Eight from Fishburne Military School Named to VISAA All-State Team
from l to r: Coach Chip Hill, Russell Holland-Simpson, Drake Hansen, Levi Riley, Kyle Hale, Coach John Fairbanks, Robert Smith, Antwan Brown, Coach Richard Chiarlanzio, Chandler Wright, Harold McCoo, Head Coach Dan Baranik
Fishburne Military School’s banner year in football has gotten notice state-wide. The Virginia Independent Schools Athletics Association (VISAA) has named eight Cadets from FMS to their All-State team for 2013-2014. All-State ballots are cast by high school coaches from around the league with highest honors going to those named 1st Team All-State student athletes.
The Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) was founded in 1997 as an organization that would unify Independent school athletics and provide quality championship events to member schools throughout the state of Virginia. It has grown and emerged and now has over 90 member schools.
Despite Fishburne’s small size (only 200 students are permitted to attend each year), the Caissons made quite a bit of noise for themselves on their Waynesb0r0 campus and around the state of Virginia.
“These young men have worked incredibly hard all year. They’ve gelled as a team…they’ve fought for one another as brothers…they’ve maintained our high academic standards…and they made people remember them everywhere we went. These young men have truly earned everything good thing that has come their way this season,” Fishburne’s Head Coach and Guidance Director, MAJ Dan Baranik (VA), noted.
And what a season it was. For the first time in 100 years, the Caissons were undefeated in the regular season and earned the right to host the State Semi-Finals game on their own Anderson Field. Now they can add a list of eight players named All-State.
Offensive Lineman Levi Riley, a junior from Millboro, VA and Defensive Back Chandler Wright, a senior from Virginia Beach, VA both earned top honors as 1st Team All-State selections.
“This is one of the greatest things that could happen,” said Wright, “all of the work has paid off. We made school history and we earned the respect of players and coaches [throughout the state]…it’s something we’ll all remember for the rest of our lives…especially the seniors.”
Antwan Brown, a senior from Washington, D.C., was selected as 2nd Team All-State for both offense and defense.
Caissons earning Honorable Mention this year were: Harold McCoo (K) of Haymarket, VA; Robert Smith (QB) of Hampton, VA; Kyle Hale (RB) of Waynesboro, VA; Drake Hansen (LB) of Manassas, VA; and Russell Holland-Simpson (LB) of Triangle, VA.
Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. Boasting a 100% college-acceptance rate for the past 10 consecutive years, FMS has also been designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academics. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command. For more information visit www.fishburne.org.
