Denmark
BOYS
Coach: Christian Atkinson, second season.
Last year’s results: Finished sixth at county championship
Key returners: T.J. Flores, Danie Eberbach, C.J. Woodruff
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Junior T.J. Flores headlines the Danes returners this season, as Flores narrowly missed a top-10 finish last season at the Class 5A-4A state meet, finishing 11th with a 2:01.78. Denmark’s boys swim and dive team will look to continue growing in its second year as a program. The Danes finished seventh last season in the Forsyth County Championships.
GIRLS
Coach: Christian Atkinson, second season.
Last year’s results: Finished seventh at county championship
Key returners: Sarah Clark, Samantha Kenney, Shelby Mauldin, Hanna McNamara
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Denmark’s girls swim and dive team enters the 2019-20 season with its relay team intact, which includes sophomores Hanna McNamara and Samantha Kenney, junior Shelby Mauldin and senior Sarah Clark. The Danes’ 400 free relay team finished 14h at last season’s Class 5A-4A state meet. McNamara also finished 15th in the 200 IM with a 2:19.91.
Forsyth Central
BOYS
Coach: Asheley Bell, sixth season
Last year’s results: Finished fourth at county championship.
Key returners: Thomas Eaton, Guenter Kryzon, Brendan O’Sullivan, Thomas Shefchunas
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Senior Thomas Eaton returns after a strong showing at the Class 7A-6A state meet, posting a fifth-place finish in the 100 fly (51:23) and placing seventh in the 200 IM (1:54.52). Eaton will again anchor the Bulldogs’ relay team, one that also brings back Guenter Kryzon, Brendan O’Sullivan and Thomas Shefchunas.
GIRLS
Coach: Asheley Bell, sixth season
Last year’s results: Finished third at county championship
Key returners: Kate Eaton, Riley Byers, Amanda Cesario, Katie Semler, Gabi Somoza
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Forsyth Central’s girls swim and dive team appears to be in good shape entering this season, as the Bulldogs bring back a bulk of their state qualifiers from last year. Central finished in the top 20 of seven events at the state meet, led by a 14th-place finish in the 400 free relay by sophomore Kate Eaton and seniors Riley Byers, Amanda Cesario, Katie Semler.
Lambert
BOYS
Coach: Kerry Langley, eighth season
Last year’s results: Finished fifth at Class 7A-6A state meet, first at county championships.
Key returners: Daniel Gallagher
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Lambert’s boys swim and dive team has its work cut out after graduating four highly decorated seniors in Mikhail Johnston, Seth Maschmeier, Alexander Reyman and Lleyton Smith. The Longhorns return plenty of potential, though, namely senior Daniel Gallagher, who finished second in the 200 IM (1:49.28) last season at the Class 7A-6A state meet. He also had a fifth-place finish in the 100 back (50.12) and swam on the seventh-place 200 free and second-place 200 free relay teams.
GIRLS
Coach: Kerry Langley, eighth season
Last year’s results: Finished 14th at Class 7A-6A state meet, second at county championships.
Key returners: Lily Blank, Sarah Blackstone, Kyleigh Huston, Lauren Martin
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: South Forsyth broke Lambert’s nine-year winning streak at the Forsyth County Championships last year, but the Longhorns bounced back with a 14th-place finish at the Class 7A-6A meet, led by senior Lauren Martin’s third-place finish in the 100 breast (1:05.52) and seventh-place finish in the 200 IM (2:10.45). Lambert also returns sophomore Kyleigh Huston, who finished eighth in one-meter diving (209.85) as a freshman.
North Forsyth
BOYS
Coach: Tyler Martin, third season
Last year’s results: Finished 13th at Class 7A-6A state meet.
Key returners: Alex Gonzalez, Logan Cornelison
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Senior Alex Gonzalez finished sixth in the 200 free and 100 backstroke at last season’s Class 6A-7A state meet and looks to finish on the podium this year. Junior Logan Cornelison also hopes to take the next step after placing 16th in the 50 free and 20th in the 100 free.
GIRLS
Coach: Tyler Martin, third season
Last year’s results: Finished 22nd at Class 7A-6A state meet.
Key returners: Hailey Galbraith, Maryann Story
Key additions: Abigail Hutcheson
Outlook: North Forsyth has state champion Hailey Galbraith as the cornerstone of its program for the next two seasons, which is good news for a Raiders squad that welcomes freshman Abigail Hutcheson this season. North Forsyth coach Tyler Martin said Hutcheson will provide a boost in the 50 and 100 free, as well as the 100 fly. Galbraith won the 50 free at the Class 7A-6A state meet and was runner-up in the 100 fly. She set county records in both events at the Forsyth County meet. The Raiders also bring back senior Maryann Story, who finished 24th in the 500 free.
Pinecrest
BOYS
Coach: Denise Jordan
Last year’s results: Finished sixth at county championship; Placed 26th at Class 5A-1A state meet.
Key returners: Anthony Birozes, Mason Carter, Brendan Spillane, Henry Borgerding, Diego Perez
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Pinecrest might have its best team in school history this year, as five Paladins have already qualified for this year’s Class 5A-1A state meet. The 400 free relay team swam a school-record 3.26.45 at last year’s Class 5A-1A state meet, finishing seventh in the event. Senior Anthony Birozes helped qualify that team, as well as the 50 and 100 free, where he placed seventh and 11th, respectively.
GIRLS
Coach: Denise Jordan
Last year’s results: Finished seventh at county championship
Key returners: Charlotte Adams, Maria Birozes, Sarah Meersman, Mercedes Persichetti
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Pinecrest will return its entire 200 medley relay team, which set a school record at the Class 5A-1A state meet with a 2.05.94. Pinecrest coach Denise Jordan said Mercedes Persichetti will also try to qualify in the 50 and 100 free this year.
South Forsyth
BOYS
Coach: Katherine Bergdahl, second season
Last year’s results: Finished second at county championship;
Key returners: Barrett Breeze, Ben Isakbayev, Riley James, Jake Taulbee, Sreenivas Yellayi
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: South Forsyth returns its entire 200 medley relay team from a year ago, which placed 13th at the Class 7A-6A state meet. Seniors Jake Taulbee and Barrett Breeze also showed promise in the 200 free, where they finished 15th and 17th, respectively, at the state meet. Taulbee had a sixth-place finish in the 500 free. South coach Katherine Bergdahl said the swim and dive team added 35 newcomers this season.
GIRLS
Coach: Katherine Bergdahl, second season
Last year’s results: Won county championship; Placed third at Class 7A-6A state meet.
Key returners: Emilie Flynn, Jordan Edwards, Katie Herman, Emery Betzer, Jenny Chung, Sarah Davis
Key additions: N/A
Outlook: Two of South Forsyth’s top swimmers, Caroline Perry and Mary-Kate Wichalonis, have graduated, but the War Eagles return a wealth of talent this year. Seniors Emery Betzer and Emilie Flynn placed at last year’s Class 7A-6A state meet, with both competing on South’s fifth-place 400 free relay team. Junior Jordan Edwards returns after a placing fifth in a couple of individual events, including the 100 butterfly and 100 breast. South coach Katherine Bergdahl said the swim and dive team added 35 newcomers this season.
West Forsyth
BOYS
Coach: Clayton Tillery, eighth season
Last year’s results: Finished third at county championship; Placed 11th at Class 7A-6A state meet.
Key returners: Jack Aikins, Brett Sasser, Griffin Egolf, Conor Hubbard, Owen Holland
Key additions: Grant Shimer
Outlook: A couple of the best sprinters in the state will lead West Forsyth this season – juniors Jack Aikins and Brett Sasser. Aikins brought home a state championship in the 50 free last year, while Sasser finished a few spots behind at No. 6 in the Class 7A-6A state meet. Over the summer, Aikins secured a spot in the 2020 Olympic Trials. West’s 200 free relay team, which features Aikins, Sasser, Griffin Egolf and Owen Holland, will also look to take the next step this season after finishing third last year at the state meet.
GIRLS
Coach: Clayton Tillery, eighth season
Last year’s results: Finished fourth at county championship; Placed 23rd at Class 7A-6A state meet.
Key returners: Kayla Gonanin, Nana Vanderwall, June Phang
Key additions: Emily Kate Martin, Catalina Infante, Michelle Cummo
Outlook: Junior June Phang will bolster West Forsyth’s girls swim and dive team, as will sophomore Nanna Van der wall and senior Kayla Gonanin. Phang finished second in the breaststroke and managed a 12th-place finish in the 100 fly at last year’s state meet. The Wolverines also had a strong showing in the 200 medley relay but must replace Lucy Ballard, who has since graduated.