FMS Raiders Back in Action
Fishburne Military School Raiders race to complete one-rope bridge crossing
Waynesboro, VA — The Fishburne Military School Raiders were back in action this weekend, hosting five other schools from around Virginia for a Raider Meet at FMS. Teams from Harrisonburg, Powhatan, Bedford, Buckingham and Orange County converged on the Waynesboro campus for a competition of endurance, strength and teamwork.
With ROTC Cadets from VMI and local Army recruiters acting as judges, twelve eight-man teams squared off in Physical Training tests (push-ups, sit-ups, 1-mile run), a litter-carry, one-rope bridge, a tire flip (using 350lb truck tires), a 5-k road march and a fireman’s carry.
The Fishburne Military School Raiders, Captained by Hunter Wren-Russ (a junior from Calabasas, CA) earned enough points on the day for a 2nd place overall finish. The Caissons, however, withdrew their team from consideration for trophies. “It’s just the right thing to do,” explained Raiders Coach, MSgt William Morton USA(Ret), citing the significant advantages a home-team has in Raider competitions.
The 2015-2016 Raiders are considerably younger than in recent years, with just three returning seniors active on the A Team. Morton notes that, particularly for a young team such as this, these early meets are crucial opportunities to hone their skills and gain experience before the all-important “Best of the Best” qualifying meet on November 7th in Richmond, VA. The Caissons finished 3rd overall in their first meet of the year (in Bedford, VA) and showed marked improvement in this, their only home meet of the year.
In the meantime, FMS will continue to perfect their game plan in meets at Massanutten Academy (Oct 24th) and Harrisonburg High School (Oct 31st).
For the past three consecutive years the FMS Raiders have qualified to compete in US Army JROTC’s 4th Brigade “Best of the Best” competition. 4th Brigade consists of 318 schools throughout West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
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.
