring more than 14 only once all season en route to averaging nine per game for the season.

Armstrong will run a hybrid Wing-T offense that features more passing

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

North Forsyth junior quarterback Harris Roberts, center, runs a play during practice in Coal Mountain.

plays than the traditional, run-oriented Wing-T. The Raiders are more inclined to throw the ball this season with junior quarterback Harris Roberts, a secondyear varsity starter who, after growing four inches and gaining 40 pounds this summer, now stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 170 pounds.

The backfield will consist of fullback Eric Fitzgerald, wingback Cameron Anderson, split end Branson Marks and halfback Luke Slaton, who led the team in rushing last season.

Armstrong will count on junior receivers Branson Marks and Tanner

Riddle to haul in passes from Roberts as senior receiver Will McKinney recovers from a broken collarbone suffered in the first week of practice.

Center Tanner Short will anchor the offensive line. Beside him will be guards Rick Adle and Blake Hodges.

Tackles Colby Gossett and Zakk Gross won’t be pushed around by the defense, as both weigh over 300 pounds.

“We are a much more mature team than we were last year,” Armstrong said. “Most of our players are returning from last year. We had a very young team that was inexperienced,

but we have more juniors and seniors.”

Defense The Raiders hope to be much improved from the defense of last year, which surrendered 32 points per game. Armstrong has cast aside the 4-2-5 formation he used last year in favor of a 3-5 this season.

“For the personnel that we have, the coaching staff and I thought that we a r e b e t t e r s u i t e d f o r t h e 3 - 5 ,” Armstrong said.

North is solid on the defensive line

See NORTH | 18

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 7

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 2

West “Now we’ve got to start acting like [it]. The tradition in Georgia is rich ... and we want to be mentioned in the same sentence [with its great teams] some day.”

Hepler refers to the Wolverines’ first four games this season as “murderer’s row,” as the team faces three teams that have reached the state title game within the past four years — Gainesville, Flowery Branch and Starr’s Mill — ahead of the region opener against No. 9-ranked Alpharetta.

“Our main focus is getting [prepared for] that Alpharetta game [in week 4],” Hepler said.

“We knew that we need-

ed to play some high-caliber teams, and there’s a possibility of us taking some hits early on.

Hopefully that means that we get better after playing those games.”

Offense The Wolverines bring back nine offensive starters from a unit that averaged 29 points per game last season.

West’s scoring attack begins with quarterback A.J. Erdely, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior who tallied 19 touchdowns and more than 1,900 yards of offense last year. Erdely, who has verbally committed to FBS program Middle Tennessee State,

WF SCHEDULE Aug. 30 at Gainesville Sept. 7 Flowery Branch Sept. 14 Starr’s Mill Sept. 21 at Alpharetta Sept. 28 Centennial Oct. 5 Open Oct. 12 Johns Creek Oct. 19 at N. Forsyth Oct. 26 at Chattahoochee Nov. 2 South Forsyth Nov. 9 at Lambert

doesn’t have top-end speed, but he’s a mobile signal-caller with the ability to extend plays and take advantage of defenses that don’t respect his ability to scramble.

“A true look at A.J. is his

c o m p e t i t ive n a t u r e ,” Hepler said. “As soon as that last game was over in November he was back out throwing that next week.

All the colleges that have been here recruiting say, ‘Coach, we love his competitiveness; he’s got a good arm, he runs well, but what you can [also] see on that film is that he competes.”

The Wolverines’ biggest unknown is at running back following the departure of two-time AllCounty selection Blake Roberts, a between-thetacklers runner who rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of his final two seasons and often forced opposing defenses to key

on him.

S o p h o m o r e Tr ev e r O’Brien inherits the primary responsibility of replacing Roberts, but Mohamed Camara and senior Brian Porter will also receive carries.

“After that we may even go with a spread [formation] so that it’s not a true tailback like we’ve run,” Hepler said.

The Wolverines will continue to test the edges of opposing defenses with senior wingback Jake Wieczorek, who piled up 17 touchdowns and more than 1,500 all-purpose yards last season. Senior Tanner Bridges and sophomore Jacob Allen are also expected to fill in at the

position.

“One of our most successful years down at Plantation High [in Florida] is where we had six kids rush for over 500 yards [apiece] during the season,” Hepler said.

“There was no 1,000-yard rusher ... but you couldn’t key on anybody.”

Wieczorek will also function as a wide receiver at times, teaming with Bridges, sophomore Hampton McConnell and juniors Kyran Ochocki and Austin McEwen to provide Erdely with passing targets.

“Sometimes offensive kids get the reputation

See WEST | 19

West Forsyth Roster 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 30 31 32 33

Hunter Belue Momo Camara Tanner Bridges Kendall Phillips Alef Chaul Ryan Guthrie Hampton McConnell Jake Wieczorek A.J. Erdely Hunter Bradbury Timmy Hartshorn Jonathan Conway Aubrey McBrayer Austin McEwen Nick Walker Jacob Hill Dalton Lloyd Trever O’Brien Brian Porter Cole Staton Matt Lyon Jacob Allen David West Austin Bell Austin Cook Stephen Gallagher Chris Bissett Austin Rothenberger Conner Vandenbos

FS LB WR CB LB FS WR RB QB CB K QB LB WR CB CB CB RB RB RB RB RB RB FS CB FS CB RB LB

12 12 12 10 12 10 10 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 11 12 12 10 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 12 10 11 12

34 35 36 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

Josh Gordon Gabe Pierce Zach Mitchell Kyle Chapman Justin Pratley Luke Johnson Alec Coburn Dillon Coats Austin Sanders Hunter Stewart Alex Eskew Brett Anderson Damien Alva Josh Salo Cody Mixon Will Wages Frankie Buenesada Andrew Marshall Will Salisbury Travis Baugus Evan Echols Will Bass John Salo Alan Pearson Noah Bartholomew Tyler Mallon Jake Smith Dustin Bean Zach Strong

FS RB CB RB CB CB DE LB LB DE LB DT FS LB OG LB LB C LB C DE OG OG OG OG OG OT OG OT

12 11 11 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 11 11 10 12 12 11 11 11 11 10 11 12 11 10 11 10 10 10 10

67 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 99 5 19 31 48 49 57 77 87 76

Gerrado Salazar Carson Adams Mitch Toure Branden Singleton Zach Bradbury Tyler Brannon Jayce Ratliff James Thomas Blair Madryga Aaron Rothenberger Trevor Powalowski Kyran Ochocki Nathan Schmitz Josh Davis Jesse Vogt Ryan Miller John Delf-Montgomery Ty Anderson Thomas Bartholomew Darryl Armstrong Drew Wesolowski K. Gordon Mason Bond Will Wyman Austin Ciunowicz Carlos Lopez Matt Leeman Hunter Harrington Stetson Godwin

DT OT OT OT OT DT OT OT K TE LB WR WR DE WR TE TE TE DE DT CB CB CB TE WR DT OT DE DE

11 10 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 10 10 11 10 11 10 10 11 12 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 10

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 9

WEST FORSYTH

WOLVERINES

10 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 7A-AAAAA

forsyth central

Young Dawgs head to balanced subregion Central renews rivalries with North, Dawson Head Coach: Chris Bennett Offense: Wing-T Defense: 3-4, Multiple 2011 record: 2-8 overall

By Jared Putnam

jputnam@forsythnews.com

For years, Forsyth Central always seemed to draw the short straw when it came to region scheduling.

Whether the Bulldogs were grouped with powerhouses like Gwinnett County’s Peachtree Ridge and Norcross, DeKalb’s Tucker and Marist, or Fulton’s Chattahoochee and Johns Creek, they have consistently been pitted against one batch of state championship contenders after another.

That trend appears to have changed this season.

The Bulldogs will compete in Region 7A-AAAAA this year, and through their first nine games will not face a team that finished better than 5-5 last season.

Central’s 2012 schedule also includes Dawson County and North Forsyth, two rivals the Bulldogs haven’t faced since 2007.

“We have been in the ringer for the last six years,” Central coach Chris Bennett said. “It really doesn’t matter who we play, we’ve got to take care of ourselves. We’re excited about this year because we’re able to play some local teams ... North, and South [Forsyth] and Dawson. That’s what’s exciting to us and to our kids, that we’re able to renew some of those rivalries that we’ve had in the past.”

Offense Central boasts a young roster that fea-

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

Forsyth Central junior quarterback Michael Branigan slings a pass to the outside during practice.

tures just eight seniors after graduating 26 from last year’s team.

Only two regular starters return on offense, but head coach Chris Bennett believes the team can benefit from open competition created by having so many vacant jobs.

“It’s almost turned into a positive

because with these young guys who have been in our system and know what we’re doing, there’s a new level of competition and everybody has something to prove,” Bennett said. “There’s nothing locked in stone, so it’s really been kind of a good thing.”

Junior Michael Branigan takes over at

quarterback after the departure of threeyear starter Spencer Transue, who broke Central’s single-season passing yards record as a junior.

Bennett said Branigan is more of a scrambling threat, and the Bulldogs will

See CENTRAL | 23

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 11

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

forsyth central Roster 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

CJ Cochran Luke Creasy Kris Smith Chase Peterson Griffin Powell Patrick Little Reed Clark Ryan Hintz Shay Hollis Jeremiah Jones Michael Branigan Trey Abercrombie David Greene Aubrey Blackmon Noah Aguirre Jordan Schauller Nate Short Braden Ragsdale Jonah Caviness Jack Longmore Robbie Repasz AJ Zlatic Wes Hemer Jake Mishoe Nathan Alvarado Shaun Diebel Derrick Wood

RB/DB RB/DB FB/LB LB RB/DB WR/LB QB/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB QB QB/LB RB/LB QB/DB WR/DB RB/LB QB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DB

11 10 12 11 12 10 10 10 11 11 11 9 12 9 10 11 12 9 10 11 9 11 12 10 11 9 10

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 52 54 55 56 57 58

Jake McNeil Wesley Bacastow Jake Schneible Jay Fishman Jake Gorczyca Daniel Ryan Knight Bankston Nick Zernach Zack Hill Josh Kalu Pierce Nufer Tyler Dees Justin Vlasz Damian Howard Ryan Carr Nick Hendrix Nathan Kistler Remy Williams Corey Johnson Jake Newborn Adam Maresco Victor Peppers Jordan Woodard Sam Downey Dee Kelly Bernardo Casiano Jacob Maraffi

RB/DB 9 RB/LB 9 RB/LB 10 RB/DL 10 RB/LB 11 LB 11 RB/LB 10 LB 11 WR/DB 9 RB/LB 9 RB/LB 9 RB/DB 9 RB/DB 9 RB/DB 9 TE/LB 11 RB/LB 9 WR/DB 10 TE/LB 9 TE/LB 10 RB/LB 9 OL/DL 11 OL/LB 10 OL/LS 12 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 10

62 64 65 69 70 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 80 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 96 99

Jake Garrison Jesus Aguilera Kyle Gamble David Allen John Stancel Hunter Lamm Caleb Smith Tyler Zwierzchowski Tyler Dahlberg Keegan Householder Logan Tate Bradley Shuford Clint Finton Colin Quinn Carson Pillow Charlie Webb Dalton Lambert Stephan Lucien Hunter Neel Corey Vascocu Abel Rodriguez Daniel Holland Devon Wozniak Joseph Torres Anel Ramic Ruben Rubio

OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB TE/LB TE/DL TE/DL K WR/DB K OL/DL

9 9 11 10 11 10 10 9 10 9 10 10 10 9 10 9 9 10 9 10 10 10 10 9 11 12

Forsyth Central Bulldogs

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12 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

A Family Tradition for

64 YeArs

Pictured from left to right: Jacob, John, James, Janet, Jim, and Joseph Otwell

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forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 13

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

2012 Colorado

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2012 Avalanche

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14 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 3

Lambert earned home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs last year and finished a combined 39-8 for the season.

“Being realistic, we’re going to have to play [our b e s t ] e v e r y w e e k ,” Longhorns coach Sid Maxwell said. “There are going to be some schools with a lot more enrollment than we have, but it’s still football and it comes down to execution.

“We’re blessed here t o h av e a bu n c h o f young men who come to work every day and a

community that has gotten behind us and made sure they always show up. [This season] is going to be a challenge but ... the unknown is what keeps us as coaches always on edge and always working.”

Offense Lambert returns five s t a r t e r s o n o ff e n s e , including senior Brock Maxwell, Sid Maxwell’s son.

Brock Maxwell, who has verbally committed to play baseball for South

Carolina after graduation, takes over as Lambert’s starting quarterback this season. Maxwell has been a starter on the team since his freshman season, and his athleticism has allowed the offense to use him at running back, wide receiver and quarterback.

“He brings a very [specific] attack style to our game [with] his legs and his arm and his general leadership,” Sid Maxwell said. “I think the guys really believe that when he’s in there, they’re going to rise up and play

with him.”

Brock Maxwell racked up 203 yards of offense in Lambert’s postseason loss to Clarke Central last year to almost lead the team back from a 21-10 halftime deficit.

“When he came back from injury last year [in the playoff game] at Clarke Central, it seemed just based on that, that once he got in there they seemed to want to rally b e h i n d [ h i m ] ,” S i d Maxwell said. “That’s what it’s going to take this year, for all ... 11 of

them to head in the right direction.”

Senior running back Daniel Myers is also back after gaining more than 1,000 yards on the ground as a junior, primarily as a between-thetackles rusher.

At wingback, seniors Chandler Register, Reid Gill and Jake Vazquez, junior Brandon Miller and sophomore Jake Stanford will all vie for carrries.

“Myers proved himself last year,” Maxwell said.

“The others have oppor-

tunities [this year]. They have the abilities to do that and [have given us] a little more depth.”

Though the Longhorns will rely heavily on the ground, senior wide receiver T.J. Russell and junior tight end Chris Laye are experienced options in the passing game.

Left guard Gantt Bauer is the lone returning starter along the offensive line, but the unit boasts four seniors.

See LAMBERT | 21

Lambert Roster 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 33 34

Reid Gill WB Jake Vazquez WB Daniel Myers TB Russell Monyette LB Jordyn Jean-Felix CB TJ Russell WR Jake Carlson WR Eric Mengler SS Chandler Register WB Matt Spencer DB Tucker Maxwell QB Hayden McLeod QB Brock Maxwell QB Tanner Hall QB Zach Matthews RB Jason Markulike RB Matt Woodley DB Skip Sleister DB Drew Cole QB Zach Lance SS Houston Earnest DB Chris Burchett SS Danny Edgeworth DB Richard Abbey WR Chad Conner CB Ala Romman DB Will Dunavant SS Brandon Hardee LB Austin Eason WR Adison Schimmelpfennig LB Vito Teng DB Dylan Sapp WB Wesley Perterson CB Hunter Shepherd DB

12 12 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 9 11 12 9 11 12 11 11 10 10 10 12 12 12 10 12 10 10 12 10 12 11 12 10

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 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68

Nick Parham Brandon Miller Jake Stanford Conner McCann Devaughn Jones Theiss Sagues Aaron You Trey Arnold James Little Mitchell Gargosh Brandon Eastman Josh Becker Chris Laye Dillon Alexander Chris Cummings Ian Deck Cody Dreyer Jeremy Olson Walker Nunes Ryan Vojtasko Logan Wood Matt Peterson Monroe Heustess Alex Pigg JJ Clements Matt Corley Zac Benton Justin Covington Jeremy Zimmerman Gantt Bauer Jake Chickowski Trey LeBlanc Trey Barnwell Ben Crawford

RB DB WB DL DB RB LB RB RB LB LB DE TE DL RB OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL 11 OL DL DL OL OL

11 11 10 11 12 10 12 9 12 12 12 12 11 11 10 12 11 11 11 10 11 12 12 12 10 10 11 12 DL 12 11 11 10 10

69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Cal Crawford Hunter Hastings Jake Taylor Christian Gray Sean Bailey Sean Courtney Sako Yeremian Zach Barnwell Kevo Yeremian Liam Edwards Brian Warstadt Anthony Ratliff Anson Cox Sam Fleming Patrick Noble Brayden Whitford Chris Martore Jacob Henry Jack Rampley Jackson Katina Chandler Rountree Gabe Guerra Ryan Karjala Parker Allen Shane Duer Reece Perry Jordan Stein Evan Lamb Nolan Karjala Jack Carmichael Nick Topper Evan Knox

OL OL DL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL TE DL TE DB DB WR DL DB DB WR DL K WR DB K WR WR K OL DL INJ

12 10 12 12 9 11 11 10 11 12 12 9 10 9 10 11 11 10 10 10 12 10 12 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 11 12

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 15

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Sportsmanship.

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On the playing field, values are learned that help shape the lives of the participants, leadership is developed and outstanding young men and women are encouraged to strive for excellence. We believe that supporting Forsyth County sports is an investment in our community, our children, our future...

AND THAT MAKES US ALL WINNERS!

16 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 4

South the defensive side of the ball at the middle linebacker.

Larkin was the team’s second leading rusher last season, and may play both sides of the ball for Arnette.

“Larkin has the perfect build, size and strength for [the middle linebacker] position,” Arnette said. “He’s had a great spring and fall getting ready to play for us. I think he’s going to be the biggest surprise defensively.”

Mickey Thomas is also likely to see playing time at linebacker following a season in which he was one of the team’s leaders in tackles.

Eddie Mirynowski, a free safety and team captain, will anchor the secondary.

Arnette also noted that defensive lineman Daniel Dickson had the most surprising spring and fall practices

and expects the senior to dominate the line of scrimmage.

Special teams The War Eagles’ kickoff team isn’t expected to do much tackling thanks to senior kicker Brandon McKee, who consistently puts the ball in the end zone or out of the end zone and forces opponents to start from the 20-yard line.

He will also get the call on field goals and punts.

Like most kickers, McKee got started in soccer and transitioned over to football.

“His legs have gotten so strong,” Arnette said. “He’s had a great offseason. When you can kick the ball out of the end zone, it’s a great weapon.”

Although the War Eagles face a tougher schedule in moving from from Class 4A to

Class 6A, Arnette thinks the team will also much improved.

“I’m excited for this football team, their work ethic and their character,” Arnette said.

“It’s amazing how much stronger we’ve gotten in this offseason and I think it [will show] when we get out on the football field.”

SF SCHEDULE Aug. 31 Northview Sept. 7 Forsyth Central Sept. 14 at Cambridge Sept. 21 at Lambert Sept. 28 Alpharetta Oct. 5 Open Oct. 12 Chattahoochee Oct. 19 at Centennial Oct. 26 at Johns Creek Nov. 2 at West Forsyth Nov. 9 North Forsyth

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

South Forsyth players line up to field punts during practice at War Eagle Field.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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18 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 6

North with nose tackle Christian Coussan and defensive ends Payton Holbrooks and Gossett.

The defense line has progressed to a point that Armstrong doesn’t have to continually preach the fundamentals.

“We feel pretty good about our [defensive] line,” Armstrong said.

“They’re much stronger than they were last year.

I don’t have to tell them the basics because they already know it. We bring experience to the table.”

Behind the defensive line are senior lineback-

ers Fitzgerald, Joe Musulman and Madison Hoke.

“They’re comfortable dropping back in coverage and doing whatever is n e e d e d f r o m t h e m ,” Armstrong said. “They are great football players and all three are college prospects. The inside six are pretty salty.”

The secondary isn’t quite as cozy as the rest of the defense as starting jobs are up in the air.

Juniors Shane Cross and Cody Gottenberg started a safety while Kansas Mullins and Slaton played cornerback last year. The

only returning starting sophomore is Bailey Mauldin, who will play free safety.

“We have a lot of guys fighting for positions right now,” Armstrong said. “It’s very, very even.

We have about six guys competing and it could be any one of them who steps up the next day. It’s kind of a wait-and-see right now; it’s very competitive. We’re kind of excited this year to have some depth.”

Special teams The kicking game will be handled by senior

Vi n c e S c i o r r o t t a .

Sciorrotta, who Armstrong said is a college prospect, has attended numerous kicking camps during the offseason. “ H e ’s a f o r c e ,” Armstrong said. “He puts the ball where he wants to.

He’s kicked 50- and 55-yard field goals in practice. When we get to the 20-yard line, we aren’t worried about him kicking a 37-yard field goal. He can definitely hold his own.

“He can also put the ball in the back of the end zone, which is huge. I expect to see him play on

Saturdays.”

Junior Cody Gottberg, who also did well in summer camps, will hold punting duties for North.

Gottberg can put the ball 75 yards in the air, and has “caught the attention of Alabama and Florida,” Armstrong said.

Junior Clay Barton will long snap for the Raiders.

Barton has enjoyed much offseason success, as he finished first in one camp out of 52 players from the Southeast.

“We’re hungry and excited about this year,” Armstrong said. “The team has worked so hard

and we’re anxious to get started. If work ethic and determination and showing up gets wins, then we’ll get a bunch of them.”

NF SCHEDULE Aug. 31 at Forsyth C. Sept. 7 at Dawson Co. Sept. 14 Cherokee Sept. 21 Chattahoochee Sept. 28 at Lambert Oct. 5 Open Oct. 12 at Alpharetta Oct. 19 West Forsyth Oct. 26 at Centennial Nov. 2 Johns Creek Nov. 9 at S. Forsyth

North Forsyth Roster 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 33 34 35

Tyler Collins Colton Miller Eric Fitzgerald Justin Stanley Cody Gottberg Eric Norton Kansas Mullins Bailey Mauldin Will McKinney Brooks Blevins Harris Roberts Vince Sciorrotta Kyle Stephens Trey Smith Griffin Caracciolo Cameron Andersen Jacob Bailey Tanner Riddle Bo Kelentic Shane Cross Chad Warner Branson Marks Joe Musulman Bennie Bates Nick Scott Antonio Adame Chess Wheeler Jake Hubbard Ryan Russomanno Luke Slaton Jamal Davenport Zach Thomas

QB/S RB/DB RB/LB QB/P QB/S/P WR/DB RB/DB QB/S WR/DB WR/DB QB/S K WR/S RB/S WR/DB RB/DB QB/DB RB/S WR/DB RB/S RB/S WR/S RB/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB TE/DE RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB

10 11 12 12 11 11 11 11 12 11 11 12 11 11 10 12 9 11 10 11 11 11 12 11 10 11 10 10 11 11 10 10

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67

Matt McNeese Austin Ingram Jesus’ Torres Drew Irvin Jerret Paige Brant Stark Drew Meeks Shane Pierce Mason Quarles Payton Holbrooks Logan Cross Sean Ludwick Joey Becnel Lenny Bishop Adam Wagner Blake Hodges Caleb Stowers Edo Avdic Nick Dawalt Jacob Dawalt Elijah Francis Trey Wagner Michael Carter Derek Barker Tanner Short Andrew Johnson Clay Barton Leo Mazuran Nathan Harris Josh Allen Zach Smith Michael Salazar

RB/LB RB/S RB/DB WR/DB RB/S WR/DB RB/S RB/LB RB/LB TE/DE RB/S RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB C/N OL/DE OL/DE OL/N OL/LB OL/LB OL/DE OL/LB OL/N OL/DE OL/N OL/DE C/G OL/N C/G OL/DE OL/DE OL/N

10 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 11 12 11 11 10 12 10 11 11 11 11 12 10 11 12 12 12 10 10

68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99

Keigan Radake Edvin Dizdarevic Tristan Luke Colby Gossett Ethan Lancaster Luke Stevens Matthew Heard Rick Adle Noah Ridings John Tatum Zakk Gross Jacob Rosenberg Kyle Hickox Tony Hudson Mason McMullen Dallas Haynes Steven Blackstone Matthew Cianciolo Brinley Rhys Nermin Dizdarevic Clay Childress Othman Awad Madison Hoke Jake Craddock Alex Dube Matthew Barber Josh Petz Dalton Cambron Christian Coussan Daniel Knight Chad Ward

OL/DE OL/DE OL/N OL/DE OL/DE OL/N OL/DE OL/DE OL/N OL/DL OL/ N OL/DE TE/DE TE/DE TE/S RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/S TE/DE WR/DB WR/DB TE/DE TE/DB TE/DE TE/P TE/LB TE/WR TE/N RB/DB K

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forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 19

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 8

West that they’re not as tough, they just want to [get] the ball and get their names in the paper, but our offensive kids are tough kids and that’s what we like about them,” Hepler said.

Senior Ty Anderson returns at tight end and is garnering interest from Jacksonville State following a strong junior season as Erdely’s safety valve.

All five of West’s starters on the offensive line were starters last season, led by center Andrew Marshall, a 6-foot-5, 255pound junior who received all-state recognition during his sophomore season.

Marshall is already drawing heavy interest from elite Division I college programs.

“He may be the best

center that I’ve been lucky [enough to be around],” Hepler said. “I know [assistant] coach [Bob} Fuller has been an offensive line coach for over 30 years and he’s said the same thing, that Andrew’s one of the best he’s ever seen.”

Another junior, Jayce Ratliff, will start at left tackle, while the remainder of West’s line will be filled out by seniors Cody Mixon (left guard), Will Bass (right guard) and Zach Bradbury (right tackle). Senior James Thomas provides the Wolverines with depth, after filling in for Bradbury while he was hurt last year. Junior John Salo also has the ability to play the line.

“That’s a luxury on the

high school level,” Hepler said. “You just usually don’t find that many good offensive linemen.”

Defense West’s front seven begins with senior Mohamed Camara, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound outside linebacker who has verbally committed to South Carolina. Camara piled up more than 100 tackles last season as a junior and has received preseason all-state recognition this year.

“Ever since his days at Liberty Middle School he’s been a standout player,” Hepler said.

“He’s got speed with quickness and he’s an intelligent kid. He always seems to be in the right

place at the right time.

“We’ll bring him off the edge, we’ll drop him in the secondary and he’ll go over and play offense from time to time.”

On the defensive line, juniors Brett Anderson and Josh Davis bring starting experience back to West’s trenches. Senior Thomas Bartholomew steps into a starting role this year, while sophomore Alec Coburn — a ninth grade All-American last season — will also see significant playing time.

At inside linebacker West will feature seniors Conner Vandenbos, who racked up more than 100 tackles last season, and Josh Salo. Senior Alef Chaul and junior Dillon

Coats are competing for the outside linebacker spot opposite Camara.

“Out of that front seven, we’ve got about five of those guys back [from 2011],” Hepler said.

West’s toughest task in the secondary will be replacing safety Trevor Guthrie, the 2011 AllCounty Defensive Player of the Year and the team’s all-time interceptions leader.

The Wolverines will turn to seniors Jacob Hill, Hunter Belue and Josh Gordon to help fill out the secondary this season.

G u t h r i e ’s y o u n g e r brother, sophomore Ryan Guthrie, is also competing for playing time.

Special teams

Junior Timmy Hartshorn retains kicking duties from last season.

“He did real well on extra points,” Hepler said, “and our goal is to improve on field goals.

H e ’s w o r k e d r e a l l y hard. Hopefully we won’t have to kick any field goals, it’ll all be touchdowns.”

McConnell will serve as the team’s punter in addition to his starting receiver role and duties as backup quarterback.

Hepler said McConnell’s speed and ability to throw makes the team a threat to fake a punt at any time.

Bridges will return punts and kicks, while Hill will return punts and Wieczorek will field kickoffs.

20 | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

region 8-A

Pinecrest academy

Paladins set for first fall under Winter

Pinecrest entering 3rd year in GHSA

By John McWilliams

jmcwilliams@forsythnews.com

Todd Winter begins his first year at the helm of Pinecrest Academy’s football program, and his first order of business is to change the mindset of the players.

The new head coach wants every player to be a S.T.U.D. — smart, tough, unselfish and disciplined.

Winter takes over a team that finished the 2011 season 3-7 and averaged 12 points per game while allowing 26.

After a promising 30-14 scrimmage victory over St. Francis on Aug. 17, the Paladins are buying into the new system.

“It was a very successful night,” Winter said. “When you come in as a new staff and you’re selling the kids on different offensive and defensives schemes, it’s nice to have success early because they understand and believe in it.”

Offense Jimmy Strom enters his senior season as quarterback for the Paladins who return five starters on offense. With Strom’s dual-threat abilities, Winter, who coaches the triple-option, won’t limit the offense to just running the ball.

“He’s a leader,” Winter said. “He’s done a great job in the offseason preparing himself mentally and has a swagger about him. He’s done a great job picking up on the offense.

“We’re also going to take advantage of his arm strength. He’s got a pretty good arm for an option quarterback.

We’re working on schemes to take advantage of his abilities. With a lot of option teams passing isn’t a threat, but he has the ability to throw.”

Strom will have some help in the backfield with senior fullback John Paul Metz. Metz averaged seven yards per carry in the scrimmage and will carry

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

Pinecrest Academy first-year coach Todd Winter, left, watches linemen during practice.

Head Coach: Todd Winter Offense: Triple-Option Defense: 4-3 2011 record: 3-7 overall

much of the load for the offense. The Paladins will also count on Adam Guard and Christopher Birozes at the split back position.

The offensive line boasts three seniors — center Thomas Ross, left tackle Josh Oshinski, and right tackle Ryan Brooks who all have impressed Winter.

“Those guys have done an excellent job,” Winter said. “They all have some athleticism between them, which is very important for the tackles to meet our ability to veer and release and get on linebackers.”

Receivers Zach Guard, Patrick Wilborn and Jonathan Moreno have the task of making defenses pay for putting eight defenders in the box to stop the run. The receivers must also effectively block to make the offense run properly.

Defense Pinecrest will employ a 4-3 defense after using a 4-3 Flex and a 3-3-5 in the past. Pinecrest will play nine new starters on defense, but Winter believes “the defense is better off” than last year.

Winter has tried to make the Paladins a more physical defense, which is something the Paladins showed during the scrimmage.

“They played very physical,” Winter said. “I told the guys before the game that I wanted the other coach to come up to me and say that we were one of the

most physical teams they had ever played. After the game, the coach actually told me that we dominated them up front.”

The Paladins will use Brooks, Guard, Oshinski and Ross on the defensive line to pressure the quarterback.

“We have solid defensive ends and tackles,” Winter said. “These guys have continually improved throughout preseason, and I’ve been very, very happy with their progress.”

The biggest surprise on defense has been freshman middle linebacker Matthew Walters. Walters, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 202 pounds, will be alongside Metz and Jacob Jennings.

“Matthew has great speed and great instincts,” Winter said. “He has what

See PINECREST | 22

forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 21

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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Lambert Center Kevo Yeremian, a junior, is the only underclassman in the trenches for Lambert’s offense. He’s joined by left tackle Ian Deck, right tackle Christian Gray and right guard Brian Warstadt.

Maxwell said senior Cal Crawford, who was hurt during a summer football camp, is expected to miss a handful of regular season games but will get time on the line when he returns.

Defense Defense was the backbone of the Longhorns’ program before injuries began to deplete the secondary last season.

Lambert held opponents to seven points or less in 12 of its first 16 varsity games dating back to the 2010 season, but surrendered 21.5 over the final six games of 2011.

If Lambert is to once again become a stingy defensive unit, a new group of players will have to lead the way. The Longhorns return only three starters on defense this season — one lineman, one linebacker and one defensive back.

Jake Chickowski is the Longhorns’ lone returning member of a defensive line composed primarily of juniors. Senior defensive end Josh Becker will also get snaps, along with junior linemen Trey Leblanc, Nick Topper and Conner McCann.

Maxwell said senior linebacker Russell Monyette will be the team’s defensive leader up front. Seniors Mitchell Gargosh and

James Little and sophomore linebacker Adison Schimmelpfenning are also competing for playing time.

“We’re going to be a work in progress and have got to be patient,” Maxwell said of his defense. “We’ve just got to try to make one less [mistake] than who we play.”

The secondary is the biggest concern for the Longhorns.

Maxwell said about half a dozen players are competing for playing time, with senior defensive backs Danny Edgeworth and Vito Teng leading the way. Senior Austin Eason, juniors Brandon Miller and Skip Sleister and freshman Tucker Maxwell, Sid Maxwell’s youngest son, are also in the mix. “[Pass defense] is obviously going to be a big challenge for us with Alpharetta and some of the [other] teams we’re playing,” Sid Maxwell said. “They have a strong passing game.”

Special teams Senior Ryan Karjala

LHS SCHEDULE Aug. 31 at Etowah Sept. 7 Roswell Sept. 14 at Northview Sept. 21 South Forsyth Sept. 28 North Forsyth Oct. 5 Open Oct. 12 at Centennial Oct. 19 at Johns Creek Oct. 26 Alpharetta Nov. 2 at Chattahoochee Nov. 9 West Forsyth

will handle kicking duties along with Brock Maxwell, who will also remain the team’s punter. Edgeworth will serve as long snapper.

Register, Miller and Edgeworth will try to bring stability to the team’s punt and kick return units. The area was an Achilles Heel for Lambert during its playoff game last season, when a pair of muffed returns proved costly.

“For us it’s going to be a necessity to get that hidden yardage in t h e r e t u r n g a m e ,” Maxwell said. “We’re working hard for that to happen.”

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

Lambert coach Sid Maxwell, right, conducts drills with linemen during practice at The Horn.

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pinecrest Roster 1 2 3 4 7 10 11 20 21 22 23 31 33 41 44 46 50 51 53 55 62 70 71 73 74 81 83 88

Jake Mangan

Zach Guard Jacob Jennings Jimmy Strom Patrick Wilborn Brenner Alexander Greg Metz Aaron Bass Jacob Hanley Mitchell Ojeda Jack Frain Gregory Varghese Christopher Birozes John Paul Metz Adam Guard Evan Montalbano Josh Oshinski Gatlin Winter Matthew Walters Nick Grimaldi Logan Stafford Brian Flanagan Ben Stout Thomas Ross Ryan Brooks Jonathan Moreno Conner Ettmueller Luke del Balzo

9 12 12 12 12 11 10 9 10 9 10 9 11 12 10 11 12 10 9 11 9 9 9 12 12 10 9 10

Pinecrest you expect out of a linebacker. He has a sense for where the football is and is not afraid of contact.”

Strom will not only have to lead the offense, but he will be called upon to anchor the Pinecrest secondary. The unit will also consist of Alexander Brenner, Birozes, Wilborn and Mitchell Ojeda.

Special teams Winter takes pride in special teams.

Birozes won’t likely get much rest as he will play a key role as he handles the extra points, field goals and punts while Ross will long snap.

Brenner and Birozes are battling it out to see who will handle kickoff duties.

Both can kick the ball near

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the goal line, but the coach would like to be able to get the ball in the end zone and force the opposing team to start at the 20-yard line.

“This team has great chemistry,” Winter said.

“I’ve been coaching for 14 years and I feel like the

Jared Putnam Forsyth County News

Pinecrest Academy players take part in a drill during practice.

kids believe in each other and they believe in the coaching staff. “ T h ey h ave a s t r o n g work ethic and everything

moves very smoothly with these kids. They are unselfish and put others before themselves on the football field.”

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

FROM 10

Central take advantage of that with a more run-oriented offense this season.

He’ll be joined in the backfield by running ba c k S hay Hollis , a junior who showed promise last year before suffering a season-ending concussion. Juniors C.J. Cochran and Nathan Alvarado will also get carries.

“We have three running backs all over 200 pounds,” Bennett said.

“We’re excited [because] we’re a little bit bigger than we’ve been back there in the past.”

Junior Jeremiah Jones heads up the receiving corps after enjoying a breakout season on the B u l l d o g s ’ b a s ke t b a l l team as a sophomore.

Junior Nate Short — the backup quarterback — and senior Wes Hemer will also see time at wideout. The Bulldogs will take a committee approach at tight end with juniors Daniel Ryan and Ryan Carr and sophomore Corey Johnson all sharing snaps.

Senior center Dee Kelly is the lone returning starter on Central’s young offensive line.

Juniors Kyle Gamble and John Stancel will anchor the right side of the trenches, while sophomores Victor Peppers and Hunter Lamm will occupy the right side.

Defense Central’s experience level on defense isn’t

much greater than on offense, as only three starters from the 2011 squad return.

The team has also made a scheme change.

Though the Bulldogs will still feature multiple formations, they will primarily base out of a 3-4.

If there’s an advantage t h i s y e a r ’s B u l l d o g s have over past squads, it might be depth. Central has seen a larger turnout for the 2012 season, a l l ow i n g B e n n e t t t o avoid using most players on both offense and defense.

“We’re trying not to cross anybody over [on both sides of the ball],” Bennett said. “There will be some situations and necessities with injuries

that we’ll play people both ways, but right now we’re trying to [limit that].”

Central’s defensive unit is anchored on the line by Ruben Rubio, a 300-pound senior nose tackle.

“He’s getting some looks from colleges,” Bennett said. “He came in this summer and squatted over 540 pounds and I made him stop [there].”

Sophomore Jay Fishman will join Rubio on the line, along with junior Adam Maresco, who transferred from Pinecrest, and sophomore David Allen.

Junior outside linebackers Chase Peterson and Nick Zernach will occupy

the edges of Central’s defense, while junior Jake Gorczyka and senior Kris Smith play the inside linebacker spots.

H e m e r a n d f e l l ow senior Griffin Powell — a 10-game starter last season — provide Central with experience at the starting cornberback spots. Junior safeties Jack Longmore and A.J. Zlatic will provide the last line of defense for the unit.

Special teams Junior Anel Ramic will handle kicking duties for Central for the thirdstraight season.

“He’s had a great summer,” Bennett said. “He kicked one nine yards deep in the end zone [in the scrimmage] against

Milton.”

Branigan and Alvarado will take over the punting duties this year.

Bennett said punt returns and kick returns will likely be fielded by committee. Hollis, Cochran and Longmmore are all expected to get opportunities.

FC SCHEDULE Aug. 31 North Forsyth Sept. 7 at S. Forsyth Sept. 14 Dawson Co. Sept. 21 Sprayberry Sept. 28 Open Oct. 5 at North Springs Oct. 12 Cambridge Oct. 19 at Sequoyah Oct. 26 at Creekview Nov. 2 Northview Nov. 9 Region Play-in

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