Good morning! I'm Teresa McGuire!
And I'm Michael Loebach! Thanks for joining us for the "Bear
Facts", the radio show where we keep you in touch with all the news from
Bishop Garrigan High School.
We'll begin today with some sad news. We learned yesterday morning that Brad Meister had died. Brad was the son of Garrigan superintendent Gene Meister and development assistant Mary Ann Meister, as well as the brother of religion teacher Rob Meister and senior Mark Meister. Brad had struggled with cancer for many years and had put up a fierce battle. The disease finally got the better of him, though. We were all truly saddened by Brad's death, and we want the whole Meister family to know we're that we're thinking of them and share their sorrow.
We did have a lot of happier news this week, however. Last weekend the BGHS speech team competed in the state large-group contest at Spencer. Garrigan brought home three Division I-or "excellent"-ratings from state. Groups earning "I"s include two group improvisations. The first featured Sylvia Weber, Andrea Schiltz, Mike Loebach, David Murphy, and Kim Frideres, while the other included Eric Cassman, Josh Broesder, Steven Kellner, Rosie Kirsch, and our exchange student Christoph. The third Division "I" rating went to the acting ensemble of Bob Brandenburg, Rebecca McGuire, and Mandy Rahm, who performed "Deliver Us Not ... or Birth, Where Is Thy Sting". Congratulations to all these speech students, and to Coaches Mary McCall and David Burrow.
Now that group speech is over, it's time for individual speech season. Nineteen Garrigan students are participating in individual speech this year. There are five senior veterans, including Bob Brandenburg, Tony Detrick, Chris Kohlhaas, Rebecca McGuire, and Mandy Rahm. The core of the group consists of ten juniors: Nicole Elbert, Rachel Foth, Kim Frideres Keshar Nadkarni, David Murphy, Steven Kellner, Rosalind Kirsch, Sarah Schmitt, Autumn Thompson, and Christoph the exchange student. There are also four sophomores in individual speech. They are Amber Golwitzer, John Kohlhaas, Rachel McGuire, and Brooke Myers. Good luck to these students and to their coaches, Mary McCall and Sarah Freking.
Basketball play-offs begin this week. Monday the Golden Bear girls will host Lake Mills in the district opener. If the girls win on Monday, they'll play either West Hancock or Garner/Hayfield next Saturday. Boys play-offs start the following week, with the boys taking on Ft. Dodge St. Edmond. We wish good luck to all the basketball players as they start play-offs.
At almost every basketball game this season there's been some sort of fundraiser meal. That tradition will continue in the boys' last two conference games next week. On Tuesday the math team will be celebrating Mardi Gras with a special spaghetti and sundae supper. Then next Friday the danz squad will be serving a Lenten potato bar. We encourage everyone to come out and support these fundraiser dinners.
Intramurals will continue tomorrow. One of this year's intramural teams features almost every senior girl who isn't in varsity basketball. Stephanie Hilbert is the team captain. Among her teammates are Bridget Buscherfeld, Emily O'Kane, Brianna Miller, Jamie Roethler, and Hannah McCall. Other team members include Ashley Thompson, Heather Fickbohm, Monica Studer, Ashley Schiltz, Laura Seeley, Jamie Loebig, Allison Courtney, and Amanda Gisch. Good luck to them and to all the intramural teams.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Laura Seeley and Ashley Schiltz. Here with the details is
Chris Kohlhaas.
Laura Seeley has won letters in track,
cheerleading, and danz
squad. She was named to the All-Iowa drill team last year. She also enjoys intramural basketball, and she played powder puff football last fall at Homecoming. Laura will be off to college next year, and we wish her all the best.
Ashley Schiltz is a member of the National Honor Society. Over the years her top activities have been band, softball, and volleyball. She's also part of that all-girl's intramural team. Ashley will also be a college girl in the fall, and we give our best wishes to her.
Thanks, Chris Kohlhaas! On our Golden Bear calendar this week, there's a middle school basketball tournament at Garrigan today. Then tomorrow intramurals resume.
Monday there's the girls basketball district opener, with the Bears hosting Lake Mills. Then Monday night the Golden Bear boys will take on Humboldt. That night the math team will serve their spaghetti and sundae supper during the games.
We'll have an Ash Wednesday prayer service next Wednesday to start Lent. Thursday is Valentine's Day. Then next Friday there's no school at Garrigan or Seton.
Friday night the Golden Bear boys will close their conference season with a big game versus Algona High. The danz squad will serve a potato bar during the games.
Before we sign off we'd again like to express our sympathy to the Meister family. We all continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
That's the "Bear Facts" for another week. Thanks for listening, and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
