Eighteen. That is the number of First Flight football players who have played under coach Jim Prince that have also gone on to play college football. Six of those players will graduate June 13.

Seniors Devin and Landon Leithauser, Bobby Kerns, Nick Xiques, Alex Monaco and Tristan Scarborough have signed commitments to play football next year.

Kerns, who played strong safety for the Nighthawks, will attend Methodist University in Fayetteville. Xiques, who played center, will attend Ferrum University in Virginia. Monaco, who was a running back for the Nighthawks, will attend Hampden-Sydney in Virginia, while twins Devin and Landon Leithauser will attend Hampden-Sydney and The Apprentice School in Newport News, Va., respectively.

Scarborough will attend James Madison University, home of one of the top FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) programs in the country. JMU’s football team competes against Division I colleges as well with games against Maryland and Villanova scheduled for 2014.

To compete at this level, Scarborough knows he will need to use the skills he learned as a Nighthawk.

“I will really have to use what I learned in high school in order to perform at a high level at JMU,” Scarborough said. “Coach Prince taught me so much about toughness and perseverance that will help me at the next level.”

Prince says each of the players have unique attributes which made them stand out to colleges.

“Nick, Alex, and Tristan, my three offensive players, are very talented, with Nick and Monaco being very athletic for their positions, and with Tristan having great leadership skills,” Prince said. “On the defensive side of the ball, my safeties Bobby and Landon and my linebacker Devin are talented as well. Bobby is very enthusiastic, Landon is tough, and Devin is a very instinctive linebacker, who is able to analyze offenses very well.”

All six players have been on the team since freshman year, logging many hours on the field and in the weight room, Prince said. He said their four years here have greatly impacted the team.

“Their work ethic, play, and diversity really attributed to the team,” Prince said. “Devin, Nick, Tristan and Alex played both sides of the ball as well, which is very hard.”

While looking at colleges, each said he looked for something intriguing about the school, such as education and career opportunities.

“What really convinced me to choose (The Apprentice School) was that I could learn a trade there,” Landon said. “I thought this seemed awesome and I could make a career out of it while playing football as well.”

Prince said he strives to prepare his players for the next level physically and mentally, while teaching them important life lessons to use off the field.

“I learned what it really means to work hard and how to be a hard worker while playing football here,” Landon said. “I learned to be a dedicated person and most importantly, love the sport of football.”