COAL MOUNTAIN — North Forsyth knows that little will come easy in 2017 -- not with nine of the Raiders' 10 regular season contests against teams that made the 2016 playoffs.
But coach Robert Craft said his squad is itching for the challenge. The Raiders return 11 starters, including seven on an offense led by senior quarterback Ben Bales, who helped North Forsyth to break out of a three-year slump while averaging just over three touchdowns per game.
A balance of upper and underclassmen, talent at several skilled positions, and increased numbers program-wide is also keying the optimism.
"This is our second year and I think people see what we're doing, and the kids are grasping things a lot quicker this year," Craft said. "The new guys are adjusting to the changes, and we have a lot of senior leadership, which you have to have in (Class) 7A. We know it's going to be tough every week, but we feel we have a chance to be right there again."
Bales passed for over 2,000 yards in North's new spread attack in 2016 and will have talent options again this season thanks to senior tight end Clayton Bardall, who has multiple offers, senior receivers and Triston Howard and Cedric Touchstone, junior Charlie Aiken, and sophomore Nicky Dalmonlin. Craft also said junior running back Bryson Trigg could be poised for a breakout campaign.
"The offense is much further along at this stage than last year," he said. "I think Ben has a chance, with the weapons around him, to have a huge year. Charlie and Nicky are young but they already have a year of varsity experience, and we're expecting big things from them as well. We should be able to score some points."
Defensively, the Raiders must make strides after allowing 33 points a game in 2016. And while they return just four starters, the Raiders should be solid in the middle via senior defensive linemen Cade Jensen and Guillermo Chavarria and senior linebackers Robert Faulkner and Evan Johnson.
"If we can get better on defense, which I think we will be, then we should be able to compete in every game," Craft said. "One more win gets us in last year so we're just focusing on trying to get better each week. If we can do that, I like our chances."
NORTH FORSYTH: NEED TO KNOW
- MASCOT: Raiders
- TEAM COLORS: Black, Silver and Purple
- CURRENT REGION: 5-AAAAAAA
- HEAD COACH/RECORD AT SCHOOL: Robert Craft, second season, 4-6
- 2016 RECORD/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 4-6
- KEY LOSSES: WR Simon Holcomb, OL Austin Kennedy, OL Dakota Bryant, TE Nick Lanier, DT Michael Bun, LB Griffin Hughes, DE Chris Cutter, DB Bradley Thomas, NG Mason Wacker, S Robert Bishop, LB Shaun Herock
- OFFENSIVE STYLE: Spread -- The Raiders want to be a downhill running team while also pushing the ball vertically through the air
- KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: 7 returning starters -- Sr. OL Daniel Espinoza, Jr. OL Jeremy James, Sr. QB Ben Bales, Sr. TE Clayton Bardall, Jr. RB Bryson Trigg, Jr. WR Charlie Aiken, So. WR Nicky Dalmonlin, Sr. WR Triston Howard, Sr. WR Cedric Touchstone
- DEFENSIVE STYLE: 3-4 -- North is switching schemes under new coordinator Brian Dameron and will play with multiple looks in an aggressive, attacking style.
- KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: 4 returning starters -- Sr. DL Cade Jensen, Sr. DL Guillermo Chavarria, Sr. LB Robert Faulkner, Jr. Saf Honus Wagner, Sr. LB Evan Johnson, Sr. DB Brice Davis
- SPECIAL TEAMS: Sr. PK Arthur Boyzo, Sr. P Robert Faulkner (1st team All-Region in 2016), Jr. KR Bryson Trigg, Jr. KR Charle Aiken
- STRENGTH: Offense/kicking game -- With 7 returning starters, including Bales and Bryson Trigg, the Raiders should be able to produce points, and Boyzo is a legitimate weapon once North reaches opponents' 40-yard line.
- QUESTION: Inexperience in secondary -- The Raiders graduated their entire starting secondary from 2016, and Wagner is moving over from LB to help.
- KEY GAMES: The Raiders were in the playoff race until the final week in 2016, and it may again come down to the season-finale against with Milton on the road in a very tough and balanced region. However, counting a scrimmage with Gainesville, 10 of their 11 foes in 2017 advanced to the playoffs in 2016. They do get two rival and key region games at home vs. South Forsyth (Oct. 20) and West Forsyth (Oct. 27) in back-to-back weeks, and they could be a darkhorse with Bales under center and a number of potential weapons flanking him.
- TRENDING: Craft said they are still trying to build as a 7A program with increased numbers. The 2016 season brought some needed confidence and experience to a program that last reached the state playoffs in 2013 (going 7-4) but won just three games combined the following two seasons. They have a good mix of upper and underclassmen as they continue to build for the future. A better finish is all that stands in the way of a playoff berth. North opened 2016 with a 4-2 mark but dropped its final four games to fall out of the playoff race.
2017 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 at Sequoyah
Aug. 25 vs. Johns Creek
Sept. 1 vs. Loganville
Sept. 15 at Pickens
Sept. 22 vs. Woodstock
Oct. 6 at *Forsyth Central
Oct. 13 at *Lambert
Oct. 20 vs. *South Forsyth
Oct. 27 vs. *West Forsyth
Nov. 3 at *Milton
*- Indicates region game
(All kickoffs scheduled for 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
