By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
A signing ceremony at which a high school senior signs a commitment letter to continue to compete in college in his or her sport is always a happy event. The athlete is normally surrounded by family and his or her coach is usually on handle. A host of friends are usually looking on and cheering. Imagine this scene when an amazing total of 14 athletes are signing commitment letters.
That is what happened on April 10 at the Fluvanna High cafeteria. Fluvanna High Athletic Director Scott Morris said that this is the biggest signing event ever for the high school. All of the signees are staying within a day’s driving distance of Fluvanna and the majority will be matriculating in Virginia.
Football players Marcus Dickerson and Christian Lambert were signees. Dickerson, who was outstanding on offence and defense for the Flucos will be off the Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, which is a Division 2 school, while Lambert will be attending Bridgewater, just off I-81 on the way to Harrisonburg. Both report that they expect to be playing on offense.
The Fluco had a number of excellent track performers in 2023-24. Two young men and one young woman signed letters on April 10. Alias Morris signed to run at Campell University in North Carolina, a Division 1 school. Track Coach Melanie Kennedy said that he ran the 800 for the Flucos and was a stalwart on several relay teams. Diver Davis will be off to Roanoke University in the fall. Kennedy said that he ran sprints and was an important member of the 4X100 relay team. On the women’s side Sydney Chipperfield will attend Christopher Newport. She was a middle distance and relay runner for the Flucos.
Another Fluco who will be off to Bridgewater is Conner Jefferies, a stand-out lacrosse player at Fluvanna. Brenna Rea, a volleyball player for the Flucos, will be headed to Hollins University, outside of Roanoke. Her volleyball teammate Isabelle Garrett will be heading to Hood University in Maryland which is on the Maryland panhandle.
Allison Barnett will be playing soccer at Kings College in Pennsylvania. She expects to be a defender there and she noted that like the school’s academic offerings. Two Fluco softball players signed to continue their careers at Sweet Briar, a small liberal arts college in Virginia. Madeline Schmidt was the Flucos shortstop and Sydney Gibson was the catcher. Schmidt noted that she had a teammate who signed with Sweet Briar last year. Gibson noted that liked the school’s size.
Maddox Warren, a product of the Fluco’s highly successful baseball program will be off to Averitt University which is just outside of Danville. Kessler Potter, an outstanding Fluco female golfer, will attending Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.
The ceremony had so many athlete signings that two waves of signings were conducted and dozens of students attended and leaned over the recessed cafeteria to cheer and whoop it up for their friends. Each athlete and family received a cake.
