The Bear Facts
March 22, 2025


 Good morning! I’m Sacha Alesch!

I’m Kayden Graves!

 And I’m Shiloh Trainer! Thanks for joining us for the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio update from Bishop Garrigan High School.

 Last weekend Bishop Garrigan speech students made the long trip over to Moville for the state individual speech contest. Three Golden Bear entries earned Division One or “Excellent” ratings at state. Isabella Waechter got top ratings in both Musical Theatre and Prose, while Molly Peterson was judged excellent in Reviewing. Congratulations, speech!
 

Tomorrow eighteen Garrigan choir members will be heading to Norfolk, Nebraska for a jazz choir competition that includes schools from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The group will be staying overnight tomorrow, and the contest will be held at Northeast Community College in Norfolk on Monday.

Jazz choir members include Rose Curtis—Ricke, Addy Laubenthal, Drew Muller, Kyle Bormann, and Cora Deardeuff, as well as Lilly Wickman, Gabe Swift, Tate Foertsch, and Sacha Alesch. Other singers in the jazz choir are Amaury Thomas, Alice Casey, Kylie Capesius, and Matt Besch. Rounding out the group are Shiloh Trainer, Madelyn Tigges, Aidan Dietering, Kayden Graves, and Eva Kohlhaas. Good luck, jazz choir!

 Last month a group of Garrigan quiz bowl students competed in the Knowledge Master contest. Sam Greteman, Brooke Ludwig, Scott Bormann, and Marshall Bormann competed for the Bears. They were the only team from Iowa to compete in the event, and their score of 278 was the among the highest in the Midwest. Congratulations on a great showing, quiz bowl!

 Last week two Golden Bears competed at the indoor championships sponsored by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. Junior Haley Nemmers finished eleventh in the shot put, with a throw of 31 feet, 9½ inches. Freshman Julia Swift also had a good showing, finishing in 13th place in the indoor 1500-meter run. Her time was 5 minutes, 34.08 seconds. Congratulations, Haley and Julia!

There’s more indoor track next week. Next Friday both the Golden Bear girls and boys will be competing at the Humboldt indoor tournament. The girls track team includes returning seniors Zoe Montag, Brooke Ludwig, and Molly Peterson. Junior Emmi Bartolo also ran at state last year. Others to watch are Alyssa Haugland, Haley Nemmers, and Ava Roethler; as well as Rosanne Curtis—Ricke, Josaphine Joyce, Shiloh Trainer, Eva Kohlhaas, Cora Deardeuff, and Bree Ludwig. Rounding out the team are Stormi Larson, Julia Swift. Cate Birkey, and Madelyn Tigges.
 

This year’s boys track team features thirty-three athletes. Returning seniors include Brady Galligan, Nick Leerar, Trayton Cink, Owen Murphy, Andrew Lichter, Schyler Morse, and Thadd Kollasch. Tate Foertsch, Amaury Thomas, Kyle Bormann, and Ethan Marso also return with state experience. Other juniors in track are Kayden Graves, Carter Schwab, and Carter McGregor.

 The younger members of the boys track team include Matt Besch, Eli Casey, Henry Bode, Carter Cink, and Karson Kramer; plus Dalton Klenz, Nathan Leerar, Aiden Lichter, Elson Roethler, Leo Synder, and Woodrow Wells. Rounding out the team are C.J. McGregor, Madden Miller, Weston Roesnmeyer, Brad Meister, Gage Meyer, Hayden Miller, Sean Thilges, and Titan Troyer. Good luck all season long, Golden Bear track!

 While the girls basketball season ended two weeks ago, it went on a little longer for Garrigan senior Zoe Montag. Zoe was selected to play in the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game last Saturday. Her team got a narrow 60 – 58 win, and Zoe was selected as player of the game. Congratulations to Zoe on a great close to her basketball career!

 Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Sophie Meraz. Here to tell you about her is Alyssa Haugland.
 

 Sophie Meraz is an Algona native who particularly enjoys music. She’s part of the choir, and she also got an “A” in her guitar class last semester. When she’s not at school, you might see Sophie at Scooter’s Coffee. We wish her all the best after high school.

Thanks, Alyssa. On our Golden Bear calendar, all next week Friedmann Auditorium is closed to set up for Gala 2025. Monday the jazz choir will be competing at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska.

 We have a student mass on Wednesday morning. Friday night is the Gala preview party, and there’s also indoor track at Humboldt that night. Finally next Saturday it’s time for “Rock and Royal” as we celebrate Gala #36.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to catch the show next week when we’ll have a special preview of Gala here at Bishop Garrigan High School.