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By Jay Spivey

For the Clemmons Courier

The West Forsyth girls soccer team has been a juggernaut for a long time.  

It was no different last season with first-year Coach Jeffrey Williams. West Forsyth finished 17-4-1 overall and 13-1 in the Central Piedmont 4-A, not losing until the final game of the regular season against East Forsyth.  

It was also the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and defeated conference rival Davie County 2-1 in the first round and No. 14 Waxhaw Cuthbertson 2-1 in the second round. It lost to No. 6 Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 4-2 in the third round, ending its season. 

“One of (our) goals was to get out of the first round of the state playoffs,” Williams said. “And then to lose in the third round to the eventual state champs, which we played a pretty solid game against, I think that gave them a lot of confidence coming into this year.” 

With the season starting this week, despite plenty of success last season, there is still plenty to build off from last season.  

“There is more familiarity with the girls and I,” Williams said. “A lot of the returners feel more comfortable with me and with what we want to accomplish. It’s been great.” 

West Forsyth outscored its opponents 91-29 last season. However, according to Williams, it lost seven players from last season to graduation, including both goaltenders – Braeden Carter and Sydney Konkler. Brooklynn King, who is a junior on the girls basketball team, will be one of the goaltenders this season, as well as junior Claire Swain, who was the goaltender on the JV team last season. 

“We’ve got six newcomers. We’ll call the two goalies newcomers even though they have played soccer at West before,” Williams said. “They’re both juniors.” 

Senior Aislynn Maguire, who had 32 goals and nine assists last season, is back. Maguire was selected as conference player of the year, all-region, all-state and all-Mid-Atlantic and is committed to play at Wake Forest.

“We return about 90 percent of our goal scorers from last year,” Williams said. “And we’ve got some talented juniors who were sophomores last year in the attack, as well as some incoming freshmen that will push for a lot of time in our attack as well.” 

West Forsyth won the conference last season, followed by East Forsyth and Reagan. Although conference doesn’t begin until March 19 at home against Parkland, West Forsyth was scheduled to open its season Tuesday night at home against Hough High School followed by another home game Thursday night against Mooresville. 

“I would like to think we’re in the running to win conference again this year,” Williams said. “And I don’t want to overlook that or overstate any of that. And so, our goal is definitely to win conference.” 

Girls lacrosse

The Titans were dominant last season, finishing their season with a record of 19-2 and 12-0 in the conference. In doing so, they outscored their opponents 355-153 with Coach Doug Brawley. They also defeated perennial conference-power Reynolds three times this season, including a 14-9 win in the conference-tournament championship on April 25 at West Forsyth.

The team was scheduled to have opened its season this past Monday night at home against Northern Guilford followed by a game Wednesday night at Southeast Guilford. 

“Nerve-wracking. I’m filled with uncertainty. Optimism,” said Brawley, who is in his 12th year as head coach at West Forsyth. “Best way to describe it right now.”

The team won the Central Piedmont tournament, and it was named the No. 2 seed in the West Region for the playoffs. It received a first-round bye and defeated Southeast Guilford 18-3 in the second round. However, it lost 20-11 to No. 7 Waxhaw Marvin Ridge in the third round, ending its season. 

The team lost six players to graduation, including Alivia Gurley, who was named first-team all-state by the North Carolina Lacrosse Coaches Association. Bailey Fox made second-team all-state and also graduated.

“We lost a lot of starters and we have a lot of holes to fill in,” Brawley said. “And that happens every year, but this time of year is obviously the most stressful for me wondering who’s going to step up and fill those holes.” 

Making third-team all-state for West Forsyth were juniors Brigdhe Mullen and Gaby Vestal and sophomore Tatum Snow.  

“They’ll definitely be taking on more of a leadership role on the attack position,” Brawley said.

West Forsyth defeated Reynolds three times last season, including a 14-9 win in the conference-tournament championship. 

“I would say that Reynolds is the favorite this year with Reagan pulling a close second,” Brawley said. “They’re going to be strong this year.” 

Baseball

The West Forsyth baseball team had a stellar season with first-year Coach Kevin McIntosh. The Titans finished 23-7 overall and 11-3 in the conference.

West Forsyth was scheduled to open at home Tuesday against Oak Grove, followed by a game Wednesday at home against Watauga and a home game Friday night against West Stokes.

“I think we can be very competitive this year,” McIntosh said. “We’ve got to still find our roles early in the season, figure out who’s going to be what puzzle piece here and there. Then, the quicker the kids buy into their roles and puzzle pieces fit together the quicker, better off we’ll be.” 

They also won the conference tournament and as the No. 12 seed in the West reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament before losing 8-5 at No. 1 Asheville Roberson, who won the state championship. 

Losing to Roberson came one day after defeating rival and No. 4 Reagan 5-0 in the third round at David F. Couch Ballpark, which is the home of Wake Forest. 

“The kids are hungry,” McIntosh said. “I can definitely say that. They’re ready to play this week.”

West Forsyth lost six seniors from last season including its top starting pitcher, Jack Vest. Logan Rodriguez, Hayden McGaha and Ryan McReynolds were also pitchers last season and have since graduated. Juniors Greyson Jones and Zane Culler will be counted on to pitch this season.  

“Pitching is what got us to where it got us last year,” McIntosh said. “And losing those guys is a big task.” 

West Forsyth finished runner-up behind Reagan in the conference last season.

“Hopefully we’re in the mix for a conference championship,” McIntosh said. “And that’s something this team has set out as a goal. You know, we’ve been fortunate, we’ve won three straight conference tournaments. But West Forsyth baseball hasn’t won a regular-season conference championship since 2017.” 

Softball

West Forsyth finished last season 24-4 overall and 12-2 in the conference.

West Forsyth tied Reagan for the regular-season conference title, but Reagan swept the regular-season series, giving it the top seed in the conference tournament.  

West Forsyth was the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and defeated Reynolds 15-0 in the first round, defeated Davie County 6-3 in the semifinals and upended Reagan 1-0 in the championship, avenging the two regular-season losses.

West Forsyth was awarded the No. 13 seed in the West for the NCHSAA Class 4-A tournament and lost at No. 4 Northwest Guilford 2-1 in the second round to end its season. 

“We were 24-4 last year, lost three games by one run, and are supposed to have every player back from last year because I didn’t graduate anybody,” Coach Kevin Baity said. “However, my two-time all-state first baseman (senior Kaylyn Riddle) tore her ACL.” 

Baity said that senior McKinley Wall and sophomore Naomi Christy will fill in for Riddle.  

Despite the loss of Riddle, the Titans still have senior Sydney Horton, a shortstop who was named the Class 4-A player of the year last year in North Carolina.

Horton, who has committed to play at North Carolina, batted .595 with 47 hits, including six doubles, five triples and six home runs, with 52 runs and 47 RBIs, helping the team outscore its opponents 282-51 last season.  

In addition, the Titans have sophomore Morgan Maxwell and junior Meredith Casey doing most of the pitching. 

“Both of them looked really good in the scrimmage the other night,” Baity said. “I feel really good about our pitching. I feel really good about our defense.” 

West Forsyth was scheduled to play a nonconference game Wednesday night at Oak Grove, followed by another nonconference game Friday against Starmount. 

“It should be us and Reagan again (in the conference),” Baity said. “I would like to think we would be favored just because I have five seniors now. I think I have the best player in the state (in Horton).” 

Boys lacrosse

West Forsyth struggled all season and finished 0-16 overall and 0-12 in the conference under Coach Jacob Able. 

Last season, West Forsyth, which was the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament, lost to No. 2 Reagan 18-1, ending its season. 

The team was outscored 233-71 this past season and lost eight players to graduation. 

West Forsyth was scheduled to open play on Wednesday night at Southeast Guilford, followed by a home game Friday night against Burlington Williams. 

Boys tennis

The Titans had a stellar season with Coach Sara Cranford. The Titans finished with an undefeated record in the conference.

The team was awarded the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and played host to No. 13 Greensboro Page in the first round. Page edged West Forsyth 5-4, ending West Forsyth’s season.

The team opened play this past Monday with a conference match at Mount Tabor and was scheduled to play another conference match on Wednesday at Parkland. 

Boys golf

The biggest change for the Titans is that Debra Troxell, who had already been the girls golf coach, has replaced Kevin King, who retired at the end of last season. 

The Titans finished fifth in the Midwest Regional last season and Hershal Patel, who graduated last June, finished tied for fifth at one under. Senior Logan Garrison was 20th, senior Andrew Koster finished tied for 41st and sophomore Caden Koster finished tied for 51st.

Patel finished the state championship at Pinehurst No. 8 with a two-day total of 151. 

The team has a conference match on Monday. 

Boys and girls track and field

The biggest thing for the two teams this season will be that Sean Joyce has replaced Nathan Newsome, who retired to move to Salem College.

Senior Noelle Childs will try to duplicate what she did earlier this month in the indoor championship, co-winning the state championship with sophomore Tessa Kranick of Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons with a best vault of 11 feet. 

Childs finished third last season in the girls conference championship in the outdoor 300-meter hurdles at 49.28, and she finished as the runner-up in the pole vault at 10-1, behind winner Rachel Riley of Mount Tabor at 11-1.  

Freshman Laila Jones finished seventh in the indoor girls shot put at 35-feet, 11.75 inches earlier in February. In the indoor championship, the girls 4×800-meter team of Tatum Snow, Dempsey Baldini, Celia Tonindandel and Lily Baugh finished 14th at 10.00.44. 

As for the Titans’ boys outdoor track-and-field team, Aydin Davis finished eighth in the 300-meter run at 35.77 at the state indoor meet.