Over the course of the 2016-17 school year in Forsyth County, high school athletic directors were thrilled with what they were seeing at each major college signing period - in particular, the number of athletes signing scholarships.

In November, South Forsyth's Keith Gravitt presided over a ceremony honoring 16 athletes, the most ever for the school during the early signing period. West Forsyth's Brett Phipps was similarly proud as he watched 14 athletes sign. 

This spring, Lambert honored 19 athletes during the late signing period and 46 total, both school records.

In all, Forsyth County had 154 athletes sign to play at the next level. So when seniors graduated this past week, it marked the end of their high school athletic careers - but the beginning of their college ones, too.

We dug deeper in to the numbers:

School spirit

Lambert had the most members of the Class of 2017 sign athletic scholarships in the county with 46, followed by South (35), West (28), North Forsyth (21), Forsyth Central (17), Pinecrest Academy (8) and Horizon Christian (1).

Baseball, football neck-and-neck

Baseball had the highest number of senior athletes sign athletic scholarships with 25, followed closely by football (24) and Lacrosse (19).

To the next level

Most of the county's signed athletes are headed to the top level of college competition - 49 signed to play with Division I programs, followed by Division II (42), Division III (38), NAIA (13), junior college (8) and NCCAA (3).

Home cooking

And many of the county's signed athletes won't be going too, too far from home. Georgia was far and away the top individual state that Forsyth County seniors choose, followed by Alabama (12), South Carolina (11), Florida (7), North Carolina and Tennessee (6) and Kentucky and New York (4). Six states were tied with three, 11 were tied with two and 70 were tied with one.

Frequent flyer miles

But, some athletes have quite a trip to get to their home away from home. Using distancecalculator.net, it's clear Lambert's Andrew Melms has the farthest trip: 4,506 miles to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he'll play basketball for Hawaii Pacific University. The next four farthest trips belong to Lambert's Victoria Shelton (Oregon State University), North Forsyth's Jack Dalmolin (Arizona State University swimming), Forsyth Central's Hunter Stephens (Black Hills State University football) and West Forsyth's Patrick Sklenka (Air Force Academy tennis).

New pride

Forsyth County athletes have been Bulldogs, Longhorns, Raiders, Warriors, Paladins, War Eagles and Wolverines for the past four years. They always will be, too, but now they'll have some new mascots to take pride in - including a few interesting ones.

Forsyth Central

Name / School / Sport

Alex Andrew, Piedmont College, Baseball

Ryan Cox, Piedmont College, Baseball

Mackenzie Delk, Birmingham-Southern College, Cheerleading

Daniel Henderson, Piedmont College, Baseball

Ethan Hester, Birmingham-Southern College, Basketball

Anna Higginbotham, Georgia Southwestern State University, Soccer

Chase Hintz,University of Louisville, Cheerleading

Sabrian Howard, Cornell University, Football

Sebastian Legarra, Reinhardt University, Football/wrestling

Taliyah Manning, Brenau University, Track/Volleyball

Kirbi Matthews, Berry College, Soccer

Shania Palmer, Reinhardt University, Track

Christian Payne, Piedmont College, Golf

Quincy Peppers, University of West Georgia, Cheerleading

CJ Smith, Olivet Nazarene University, Basketball

Hunter Stephens, Black Hills State University, Football

Luke Sutko, Gordon State College, Baseball

Jacob Woodard, Birmingham-Southern College, Football

Horizon Christian

Name / School / Sport

John Michael Booth, Beloit College, Football

Lambert

Name / School / Sport

Jake Alesia, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Lacrosse

Autumn Ashley, Shorter University, Cheerleading

Jordan Baker, Illinois Wesleyan University, Golf

Cameron Barnes, Rollins College, Lacrosse

Morgan Berman, Virginia Tech, Lacrosse

Cameron Blanchard, Anderson University, Tennis

Haley Bolt, Piedmont College, Cross country/Track

Corey Chrzanowski, Newberry College, Golf

Alison Crenshaw, Daytona State College, Golf

Dominiq Delisser, Western Carolina University, Track and field

Jordyn Ebert, Mercer University, Soccer

Maddie Eddleman, University of Vermont, Soccer

Eoin Griffiths, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Soccer

Marissa Guimbarda, Furman University, Softball

Will Harper, Dayton University, Tennis

Matt Housley, Pikeville University, Football

Tiffany Kang, Mercer University, Golf

Richie Kenney, Cornell University, Football

Kara Kidwell, University of North Georgia, Basketball

Griffin Jarrett, Piedmont College, Baseball

Jaryd Jean-Felix, Rutgers University, Lacrosse

Jane Johnson, Auburn University, Swimming

Zach Keenan, College of Charleston, Baseball

Loren Kim, Berry College, Golf

Joon Young Lee, New York University, Swimming

Madison Lord, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Gymnastics

Josh McAllister, Florida Southwestern, Baseball

Christine McDonnell, Naval Academy, Golf

Andrew Melms, Hawai’I Pacific University, Basketball

Sven Mesihovic, Emory University, Swimming

Jack Metzger, Sewanee:University of the South, Tennis

Jordyn Moellering, Georgia College, Volleyball

Eric Overbay, Villanova University, Lacrosse

Pat Phelan, Arizona State University, Lacrosse

Ryan Pilkington, Indian River State College, Swimming

Charles Quire, Piedmont College, Baseball

Tyler Ray, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Football

Brenna ReillyKennesaw State University, Tennis

Parker Reynolds, Drake University, Football

Victoria Shelton, Oregon State University, Rowing

Peyton Smith, Kennesaw State University, Lacrosse

Alaina Steinberg, West Chester University, Gymnastics

Brandon Thomas, Spartanburg Methodist College, Baseball

Musa Thompson, Erskine College, Basketball

Chris West, LaGrange College, Baseball

Bright Wright, Georgia Southern University, Football

North Forsyth

Name / College / Sport

Paul Ackerman, Emmanuel College, Baseball

Melissa Ambrose, University of Georgia, Cheerleading

Tucker Brady, Madonna University, Lacrosse

MacKenzie Cary, Limestone College, Soccer

Chase Chapman, Jacksonville University, Lacrosse

Brandon Coury, Shorter University, Baseball

Jack Dalmolin, Arizona State University, Swimming

Morgan Franklin, Emmanuel College, Softball

Bri Gilbert, Piedmont College, Volleyball

Simon Holcomb, Maryville College, Football

Megg Hurley, Berry College, Track and field

Sara King, Morehead State University, Softball

Kailey Posea, Brenau University, Lacrosse

Dawson Rickett, Toccoa Falls College, Baseball

Tyler Sheley, LaGrange University, Baseball

Brittany Smith, Erskine College, Lacrosse

Maggie Sullens, University of North Georgia, Golf

Rachel Sullivan, Birmingham-Southern College, Swimming

Chopper Thronson, Oglethorpe University, Baseball

Mason Wacker, Point University, Football

Cora Wallace, Brenau University, Lacrosse

Pinecrest Academy

Name / School / Sport

Kate Del Balzo, Sewanee: University of the South, Swimming

Sarah DiFazio, Randolph-Macon College, Lacrosse

Kayla Kiernan, Georgia College, Cheerleading

Margaret Metz, Georgia College, Basketball

Ryan McCarthy, The Citadel, Football

Jimmy O’Day, Hendrix College, Lacrosse

Ashley Triplett, West Virginia University, Soccer

Garrison Winter, St. Vincent’s College, Football

South Forsyth

Name / School / Sport

Ben Alexander, Reinhardt University, Baseball

Gigi Bario, University of Sioux Falls, Swimming

Milicent Bergey, University of Georgia, Cross country/Track

Kara Bilodeau, Auburn University, Softball

Katherine Brostrom, Gustavus Adolphus College, Swimming

Kyle Castleberry, University of Auburn-Montgomery, Soccer

Evan Cole, Georgia Institute of Technology, Basketball

Liam Connolly, Berry College, Lacrosse

Emily Dreslinksi, Emmanuel College, Basketball

Bayley Frierson, Fordham University, Swimming

Brett Graczyk, Young Harris College, Baseball

Emily Harris, Young Harris College, Softball

Katherine Huey, Duke University, Softball

Joey Johnson, Johns Hopkins University, Football

Mari Jonassen, Emmanuel College, Basketball

Savian Jordan, Georgia State University, Volleyball

John Lichtenwalner, Young Harris College, Golf

Andrew Lempner, Rhodes College, Lacrosse

Taylor Lutian, Francis Marion University, Softball

Shea McNamara, Auburn University, Volleyball

Bianca Mora, Georgia Tech, Softball

Jake Morgan, Emmauel College, Cross country/Track

Jordan Mund, University of North Georgia, Cross country/Track

Alli Norton, Kennesaw State University, Soccer

Amanda Nugent, University of Montevallo, Volleyball

Matt Patterson, Georgia College, Cross country/Track

Trevor Plinck, Truett-McConnell College, Golf

Meagan Postell, Georgia State University, Soccer

Max Schmal, Chattanooga State Community College, Baseball

Davis Shanley, Western Kentucky University, Football

Max Slott, Mercer University, Football

Adam Thomas, Samford University, Football

Brennan Vincent, Reinhardt University, Baseball

Sarah Womack, Kennesaw State University, Softball

Erin Yeatman, Georgia College, Volleyball

West Forsyth

Name / School / Sport

Tanner Chafin, LaGrange College, Baseball

Bailley Concatto, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Softball

Caroline Connelly, Piedmont College, Tennis

Lauren Crowe, Young Harris College, Softball

Lucas Ellenburg, University of Montevallo, Baseball

Alana Frye, Kennesaw State University, Softball

Liz Galarza, Georgia Institute of Technology, Cross country/Track and field

Kiernen Hamilton, Ellsworth Community College, Football

Bryar Hawkins, Clemson University, Baseball

Finn Heindenreich, Centre College, Lacrosse

Eli Huggins, Kansas State University, Football

Daniel Jenkins, United States Coast Guard Academy, Swimming

Hunter Jolly, Wingate University, Football

Brooke Kane, University of West Georgia, Tennis

Jimmy Martelli, Young Harris College, Lacrosse

Carsen Parker, University of Arkansas, Soccer

Brooke Pirkle, University of Arkansas, Soccer

Connor Pollman, Lee University, Golf

Wesley Ross, Brevard College, Football

Caleb Schmidt, Jacksonville University, Lacrosse

Stephanie Shea, University of North Georgia Cross, Country/Track and field

Patrick Sklenka, Air Force Academy, Tennis

Taylor Staton, University of Georgia, Equestrian

Nico Szabo, United States Coast Guard Academy, Tennis

Jacob Tate, East Georgia State College, Baseball

Jay Thompson, Florida SouthWestern, Baseball

Grant Torgerson, Southwestern College, Football

Connor Weldy, Augusta University, Baseball