Fletcher transfers back to Amherst from VES

Anthony Fletcher and Josh Braxton, who played key roles in Amherst’s back-to-back Group AA, Division 4, state football championships before serving season-long suspensions as juniors last fall, were back in action for the Lancers in this past Friday night’s season-opening 66-12 rout of Tabb.

While Braxton remained at Amherst all along, Fletcher transferred back less than two weeks ago — more than two weeks into Amherst’s school year but before Virginia Episcopal School’s classes started — after playing football and baseball for VES last fall and spring, respectively.

“All I know is he showed up at school inquiring about getting back into Amherst County High School,” Amherst coach Cecil Phillips said, noting “everybody did what they needed to do in order to establish his eligibility.

“Our athletic director and our administration have thoroughly checked everything to establish eligibility with the Virginia High School League,” Phillips added.

Amherst athletic director William “Goldie” Goldthorpe said he consulted with the VHSL, Amherst Superintendent Brian Ratliff and principal Ernie Guill.

“On every level, we double checked and made sure there were no questions anywhere,” he said, noting a new VHSL rule went into effect on July 1 stating that if a student transfers from a public to a private school, he is allowed one move back to the same school district without having to sit out a season.

Goldthorpe said Amherst County’s school board reinstated Braxton’s and Fletcher’s eligibility at a meeting more than six months ago after both passed at least five classes from the previous semester and were enrolled in at least five classes this semester. Fletcher is now taking seven at Amherst.

“They met all of the VHSL regulations,” Goldthorpe said.

VES coach Kyle Alexander said Fletcher didn’t have to sit out a year after arriving last fall, either.

“We don’t have those same rules for transfers and eligibility (the VHSL used to enforce),” he said.

Fletcher had to meet several academic requirements before making it through the admissions process at VES.

“Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out,” Alexander said. “He got off to a slow start with all the school (requirements) and then he got injured first game and missed a couple games.”

Alexander hadn’t seen enough film on Fletcher to realize his true capabilities at first.

“We didn’t quite know what he could do,” he said. “By the end of the year, he was playing hard and showed a huge upside. He has a lot of potential.”

Virginia was one of the top schools that showed interest in Fletcher during his season at VES.

“He’s a very talented young man,” Alexander said. “Hopefully, he will help Amherst. He’s being recruited by some big schools. He certainly has the capability to play at the Division I level.”

Though Phillips hadn’t coached either one, after arriving last summer from King’s Fork in Suffolk, he and the Lancers knew what Braxton and Fletcher could do. They showed flashes of their sophomore form on Friday with Braxton starting in the backfield (rushing for a 33-yard touchdown) and at defensive back (returning an interception 72 yards for a score) and Fletcher seeing action at both linebacker and wide receiver.

Though he played backup quarterback to Peter Rose as a freshman and sophomore in Amherst’s triple-option attack, Fletcher won’t be doing any signal-calling in the Lancers’ new Wing-T offense implemented by Phillips last fall.

“We have two very good quarterbacks in Anthony (Rose, younger brother of Peter and Jonathan, now at JMU) and Kirby (Anderson),” Phillips said. “It’s hard to take a senior this late and teach him the system. He’s going to be a better asset to us outside, as a 6-foot-3 or 6-4 receiver. He’s adjusted to that spot very well and he’s definitely an impact player on the defensive side of the football.

“He has a nose for the football and he’s a real aggressive player,” Phillips added. “With our scheme and real good linebacking corps, he fits right in.”