Matt Shirah earns all-district honor, receives commission

Shirah: FCHS graduate earns honor, commission

  • Matthew Shirah
    Matthew Shirah
  • Matthew “Matt” Shirah has been named to the College Sports Communicators All-District Team, and commissioned as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer.
    Matthew “Matt” Shirah has been named to the College Sports Communicators All-District Team, and commissioned as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer.
  • Matthew Shirah is shown accepting the check that represents his scholarship to the United States Naval Academy during a ceremony on the baseball field at Fannin County High School. Shirah was a baseball standout for FCHS as well as valedictorian of the Class of 2020.
    Matthew Shirah is shown accepting the check that represents his scholarship to the United States Naval Academy during a ceremony on the baseball field at Fannin County High School. Shirah was a baseball standout for FCHS as well as valedictorian of the Class of 2020.

    M

    atthew “Matt” Shirah has been named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Baseball Academic All- District Team for the second straight season.

    Shirah, as a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, pitched 53.2 innings this season while making 12 starts, according to Naval Academy Athletics. He tallied a 5.53 earned run average (ERA)  with his team-leading 60 strikeouts that ranked him sixth in the league.

    The right hander kept opponents to a league-low .200 batting average and completed his first complete game on March 16, the Naval Academy Athletics said.

    Shirah’s 8.32 career strikeouts per nine innings stands 12th in program history and his 36 career starts rank 14th.

    In the classroom, Shirah racked up a 3.87 grade point average (GPA) while majoring in quantative economics. He previously earned Academic All-Patriot League and CSC Academic All-District honors last season, and was a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll recipient in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

    Shirah was commissioned in May as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer.

    According to Navy.com, Nuclear Surface Warfare Officers form the backbone of fleet leadership. Prior to a tour aboard an aircraft carrier, they serve in the conventional fleet of cruisers, destroyers, or amphibious ships conducting missions vital to national security, visiting foreign ports around the globe, responding to natural disasters and providing humanitarian aid, and leading talented sailors and officers while completing initial qualifications.

    Responsibilities include; directing personnel operations aboard Navy vessels, including aircraft carriers, managing shipboard weapons and defense systems to include vertical launch systems, using high-tech weaponry and advanced technology in battle and ship defense, providing support to Navy expeditionary forces, Theater Missile Defense operations, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-air warfare and support and supply missions.

    Shirah entered the Naval Academy following his graduation from Fannin County High School in 2020 when he was the senior class valedictorian.

    He lettered in baseball in each of his four seasons for the Rebels. He helped guide Fannin County to a 26-9 record and the AAA region championship in 2018. The Rebels made the state playoffs in each of Shirah’s four seasons.

    Shirah was a two-time, first team All-Region selection and a 2019 All-State honoree as a Rebel.

    Shirah is the son of Cliff and Julie Shirah.