Strong senior class makes transition easier for Falcons coach Fichter
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Brownsville’s football team has a strong class of 14 seniors, led by what the team has nicknamed the “Super Six,” six players who have stuck with the football program through thick and thin for four years. They are (from left) Austin Lincoski, Quintin Mapstone, Lucas Harn, Jamal Minor, Dylan Lewis and Evan Olesko.
Scott Fichter
BROWNSVILLE — When a new head coach steps in to take over a high school football program, it helps to have a senior-laden team.
Brownsville has just that for the 2018 season, and Scott Fichter, who was elevated to head coach of the Falcons after spending three years as an assistant, is appreciative of his team’s leadership.
Fichter is Brownsville’s third different head coach in the last three years, but there has been little turnover on the staff overall.
“Being here four years at least helps you know the personnel, and we tried to keep as much of the staff together as possible from last year for this year,” Fichter said. “That did help with the transition.”
Fichter has now assumed all the additional responsibilities that are piled onto a head coach.
“It is a big difference because you have to handle more of the administration things and different ‘X’ factors aside from just the football aspect,” Fichter said. “Luckily we have guys that I truly trust as a staff to handle all those football logistics and I oversee everything, and it’s been effective so far.”
Fichter lauded his senior class as well.
“Looking at this team, I would say all of our seniors are leaders, and our undercalssmen view it the same way,” Fichter said. “We have 14 seniors and every one of them has stepped into a leadership role somehow, from the six guys that have been here all four years to the newest guys where this is their first year.
“Every one of them has been seen and viewed as a leader from us as a coaching staff and well as our athletes.”
The group of four-year players — Lucas Harn, Dylan Lewis, Austin Lincoski, Quintin Mapstone, Jamal Minor and Evan Olesko — has earned the nickname the “Super Six.”
When it came time to pick team captains, Fichter handed over that assignment to his players.
“We put it on the kids from the beginning,” Fichter explained. “We said, ‘Guys, we’re here to coach you, but this is your football team and you guys have a say in who you believe are your leaders.’ So we allowed them to vote on it.”
When the votes were tabulated, each of the 14 seniors had at least one. The five with the most votes were named captains, although Fichter didn’t want to reveal that chosen group just yet.
“That is awesome to see the senior class get that much overall respect,” Fichter said. “That makes us happy as a staff. All of them got recognition in the voting which is the coolest thing you can ever see as a coach.”
That senior class now hopes to lead the way to success for Fichter and the Falcons.