The Bear Facts
October 3, 2026

Good morning! I’m Shiloh Trainer!

I’m Harper Nelson!

And I’m Graclyn Eastman! Welcome once again to the “Bear Facts”, where each week we keep you updated on all the news from Bishop Garrigan High School.

October is here, and at the start of October we always focus on music on the “Bear Facts”. Today is Algona Band Day, and next week will be the state marching band contest. Director Katherine Wiemers has been working hard getting ready for competition season, and the Solid Gold Marching band is hoping to do well these next two weekends. This year’s show is called “More Cowbell”, and they’re performing songs like Gimme Some Lovin’”, “Low Rider”, and “Rock and Roll All Night”.

Shiloh Trainer and Gavin Rogers are drum majors for the Solid Gold Marching Band. Other seniors include Caelum Blocker, Corbin Darling, Aidan Deitering, Aiden Lichter, and Leo Snyder. The juniors in band are Lilly Wickmnan, Woodrow Wells, Madelyn Tigges, Julia Swift, and Addison Laubenthal; as well as Dawson Lappe, Joey Lallier, Adrienne Kuper, Tyler Kollasch, Weston Ehlers, Max Buscher, and Gabby Buscher.



The band also features sophomores Caiden Buckner, Avery Culbertson, Abby Deardeuff, Riley Doerning, and Lucy Eisenbarth; plus Faith Glawe, Jerad Graves, Rachel Kahle, and Anaya Thomas. Rounding out the group are freshmen Clara Schafer, Jordyn Rogers, Mya Penton, Colin Meyer, Katy Herrick, Henry Greteman, Holden Glawe, Anthony Frideres, Samuel Foix, Brynlie Erpelding, Tyler Chen, Karina Chen, and Landon Bormann.

You can see Garrigan’s Solid Gold Marching Band at Algona Band Day today. The parade will start at one o’clock this afternoon and runs along State Street. Field competition begins at 5pm at Algona High, and Bishop Garrigan will take the field at 6pm. Good luck on band day, Garrigan musicians!

Another big music event is also coming up this week. Next Wednesday Bishop Garrigan will be hosting the annual Catholic Choral Festival for the Sioux City Diocese. Singers from all the Catholic schools around northwest Iowa will be coming to Garrigan for the event. They’ll spend the afternoon rehearsing with a professional director, and at 7pm there will be a public concert featuring both songs from the individual choirs and full group numbers.

Garrigan graduate Samantha Kirsch Johnston is now head of the choir. This year’s group includes twenty-six students, with equal numbers of boys and girls. The sopranos are Kylie Capesius, Lilly Wickman, Faith Glawe, Shiloh Trainer, Rilee Garman, and Madelyn Tigges. Altos in the choir include Delaney Fessler, Alice Casey, Cora Deardeuff, Anaya Thomas, Rachel Kahle, Riley Doerning, and Lucy Eisenbarth.

The altos in this years choir are Caiden Buckner, Aidan Deitering, Henry Bode, Noah Wehrspan, Grayson Morse, Owen Zimmerman, and Connor Plathe. In the bottom range are bass singers Matt Besch, Corbin Darling, Marshall Bormann, Holden Glawe, Colin Meyer, and Joey Lallier. You can hear them at the Catholic Choral Festival concert next Wednesday at 7pm here at Garrigan.

The Golden Bear volleyball team had a great week. After beating North Iowa and West Hancock in their home tournament last Saturday, the Bears got three straight wins this week—taking down West Bend—Mallard, North Union, and Belmond—Klemme. Madelyn Tigges leads the Bears in kills and blocks, Rikaya Nielson is tops in assists, and Kiah Villareal leads in digs and service aces. Good luck in the rest of the season, volleyball!

 Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Michael Joyce. Here to tell you about him is Cora Deardeuff.

In fall you’re likely to hear Mike Joyce’s name for football, where he serves as the Golden Bears’ quarterback and also plays defensive back. He’s hoping to lead the Bears to another state appearance this year. His biggest sport is basketball, though, where he’s been a starter all through school. Mike is an Algona native who also enjoys golf and has announced here on the “Bear Facts”. He prides himself on being able to solve a Rubik’s cube in 24 seconds. He’d like to play basketball in college, where he plans to study architecture. Good luck, Mike!

Thanks, Cora! On our Golden Bear calendar, today is Algona Band Day. The parade starts at 1pm, and both Garrigan’s high school and junior high bands will be participating. The high school band is also part of the field competition at 5pm.

Monday night the JV football team hosts North Union. Tuesday there’s cross-country at Eagle Grove, the volleyball team hosts West Hancock, and the girls’ swim team will be at Decorah.

We’ll have mass on Wednesday morning, and that day Garrigan will be hosting the Catholic Choral Festival. The festival concert is at 7pm Wednesday night.

Thursday night the volleyball team will travel to Newell—Fonda. There’s also a swim meet in Mason City on Thursday. Then next Friday the Golden Bear football team will host Northwood—Kensett for senior night. The dance team will host a chili supper at the game.

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