Hornets' Rasnick earns FCS scholarship

At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Orange County High School senior Landon Rasnick has the size to catch the attention of college football coaches far and wide, but Hornets’ head coach John Kayajanian said it was his feet that earned him a scholarship offer.

“He’s got good feet, and college coaches look for that,” Kayajanian said. “You’ve got to be able to keep your feet under you and be able to move. And there’s so much zone blocking in college football now… I think he’s going to fit right in.”

Sporting a maroon Eastern Kentucky T-shirt, Rasnick perched behind a table set up in the Hornets Sports Center Wednesday and officially joined the Colonels in front of a crowd of about 30 friends and family members.

“This is a great opportunity for me to go out there and get an education while I play football,” Rasnick said. “I just went for my official visit this past weekend, and I absolutely loved it. The history is great there.”

Eastern Kentucky University is in Richmond, Ky., and the Colonels ended the 2011 season with a loss to James Madison University in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Rasnick, who lined up at tight end and offensive tackle for the Hornets, is being recruited as a tackle. He said the Eastern Kentucky coaching staff plans to red shirt him as a freshman, and he plans to put on about 40 pounds heading into next season.

“I’m working hard in the weight room. I’m happy to have the opportunity, and I’m going to work for it,” said Rasnick, also a two-year starter at center on the Hornets’ basketball team.

Injuries limited Rasnick to just five games this season, but Kayajanian said the two-year varsity starter has plenty of upside at the next level.

“He’s going to get bigger and faster, no question,” Kayajanian said. “And the good thing about a red shirt is that he can take his time and learn the system before he gets on the field.”

Rasnick follows in the footsteps of his older brother, John, who signed with Glenville State (W.Va.) two years ago and has been the Pioneers’ starting center ever since.

Also signing Wednesday at OCHS was the Hornets’ longtime kicker Hunter Ferguson, who signed his letter of intent to play at Ferrum College.

“He really got a lot of opportunities to score his sophomore and junior years because we had one of the better offenses in the area and put up a lot of points,” Hornets’ offensive coordinator Jesse Lohr said. “He’s gotten stronger over the years, and he did a great job punting this year.”

Ferguson handled all the kicking and punting duties for the Hornets for three years and earned All-Jefferson District honors twice.

“He was a weapon for us on defense because he was great at pinning teams deep,” Lohr said. “When you can force an offense to go 80 yards, you’re usually going to stop them.” 

Cooper picks VT baseball

Orange County High School baseball player Raheem Cooper signed his national letter of intent Wednesday to play baseball at Virginia Tech. 

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