The candles were lit, then there was a moment of silence. Tears could be seen falling from nearly every eye. On the scoreboard were the numbers 16 and 17 to represent the jerseys of two missed loved ones as the sound of Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain” filled the stadium. People on the soccer field embraced their loved ones a bit tighter than usual, while some of the soccer players rested their heads on each other’s shoulders as they cried. Those who witnessed the mournful scene from the grandstands struggled to keep their emotions at bay.
It was Senior Night for the Fayetteville-Perry High School boys and girls soccer teams Oct. 10, and it was also the night that had been chosen to remember two former players who lost their lives during the summer of 2018 – Maxwell Dickey and Miranda Cracraft. The candlelight memorial held for the two former soccer players took place following the Rockets’ and Lady Rockets’ varsity soccer games against the visiting North Adams Green Devils, starting with framed jerseys of Dickey’s no. 16 and Cracraft’s no. 17 being presented to their families.
Dickey was excited to be entering his senior year as a member of the Fayetteville-Perry High School soccer team, and his father, Andrew Fellers, was looking forward to his first year as head coach of the Rockets after serving as an assistant to former head soccer coach Derrick Connor in recent years.
Dickey excelled as a member of the varsity soccer team, but would never get the opportunity to display his skills on the soccer field again as a senior. Dickey drowned while swimming with friends in Lake Lorelei on May 31 at the age of 17.
Connor reflected on what type of soccer player Dickey was, and how his talent, sportsmanship, and work ethic complimented the team.
“He played with a lot of passion. He always gave 100-percent,” said Connor. “He loved the game and was a good teammate. A great kid to coach.”
“It’s a great feeling that everybody came together to honor these two,” said Connor, who was Dickey’s head coach in 2016 and 2017.
Following the tragic loss of his son, Fellers fulfilled his commitment and remained as the Rockets’ head soccer coach, feeling the pain of his loss every waking moment. During an interview earlier in the season, Fellers told news reporters that he would drive away from summer soccer practices in tears because his son was not in the passenger seat beside him.
“Andrew is a great guy. He was my assistant the last two years, and for him to come back shows a lot about his character and what type of person he is,” said Connor. “It’s something Max would have wanted. It takes a lot of courage.”
In addition to his father, Andrew Fellers, and the Rocket head coach’s wife Leslie Fellers, Dickey is also survived by his mother, Dana Dickey, and was the dear brother of Madelyn and Cassidy Fellers.
Cracraft graduated from Fayetteville-Perry High School and Southern Hills Career Technical Center in 2017 and was a high school cheerleader and soccer player who went on to become a licensed cosmetologist. She was a kind-hearted teen who was loved very much by her family and her many friends, including her former soccer teammates.
On June 18, Cracraft lost her life as a result of an auto accident on US 52 in Clermont County. She was the daughter of Ronald Cracraft, II and wife Jennifer of Sardinia, and Christina (Jones) Dericks and husband Michael of Fayetteville. She is also survived by seven brothers and sisters.
In less than a one-month span, Fayetteville had lost two young, beloved members of their community.
The Oct. 10 candlelight memorial and jersey presentation was organized by the Fayetteville-Perry High School soccer coaching staff members: assistant coaches Derrick Connor, Darlyne Crawford, and Rachel Joseph; and Lady Rockets’ head coach Jose Lara.
“Both are big losses for our community,” said Fayetteville-Perry High School Athletic Director Ryan Briggs during the Oct. 10 memorial. “It’s pretty neat to see the community bond together in a tough time like this, and to see how many people came out to show their support for the families. It’ shows just how much they cared about those kids.”
