The Bear Facts
November 16,2013
Good morning! I’m Kara Eischen!
I’m Brittany Kirsch!
I’m Jake Hamilton!
And I’m Taylor Hovey! Thanks for tuning in to the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio show from Bishop Garrigan High School.
Last Saturday the Golden Bear quiz bowl team won the championship at the Algona Invitational Tournament. There were thirty teams entered at Algona, and the combination of Levi Bernhard, Zach Kollasch, Hannah Bernhard, and Tony Kollasch came out on top. They cruised past Grundy Center, St. Edmond, Humboldt, and North Union in preliminary competition and then romped Estherville Lincoln Central in the opening round of playoffs.
The rest of playoffs were much closer games. The Bears edged past Algona High in the semi-finals. They then came from behind in the final round—thanks to a lightning round on the twelve apostles—to defeat Sioux City Heelan and earn the overall championship. The win qualifies the Bears to make the school’s fifteenth trip to the National Academic Championships, which will happen next summer.
There’s lots more quiz bowl action coming up. On Thursday, December 5, the Bears will compete in the first-ever online 3! 2! 1! Tournament, and they’re also entered in regional tournaments at Spirit Lake and South O’Brien in the coming month. Congratulations and good luck in their coming events to the quiz bowl team!
Last Friday the season finally ended for the Golden Bear football team. While a loss is always tough, we’re proud of the game the Bears played over at West Lyon. Both teams had their toughest games of the season, and the players and coaches on both sides showed great respect for each others’ teams. Congratulations to the Bears on their best season in a decade!
With the end of the season came the announcement of all-district football honors. Chris Loss, Connor Langerman, Brayton Loss, David Klein, Corey Weydert, Reece Wadle, and Ben Vaske all earned all-district awards, while Neal Koob, Bailey Kohlhaas, and Andrew Miller earned honorable mentions. Brayton was also named the district’s MVP kicker. The Bears also dominated on the academic all-area honors list, with ten different Garrigan players earning recognition for their academic achievement.
Next Tuesday Garrigan’s National Honor Society chapter will induct twenty-four new members. Students have to have a 3.5 grade point just to apply for NHS, and a committee of teachers reviews the applications to make sure all members excel in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Among the new members this year are seniors Morgan Muller and Alexa
Capesius.
Juniors are the core of the NHS inductees. This year’s junior members include Amanda Altman, Hannah Bernhard, Reece Wadle, Cassidy Vitzthum, Ben Vaske, Betty Straub, Paige Berte, and Patricia Brandt. Joining them are Courtney Carlson, Mark Fakler, Gaby Steil, Emily Riesenberg, Andrew Miller, Emily Marlow, Kaitlyn Fogarty, and Morgan Frideres. Rounding out the new inductees are Zach Kollasch, Tony Kollasch, Dorothy Kirsch, Taylor Illg, Nick Kayser, and Taylor Frideres. Congratulations to all the new National Honor Society members!
The annual magazine drive continues for one more week. Interruptions like the football playoffs got sales off to a slow start, but we’re hoping things pick up next week. If you haven’t been contacted yet, you can go to the “What’s New” page on the school website, bishopgarrigan.org. At the bottom of that page is a direct link. You can choose the student you want to receive credit and order directly online. Thanks for your support of the Garrigan magazine drive.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Jake Hamilton. Jake is a two-time veteran of national quiz bowl who’s planning to return again this summer. He’ll be heading to all-state choir next week for the second straight year, and he was the jester at last weekend’s madrigal. He was the drum major for the marching band this fall, and earlier this month he ran at state cross-country earlier this month. His other activities include math team and track, and when he’s not at school you might even hear him announcing on Sunday mornings here on KLGA. Jake will be off to college next fall, and we wish him all the best.
On our Golden Bear calendar this week, there’s a Search retreat all weekend at Garrigan. Then on Monday boys basketball practice starts.
The National Honor Society induction is Tuesday afternoon. That night the girls basketball team has a jamboree at Corwith. Wednesday there’s a school mass, and Thursday we’ll celebrate the Feast of the Sisters of the Presentation.
Next Thursday Friday and Saturday will be the All-State Music Festival in Ames. Congratulations to singers Jake Hamilton, Nick Bronk, Christian Matthews, Mariah Bronk, and Levi Capesius, who will be attending that event.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to catch the show next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
TS 11/13/13
