The Bear Facts

December 6, 2025

Good morning! I’m Sacha Alesch!

I’m Hailee Reutzel!

And I’m Carley Nielson! Happy December from the “Bear Facts” and all of us at Bishop Garrigan High School.

When we left for Thanksgiving we were celebrating the Bears’ state football championship. Since then the all-district and all-state teams were announced, and Bishop Garrigan dominated on those. Tate Foertsch was named Player of the Year in eight-man football, and Carter Schwab, Ethan Marso, Michael Joyce, and Weston Rosenmeyer joined him on the first team all-state. Nate Leerar was a second team all-state selection, and Carter McGregor was an all-state honorable mention.

In the all-district honors, Ethan Marso was named defensive MVP, Tate Foertsch was offensive MVP, and Carter Schwab was the district lineman of the year. Other first team all-district selections were Weston Rosenmeyer, Michael Joyce, Nate Leerar, Carter McGregor, C.J. McGregor, and Karson Kramer. That’s nine first team all-district players on an eight-man football team! In addition assistant coaches John Kesselring and Brian Patterson were named all-district coaches of the year.

Second-team all-district honorees were Matt Besch, Madden Miller, Gage Meyer, Dalton Klenz, and Kayden Graves. Kyle Bormann was an all-district honorable mention. Fifteen Golden Bears also won academic all-district honors. They include seniors Kyle Bormann, Tate Foertsch, Kayden Graves, Ethan Marso, Carter McGregor, and Carter Schwab; and juniors Matt Besch, Milo Geving, Sawyer Herrick, Michael Joyce, Dalton Klenz, Nate Leerar, Madden Miller, Karson Sidles, and Leo Snyder. Congratulations to the football team!

The past couple days the Golden Bear dance team has been down at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines for the Iowa Dance and Drill Team Championships. This year the Bears have two team and one solo entry. They are competing in both the Class 1 pom and kick divisions at state, and Delaney Fessler-Arndorfer also has a solo entry.

At the core of this year’s dance team is senior Rose Curtis—Ricke. Others out for dance are Harper Nelson, Kylie Capesius, Shiloh Trainer, Cora Deardeuff, Delaney Fessler—Arndorfer, and Jayden Deike. Rounding out the group are Addison Laubenthal, Anaya Thomas, Abby Deardeuff, Avery Culbertson, Rylee Garman, Hope Rooney, Emma Kollasch, Olivia Roethler, and Rachel Kahle. We’ll update you on how the girls did at state on next week’s show.

Before Thanksgiving we previewed the Golden Bear girls basketball team. The start of the boys season was delayed a few days because of football playoffs, but they began their season Thursday and already have two games done. Seniors returning for the Bears include 6’4” forward Amaury Thomas, as well as Carter Schwab and Tate Foertsch.

Juniors in basketball are Michael Joyce, Nate Leerar, Weston Rosenmeyer, Madden Miller, Karson Sidles, and Milo Geving. The sophomores also include Brad Meister, Hayden Miller, and Joey Lallier; and freshmen Jerad Graves, Noah Wehrspan, Jack Muller, Magnus Lichter, and Levi Larson. Good luck all season long, boys basketball!

The season has also started for the Golden Bear boys swim team. Again this year Bishop Garrigan is sponsoring the team, which includes a couple athletes from Algona High. At the core of the team are Algona seniors Owen Doocy and Colin Roberts and Garrigan junior Matt Besch. Also swimming for the Bears are juniors Aidan Deitering, Dalton Klenz, Aiden Lichter, Sawyer Herrick, and Eli Casey, and sophomore Henry Bode. Good luck throughout the season, swimmers!

Wrestling is another shared sport that has grown in popularity. This year six Bishop Garrigan students are wrestling for the Algona Bulldogs. On the boys side Carter McGregor, C.J. McGregor, and Noah Schafer all earned state championship hats with the Bulldogs last year, and Karson Kramer is joining them on the team. On the girls side is Garrigan sophomore Kiah Villareal has already racked up some wrestling wins. Good luck to all the Garrigan wrestlers.

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Roseanne Curtis—Ricke. Here to tell you about her is Emmi Bartolo.

Roseanne Curtis—Ricke has been dancing ever since she was a small child. She’s been to state with the Golden Bear dance team every year in high school, and she’s also competed as a solo dancer. Rose also runs both track and cross-country, and she enjoys art and music. She’ll be off to college next year, and we wish her all the best in the future.

Thanks, Emmi! On our Golden Bear calendar, there’s quiz bowl this morning in Spirit Lake, and there’s also a wrestling tournament in Independence. Then tomorrow is the second Sunday of Advent.

There’s no school Monday because of a teacher inservice. Tuesday we’ll start the day with an Advent prayer service. Tuesday night the Golden Bear basketball teams will host Lake Mills, and there’s also a swim meet in Spencer.

Wednesday night is the Christmas band concert for junior high and high school. Thursday there’s boys wrestling at Humboldt. Finally next Friday there’s a JV wrestling tournament at Algona High, and the basketball teams travel to Eagle Grove.

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