The Bear Facts - - - - - March 13, 2004




Good morning! I'm Scott Stence!

And I'm Eric Cassmann! Welcome once again to the "Bear Facts". Greetings from everyone here at Bishop Garrigan High School.

The Golden Bear math team had a great day when they competed last Saturday at Dordt College in Sioux Center. The Bears captured the second place sweepstakes award, and nine Garrigan students qualified for state. Senior John Kohlhaas won the senior target round and placed second in the sprint round, and junior Matt Courtney also qualified for state in target. Sophomore Jeff Lappe won the sprint round, while Gavin Freking and Spenser Rahm tied for third. Rahm won the sophomore target round, while Lappe was third. Among the freshmen, Tony Rouse was first and Maria Kohlhaas third in the sprint round. Kohlhaas qualified for state by winning the freshman target round, while Rouse was second.

Seniors John Kohlhaas, Eric Cassmann, and Scott Stence qualified for state as a team with fifty points on the team test. Sophomores Jeff Lappe, Gavin Freking, and Spenser Rahm also qualified for state-both on the team test and in the relay round. Garrigan's other state qualifier is Samantha Kirsch. The state math competition will be Saturday, April 17, at West High School in Iowa City. Winners from state will advance to the regional contest May 14 at Lawrence, Kansas. Congratulations to the math team!


Garrigan's music and drama departments have been busy lately getting ready for the spring musical. Musicals have traditionally been a fall event at BGHS, but choir director Linda Mertz chose to move this year's show to the spring. Over one-third of the school's students are involved in State Fair, making it one of the largest productions we've ever done. Practices have already been going on for months, and there's two more weeks to go before showtime. The curtain opens at 7:30pm on Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27. Be there!


Everyone who goes to State Fair will be in for a treat when they see the gorgeous set for the show. Thanks to the Haggard-Twogood Charitable Trust, Garrigan has been able to welcome an artist in residence who designed and helped our students build the musical set. Frank Ludwig is a 1981 Garrigan graduate who older listeners may remember as a football lineman or as an actor and musician in Garrigan productions. He now lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he's a professor of stagecraft at Wake Forest University. Mr. Ludwig and his family drove up from North Carolina to help Garrigan with this year's show. He spent the past week working with Steve Brosnan's art classes, sharing his stagecraft experience with them.


If you come to State Fair or any other Garrigan production in the near future, you're likely to notice two other changes in the gym. First, there's the new stage curtains. The black travelers that frame the sides and back of the stage have been completely replaced with sturdier draperies. Garrigan's DARTS organization--a group that supports drama, art, and speech--funded replacement of the curtains, at a cost of over $10,000.


Another big change is the new sound system that was installed right after pops concert this past weekend. A lot of people's generosity went into making that possible. In addition to a large anonymous gift, the Vitzthum family--in particular Cory Vitzthum, Rod Vitzthum, and Judy Vitzthum Reding--were among the people responsible for installing the new speakers and mixing board and checking the microphones and other sound input. The difference is noticeable, and we thank everyone who helped make the new sound system possible.


It's time for "March madness" in college hoops, and it's that time here at Garrigan, too. At school "March madness" means the annual intramural basketball championship. There were no surprises whatsoever in the play-offs last week. The team of John Kohlhaas, Ben Geelan, Eric Cassmann, Andrew Thilges, Jason Lallier, and Josh Broesder trounced the juniors 106 - 20. In the other semi-final game Mason Elbert, Miles Berte, Colby Reding, Dave Rasmussen, Kris Sutter, Nick Golwitzer, and Kyle Frideres crushed the sophomores 106 - 17.

The intramural championship game will be Monday evening at 6:15 in the Garrigan gym. Everyone's expecting a close, hard-fought game. In the first meeting between these two teams, it was Mason and Miles' team that came out on top. Many anylists predict that this time the Kohlhaas team will win, though, and it should be a very good game. At the game they will also announce the coveted "all-intramural" selections. We'll fill you in on the winners on next week's show.


Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Jenna Kollasch and Ben Kramer.  Jenna Kollasch is one of the busier people in this year's senior class. She has been active in volleyball for all four years of high school, and she's been to state in track. This Algona native is a National Honor Society member, and her other big activity is choir. She'll be off to college next year, and we wish Jenna all the best in the future.

Ben Kramer is probably best known for his accomplishments in football. With springtime coming, you're also might see him out on the track. Aside from sports, Ben's biggest activity is FFA. He's already a farmer, who is known for raising chickens, and he plans a career in agriculture in the future. Good luck, Ben!


Thanks, Eric! On our Golden Bear calendar this week, Garrigan graduate Angie Froehlich is playing in the NCAA women's basketball play-offs in St. Paul this weekend. We have a four-day weekend at school, and the only event scheduled is the intramural championship Monday night.

Classes resume on Tuesday. That morning the eighth graders from Seton will be visiting for their orientation to high school. Then on Wednesday our juniors will go to Algona High for college day.

Thursday at 5:15 teachers, board members, parents, and students will all get together to discuss the school's comprehensive school improvement plan. Then on Friday many members of Garrigan's danz squad will perform in Des Moines as part of the All-Iowa Honor Drill Team.


That's the "Bear Facts" for this week. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to tune in again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.


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