FCMS Athletics

Forsyth Central played host to semifinal action Tuesday night as the FCMS Football Playoffs moved from four teams to two. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

Liberty, Vickery Creek Punch Tickets to Championship Game

The Forsyth County Middle Schools Football Championship is set.

No. 1 Liberty and No. 3 Vickery Creek survived two very different semifinal matchups Tuesday night to earn their spots in the title game. Vickery Creek used an explosive rushing attack to pull away from No. 7 Little Mill, 34-6, while Liberty had to rally from behind in the second half to escape No. 4 North Forsyth, 20-14.

Both games were still very much in doubt at halftime.

FCMS Athletics was on site for both semifinals Tuesday night, taking in the first half of Vickery Creek–Little Mill at Bulldog Stadium before making the trip to Wolverine Stadium for the second half of Liberty–North Forsyth.

Vickery Creek and Little Mill get ready to take the field with a trip to the county championship on the line. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

Vickery Creek’s Explosiveness Breaks Through

Vickery Creek showed its big-play ability early against a Little Mill team determined to control the game on the ground and keep the Vipers within reach.

Both of Vickery Creek’s first-half touchdowns came via the run game, but they developed in very different ways.

The Vipers converted one opportunity after working their way into the red zone. The other demonstrated just how quickly their offense could turn a seemingly contained play into a touchdown. What initially appeared to be a scrum near the line of scrimmage suddenly broke open, with the Vickery Creek runner emerging from the pile and racing away for a long score.

Those two touchdowns gave Vickery Creek a 14-6 halftime advantage, but Little Mill was very much in the game.

The Mustangs countered with a methodical rushing attack that allowed them to sustain drives and control stretches of the first half. Little Mill continued to find success on the ground, but struggled to get its passing game going enough to give the Vickery Creek defense another dimension to defend.

Still, the approach kept the Mustangs within one possession at the break and gave the No. 7 seed an opportunity to continue its postseason run.

Vickery Creek scores its first touchdown of the night to grab an early lead over Little Mill. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

Vickery Creek made sure that opportunity didn't last long.

The Vipers scored 20 unanswered points after halftime while keeping Little Mill off the scoreboard, turning an eight-point game into a 34-6 semifinal victory.

The final margin was convincing, but it didn't tell the entire story. Little Mill had made it a competitive, physical game for a half before Vickery Creek's explosiveness eventually proved too much.

A picture-perfect fall night for semifinal football at Forsyth Central. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

Liberty Answers Every North Forsyth Challenge

There would be no second-half separation for Liberty.

The Patriots and North Forsyth entered halftime tied 6-6, and early in the third quarter it was the Wildcats who made the first move.

North Forsyth scored to take a 14-6 lead, putting the tournament's No. 1 seed behind by eight and seemingly shifting the momentum firmly to the Wildcats.

Liberty needed an answer. It came in a hurry.

The Patriots connected on a long touchdown pass to pull within two, then converted the two-point attempt to tie the game at 14-14.

Liberty lines up for the two-point conversion that would pull the Patriots even with North Forsyth at 14. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

Liberty's next scoring possession looked much different.

Rather than another quick strike, the Patriots put together a long march toward the end zone. The drive was eventually capped by another touchdown pass, giving Liberty a 20-14 advantage and putting North Forsyth in a position where it needed an answer of its own.

The Wildcats nearly provided one.

North Forsyth responded with a lengthy drive, moving into Liberty territory and keeping the pressure squarely on the Patriots. Eventually, the game came down to a fourth-down play.

This time, Liberty's defense made the stop.

The Patriots took over and never gave North Forsyth another opportunity, running out the remaining clock to secure the 20-14 victory and a trip to the championship game.

For the county's No. 1 seed, it was anything but an easy semifinal. North Forsyth took an eight-point second-half lead, grabbed the momentum and then drove into Liberty territory with an opportunity to answer the Patriots' go-ahead score.

Each time, Liberty responded.

North Forsyth and Liberty battle under the lights at West Forsyth in their FCMS semifinal matchup. Photos: FCMS-Athletics.com

One Game Remains

Eight teams began the postseason. Four remained Tuesday night.

Now there are two.

No. 1 Liberty vs. No. 3 Vickery Creek.

Liberty reaches the championship after being pushed to the limit by North Forsyth, overcoming an eight-point second-half deficit and responding when its season was on the line.

Vickery Creek arrives after showing its explosiveness against Little Mill, turning a one-possession game at halftime into a convincing semifinal victory.

And these two teams know each other well.

Their first meeting produced one of the most thrilling games of the regular season, with Liberty escaping with a 20-19 victory over Vickery Creek. Now they will meet again — this time with a county championship on the line.

One point separated them the first time.

Two teams. One game. One county championship.

No. 1 Liberty. No. 3 Vickery Creek. One more meeting to decide it all.

Four Remain After Opening Round of FCMS Football Playoffs

Tuesday night's opening round of the Forsyth County Middle Schools Football Playoffs featured fast starts from the top and middle of the bracket, the postseason's first shutout and a No. 7 seed knocking out one of the tournament favorites.

When it was over, Liberty, Vickery Creek, North Forsyth and Little Mill had punched their tickets to the semifinals.

Liberty Starts Fast, Advances Past Otwell

Liberty wasted little time showing why it entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

The Patriots jumped out to a 27-0 halftime lead, putting Otwell in a deep hole before the Bulldogs found some momentum after the break.

Otwell responded with 21 second-half points and outscored Liberty 21-6 over the final two quarters, but the Patriots' dominant first half provided more than enough cushion for a 33-21 victory.

Liberty moves on and remains the highest seed left in the field.

Little Mill Knocks Out No. 2 Hendricks

The biggest surprise of the opening round came from the bottom of the bracket.

Little Mill took an 8-0 lead into halftime and never surrendered it, holding Hendricks to six points in a 20-6 victory.

The result sends the No. 7 seed into the semifinals and ends the season for a Hendricks team that entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed.

Little Mill is now the lowest-seeded team remaining — and the Mustangs are still playing.

Vickery Creek Defense Shuts Down South Forsyth

Vickery Creek and South Forsyth played the tightest game of the opening round through the first half.

The Vipers led just 7-0 at halftime, but South Forsyth never found the score it needed to change the game.

Vickery Creek added another touchdown after the break and finished off a 14-0 victory, recording the only shutout of the first round.

The No. 3 seed advances to the semifinals.

North Forsyth Erupts for 60

The 4-5 matchup was the closest pairing by seed.

It wasn't close for long.

North Forsyth exploded for 44 points in the first half and carried a 44-12 advantage into halftime. The Wildcats added 16 more after the break to finish with a first-round-high 60 points in a 60-18 victory.

North Forsyth advances after one of its biggest offensive performances of the season.

Semifinals Set

The quarterfinals cut the playoff field from eight teams to four, and the remaining seeds stretch from No. 1 all the way to No. 7.

No. 1 Liberty will face No. 4 North Forsyth, while No. 3 Vickery Creek will meet No. 7 Little Mill.

Liberty is the last of the top two seeds standing. Little Mill is trying to continue its run from the No. 7 spot. Vickery Creek enters after a shutout, while North Forsyth comes in after putting 60 on the board.

Four teams remain. Two will earn a chance to play for the 2026 FCMS Football Championship.

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