THE BEAR FACTS
February 13, 2021

Good morning! I’m Jack Snyder!

I’m Aric Laube nthal!

And I’m Joey Trainer! Happy Valentine’s from the “Bear Facts”, the radio show where every week we keep you updated on the news at Bishop Garrigan High School.

State large-group speech was held last weekend, and different schools participated in a wide variety of ways. Garrigan held a virtual speech contest, with judges watching videos of our entries and rating them remotely. It ended up being a very good day for the speech team. Four groups earned Division I or “excellent” ratings, and just two groups got Division II or “good” marks.

Groups that received I’s included the musical theatre presentations “It’s Been a Long Day” with Kelle Bormann, Jack Snyder, and Marguerite Fakler, and “This World Will Remember Us” with Meredith Tigges and Joey Trainer. Also earning I’s were a group improvisation by Mya Kemna, Sam Plathe, Brendan Plathe, and Benjy Trainer, and the acting ensemble “The Mouse and the Raven” with Reese Rosenmeyer, Anna Berke, Gracie Elsbecker, Bailey Meister, and Riley Rosenmeyer.

Because of the unusual nature of the state contests, it won’t be until next Monday when the “Outstanding Performance” list with all-state nominations is announced. There will be no actual All-State Festival this year, but the most outstanding groups will be honored with medals and certificates. Congratulations on a great year to Coaches David Burrow and Renetta Seiler and the whole large group speech team.

Individual speech rehearsals are starting. This year Garrigan will have twenty-one entries in another virtual contest. Joey Trainer, Savannah Warchter, and Benjy Trainer will compete in Storytelling; Marguerite Fakler, Riley Rosenmeyer, and Ava Eisenbarth in Prose; and Meredith Illg and Meredith Tigges in Poetry. Sam Plathe is entered in Spontaneous Speaking; and Jack Snyder, Meredith Tigges, and Eva Snyder are competing in Radio.

Marguerite Fakler is preparing a Musical Theatre Selection; while Brendan Plathe, Noah Bronk, and Sam Plathe are hoping to do well in Improvisation. Ava Eisenbarth is entered in Acting, and Abbi Heying is preparing a Review. Finally Eva Snyder, Abbi Heying, and Mya Kemna will compete in Literary Program.

The Golden Bear girls’ basketball team is wrapping up what looks to be their best season ever. They were undefeated in the Top of Iowa Conference, and the season highlight was beating the defending state champions from Newell—Fonda. This past week two Golden Bears passed milestones. Senior Kaylyn Meyers went over 1,000 career points, and sophomore Audi Crooks broke that same barrier. Audi is the youngest girl ever in Iowa to score 1,000 career points in basketball.

Basketball playoffs have begun. The Golden Bear girls had a bye in the first round of regionals, but they’ll be hosting the second and third rounds—most likely against Northwood Kensett and Mason City Newman. The regional championship will be February 24, against a school from east of I-35 like Clarksville or AGWSR.

The boys start districts Monday night, with the Bears hosting Graettinger Terril Ruthven Ayrshire. A win will move them into the semi-finals next Thursday at Mason City Newman. The district championship is scheduled for February 23rd at Clear Lake—probably against Lake Mills—and substate would be Saturday, February 27th. Good luck in the post season, Golden Bear basketball!

Just in time for playoffs, the governor lifted fan restrictions on high school basketball games. After having a minimal crowd most of the season, now anyone who wants to can come to see the Bears. Garrigan is maintaining its mask requirement in the gym, though, and we still encourage fans to distance as much as they practically can. It’s good that everyone who wants to cheer on the Bears can be there, though.

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Austin Von Bank. Here to tell you about him is Derrick Kirsch.

Austin Von Bank had some big news a couple weeks ago when he finished up his requirements and became an Eagle Scout. As an Eagle project he made wooden crosses for every classroom at Garrigan. Austin played end in football, he’s also active in track and trapshooting, and in the past he was also in cross-country. He’ll be a college man next fall, and we wish him the very best in the future.

Thanks, Derrick! On this week’s Golden Bear calendar, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Track practices begin on Monday, and that night the boys basketball team starts district play as they host GTRA.

The Garrigan girls will be hosting regional basketball on Tuesday night. Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. We’ll have an online Ash Wednesday service this year, with ashes distributed in our classrooms.

Thursday is next round of boys’ districts, and the Bears should be playing at Mason City Newman. The school board also meets on Thursday. Then next Friday we’ll be back to the Garrigan gym for more girls regional basketball.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for another week. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to catch the show again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.