FOREST HILLSForest Hills (7-5, 2-2)
The Yellow Jackets turned it around in 2021 for 1st year HC Jamie Deese and advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. Senior QB Gabe Crowder (837 yds 9 TDs was solid under center for the Yellow Jackets but will be moved back to tailback. In comes junior QB Brady Hibbard, who played at Providence HS in Charlotte in 2021. Listed at 6’3 & 200 lbs Hibbard has a strong arm and quick feet will be a dual threat QB for Forest Hills. Crowder moves back to tailback where he led the Yellow Jackets in rushing with 557 yads and 4 TDs as a junior. Senior Christian Davis ran for 381 yards and 7 TDs while junior RB Jordan Bennett only played in 3 games as sophomore due to injury after a solid freshman season with 393 yards and 2 TDs. WR Christyan Washington, 2nd Team UCHSF led the Jackets in 2021 with 20 catches/336 yards and 5 TDs returns for his junior season. Sophomore Jerel Bolder had 10 receptions and 3 TDs in ’21. Both will be huge targets for Hibbard this fall.
The Yellow Jacket defense gave up 19.8 point per game and recorded 2 shutouts in 2021. They were led by junior LB Caiden Smith. Smith had 137 tackles (78 solo) in 12 games and tied with OLB Jaquavion Smith with 3 sacks. Smith finished the season with 42 tackles. Defensive back Ahmi Stafford registered 44 stops as a sophomore is back. The Yellow Jackets as a team registered 11 interceptions in 2021 and were led by junior Joshua Rivera had 3 interceptions in 8 games in 2021. The Yellow Jackets open the 2022 season at Piedmont on Aug. 19th.