Clayton football saw an incredible high this season, as North Clayton reached the state quarterfinals under head coach Rodney Hackney for the first time since 1997 and Mt. Zion reached the postseason in consecutive seasons under first-year head coach Jamie Aull.

However, Forest Park and Morrow were at the opposite end of the spectrum this season, as each program has struggled over the last decade. The Panthers finished the season 1-9 overall, RECORD in region play, while the Mustangs finished 0-10, 0-9.

Both Rod Perrymond and Larry Mortonson stepped down from their respective coaching positions after two seasons; though both will stay on to continue teaching at their schools.

Perrymond’s resignation was announced November 23, and his record his two seasons of service was 3-17 over-all, 1-15 in Region 4-AAAA.

Mortonson resigned on December 2 and his record over the same time span was 1-19, 1-17 in Region 4-AAAAA. Between the two schools, the situations were similar. Forest Park has not had a .500 or better season since 2000, when they finished 7-3 according to ghsfha.org.

“(Mortonson) will not be our head coach for next year,” Morrow principal Patricia Hill said when reached for comment. “He will still be teaching at the school in health and [physical education]. There is no word on a replace-ment. It’s way too early for that.”

When asked why Mortonson resigned, Hill said, “It’s really a personnel issue, and we don’t discuss personnel is-sues.”

The Panthers haven’t reached the postseason since 1996, when they lost in the first round to Marietta, 34-6, and haven’t won a region championship since 1995. Though the school boasts current Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward as an alumnus, the football program has had little to brag about over its duration. Since the football program’s begin-ning, Forest Park’s record stands at 269-330-16 with its lone state title coming in 1951.

Perrymond’s successor will be the sixth coach the school has hired since 2000, though the hiring process will not take place until next year according to athletic director Steve Cole.

At Morrow, the Mustangs are experiencing a 14-game losing streak, which is two games away from their worst losing streak in program history set between August 27, 2004 and September 30, 2005. Morrow’s last winning sea-son came in 1998, when Morrow finished 10-2, and lost in the second round of the state playoffs, 21-6, to Cairo.