The Dave Svehla era is underway at West Forsyth after an emphatic 42-6 victory over Mays in the nightcap game of the Corky Kell Classic presented by Atlanta & North Georgia Building Trades Council.
“Next week, you know, the wheels could fall off,” said Svehla coached at Etowah from 2012-19 and compiled a 49-41 record while there. “But I was I was pretty pleased with the execution of the small things. Getting lined up right, minimal penalties and not turning the ball over.”
Not only did West Forsyth have to weather the pandemic like the rest of the state, the Wolverines also went through a coaching change with the ability to properly practice during the off season to work through the new system.
“Those are the kinds of things, especially early in the year and especially with a new system, new vocabulary, new coaches, and not having been able to practice together,” he said. “I just was really proud of our kids for staying focused.”
West Forsyth built its lead consistently over the first half and led 35-0 at the half. In the first quarter, the Wolverines scored on touchdown passes from Stover to Daba Fofana and TJ Jennings, each on 30-yard passes. In the second quarter, Stover connected with Oscar Delp on a 4-yard pass to put the Wolverines up 21-0. Fofana scored on two 4-yard touchdown runs with 5:41 left and 2:51 left to expand the lead to 35-0.
“You just have to look at our senior leadership,” Svehla said. “When we went through the coaching transition, there’s a tendency where, if there isn’t good leadership and kids aren’t focused, they wont work out and they kind of do their own thing. That didn’t happen here because of senior leadership. Daba being one of those, Kobe Haynes, Dalton Tjong and Drew Southern. But part of that were the coaches.”
In the third quarter, the Wolverines pushed the lead to 42-0 on Stover pass to Delp, this time for 46 yards, with 6:55 left in the quarter. Carver got on the board with 2:32 left in the game on a 33-yard touchdown run by Quin Johnson.
“Oscar has the measurables to be a really, really good player,” Svehla said. “We have tried to set some things up offensively for him to get some mismatches because of his size and speed. This time is the first time he kind of played inside a little bit and we just didn’t know what we were going to get.”
The Wolverines got three receptions from Delp, two of which went for touchdowns. He finished with 47 very efficient receiving yards. Stover was 12-of-19 passing for 156 yards and four touchdowns. Fofana carried the ball 16 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns with one touchdown reception. Jennings had three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. Jay Helstone led West Forsyth with four solo tackles and one assist.
Quintavius Johnson was 4-of-14 passing for 62 yards and had four carries for 37 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders. Danny Conley had 11 carries for 69 yards. Salaumon Evans was 5-of-16 passing for 40 yards for Mays.
“We got to play football tonight after everything that has happened,” he said. “So I’m jacked up, man.”
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