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By Jay Spivey

For the Clemmons Courier

Spring sports are in full swing at West Forsyth, and even though many of them had an eventful week after spring break, the baseball team had the biggest storyline. 

Greyson Jones (3-1) pitched a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts at home against Reynolds to help West Forsyth win 8-0 in a Central Piedmont 4-A game on Tuesday, March 18. In picking up the win, Jones walked one batter, which was a leadoff walk in the seventh inning, but West Forsyth turned a double play to allow him to face the minimum 21 batters that night.

“Greyson Jones was just lights out on the mound that night,” Coach Kevin McIntosh of the Titans said. “We played good defense behind him. Anytime you get 14 strikeouts and you don’t have to worry about fielding the ball that makes it nice as well.” 

Jones also helped West Forsyth pick up a win during its recent spring-break trip to the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area. 

“He’s now coming off back-to-back performances,” McIntosh said. “His performance down at the beach against St. James, he had six shutout innings.” 

Not only did Jones pitch well for the Titans against the Demons, but the Titans hit well. Luis Acevedo was 2 for 3 with three runs, Mason Ridings was 2 for 3, Will Holden was 1 for 2 with two RBIs, Parker Trexler was 1 for 2 with two RBIs, Lucas Alderman was 1 for 2 and Garrett Secrist was 1 for 3.

Thursday night, West Forsyth traveled to Cornelius to face Hough in a nonconference game. West Forsyth scored six runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh to come from behind to defeat Hough 15-9. 

“They started their pitcher (Tyler Baird) that’s going to Vanderbilt. There were probably 15 to 20 pro scouts there watching him pitch,” McIntosh said.

The Titans led 3-0 after the first inning, but the Huskies (7-2) scored six in the bottom of the second to take a 6-3 lead. The Huskies led 7-4 after three innings, but the Titans scored a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth to trim the lead to 7-6.

“That was a huge win,” McIntosh said. “That was probably the most energy we’ve had all year coming into a game. Our guys were excited for the challenge. They knew what they were facing going into the game. We ended up knocking (Baird) out of the game in the fourth inning. And I felt like we answered there. Pitching kept us in the ballgame.”

On Friday, West Forsyth rolled past Reynolds 13-1 in five innings at Hanes Park.

The Titans scored four runs in the top of the third and nine in the top of the fourth. The Demons (4-5, 0-4) scored their lone run in the bottom of the fifth. 

Alderman was 2 for 4 with four RBIs, Acevedo was 2 for 4, Nicholas Goodrum was 1 for 1, Holden and Trexler were 1 for 2, Landon Church was 1 for 2 with three RBIs and Ridings and Brayden Seeley were 1 for 3. Alderman also pitched the first four innings and had six strikeouts with two hits.

West Forsyth (8-2, 4-0) has just two games this week, but they’re two conference games against Reagan (9-2, 4-0). Reagan swept Mount Tabor last week in the conference.

Tuesday’s scheduled game is at Reagan and Friday’s game is in Clemmons.

“Well, it’s the old cliche,” McIntosh said. “It’s West-Reagan. You can throw the records, you can throw the stats, you can throw everything out the window this week.”

SOFTBALL 

The West Forsyth softball team remained undefeated this past week with three wins at Glenn, Cornelius Hough and Reagan.

In the Glenn game, West Forsyth (10-0, 5-0) scored a run in the top of the second, and added two in the fifth, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh to help it win 8-1 in a conference game in Kernersville on Tuesday. 

Sydney Horton and McKinley Wall were both 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs against Glenn (4-5, 2-2). 

“I thought we got off to a really slow start against Glenn, also,” Coach Kevin Baity said. “And that’s what I told them after the game. We didn’t look quite as bad as we did last year in the first game back (from spring break). But the bats eventually got going. It took us a while. About the fourth or fifth inning we finally started.” 

On Thursday at Hough (7-2), West Forsyth scored two runs in the third and one in the sixth to help it slip by for a 3-1 nonconference win. 

“I got the best teams I could,” Baity said of his nonconference schedule. “And it’s paying off. There’s no doubt. And I definitely think it made a difference (Friday) night too.”

Horton, who has signed to play in college at North Carolina, went 3 for 3 on Friday, including a two-run home run, to help West Forsyth edge Reagan 7-4 in Pfafftown. 

Horton’s homer gave the Titans a 5-3 lead, but the Raiders (7-2, 2-2) added a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-4. The Titans added single runs in the sixth and seventh to makes it 7-4. 

The Titans finished that game with 12 hits and every person in the batting lineup reached base at least once. 

“If we do that and make the plays, we’re going to be hard to beat,” Baity said.

This week, West Forsyth is scheduled to play four home games — Davie (9-1, 5-0) in a conference game on Tuesday, East Surry (3-6) Thursday in a nonconference game and a conference doubleheader Friday against Reynolds (1-7, 0-5). 

“(Last week) was brutal,” Baity said. “But this week, everything’s at home.” 

GIRLS SOCCER 

The West Forsyth girls soccer team also returned this past week from a spring break trip to the Wilmington area. West Forsyth responded with a 12-0 win last Wednesday at home against Parkland in a conference game with the help of two goals each by Millie Garcia Olmedo and Ella Fergus. 

“The Parkland game was something that we got through, and we got through the game and moved forward after the game,” Coach Jeffrey Williams of West Forsyth said.

The Mustangs fell to 0-6 overall and 0-1 in the conference. 

One night later, West Forsyth played host to Harrisburg Hickory Ridge in a nonconference game. Emma Milliron scored the lone goal as Hickory Ridge squeaked past West Forsyth 1-0. 

Hickory Ridge improved to 7-0.

“Tough opponent,” Williams said. “Excluding Parkland, all of the other six teams we have played have not lost to anybody besides us. Hickory Ridge is a good team, solid team.” 

This week, West Forsyth was scheduled to play two conference games — Monday at Glenn (1-3, 0-1) and Wednesday at Reagan (2-3-1, 1-0).

“We’re looking forward to two away games and two games in which we hope to get a W in the column in-conference,” Williams said. 

BOYS LACROSSE 

What a difference a year makes for the West Forsyth boys lacrosse team.

Last season, the Titans went winless, finishing 0-16 overall. So far this season, it’s been the complete opposite with Coach Jacob Able.

Also coming off spring break, West Forsyth improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference after defeating Mount Tabor 14-5 on the road in a conference game last Tuesday and Watauga 14-4 last Thursday in a nonconference game in Boone. 

Through the first five games the team has outscored its opponents 71-13. Mount Tabor fell to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference, and Watauga fell to 1-8. 

“Obviously, all things considered, compared to how we started last year, I’ll take it. But I don’t want to take away from what our team’s accomplished so far, we’re still a team of guys who’ve only played for two or three years at the most with like one or two exceptions,” said Able, adding that the lack of top competition does not diminish the team’s accomplishments so far.

This week, West Forsyth was scheduled to play home on Monday in a nonconference game against Greensboro Grimsley (3-5), Tuesday at Glenn (2-1, 0-0) and Friday at Reagan (2-4, 1-0) in two conference games.

“I think Grimsley’s got a pretty good squad,” Able said. “I think Glenn, with their new coach (Kyle Green), they are a completely different team. And obviously ending the week with Reagan is always a big one.”

GIRLS LACROSSE 

The West Forsyth girls lacrosse team played this week after returning from spring break and went 1-2, winning at Mount Tabor in a conference game last Tuesday to bring the overall record to 4-3 and conference to 1-0.

West Forsyth lost on Wednesday at Bishop McGuinness 14-8 in a nonconference game, and on Friday lost at home to Lake Norman 18-4 in a nonconference game. 

Against Mount Tabor (0-1, 0-1), West Forsyth won 22-1, led by four goals each by Tatum Snow, Arianna Frens, Brighde Mullen and Gaby Vestal. 

Kate Dennen, who has signed to play at Penn State, led Bishop McGuinness (7-2). And Kate Wood led Lake Norman (3-3) with six goals.

“We lost a lot of senior leadership and we’re still finding ourselves as a team, you know,” said Coach Doug Brawley. “Trying to identify ourselves as how we’re going to play together and come together as one and not play as 12 individuals.” 

This week, West Forsyth was scheduled to play Monday at Northwest Guilford (3-3) in a nonconference game, play Tuesday at Glenn (0-4, 0-1), and home against Reagan (7-1, 2-0) in two conference games.