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By Jay Spivey

For the Clemmons Courier

By the time West Forsyth travels to Asheville Friday night to play its scheduled football season opener at A.C. Reynolds it will have been 277 days since the Titans last played. 

And much has happened since that night after West Forsyth lost 47-7 in Matthews to Butler in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 4-A playoffs to finish 8-4. 

For one, Coach Kevin Wallace of the Titans is beginning his second season as coach, which means his system has been firmly established. 

“It’s like we’ve been installing the same plays over and over,” he said. “And now, we can at least start tapering it down and getting to the gameplan and situationally and all that stuff and do some good things. You know, it’s now, we start playing the chess game. That’s the mental that’s very intriguing as a coach.” 

Pretty much the same thing can be said about Coach Shane Laws of A.C. Reynolds. It lost 61-38 to Hickory on Nov. 17 in the third round of the NCHSAA Class 3-A playoffs to finish 9-4. 

“You always get a new opportunity to do something different, to do something, try to do something special,” Laws said. “No matter how much tradition you have and what kind of program you have all these, the kids are always different. And each team kind of has its own identity, and that’s kind of where we are right now. 

“Trying to figure out what type of team this, or who are real leaders? How are we going to respond to different situations? And things like that. And I think during this early part and scrimmages and all that kind of thing, I think for us we’re trying to constantly put our guys in tough situations, and just to see how they respond and get them ready for what’s coming.” 

Both teams had two scrimmages apiece. West Forsyth scrimmaged Northern Guilford in its first scrimmage, and just this past Friday, scrimmaged Greensboro Page. 

“We got better in both,” Wallace said. “You know, the second one was better than the first, which is what we wanted to see.” 

That’s big for the Titans. 

“I think we look in a lot better shape mentally and physically right now than we were going into the season last year,” Wallace said. “We’ve kind of stayed somewhat vanilla in the scrimmages because we want to see, we still have some competition at some positions. So, it’s good. Good competition creates better play all around, which we didn’t have at all last year.” 

A.C. Reynolds scrimmaged Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Ga.) and Murphy. 

“I think we definitely got better,” Laws said. “Rabun Gap presents a challenge. It’s a pretty tough mountain to climb. You’re looking at probably 14 of their 22 starters are already (NCAA) Division I commits…So, it’s a challenge. It’s really tough for our guys, especially the young guys, but at the same time I think it, you kind of throw (them) in the deep end and force them to swim a bit.” 

The two teams faced each other last year at Jerry Peoples Stadium in Clemmons. West Forsyth won 8-7 in Wallace’s first game as head coach for the team after previously coaching at Northwest Guilford 

“Looking back on it, we had stuff,” Wallace said. “When I got to Northwest the first game we’ve ever played was ugly like that, too. Thank God we got the win, but it was ugly offensively. It’s a new system. And kids need to confidence to see. You know, they’re used to seeing it every day against own defense, but the first time you go against another team it’s like, ‘Oh, well can I throw that bubble?’” 

In last year’s game, the Rockets took a 7-0 lead after a touchdown and an extra-point kick in the second quarter. The Titans answered later in the quarter after Darell Paige caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Bert Rice, and they added a two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead.  

“I think you can get a little bit from it,” Laws said. “We were a lot different football team last year than we are right now. Not really saying better or worse. We’re just different. I mean our strengths are different this year than they were last year. But I think really the biggest thing for us, we play a tough nonconference schedule.” 

A.C. Reynolds plays host to West Forsyth, at Shelby, play host to East Forsyth, and play host to Watauga in the nonconference portion of its schedule. It went 1-3 in those games at reverse sites last year, but the team rebounded. 

“It’s just how you handle those first in-game situations that you get comfortable with four or five weeks down the road,” Laws said. “But there’s going to be mistakes and guys are going to screw up and we’re going to be in the wrong coverage or whatever. But how do we handle those situations and move on?” 

As far as Friday’s game, Wallace announced that senior Riley Horton, a transfer from Parkland will be the starting quarterback for West Forsyth. Horton beat out junior Jerrell Crawford, a transfer from Glenn. 

“(Horton’s) been challenged, which mentally and physically,” Wallace said. “We have some high standards. Kind of define where we want specific balls thrown and reads and all that stuff. And I think the first game he wasn’t locked in mentally on it the first scrimmage as much as he should be. And I think (Friday) night he locked in, and I think now he’s starting to see the specifics that we ask for him.” 

Laws is confident about matching up against the Titans. 

“I feel good about who we are in the secondary, as far as knowing what we’re doing,” he said. “You know, right now we don’t have a ton of experience, but West is throwing it around.” 

Also, on offense for the Titans, junior C.J. Blevins, a transfer from Southwest Guilford, has the monumental task of trying to replace running back Caman Chaplin, who is now playing at Fayetteville State. Paige will also play some running back. 

Last season, Chaplin played in 11 of the 12 games, and he finished with 2,255 yards rushing on 249 carries with 31 touchdowns. In addition, he had 27 catches for 341 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Titans should have more depth at receiver this season, but their best asset on offense is likely the stout offensive line. However, junior Keith Foster is out with a medical issue. 

“That hurts us because the kid was a legit Division I ballplayer,” Wallace said. “But we’ve moved some people around, so yeah, they’re still our strong suit.” 

Despite Foster being out there is one distinct difference between the two teams. 

“I think the big thing that you see every year when we play West Forsyth is (they’re so) dang big, big offensive linemen. And we’re not a really big football team,” Laws said. We’re sort of notorious for our defensive line – you know, you’ve got a bunch of 210-, 215-pound guys that hopefully can run and move and cause problems. But West is throwing it and they’re throwing it pretty well. And it’s hard to get to the quarterback because just how big they are.” 

On defense, the Titans also have plenty of talent. 

“The secondary is probably our strong suit,” Wallace said. “Our D-line is probably right up as another strong suit. Our linebackers, they played a lot better (last Friday night).” 

On offense for A.C. Reynolds, senior Max Guest, who has committed to Appalachian State, hurt his foot in a scrimmage last year and missed the entire season. He’s returning this season. Junior Ely Hamrick, a transfer from IMG Academy in Florida, will be the starting quarterback.  

“(Hamrick) allows us, with Max, to be multi-dimensional on offense,” Laws said. 

Wallace said West Forsyth will leave school about 1:15 on Friday afternoon, stop in Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory for a walk-through, have a team meal, and head to Asheville. 

“Just people being excited and all that stuff,” Wallace said. “You know, that’s the hardest part about the first game — (don’t) get too excited too early.”