In addition to navigating the unique (at least for Fargo) waters of 9-man football the Falcons have had a changing of the guard as OC Matt Baasch has taken over the head coaching duties from Lawton Burgstahler. The former HC provided the first insights and then coach Baasch supplied the rest.
They will get started Friday night under the lights at Moorhead High against the State semi-finalists from Kittson County Central. Each of their three remaining home games will also be on the turf as their campus continues to be reshaped.
Before talking about the present, are there any highlights from last Fall that stand out for you in reflection? Perhaps a special moment that people may not know about?
As I look back at last season, it was one that started with a bang and the flame went out quick based on injuries. Our best win was beating KCC to open the season - they went on a State Tournament run after that. Further, most of our games came down to the wire and one that still sits in my mind is playing Clearbrook, it came down to the final play of the game. We couldn't pull off the win but over the last 4 years of being back to Varsity we have been in some real nail-biters and I credit our kids for hanging in there to the very end, never stopping.
Did your team take part in any camps or organized activities this Summer? We took part in Concordia's 7 on 7 & BSU's 9-Man Team Camp.
Did any young players show for the first time that they may be ready to contribute this Fall during the camps? What might they bring to your team?
We have a great incoming freshmen class that came in this summer and showed us that they want to play. There are a few of them that could compete for playing time on the varsity. They are a focused and determined group that have been a great addition to our team’s culture. Has the process changed at all now that you've had a few consecutive years of team building?
This will be my second year at PCS, my perspective is one of a growing program that is building to become an annual contender. The days of wondering if we will have enough players to field a team is over. We are moving from a survival mentality to one of thriving.
Are there position groups that you already have identified as strengths of your roster?
Our wide receiver group is talented and we expect them to be impact players this fall. How have the player-leaders shown leadership in the past? We expect our leaders to lead by being the best version of themselves. Our program is built on the values Serve, Inspire and All In. Our leaders are expected to be the example by displaying those values in their actions. Some are vocal, some are not, we expect them to use the talents they’ve been given to positively impact our team. Is there anything else you would like people to know about your team going into the season?
We are excited to continue to build on the foundation that exists at PCS. We have a great group of players that are hungry to do things the right way and build a program that competes at the highest level every year.
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