The Bear Facts

November 5, 2016


Good morning!  I’m Emerald Shipler!

I’m Logan Heying!

And I’m John Meis!  Thanks for tuning in for the “Bear Facts”, your weekly radio update from Bishop Garrigan High School.

The state solo dance championships are taking place today down in Pella.  Garrigan has three dancers entered in the contest.  Seniors Courtney Noonan and Sarah Skilling and junior Kat Willie are all part of the solo competition.  Good luck at state, Golden Bear dancers!

At our All Saint’s mass last Tuesday thirteen Garrigan seniors were installed as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  They will help out distributing communion at our school masses and also in their home parishes—which include.  Six girls and seven boys became Eucharistic ministers, and they represent the churches in Algona, Bancroft, St. Joe, Whittemore, West Bend, and Humboldt.

The new ministers include Rebecca Bonstetter, Miranda Book, Sam Bormann, Megan Brown, Sam Harrington, and Danielle Plahte; as well as Levi Capesius, Ben Fogarty, Logan Capesius, Chase Hatten, Andrew Meister, Joel Vaske, and Andrew Thilges.  Congratulations to the new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.


The Golden Bear volleyball team wrapped up their season last Tuesday.  After and up and down regular season, the Bears had an awesome run in regionals, winning three straight matches on the road.  Unfortunately in the regional final they faced the #1-ranked team in the state, and the Janesville Wildcats lived up to their reputation.  The Bears put up a good fight, but they ended up losing in three games.

The Bears’ prospects continue to look good in the future.  Just three seniors will be leaving after this fall:  Courtney Kirsch, Ciera Hall, and Megan Brown.  There’s also a dedicated group of juniors who will be next year’s leaders:  Caitlin Thilges, Whitney Hovey, Jenna Boelter, Grace McGuire, Aubrey McEnroe, and Megan Wadle.  On top of that a very talented group of freshmen emerged this year and should help the team well into the future.  Congratulations on wrapping up a great season, volleyball!

The Golden Bear football team won their playoff opener last Friday, and for the second straight year they advanced to the state quarterfinals undefeated.  We had to record this week’s show before last night’s big game against West Hancock, and the outcome of that game has quite a lot to do with determining next week’s schedule.  We know the Bears played a tough game, and we’re hoping they did well enough to advance to the dome.

One of the things that depends on football playoffs is the schedule for next week’s BGHS musical.  This year the music, drama, and art departments are presenting Beauty and the Beast.  The play features a huge cast—including all-state vocalists Levi Capesius, Sam Trainer, and Bryce Capesius.  Other cast members include Andrew Thilges, Rebecca Bonstetter, Sam Harrington, Andrew Meister, and Precious Robeson.



Also part of the musical are Isabelle Davis, Skyland Meraz, Megan Bronk, Layah DeLange, Lauren Kenyon, Amanda Miller, and Bailey Kollasch; as well as Jordan Hansen, Madison Illg, John Zeimet, Ashlyn Harrington, Laurel Degen, Jenna Heinen, Aidan Koob, Tommy Kollasch, Eric Thul, Sam Vaske, Chloe Garman, Caitlin Thilges, Gabe Trainer, and Emma Thul.  If the Bears are not playing football on Friday, the musical will be Friday and Saturday nights.  If they are at the UNI-Dome, the musical will be next Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

There’s more quiz bowl action today.  The Bears will be competing across town in the Algona invitational tournament.  Garrigan has a tradition of doing very well at Algona High, and we hope that luck continues today.  Good luck, quiz bowl!

With state solo dance happening today, our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Courtney Noonan.  Here to tell you about her is Zach Muller.

Courtney Noonan’s biggest activity is dance.  She has been named to the All-Iowa Honor Drill Team twice, and she has won both individual and team state championships in dance.  She’s also been to state in cheerleading.  In the summer when she’s not at school you might see Courtney working at the Algona Aquatic Center.  She wants to go to Iowa State next year, and she’d like a career in interior or graphic design.  Good luck, Courtney!

On our Golden Bear calendar today there’s state solo dance today in Pella.  Also today the quiz bowl team is competing at Algona High.  

Monday about half the high school students will be heading north to the Mall of America.  That’s their reward for selling ten calendars in the recent calendar drive.  Girls basketball practice also starts on Monday.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we’ll get out our #2 pencils to take the Iowa Assessments.  We’ll have a school mass on Wednesday, followed by a special Veterans Day reception.  There’s also an early dismissal Wednesday for teacher inservice.

The 1-A state football semi-finals will be next Friday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.  If the Bears are playing the game time is 10am.  If not the musical will start that night with a 7pm curtain.

Next Saturday Garrigan will host the Top of Iowa Conference quiz bowl tournament, and one way or another there will be a musical performance that night.

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