Good morning! I'm Andrea Schiltz!
And I'm Jill Johnson! Welcome once again to the "Bear Facts", your weekly radio update from Bishop Garrigan High School.
All three Golden Bear fall sports teams have begun their seasons, and they're all off to a great start. The cross-country team began their season last Tuesday when they ran in the Newman Invitational in Mason City. They set a new team record for best score, with 110 points, and they finished in fourth place overall out of eleven teams in the meet. Senior Jeff Hellman finished third among all runners, junior John Kohlhaas was fourth, and freshman Brandon Rowley took eleventh place overall. Rounding out the scoring for the Bears, Matt Courtney was 30th and Donnie Monson finished in 62nd place.
Girls cross country is now running a longer race than ever before. They now run 4000 meters, or almost two and a half miles. The Golden Bear girls finished 5th out of nine teams entered in the Newman invitational. Sophomore Rose Mayer took 17th place overall, while Nettie McGuire was 23rd. Molly Black was 35th, Bridget Doughan ended up 52nd, and Alison Brandenburg finished in 56th place among all runners. The next cross-country meet will be next Tuesday at Estherville.
If you go to a cross-country meet, standing at the sidelines you'll see students furiously punching stopwatches. They're the team managers, Steven Kellner and Amber Golwitzer. In addition to recording times so the runners can better themselves, Steve and Amber also help set things up and take pictures at meets. They work hard all season long, and the cross-country team wouldn't be the same without them.
The volleyball team got off to a good start last Tuesday when they played the Midgets up at Estherville Lincoln Central. The teams were very closely matched. The Bears won the first and second games, but then lost the third and fourth. They came back to win 16 - 14 in the final game to take their first match overall. The Bears are playing again today in the Algona Invitational, and their first home meet will be next Wednesday when they host Hampton Dumont.
The Golden Bear football team already has one big win under their belts. Last week the Class 1-A Bears won a big victory over Class 3-A Dallas Center/Grimes. The Bears were last year's district champions, and they're hoping to make it to play-offs again in 2002. The players feel the toughest competition in the district will come from Britt West Hancock and Manson Northwest Webster. Before they get to those games, though, they'll have a big non-district match-up next Friday across town at Algona High.
There's one other fall sport to mention. For the first time ever, Garrigan has a swimmer who is competing with other schools. Senior Maria Paterson competes together with swimmers from Emmetsburg, Estherville, Armstrong, and Algona. We wish her good luck all season long.
Today is a very special day for one of our Garrigan alumni. This morning Nick Becker, who graduated from BGHS back in 1994, is receiving his final ordination as a priest in the Sioux City Diocese. Nick is the brother of current Garrigan senior Beth Becker. The ordination ceremony is being held at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. Tomorrow Father Becker will celebrate his first mass at his home parish in Wesley, and later this month he'll be back at Garrigan for our Homecoming liturgy. As a priest he will be in residence at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sioux City. Congratulations to Nick and to his family on his ordination.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Lisa Even and David Murphy. Here with all the information on them is Andrea.
Lisa Even is an Algona native who is best known for her accomplishments in sports. She was one of the top players on the Golden Bear softball team last summer, and this fall you'll see her playing volleyball. Lisa enjoys challenging classes, and away from school you might see her working at Solbach's Pharmacy. She'll be off to college next fall, and we wish her all the best.
David Murphy comes to Garrigan from Bancroft. His biggest activity is quiz bowl, and he's also been improving his finishing place as a cross-country runner. David says that after high school he will attend a small liberal arts college then get a job and work until he dies. We wish him all the best in the future.
On our Golden Bear calendar this morning twenty-five Garrigan students are on their way up to the Twin Cities for a field trip to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Also today there's the Algona Invitational volleyball tournament and Father Nick Becker's ordination in Sioux City.
Tomorrow is the birthday of our school's namesake, Phillip Garrigan, the first bishop of the Sioux City Diocese. Monday a group of science students will take a field trip in the wilderness.
There will be madrigal try-outs Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Also on Tuesday the cross country team runs at Estherville and there's JV football at North Kossuth.
Wednesday morning we'll have a September 11th memorial service at Garrigan. The volleyball team hosts Hampton/Dumont Wednesday night, and then next Friday there's the big football showdown at Algona High.
Also remember that all this week the calendar drive continues. You can buy your 2003 raffle calendars for just $25 from any Garrigan or Seton Middle School student.
That's the "Bear Facts" for this week. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to set your dial here again next week to hear more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
