Fond Farewell for Academic Team Seniors
By Landon Ford and Alexis Prince
Tribal Tribune
Photos by Landon Ford and journalism instructor Mark Braam
Congratulations, Academic Team Seniors!
On February 7, the Fairfield varsity Academic Team faced off against Middletown in its regular-season finale, and absolutely blew them out of the water, scoring first, 65-22, then 73-29.
Before the match, each senior – Ari Coxhead, Owen Crawley, Anthony Gehrlich-Orr, Maven Horsch, Brady Lee, and Tyler Warner – was introduced with their bio read by their coach, Mark Braam. Coach Braam was brought to tears at the thought of losing such bright, and amazing students.
* Ari Coxhead (co-captain): Three years of Academic Team under his belt, and was awarded 3 varsity letters. He’s been extremely active in Fairfield’s musical community, playing in Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and Marching Band. His college of choice is Miami University and he will double major in history and literature. His favorite memory on the team: “Answering a question about ‘Casablanca’ in the first 9 words of a question.” When asked if he had any words to give to his teammates or any future Academic Team members, he said, “Above all, this sport is about learning more things about what you love (and of course, have fun!) Never forget to have faith and trust in your teammates.”
* Owen Crawley (co-captain): Two years on the Academic Team, both on varsity. He also played cross-country, track, and lacrosse. He was also busy participating in the debate club, and the engineering club. His college of choice is the Air Force Academy, where he plans to study aerospace engineering. His favorite memory on the team: “Beating Lakota West last year in the GMC tournament to make it to the regional tournament.” He leaves his teammates with these words of wisdom. “Academic Team is only an individual sport if you make it one. Make sure to work with your teammates!”
* Tyler Warner (co-captain): Three years on the varsity academic team. In addition to band, he’s made his time here in high school a memorable one. His colleges of choice are University of Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky University for saxophone performance and chemical engineering. “I was torn, because we’ve had a series of game highlights in the years I’ve been on the team. Some that come to mind are beating Sycamore in 2021-2022, winning the GMC tournament in 2022-2023, and beating Mason (FINALLY!) this year. However, in the years I’ve been in the Academic Team have brought me interactions and camaraderie with great people that I couldn’t be grateful for.” His final message for the team was, “Confidence is key for our success in the future. The Big Three may be passing the torch, but there are still plenty of games to be won and we would love to see high-bar wins for FHS! Lastly, and most importantly, have FUN!”
* Anthony Gehrlich-Orr: Three years of Academic Team, with one varsity letter. Like his teammate Owen, he ran cross-country. He also participated in both Business Professionals of America and National Honor Society. While he hasn’t decided where to go for college, he knows he wants to study Engineering or Chemistry. His favorite memory couldn’t be narrowed down to just one, but, “I have really enjoyed hanging out with all the friends I have here at practice and at matches.” Anthony’s next words touched everyone at the event. “I want to thank everyone for fostering such a friendly and enjoyable environment. This environment has made the Academic Team one of my favorite activities during my high school years. To my fellow seniors, I wish you luck as you enter the next chapter of your life, and I believe you are all destined for greatness. To everyone else, you are the future of this team, and I hope you all will continue to create a great environment. Whether you win or lose in the future, remember to have fun!”
* Maven Horsch: First year on team and varsity. She’s helped in the theater tech crew, and has had many adventures in the D&D club. Her college of choice is Cal Poly Humboldt, where she will study English and Political Science. When she was asked what her favorite memory of the Academic Team was, she simply said, “Ari” (Which brought tears to Coach Braam’s eyes. Maven gave these words to her fellow teammates: “Have fun! Thank you everyone for making this year great!”
* Brady Lee: First year on team and varsity. Brady was also on cross-country with Owen and Anthony, plus played chess on a varsity level. Brady has chosen Purdue as his college of choice, where he will study Computer Science. His favorite memories are the pizza parties, and when asked about his time on the team, he said, “I want to thank my mom, for helping me become a hard and talented student-athlete. Couldn’t have done it without you!”
This team has been a powerhouse, and everyone can’t wait to see what fantastic things they do in the future. Don’t forget, learn while you’re here, have fun while you’re not, and most importantly, CONFER!
For more Senior Night photos, go to bit.ly/FFAcademicSeniorNight24
