Defensive ends are usually thought of as being big, nasty-looking players known more for their physical abilities than their prowess in the classroom. Not so at Robert Toombs Christian Academy in Lyons where Addison Fisher and Hunter Floyd are honor students, best friends, and bookends on the defensive line for the defending state champion Crusaders.
RTCA won the Georgia Independent Schools Association Class A title in 2013. Good grades often go hand in hand with offensive and defensive lines where football has become as much a tactical battleground as it is a physical one. This is especially true on a state championship team. In their 10 victories last season, the Crusaders gave up an average of just 8.4 points per game with three shutouts. During those same 10 wins, RTCA scored 441 points and had over 3,000 yards rushing. The success was due in large part to the front lines which return intact this season. Coach Thomas Smith is going into his fourth season at the helm of the RTCA football program and has watched Fisher and Floyd grow. “They do a great job of being leaders on the field, in the classroom and in their community,” he said. Both players have had interest from Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools, and they have been invited to prospect camps over the summer.
Fisher is an explosive playmaker on defense and has worked hard in the weight room where he is one of the team’s better power cleaners with a 300-pound max. He uses his quickness to make plays – whether a big hit or turning the running back into the linebackers. “He does a tremendous job of transitioning from run read to pass rush,” Coach Smith said. He has been selected all-region and all-state in football as a defensive end and tight end for the Crusaders. He also throws the discus for the track team where he won region in the spring and finished second in state the past two years. In addition, he also plays baseball and wrestles forRTCA which keeps him busy year-round.
“Fish,” as friends call him, loves the feeling of being in the game. “The adrenalin is rushing, all of my teammates are going hard every play, and if one of us do make a play we all go crazy,” he said. He started playing football when he was seven years old at the Vidalia Recreation Department and stayed there until he got into middle school. He earned a starting spot on varsity his sophomore year. Fisher h
olds a 3.6 grade point average and is a member of the Science Club. He hopes to attend the University of Georgia and study either architecture or physical therapy. When he is away from school he likes to play Xbox and hang out with his friends and girlfriend.
On the other end of the defensive line is Fisher’s best friend Hunter Floyd who plays both football and baseball for RTCA. He was all-region and second team all-state in football where he split time as both a tight end and defensive end for the Crusaders. “I love the competitive atmosphere and lining up with my teammates to do our best and to fight for each other on every play,” Floyd said. He started p
laying recreation league ball when he was 10 and played his seventh- and eighth- grade years of middle school before playing all four years of high school. Floyd gives the Crusaders a strong physical presence as the strong side defensive end.
“He has a great combination of strength and quickness. Hunter benches 315 pounds and does a great job using his hands,” said Coach Smith. On offense, Floyd has played everything from center to tight end and plays wherever he is needed.
He was also chosen all-region in baseball where he was a right-fielder and designated hitter. In the classroom, Floyd also holds a 3.6 GPA, he is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and he attends Lyons First Baptist Church. Like many teens, Floyd is still undecided on his future plans but would like to include sports in his collegiate experience.
Both players agree that their most memorable game was last year’s state championship tilt against Augusta’s Curtis Baptist. Prior to the GISA Class A state championship at Mercer University, many favored Curtis Baptist and its 11-2 record. But Robert Toombs Christian Academy had been to the championship game the previous season and had experience on their side. Curtis Baptist scored first and then had another big pass play but was then unable to move the ball against RTCA’s defensive front which gave up a paltry 52 yards on the ground. Meanwhile the offensive line was opening holes for Rico Rogers who had 195 yards rushing and scored the final touchdown to slam the door and give RTCA the championship 26-14. This season, the Crusaders move up to AA just one year after having a perfect region record.
Fisher and Floyd have tremendous impact on the field, but more importantly they have an impact on the people around them – from their peers to the young kids that look up to them. Coach Smith believes their combination of athleticism and intelligence will give Fisher and Floyd plenty of opportunities. “They both excel in football and baseball and have the grades to go with it. That combination will open a lot of doors.”
Academic Athlete/ Coastal / August 2014
Addison Fisher & Hunter Floyd
Robert Toombs Christian Academy
By Rob Asbell
Photos by Ginger Russell Photography
