After a year that saw Dalton Fichtner carry the Yorkton Regional High School Sr. Raiders football team to its first league championship game in nearly a decade in an MVP season, Dalton Fichtner became the first Raider off this year's team to commit to a post secondary program, staying in province and going the CIS route with the University of Regina Rams, cracking their 60 man roster this past weekend.
Fichtner starred as a quarterback for the Raiders, who were the best offensive team in the Moose Jaw High School Football League and Fichtner's skills behind the pocket were a large part of their run from middle of the pack in the RIFL to the MJHSFL Championship Game in their first year as his strong arm and mobility gave the Raiders a dynamic offense, but Fichtner won't be a pocket specialist at the University of Regina as the school put him on the roster as a defensive back, a position he is still learning as he goes.
"We used Dalton at defensive back last season because he was a phenomenal athlete and those assets required us to play him at quarterback but he was solid in coverage as well," explains Raider head coach Roby Sharpe.
Sharpe also commented that because of Fichtner's focus on his quarterbacking ability as a crucial part of team success he did not get to hone his defensive fundamentals and skillset as much as a non-quarterback would. "He is still kind of raw, which means he could have great potential at the position if he is this good now as he continues to fine tune his defensive back skillset with great coaching at the University of Regina," explains Sharpe.
Fichtner himself admits that his main focus this summer will be on training the defensive back position saying, "My number one thing to do this summer is simply train to get ready. From working with coaches to attending camps I want to get better at playing defensive back." Fichtner was still one of the Raiders better defensive backs despite doing double duty last season, registering a crucial interception during the playoffs in his senior year.
With the University of Regina Rams squad only carrying a 60 man roster as well as having a deep talent pool waiting in the wings with the Regina Thunder as a recruiting pipeline for the program, it is a huge deal that Fichtner managed to crack the 60 man squad as a freshmen. "Most Universities carry around 70 guys, the University of Manitoba carries around 70, the University of Saskatoon carries around 70, so for Dalton to crack a 60 man roster as a freshmen, beating out guys who have played junior football or defensive back their whole careers speaks to the type of player Fichtner is and what we have seen him do for us in his time at the YRHS," says Sharpe.
Staying in province, and specifically Regina was Fichtner's plan all along after graduating as he was already accepted into the University of Regina and planning to attend school there in the fall and play for the Thunder had he not cracked the Rams squad last weekend saying, "I was planning on going to Regina regardless on if I made the team, but planning on going to the university in the fall then making the team in my first year is awesome and exactly what I wanted to do."
As for other 2013 Graduating Raiders hoping to crack squads this fall, Fichtner's aerial partner in crime in slotback/linebacker Layne Hull is in British Colombia looking at CJFL squads in the Okanagan Sun and the Kamloops Broncos, where he will be challenging for starting positions in his first year.
"Layne Hull is in BC right now weighing his options and visiting camps and programs in Kelowna (Sun) and in Kamloops, and he is being told that he will be competing for a starting role in his first year, which would be huge for his career so he is waiting for a decision, but he should be playing somewhere next season," explains Sharpe on the Hull situation.
With talented players like Fichtner and Hull leaving the Raiders high powered defensive and offensive corps next season, the Raiders will need to replace two players who will be leaving huge shoes to fill, but the Raiders will be prepared, they only graduated a handful of players last year.
"Losing great football players and teammates like Layne and Dalton will be tough and their accomplishments speak to the strength of our program, but we have a lot of returning boys for next fall and we expect to be strong and a contending team in the league and in the province next year," closes Sharpe.
The Raiders will start spring camp this week before playing super scrimmages with Brandon and Winnipeg Vincent Massey to end the month concluding their spring schedule.
