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
Brandon Whitfield, Brevard College, Football