Good morning! I'm Brianne Donahe!
I'm Jacob Richter!
And I'm Renee Taphorn! Welcome once again to the "Bear Facts", your weekly radio up-date from Bishop Garrigan High School.
The Golden Bear quiz bowl team had an awesome day last Saturday at Spirit Lake. The varsity team finished in third place overall. They had a perfect 4 - 0 record going into play-offs and scored over 400 points in all their games. The Bears defeated North Iowa, Sibley-Ocheyden, Unity Christian, and West Bend-Mallard before falling to the eventual champions from Boone. Team members included captain John Kohlhaas, Matt Courtney, Tyler Rolling, Amber Golwitzer, and Alison Brandenburg. A JV team also competed, including captain Jacob Richter, Renee Taphorn, Samantha Kirsch, Bridget Dougahn, and Noah Devine.
The danz squad also had a good day last Saturday. They brought home second place trophies in both the jazz and pom competitions from the state dance and drill competition in Des Moines. Danz squad members include seniors Maria Erpelding, Nicole Krieps, and Melissa Vaske; junior Ashley Shaw; sophomores Jessica Cink, April Wolf, Melissa Hilbert, Jennifer Vaske, Tara Trenary, Lizzie Mayer, Michaela Pease, and Amanda Shaw; and freshman Marissa Spain. Congratulations, dancers!
Today the Golden Bears that are competing are the math team. Garrigan is hosting a Great Plains Math League competition right here at the school. Math team members include seniors Eric Cassmann, John Kohlhaas, and Scott Stence; and juniors Samantha Kirsch, Anthony McGuire, and Matt Courtney. As in most activities, the biggest group on math team is the sophomores. They include Alison Brandenburg, Jesse Studer, Noah Devine, Gavin Freking, Jude Studer, Kandice Roethler, Jacob Hellman, Spenser Rahm, Jeff Lappe, and Joe Rahm. There are also four freshmen in the group: JoAnn Kirsch, Maria Kohlhaas, Tony Rouse, and Chris Scobba. Daryl Kohlhaas coaches the math team.
Basketball season is here, and sixteen Garrigan students are the heart of this year's basketball cheerleading squad. Barb Stence and Marty Patterson are in charge of the group, which again this year includes both boys and girls. Senior cheerleaders are Jesse Bode, Nick Golwitzer, Brooke Myers, David Rasumssen, Cassie Recker, and Kris Sutter. Juniors are Katelyn Besch, Amanda Fox, and Jill Patterson. The sophomore cheerleaders are Sadie Foertsch, Hope Grein, Kandice Roethler, and Nancy Syharath; and the freshmen out for cheerleading are Anna Bormann, Laura O'Kane, and Emily Reising.
We spotlight the varsity basketball players frequently throughout the year, but we'd like to take some time today to recognize the younger Golden Bears. The JV girls team includes sophomores Alicia Shackelford, Kayla Reding, Sara Kunkel, Denise Kohlhaas, Sara Funk, and Alison Brandenburg; as well as freshmen Cindy Reding, Brittany Pfeffer, Alicia Miller, Maria Kohlhaas, Alyssia Gisch, Abbie Bradley, and Kelly Black. Joe Elbert coaches the JV girls.
Steve McCall and Dave Schnurr coach the lower-level boys. The JV boys team features juniors Matt Courtney, Sean Kohlhaas, and Konny Mittelstadt; together with sophomores Noah Devine, Gavin Freking, Ross Froehlich, Dan Garman, Bob Geelan, and Nate Pierson. There's also a freshman boys basketball team-with Logan Wood, Brian Capesius, Chris Cassmann, Tony Rouse, Nick Reding, Spenser Eischen, Josh Rahm, Alex Elbert, and Scott Kollasch. Good luck all season long to the JV and freshman basketball players!
Unless you just got back from a trip to Florida, you've probably figured out that we've missed a lot of school the past couple of weeks. We'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that any time there's an early dismissal for the Algona Community Schools, because of busing, Garrigan and Seton will dismiss 15 minutes before the announced time. On late start days all morning activities are cancelled, and on early dismissal days after-school activities are cancelled. If the weather changes, evening events may still take place on snow days, so be sure to listen to the radio for updates on different events.
Our senior spotlight this week shines on Ben Long. Ben lives with his grandparents and has chosen to come to Garrigan. He is especially good at math and science classes, including some he has taken at Iowa Lakes Community College. He enjoys activities like intramurals, and away from school you might see him working at Hy-Vee in Algona. Ben will be off to college next year, and we wish him the very best of luck.
On our Golden Bear calendar this week, there's the Great Plains Math League competition today at Garrigan. There's not much to see, but the public is invited to come if they want to. Tonight the faculty and staff will have their annual Christmas party.
Tomorrow is the third Sunday of Advent. We'll have a prayer service to celebrate that Monday during homeroom. Monday night the freshman basketball teams play St. Edmond.
Tuesday the varsity basketball teams play at Clear Lake. Then on Wednesday night we'll have a combined middle school and high school band and choir concert. The starting time is 7pm, and there will be an art show in the gym before the concert and at intermission.
Thursday night the freshman and JV teams play Pocahontas. Friday we'll begin the day with a paraliturgy at Garrigan, with an early dismissal for the holiday at 2:15 Friday afternoon. That night the Bears take on Algona High-with JV at home and the varsity across town.
Finally this week we'd like to extend our sympathy to freshman Scott Kollasch and his family. Scott lost his father last week, and we want him and his family to know they continue to be in our prayers.
That's the "Bear Facts" for this week. We'll be back next week with a special holiday show, so be sure to join us then for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
