By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Forsyth’s fortunes figure to receive a boost from a pair of freshman phenoms a year ago who hope to mature to super sophomore status.
As linebackers and running backs, Rolly Fisher and Braxton Gross will try to help the Panthers contend for the Mid-Lakes Conference championship.
Coach Kris Conley reports Gross’ strength, athleticism and mental makeup all help him stand out.
“He’s incredibly talented and aggressive. He’s the real deal,” Conley said. “He’s one of my all-time favorite kids. He may go down as one of the best football players to come through here. He’s stepping up as a leader even as a sophomore.”
Gross showed his toughness while playing through an injury last year.
“He hurt his shoulder in Week Eight and didn’t want to tell anybody because he didn’t want to miss playing,” Conley said. “It wasn’t noticeable. He didn’t cringe or whine about it.”
Fisher also shined late last season. In Forsyth’s 41-34 District overtime win against Houston, Fisher ran for the winning touchdown and followed up by being in the middle of the Panthers’ goal-line stand at the one-yard line.
Fisher was tabbed an All-Mid Lakes Second-Team selection on defense.
On offense, Fisher takes over this season at fullback for Korgan Strong, who rushed for 1,600 yards and 27 touchdowns last year.
“They are very different,” Conley said. ”Korgan had such natural vision and would make you miss with great cuts. He would never get hit hard. Rolly is more of a traditional tough fullback who will try to blow people up if he gets in a tough spot. He’s powerful.”
Fisher, who doubles as a middle linebacker, has already put up monster numbers as a power-lifter.
“He’s extremely explosive and powerful and loves the weight room,” Conley said. “He finished seventh in the state in his division in powerlifting last year. He’s squatting over 500 pounds, benched 280 at the end of last school year and cleans (and jerks) 260. Those are all freshman numbers.”
Fisher was in on 57 tackles last season, including 40 solo stops and three tackles for a loss.
Elsewhere, Conley is well aware of the tough task he is facing while trying to make up for the loss of former Panthers center Kollin Kolb, now a freshman playing NCAA D-II ball in St. Louis for WashU.
Conley is actually relieved not to be without two Kolbs. Kollin’s father, Josh, is Forsyth’s offensive line coach and was an offensive lineman himself at Kansas State.
“We had a conversation last year. I said to him, ‘Your son is going to be graduating, are you still going to be involved?’” Conley said. “That was a big concern. He said, ‘Yeah,’ that he was coming back.’ He loves it.”
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Along the offensive line, the Panthers are doing their second reconstruction project in as many years. For the second straight season, Forsyth will feature four new offensive linemen.
New to the offensive line entirely is Johnathan Goodwin, a 6-foot-0, 180-pound junior.
“We moved a skill guy to tackle,” Conley said of Goodwin. “He’s a pretty athletic kid with strong hands. We would do physical drills and would keep seeing him with good results against some big, tough guys. You would think, ‘He’s not going to win this battle,’ and then he would.
He said he would do anything to help the team and was receptive about it. I’ve been impressed. He’s been a pleasant surprise. It’s worked out well for him and us.”
Easton Siwek has experience along the offensive line and Jarrett Walls is another big body up front. They are in the 220-pound range.
“On our offensive line we have good kids and good workers,” Conley said. “As the year goes along and the offensive line plays more, they’re going to learn how to play together. That’s what we want, to be playing better at the end of the year.”
Behind center will be senior quarterback Aaron Gross, who passed for 1,200 yards and ran and threw for 18 total touchdowns last season. He was an All-Mid Lakes Second-Team selection.
“Aaron has a huge heart. He cares about the team,” Conley said. “He also has a big arm. He throws a college-level ball at times. He will be a huge part of the success we will have.”
Forsyth returns running back Zack Strahan, after missing him down the stretch last season. He ran for more than 600 yards and eight touchdowns, before suffering a season-ending injury in Week Seven.
The Panthers feel wide receiver Cooper Voliva will pick up where he left off last season.
“He had modest stats throughout the season, but came up big in our playoff win with two or three touchdowns and 200 receiving yards,” Conley said. “It was a breakout game for him.”
Voliva and Strahan are also returning starters in Forsyth’s secondary.
Kaleb Nowel collected 65 tackles and was an All-Mid Lakes Second Team pick as a linebacker last year. He has been converted to defensive end.
Conley is counting on a new look defensively to help Forsyth improve on that side of the ball. The Panthers allowed an average of 30.6 points a game last year.
“We are transitioning to a 4-2 after we previously were in a 3-4,” he said. “We’re not the biggest team overall, but we have good team speed. Our defensive ends are going to be tough to block and our strength is going to be our linebackers and our secondary.”
As for special teams, Pablo Comer should again be a plus. The junior kicker was an All-Mid Lakes First-Team and All-District choice a year ago.
In regard to the Mid-Lakes race, Conley points to Strafford as the league favorite and also expects defending champion Fair Grove, Skyline and the Panthers to be in the mix.
He hopes Forsyth can continue its success against Strafford, after beating the Indians each of the past two seasons.
“For some reason, our best game the last two years has been against Strafford,” Conley said. “Potentially, we could finish in the top two (in the conference) and potentially first. It could be exciting.”
