The Bear Facts
October 4, 2014

 Good morning! I’m Emily Riesengberg!

 I’m Mark Fakler!

 And I’m Kaitlyn Fogarty! Thanks for joining us for the “Bear Facts”, your weekly update on all the news at Bishop Garrigan High School.

 Today is Algona Band Day, and again this year the Bishop Garrigan Solid Gold Marching Band is entered in both the parade and field competitions. This year’s competition show features the songs of ‘80s hair bands—groups like Kiss and Bon Jovi. The show includes both hard rock classics and power ballads, with songs like songs like “Jump”, “Beth”, “Detroit Rock City”, “Crazy Train”, and “You Give Love a Bad Name”.

 Miss Katherine Simpson choreographed the band’s show, and the group is directed by Mr. Ken Ferjak. Morgan Frideres is this year’s drum major. Other returning seniors are Betty Straub, Hannah Bernhard, Mark Fakler, Gaby Steil, Zach Kollasch, Taylor Frideres, Tony Kollasch, Dorothy Kirsch, Caroline Hamilton, Andrew Miller, and Kirk Kenyon. The parade starts at 1:00 this afternoon. The Garrigan middle school band will lead off, and the high school will be right in the middle. In the field competition, Garrigan is the first band to perform. They’ll take the field at 5:00 tonight. Good luck, band!


 This coming week will be a big one for Garrigan and Seton. We’ll have our comprehensive visitation by officials from the Iowa Department of Education and the Diocese of Sioux City. The officials will be looking to make sure that all the paperwork is in order and that school is doing what it should. They’ll meet with students, teachers, parents, and people from the community to get their input and then make recommendations for how we become even better. While we know there’s always ways we can improve, overall we’re confident the school is doing a good job.

 At the CYO volleyball tournament last month two Garrigan coaches received special honors from the Sioux City Diocese Catholic Youth Organization. Coaches Greg Ahlers and Dean Lallier were named CYO Coaches of the Year for 2014. Mr. Ahlers was the CYO girls track coach of the year for the second straight year, while Mr. Lallier won his first CYO award after leading the Bears to their second straight state golf championship. Congratulations to Coaches Ahlers and Lallier!

 This weekend Garrigan’s sophomores will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation. The group spent their whole freshman year preparing for confirmation, and tomorrow Bishop R. Walker Nickless will be on hand to make them full members of the Catholic Church. The event will take place at the 10:30 mass tomorrow morning at St. Cecelia’s. Congratulations to all the sophomore confirmands!

 The Golden Bear football team had a top-heavy season this year, with their toughest games at the start of the season. The Bears are on a roll now. After a big win at Mason City Newman, they got their first Homecoming win in three years when they beat Belmond—Klemme last week. The Bears have seven seniors this year—including linemen Nick Kayser, Andrew Miller, and Jake Kayser; Kirk Kenyon at end; and backfield players Ben Vaske, Reece Wadle, and Carter Hall.

 Other key players for the Bears this fall have been juniors Zac Kibby, Cameron Langerman, and Landen Studer; and sophomores Gibson Behr, Chase Winkel, and Grant Buscherfeld. The JV squad has also gotten a lot of playing time in recent games, which should help them prepare for more success down the road. We’re crossing our fingers that the Bears will win out the rest of the season and then get a good playoff match-up. Good luck, Golden Bear football.

 Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Reece Wadle. Here to tell you about him is Betty Straub.

 Reece Wadle is probably the best-known athlete at Garrigan. He’s been a four-year starter on the football team, he’s a three-year all-conference player who went to state in baseball, and he he’s also won multiple letters in basketball and track. He referees intramural basketball and coaches middle school baseball. He also keeps busy with student council, quiz bowl, and the school wellness committee. Next year Reece will be a pre-med major at the University of Iowa. He’s planning a career in sports medicine, and we know he’ll be successful.

 Thanks, Betty! On our Golden Bear calendar this week, the North Iowa Conference volleyball tournament is this morning. Also today is the Algona Band Festival. Garrigan will march in the parade and perform at 5pm in the field competition.

 Several choir members will also be at Wartburg College in Waverly today for the Real Men Sing festival. Then tomorrow at 10:30 our sophomores will have the Sacrament of Confirmation. Throughout the week we’ll have the state and diocesan visitation.

 Monday the volleyball team plays in the North Iowa Conference tournament. Also that night there’s JV football, with the Bears facing West Hancock at Britt. Then Tuesday the cross-country team runs at Eagle Grove.

 We’ll have mass Wednesday morning. Thursday night the volleyball team hosts Webster City. The sophomore class has the Wildhaven Field Day on Friday, and that afternoon we’ll have a school benediction in the gym.

 Friday night the Golden Bear football team travels to Lake Mills. Finally next Saturday there’s the state marching band competition in Ft. Dodge.

 That’s our first “Bear Facts” for October. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.