March 2, 2026 — Lacrosse stars Sean Byrne and Brayden Fountain displayed elite talent during their playing days at Allatoona High School, but discipline and purpose have carried them to the national stage. Each of them is a two-time High School All-American, and now both are major contributors on the field for the U.S. Military Academy, where they balance Division I competition with the demands of preparing to serve as officers in the United States Army.
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“It was evident early on in both Sean and Brayden’s high school careers that they were different,” recalled Allatoona Lacrosse Head Coach Jonathan Wishon. “From their integrity, work ethic, and communication, they certainly stood apart from their teammates and peers.”
Byrne and Fountain were three grades apart in school, so they only played one season together at Allatoona. However, they have been friends since early childhood. The two lived across the street from each other growing up. This lifelong friendship serves as a subtle lesson in loyalty. One that would later mirror bonds they would solidify at West Point.
“Brayden’s my best friend and the kid I did everything with,” Sean noted. “I wore the number 35 in high school and passed it down to him, which he still wears today.”
Their days wearing the number 35 on the Buccaneers lacrosse field were stellar. Byrne spent his time between the pipes as a formidable goalie. Despite having one season reduced to eight games by the COVID shutdown, he still amassed 588 career saves as a four-year starter. That was the second-highest total in Georgia at the time of his graduation in 2021. As a senior, the 6-foot-3 goalie was named the Cobb County Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, earned the Great 88 Georgia Senior All-Star MVP, and received All-State honors.
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Fountain donned the 35 jersey on the attack, scoring goals instead of preventing them. He, too, was a four-year starter at Allatoona and netted 164 goals with 111 assists over that span, despite missing significant portions of two seasons due to injury.
Built in Buccaneers Jerseys
Coach Wishon described his former players as “gym rats.”
“Many players lack the discipline and intrinsic motivation to work on perfecting their craft outside of practice and in the off-season,” Coach Wishon explained. “These two were constantly finding ways to improve and would return the next season having significantly improved.”
With evident mutual respect, Byrne and Fountain point back to their time playing at Allatoona as pivotal moments in their careers.
“Coach Wishon and his assistants all believed in me and my potential ability,” Byrne, the most decorated net-minder in Allatoona history, said. “They continued to push me and never let me settle for less. Playing for Allatoona, I always had another goal I wanted to achieve, and that’s what the coaches pushed me toward.”
Fountain agreed with his longtime friend about the impact of Coach Wishon’s lacrosse program, emphasizing that he benefited personally as well as athletically.
“Looking back at my experiences at Allatoona,” the prolific scorer added, “a few things prepared me for West Point. The culture that Coach Wishon facilitates in his program reminds me a lot of the love my teammates express for me here at West Point. We did absolutely everything together, and it’s the exact same here. Coach Wishon showed us great leadership and how to be a great person.”
Army Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Joe Alberici can attest to that fact. It’s the first thing he brings up when talking about the men he now has the privilege and duty to lead.
“They’re incredible human beings, first and foremost,” the three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year said recently, answering a question about their impact on his team. “And they’re outstanding lacrosse players, obviously. You see statistics on both these guys, but that only tells a very small part of what they mean to our team. Sean, to me, is the best goalie in the country. He is a leader, and he anchors our defense. He’s absolutely incredible. And Brayden got off to an amazing start last year, scoring 35 goals as a freshman.”
Honor in the Details
Those 35 goals for Fountain, matching his jersey number, tied for the second most on an Army team that finished 12-2 last season. The Allatoona graduate started all 14 games as a freshman. Through Army’s first five games this year, the high-scoring attackman has already netted 12 goals. The excitement about the statistical possibilities for the Applied Statistics and Data Science major over the rest of his lacrosse career is enormous.
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Fountain’s teammate in the net, Byrne, typically sports the number 1 for Army. Although in a recent game in Atlanta, the highly-decorated goalie wore the number 82 to honor two former Allatoona lacrosse players—one who passed away at the hands of cancer in 2018, and another who is currently battling brain cancer. This was no surprise to those who know the Organizational Psychology major and his love for serving others at WinShape Camps. Showing respect and honor to others is another testament to the character of these men and a reflection of the Army value they now live daily.
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Deflecting the spotlight, however, is getting more difficult for the 2025 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year. He stopped 147 shots last season while putting up a .607 save percentage, the second highest in the nation. That was enough for him to garner consideration for the Tewaaraton Award, college lacrosse’s version of the Heisman Trophy, recognizing the most outstanding men’s and women’s college lacrosse player. This season, he is again on the watch list for that honor despite a goalie having never won the men’s award in its 25-year history.
Representing the Crest
With all the success that these two men have had on the lacrosse turf, it can be easy to forget the greater responsibility that lies ahead for each of them.
“Our teams’ culture of family, toughness, and tradition is one of a kind,” the Tewaaraton hopeful said. “You get to put on a jersey and play for something far greater than yourself, which is very special.”
Fountain again echoed his teammate’s perspective that reflects the Army principle of selfless service.
“It means so much knowing that I represent everyone who has come before me who wore the Army jersey,” he said. “Knowing everything people have put into it, it means so much more to play for it. We essentially rent our jersey for four years and hope to leave it better than when we received it.”
A Greater Call
The lacrosse uniform will shortly give way to the uniform of another kind for these athletic stars. Byrne, a fifth-year senior, has branched Field Artillery, which means he could soon be leading a defense of another kind. Fountain, in his sophomore year, has yet to branch, but calls his imminent future “a very high honor to serve in the military and a great opportunity to serve our country.” For both men, a future of leading soldiers is not simply a career path, but an honor they have been preparing for since high school.
“I am extremely proud of both the players and young men these two are becoming,” Coach Wishon said contentedly. “Their ability to talk to and lead people and the value they place on teamwork will make them successful Army officers. They were always very mature for their age and well-respected by their teammates and classmates. I know they will be successful in whatever their future endeavors are.”
The uniforms have, and will, change over time, but the hearts of the men and their integrity will always be tied to their time at Allatoona High School.
“I think about where I came from a lot,” Byrne acknowledged. “More importantly, I think about all the people that were a part of my life—from friends, to teachers, to coaches, to teammates, to all the people who have supported me along the way. I thank them for being a part of my journey.”
Fountain expressed similar gratitude for his Cobb County roots.
“I take great pride in my hometown and Allatoona High School,” Fountain echoed. “It’s amazing to see Sean and me thriving at the Division I level, and our pride for our hometown helps us play much harder.”
It’s easy to take pride in these men as well. For what they have already accomplished, but also for the service to our country that they will soon provide. Regardless of the uniform they wear, it’s good to know they are on our team. In lacrosse and in life, loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage will continue to define the way they lead.
h/t non-branded photos provided by Coach Wishon and Allatoona High School
