The 2014 Nansemond-Suffolk Academy football team was represented by six all-state first team selections, including one for junior Cole Christiansen, who was also the unanimous choice for VISAA Division II Defensive Player of the Year.

The Saints also had one second-team honoree and one honorable mention.

Making the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II first team were junior Noah Giles, as both a running back and a defensive back, senior defensive lineman David Gough, senior offensive lineman Shay Wood, senior kick returner Addison Peak and linebacker Cole Christiansen.

“I was very pleased,” NSA coach Lew Johnston said, later noting the 10 or 11 VISAA Division II coaches voting could not vote for their own players, but they could promote their own, which he did. “The response was very good.”

In some cases, no promotion by Johnston was even necessary.

“I didn’t even get Cole’s name out of my mouth, and somebody said, ‘Cole Christiansen’s got to be Defensive Player of the Year,’” Johnston said, later adding, “It wasn’t even a question of bringing it to a vote. They didn’t even nominate anybody else.”

Christiansen accumulated a team-high 129 total tackles, 90 of which were solo stops. Thirty of his tackles were for a loss, and he also led the team with nine sacks.

He played inside linebacker most of the season, but also moved to outside linebacker during part of the year when sophomore Ke’Shaun Moore was out with an injury.

“It’s a huge honor,” Christiansen said. “It’s everything I wanted and dreamed about as a little kid. Getting something like that is just huge to me and my family. It’s pretty awesome.”

Johnston said Christiansen’s strong performance against several of the coaches voting, like those from Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School, St. Anne’s-Belfield School and Trinity Episcopal School — the top three teams in VISAA Division II — contributed to his choice.

“When those coaches have seen him in person, it’s a little different than trying to talk them into somebody that maybe they hadn’t played against,” Johnston said.

This was Christiansen’s second year in a row making the all-state first team.

Noah Giles, who also earned twin all-conference first team selections this year, also had a reputation that preceded him at the state voting meeting.

“Again, they got to his name and John Blake, who’s the coach for (St. Anne’s-Belfield), who was running the meeting, goes, ‘Oh yeah,’” Johnston said, noting Giles memorably victimized the St. Anne’s-Belfield defense in the state semifinal. “Coach Blake said, ‘Yeah, that kid needs to be first team.’”

Giles had 92 carries for 1277 yards and 21 touchdowns this year, leading his team in the latter two categories. Incidentally, he also led the Saints in receptions (19), receiving yards (267) and tied for the team-lead in receiving touchdowns (three). He also had a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Defensively, he led NSA with 16 pass break-ups. He also had an interception and 29 total tackles.

In addition to his first-team honor as a defender, David Gough was named to the all-state second team as a running back.

Senior C.J. Patterson received honorable mention as a wide receiver.