Good morning! I'm Kim Frideres!
I'm Keshar Nadkarni!
And I'm Jill Johnson! Welcome to our last episode of the "Bear Facts" for the 2001 - 2002 school year.
Most people at Garrigan finished finals yesterday, so now we're looking forward to summer. Baseball season starts next Wednesday, when the Bears take on Estherville at Bancroft. While the Bears graduated a lot of good players last year, they've still got a lot of talent. Returning seniors include Tyler Trenary, Jeff Vaske, Joe Bartolo, Mark Meister, and Nick Lane. The juniors are Alex Vaske and Joe Hellman. Among the sophomores you'll find Ben Geelan, Aaron O'Kane, Jason Lallier, Brent Shillington, Andrew Thilges, Tim Arndorfer, Grant Smith, Tony Becker, and Jon Hanig. There's also a good group of freshmen-including Sam Dittrich, Mitch Buscher, Jim Garman, Billy Vaske, Anthony McGuire, Chris Reinhart, Matt Vitzthum, Matt Courtney, and Tim Richter.
The softball team should also have a good season. They'll start play by hosting Humboldt on May 28. Jamie Loebig, Jill Goodman, Amanda Gisch, and Ashley Schiltz are the returning seniors. Juniors in softball are Lisa Even, Chelsie Wood, Jenny Erpelding, Janel Richter, Rachel Foth, and Nellie Fowler. The sophomores include Ashley Schiltz, Nettie McGuire, Sarah Mayer, and Molly Black. There are also seven freshmen: Ashley Shaw, Holly Lancaster, Miranda Boekelman, Nicole Reding, Rose Mayer, Lindsay Schiltz, and Emily DeWaard. Good luck all summer long to both the baseball and softball teams!
There's a lot of athletic action before the summer sports begin. Today eleven Garrigan students are in Des Moines to compete in the state girls track meet. Jenna Becker qualified for state in the shot put, and two relays also made it to state. In the sprint medley, Jenna Kollasch, Lisa Thilges, Lindsay Becker, and Ashley Arndorfer will be running. Ashley also runs the distance medley, along with Rose Mayer, Jenna Becker, and Hannah McCall. Alternates for state are Nellie Fowler, Janel Richter, Amy Rahm, and Shelley DeVries. Good luck to all these girls at state!
Next week it's the boys' turn to run state track. Justin Fickbohm qualified for state in the 100-meter dash, Jeff Hellman will be running the 800 and the mile, Lee Elbert has the state's fastest qualifying time in the 200, and Andy Kardoes will be throwing the discus at state. Three relays are also going to state. Scott Stence, Greg Fowler, Matt Vitzthum, and John Kohlhaas qualified in the 4 by 800-meter relay; Luke DeWaard, Aaron O'Kane, Justin Fickbohm, and Lee Elbert will be running the 4 by 200; and Andy Kardoes, Luke DeWaard, Justin Fickbohm, and Lee Elbert will run the 4 by 100. Preliminaries in all events will be next Friday, and we wish everyone good luck.
The golf teams have also had a successful spring. Steve Goede was medallist at the district meet last week. The girls are also continuing their season. They'll be playing in regionals at South O'Brien in Primghar next Monday. Garrigan has a long tradition in golf, and we hope 2002 will be another year the Bears will be headed to state.
There's already one state champion trophy sitting in the school lobby. A couple weeks back Garrigan was one of around 30 schools statewide that competed in the internet-based Thinking Cap quiz bowl. When all the scores were tallied, the Bears won the Iowa championship in the 9th and 10th grade division. John Kohlhaas was captain of the team, and his teammates included Josh Broesder, Jesse Bode, Matt Courtney, Amber Golwitzer, and Anthony McGuire. John and Matt will now go part of the Golden Bear team that is going to the National Academic Championships. They'll leave for New Orleans on May 29.
Last Sunday sixty-two seniors graduated from Bishop Garrigan High School. As always a number of awards were handed out at graduation and baccalaureate. Jeff Vaske won the D.A.R. Award for service and patriotism, Mandy Rahm won the bar association citizenship award, and Kevin Marso was honored with the Rotary's "Service Above Self" award. Each department also presented awards. Amanda Bormann was the top student in family and consumer sciences, Ashley Schiltz and Michael Loebach split the art award, and Kevin Marso won the business honors.
In English awards went to Stephanie Hilbert, Mandy Rahm, Kevin Lind, Mindy Buscher, and Heather Fickbohm. Ashley Arndorfer won the foreign language award, and she split top honors in math with Rebecca McGuire. Ashley and Jenna Becker received the science award, while Michael Loebach was honored in social stuidies. Bob Brandenburg was honored in speech, and he also received a special award from the gifted and talented program. Rebecca McGuire received top honors in both band and vocal music, and she split the theology award with Bob Brandenburg. Finally the principal's leadership award went to Stephanie Hilbert.
Each year a variety of scholarships are handed out at graduation. This year Garrigan students were offered over $700,000 in scholarships, from colleges and from local organizations. One scholarship that was new this year honored 1999 Garrigan graduate Adam Sundall, who died suddenly last Christmas. The first recipient of the Adam Sundall Memorial Scholarship was cross-country veteran Michael Loebach.
We have one last person to talk about on our Senior Spotlight. Andrew Reising isn't officially a senior. He is actually part of the Class of 2003, but he has chosen to graduate a year earlier than his classmates so he can start his college career. Andrew's biggest activity in high school has been choir, but he enjoys music and sports in general. He plans to attend NIACC in the fall, and we wish him all the best.
On the Golden Bear calendar, there's girls state track today in Des Moines and district golf Monday at Primghar. Next Friday and Saturday the boys track team runs at state.
The Garrigan band will play at the Memorial Day festivities in Whittemore on May 27th. Then on the 29th the quiz bowl team leaves for nationals in New Orleans.
The summer is filled with baseball and softball games. Highlights include the boys CYO tournament at Carroll June 1st and 2nd and the girls CYO at Storm Lake June 8th and 9th. Baseball playoffs begin July 8th, with softball playoffs starting the 16th.
Fall sports camps start in August, and before we know it the bells will be ringing for school to start up again. Next fall our first day will be Wednesday, August 21.
That's concludes our tenth season of the "Bear Facts". Thanks to David Burrow, our faculty sponsor. Thanks also to KLGA for airing our show each week and to the sponsors who make it possible. Thanks especially to all of you for tuning in. We hope to be back again in the fall, bringing you more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
