Caissons Soccer Dominates Massanutten in Season Opener
Recap by WO1 Phillip Lacey ’02
Waynesboro, VA — The Fishburne Military School Varsity Soccer team finally played their first game after the first three of the season were postponed due to 
thunderstorms. Fishburne hosted Massanutten Academy home at Anderson Field under sunny skies on a very soggy and muddy pitch.
The Caissons Varsity Soccer team is led by Coach Bryan Raycraft, and team captains Bobby Palermo (Huntingtown, MD) and Dylan Vaughan (Fayetteville, NC. The first half was completely shut out by the Caissons: 3-0. Cadet Hamed Al Hinai (Vienna, VA) drew first blood of the season in the 11th minute of regulation time; followed in short order by Palermo’s goal in the 14th minute, and Vaughan’s in the 17th assisted by Tommy Jones (South Fulton, TN).
Goalie Derek Prestes (Glen Allen, VA) had four saves and zero losses in the net for the half. Altogether, the Caissons ended the first half with 15 shots on goal and 24 steals.
The second half was even more successful than the first. Massanutten would score on a penalty kick early in the 38th minute for their single goal of the game. Palermo immediately reciprocated with his next two additional goals: in the 39th minute and 44th, respectively. He was followed by an unbelievable 35-yard goal by midfielder Charles Wilson (Stuarts Draft, VA), assisted by defender Jack Clegg (Clarks Summit, PA), in the 60th minute–and the Caisson’s final coup de gras by midfielder Adam Bowles (Sewickley, PA) from 25 yards in the 62nd.
Connor Green (Virginia Beach, VA) goal-tended for the second half and saved three. In the second half, the Caissons added an additional nine shots on goal, and 25 steals.
The game ended in a Caisson 7-1 victory with little more than one minute of stoppage time. Caissons host Stuart Hall home at Anderson Field on Monday, September 11th.
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Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built on the structure of an Army JROTC program. FMS has been designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academies. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation that is accredited by US Army Cadet Command.
