EAST BEND — For those who follow Mount Airy football, yesterday’s events were dreaded but understood to be inevitable.

Thursday, Mount Airy defensive coordinator Chris Johnson was named as the new head coach of the Forbush High School Falcons, breaking up perhaps the most successful coaching staff in Mount Airy history.

Over an 11-year period, Johnson, who followed head coach Kelly Holder from Surry Central in 1998, established one of the stingiest and most feared defenses in all of 1A football.

Since 2006 the Mount Airy defense gave up an average of just 10 points per game, which included 15 shutouts.

In the Granite Bears state championship season of 2008, the Johnson-masterminded defense led all of North Carolina in points allowed, certainly no small feat for a 1A team.

Again in 2009 the Bears were as feared defensively as much as offensively, with both sides allowing the other to be successful.

Now he will have the chance to fulfill his career goal of being a successful head coach.

“It’s been a long time coming and I thought this day might never get here, but me and my wife are certainly excited,” Johnson said. “When you get into coaching, at least for me, my mindset has always been of a head coach. While coach Holder has always let me branch out and do things as I saw fit and lent me his ear in decision making, it’s ultimately the head’s decision. Now I get that opportunity. To have a team of your own and address the team in the locker room is inspiring as an assistant and now that opportunity has come forth for me.”

Johnson said while he is excited to get started on a new chapter of his life and career, there are certainly mixed emotions when leaving a place which has become like home.

“We all knew at some point that this day was going to come, but yes it’s definitely a bittersweet day,” Johnson said. “You don’t stay anywhere as long as I have and not make relationships that are long lasting. I already know the thing I’m going to miss the most is the people. I’ve had a wonderful relationship with all the guys at Mount Airy. They are like brothers to me. They’ve seen me at my best and at my worst. I wish I could carry those guys with me, the coaches and everybody, because they have been good to me. It’s like a family affair here.”

Johnson, a Providence High School and Western Carolina graduate, began his career in 1996 at McDowell High School before moving to Surry Central with Holder in 1997.

When Holder moved to Mount Airy in 1998-1999 Johnson came along.

With that much history behind the two men, Holder said he is not particularly glad to see Johnson go but very happy to see his friend get what he deserves.

“He’s done so many good things for us and me personally,” Holder said. “We’ve been together for 13 years and it will be awkward without him. Ever since I’ve been at Mount Airy he’s been in charge of the defense and it’s been a position I 99.9 percent trusted him with. I didn’t stick my nose in very often and it turned out to be great for us. He’s good and it’s his time. He’s been preparing for a long time and I am ecstatic for him.”

Johnson has his work cut out for him.

The Falcons finished 2-8 in 2009 and are a combined 10-34 since 2006, with six of those wins coming in 2006.

Last season the Falcons fell into controversy over ineligible players, which ultimately forced them to forfeit a win over North Wilkes.

While he isn’t entering a powerhouse, Johnson said the rough terrain ahead isn’t unfamiliar.

“There’s no doubt I have a great mentor in coach Holder and I definitely have been prepared for this job,” he said. “I think a lot of people remember what we’ve’ done in the last three or four years, but prior to that we inherited a 2-9 team at Mount Airy which is what Forbush was this past year, so I’ve been through the experience of taking over a two-win team and getting it turned around. In our first year we doubled our victories to four, our third to seven and since then we have been right at the top of the conference. The main thing we had to do at Mount Airy was sell the kids on the program. We had only three seniors our first year and while Forbush isn’t in quite the same state, we’ve got to sell the program. That’s something I’ve learned from Kelly — to promote what you’re doing and get kids to buy into it.”

Johnson will surely be missed on the sidelines, but he said his goal is to bring the winning mentality he learned at Mount Airy to Yadkin County as soon as possible.

“The first thing we’ve got to do is instill some confidence in our kids,” he said. “We need to get the right mindset that when we get off the bus, if we do what we are coached to do and to the best of our abilities, we have a chance to compete and win games. That’s first and foremost. Obviously we have to get a lot faster and stronger real soon.”

Contact Thomas Smith at tsmith@mtairynews.com or 719-1920.