Fairchild, Dornan named Forsyth County News Athletes of the Year

Fairchild is considered a four-star offensive lineman and signed in December to play football at the University of Georgia.

“It’s definitely going to be an adjustment, but I think it’ll be worth it,” Fairchild said earlier this month. “I think I did make the right decision with just sticking to football. I think once I get there to UGA, it’ll be enough. I’m definitely going to miss it. I’m going to miss Coach [Evan] Goff a lot. He was a real good mentor to me and a really big model for me. He really stuck with us for the past four years. I had football coaches in and out, in and out, in and out. He was the one guy that really stuck with the school, and he did what he said whenever we all first met him, which was he’s going to change our program forever – and he has.”

Dornan helped shatter glass ceilings in the fall, flashing her own skill on the gridiron. Dornan quarterbacked West Forsyth’s girls flag football team to the first-ever GHSA state championship, starring on defense for the Wolverines, too. It was the beginning of a busy season for Dornan, who started at guard for West’s girls basketball team and started at goalie for West’s state champion girls soccer team. 

“I speak for me and I speak for all the girls on the team when I say that we are excited to be pioneers, because we didn’t have that,” Dornan said in December after West’s 26-25 win against Hillgrove in the Class 6A-7A state championship game. “I hope this encourages more girls to play.” 

Dornan, who played four sports during her time at West — basketball, football, flag football, soccer — signed last month to continue playing soccer at Piedmont College.

In all, 28 athletes were honored at the banquet, which featured keynote speaker Micah Owings, a former MLB player who split his high school baseball career between Forsyth Central High School and Gainesville High School. Owings, a third-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005, encouraged those in the audience to be resilient and to dream and believe big. 

2020-21 Boys Athlete of the Year – Dylan Fairchild, West Forsyth

2021-21 Girls Athlete of the Year – Haylee Dornan, West Forsyth

Football (Offense) – Aaron McLaughlin, Denmark 

Football (Defense) – Patrick Corrigan, North Forsyth 

Football (8-man Offense) – Bryce Balthaser, Pinecrest Academy 

Football (8-man Defense) – Malachi Mathis, Horizon Christian Academy 

Flag Football – Haylee Dornan, West Forsyth  

Volleyball – Bella Tolone, Lambert 

Softball (Pitcher of the Year) – Hannah Marchman, South Forsyth 

Softball (Player of the Year) – Makenna Segal, South Forsyth 

Cross Country (Boys) – Ethan Ashley, Denmark 

Cross Country (Girls) – Carmel Yonas, South Forsyth 

Basketball (Boys) – Devin McGlockton, South Forsyth 

Basketball (Girls) – Cayla Cowart, West Forsyth 

Swim & Dive (Boys) – Jack Aikins, West Forsyth 

Swim & Dive (Girls) – Ella Jones, Lambert 

Wrestling – Dylan Fairchild, West Forsyth  

Baseball (Pitcher of the Year) – Will Robbins, Forsyth Central 

Baseball (Player of the Year) – Gehrig Frei, South Forsyth 

Golf (Boys) – Myles Jones, Lambert 

Golf (Girls) – Sara Im, Lambert 

Gymnastics – Emma Davies, Denmark 

Lacrosse (Boys) – Danny Kesselring, Lambert 

Lacrosse (Girls) – Cami Merkel, West Forsyth 

Soccer (Boys) – Alex Guzman, Forsyth Central 

Soccer (Girls) – Tori DellaPeruta, West Forsyth 

Tennis (Boys) – Harrison Kim, West Forsyth 

Tennis (Girls) – Brooke Despriet, Lambert 

Track & Field (Boys) – Isaac Osifo, West Forsyth 

Track & Field (Girls) – Grace Mangan, West Forsyth