North Forsyth High School (North Carolina)

Academics

North Forsyth prides itself on academics and extracurricular successes. North Forsyth offers a wide range of courses. North Forsyth offers Honors, Seminar, and Advanced Placement courses. In April 2007, North Forsyth went through an extensive re-accreditation process and was re-accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). North Forsyth was also one of the four high schools in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system to meet, at a rate of 100%, the yearly AYP (Average Yearly Progress) for the 2006-2007 school year. Former principal Ron Jessup, announced his retirement in March 2009. Jessup took over as principal in November 1996. His last day as principal was June 30, 2009. His successor, David C. Burleson, was the former superintendent of Burke County Schools. He acquired the position of principal after his superintendent's contract was terminated by a Burke County Board of Education. In early June 2010, David Burleson was elevated to Assistant Superintendent for High Schools in WSFCS. Rodney Bass, former social studies teacher and assistant coach was then named North Forsyth's 6th principal. In 2015, Bass became principal of East Forsyth High School. Melita Wise, former principal of Hanes Magnet School, was named as principal.

Athletics/extracurricular activities

North Forsyth offers its students many opportunities to succeed extracurricularly. North has many Clubs ranging from the Drama Club to the Outdoors Club. North Forsyth boasts a successful visual and performing arts program, concert band, jazz program and marching band, concert choirs, indoor percussion/winter guard units and is home to a branch of the Air Force JROTC. The Vikings also have a strong, successful record in the athletic arena. North Forsyth competed for nearly 20 years in the Metro 4A Conference. (Football, Volleyball, Cross Country, Tennis, Golf, Soccer, Indoor Track & Field, Swimming, Wrestling, Outdoor Track & Field, Baseball, Softball, Cheerleading, and the Valkyrie Dance Team). The Vikings 29 sports teams began competition in the Central Piedmont 4A Athletic Conference at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year. North Forsyth began competing as a member of the Mid-Piedmont 3A conference at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Since joining the Mid Piedmont 3A conference, North Forsyth has won three titles in boys' basketball, two in boys' swimming and one in girls' swimming. The boys' basketball team won their third-straight conference title in 2012. It is the first time in school history that the basketball team has won back-to-back-to-back conference championships.

North Forsyth has won four state championships in team sports.
Football (1971)
Girls' Indoor Track & Field (1994)
Girls' Outdoor Track & Field (1994)
Girls' Indoor Track & Field (1995)

North Forsyth has also won two N.C. Regional Championships
Girls' Soccer (1991)
Girls' Basketball (1997)

North Forsyth's All-Americans
Brian Howard, Basketball, 1985
Bobby Mack, Cross Country (9th), 2003
Jeremy Helsabeck, Bobby Mack, Eric Mack, Clay Ragan, 4x800, mile (5th), 2002
D.J. Mitchell, Baseball, 2003
Dustin Ackley, Baseball, 2005
Wes Hobson, Baseball, 2005
Addison Johnson, Baseball, 2005

North Forsyth's Individual State Champions
Greg Burke, Track & Field, Shot Put, 1969 & 1970
Teretha Coe, Track & Field, Triple Jump, 1980
John Evans, Track & Field, 800 Meters
Adam Johnson, Swimming, 200m Individual Medley, 1997
Vida Jones, Track & Field, 60 Yard Dash, 1991
Charles Mack, Track & Field, High Jump, 1981
Jerry Mason, Wrestling, 112 lbs., 1970 & 1971
Danny Spence, Wrestling, 126 lbs., 1971
Marcus Sutton, Track & Field, Triple Jump, 1988
Lee Tuttle, Cross Country, Individual Medalist, 1986
Bobby Mack, Indoor and Outdoor Track, 2001, 2002
Eric Mack, Indoor Track, 1,000 meters (2:34), 2004

North Forsyth Athletic Hall of Fame Members
Walt Baxley, Basketball
Scott Brent, Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Greg Burke, Track & Field
Gray Cartwright, Head Boys' Basketball Coach, Athletic Director
Marcia Christensen, Girls' Soccer
Germane Crowell, Football
Jeff Denny, Basketball
Mike Drum, Basketball
Jeremy Edwards, Wrestling
Julian Gibson, Principal
Jimmy Guill, Basketball
Tina Heafner, Head Girls' Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Brian Howard, Basketball
Tobe Jackson, Basketball
Adam Johnson, Swimming
Denny Key, Basketball
Rob Kapprodt, Boys' Soccer
Ron King, Basketball
Joe Mickle, Wrestling
Darrell Nicholson, Football
Colon Nifong, Head Football Coach/Athletic Director
Molly Page, Girls' Soccer & Cheerleading
Ken Parks, Football
Olon Shuler, Head Boys' Basketball Coach
Davina Simmons, Girls' Basketball
Claude Smalls, Football
Bernard Williams, Football
1971 NCHSAA State 4A Championship Football Team Marcus Sutton, Track

North Forsyth has an impressive record in many sports, especially baseball and basketball. North Forsyth won 6 consecutive Metro 4A Conference Regular Season Baseball Championships from 2000-2005. The 2005 team was ranked in the top 15 teams in the United States and was ranked number 1 in the state of North Carolina during the regular season for much of the year, finishing the regular season undefeated. In basketball, North Forsyth has produced many Conference and Tournament Championships. North Forsyth has won the most Frank Spencer National Holiday Classic Tournament Championships (6). The Tournament is the County-wide event that occurs every winter.

In February 2008, North Forsyth was awarded the right to host the 2008 Western Regional Men's Basketball Tournaments by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA). The tournament drew nearly 10,000 visitors to the North Forsyth campus on Mar. 4-8, 2008.

On June 17, 2011, North Forsyth Alumnus Dustin Ackley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Seattle Mariners. In his first major league at-bat, Ackley lined a single up the middle. In 2011, North Forsyth Alumnus D.J. Mitchell was placed on the 40-man roster of the New York Yankees. in 2011, Mitchell pitched for the Yankees AAA affiliate Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

Principals

North Forsyth has been under the direction of only seven principals since the school opened in 1963. Julian Gibson was the founding principal. Upon Gibson's retirement in the mid-1980s, Ben Warren served as principal. Kaye Shutt then acted as principal until the fall of 1996. Ron Jessup served as principal from Nov. 1996 until June 30, 2009. David C. Burleson was approved by the WS/FCS Board of Education on July 9, 2009 to be the fifth principal in the long history of the school. Burleson served as principal for one year before being promoted to Assistant Superintendent for High Schools. Rodney Bass, a former social studies teacher and coach, was named North Forsyth's sixth principal in early June 2010. Melita Wise became principal in 2015.

Rivals

North Forsyth enjoys fierce rivalries with several schools. Nearby Mt. Tabor High School as served as the chief rivalry for a majority of the past 25 years. The Vikings also carry a spirited rivalry with Carver High School. The rivalry with R.J. Reynolds is the longest-running rivalry in Forsyth County. Many graduates from both schools in the 1960s and 1970s still have animosity towards the opposing schools. With the opening of Reagan High School in 2005, North Forsyth has gained another rivalry that has divided the community, and in some cases, neighborhoods. The newly formed rivalry between North Forsyth and Reagan has developed into one of the highly anticipated in the county.

Rivalry games

The Battle for the Page Cup
In 2005, North Forsyth and Mt. Tabor started battling for the Page Cup. The nearly 4-foot-tall (1.2 m) trophy was donated by North Forsyth alumnus Bill Page, former owner of Page's Gifts & Awards in Winston-Salem. The trophy features base plates with the year and victor's name. The trophy goes to the yearly winner of the Vikings vs. Spartans football matchup. Mt. Tabor won the inaugural "Cup Game" and leads the Cup Game series 7-1, including six straight.

Sept. 2, 2005 at Mt. Tabor- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 47-12
Sept. 1, 2006 at North Forsyth- North Forsyth def. Mt. Tabor, 29-7
Oct. 19, 2007 at North Forsyth- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 28-24
Oct. 24, 2008 at Mt. Tabor- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 46-16
Sept. 18, 2009 at North Forsyth- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 34-7
Sept. 17, 2010 at Mt. Tabor- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 28-10
Sept. 23, 2011 at Mt. Tabor- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 43-12
Aug. 31, 2012 at North Forsyth- Mt. Tabor def. North Forsyth, 29-15
Aug. 30, 2013 at North Forsyth-

The Hammer Bowl
Beginning in 2010, Reagan and North Forsyth began play for "The Hammer". The second traveling trophy in which North Forsyth competes is a standard 10 lb. sledge hammer. The hammer goes to the annual winner of the North Forsyth-Reagan football game, which has been renamed "The Hammer Bowl". Each team's colors and logos are on opposite sides of the hammer. Reagan's side features their gothic R logo painted in black on a silver background, outlined in teal. North Forsyth's side features the Georgian block NF logo painted in Columbia blue and outlined in white. The logo is painted on a Crimson background.

The winner of the game gets to paint the year of the win on their side of the handle. The winning school will also display the hammer until the two teams meet in football again, including any potential playoff games.

Sept. 10, 2010, Hammer Bowl 1- at Reagan- Reagan def. North Forsyth, 49-21
Aug. 26, 2011, Hammer Bowl 2- at North Forsyth- North Forsyth def. Reagan, 29-13
Aug. 24, 2012, Hammer Bowl 3- at Reagan- Reagan def. North Forsyth, 48-40
Aug. 23, 2013, Hammer Bowl 4- at Reagan-

Social media

North Forsyth publicizes its events using Facebook and Twitter, while its Sports & Entertainment Marketing classes manage a YouTube channel for the school and its athletic program.