St. Thomas Eagles' Nest Winter 2019 by STHCatholic

eagles’

nest winter 2019

GRAND DESIGNS ARTURO CHAVEZ ’85

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Eagles’ Nest Published December 2019

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The Eagles’ Nest is published three times annually by St. Thomas High School 4500 Memorial Drive Houston, Texas 77007 713.864.6348 Rev. James Murphy, CSB President Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96 Principal Mary Criaco Assistant Principal

winter 2019

St. Thomas High School Community Magazine

events

Mark deTranaltes ’83 Vice President for Advancement

JANUARY 23

Alumni Casino Night

Keith Calkins Director of Communications

Spring Break

MARCH 25-29

Spring Theater Production Anything Goes Easter Holidays

APRIL 15

Academic Awards Assembly

APRIL 24

Mothers’ Club 48th Annual Style Show & Luncheon

APRIL 27

29th Annual St. Thomas Golf Tournament

MAY 2

Johnny Misleh ’00 Major Gifts Officer

Round-Up

MARCH 15-20 APRIL 10-13

Rodney Takacs Dean of Students

KH Studio Cover Illustration

MLK Academic Holiday

MARCH 1

Patricia Miller Vice President of Finance

KH Studio Layout + Design

JANUARY 20

St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame

MAY 22

Baccalaureate Mass

MAY 23

2020 Graduation Commencement to learn more visit us at sths.org/events

DEPARTMENTS 25

Eagle Flight

Eagle Fight

Select Eagle scholars achieve entry into the National Honor Society and students unite for community service in the spirit of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

Eagle Football soars into the postseason while the 1969 state champions enjoy a raucous return to campus to commemorate their title.

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Eagle Spirit

Our Founder’s Day Mass salutes more than 100 years of Basilian academic leadership plus Going 10 Rounds with Jennifer McDonald Pearson, PhD.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features ‘AN EVENING IN PARIS’ AUCTION & GALA

Relishing the past. Resolute into the future.

ARTURO CHAVEZ ’85

PATRICK RYAN ’99

Grand Designs Inspired by Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledg

Here’s The Top 40 Ticket

WHY WE CHOSE ST. THOMAS

CAMP AQUINAS

8 ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT DREAM’

ANDREW LOCKE ’03

A High Spirited Spectacle. Presented by St. Thomas Theater

Exemplary Service and Sacrifice

52 STIRRING TESTIMONY NOTHING BUT STRIKES

56 Like us, follow us, keep up with us! @sthcatholic

#mySTH WINTER 2019

An Evening in Paris Salutes Relishing the past. Resolute into the future. The Eagle community was again blessed to share in its annual Auction & Gala which salutes the relentless Basilian commitment to innovative scholarship and the deeper purposes of Catholic higher education. An Evening in Paris honored the presidents of St. Thomas and their emphatic impact in extending the Basilian credo of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge - Rev. Ronald Schwenzer, CSB (2006-2012); Very Rev. Kevin Storey, CSB (2012-2018), Superior General of the Congregation of St. Basil; and Rev. James Murphy, CSB, the unanimous choice of the St. Thomas Board of Directors to succeed Fr. Storey in January 2019. The triumvirate has devoted themselves to cultivating the school’s unique reputation in academia, excellence in the classroom, and beyond to educate the whole person - mind, body, and spirit - all in the context of St. Thomas’ Catholic Basilian identity that dates to 1900.

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Features

Legacy of Basilian Leadership

“I think we all love this institution as if we were part of the fabric from the beginning,” Fr. Storey says. “I remember Father Schwenzer telling me he had come to love St. Thomas, this had become his home. I was like, ‘That’s cool.’ But then gradually I felt that same kind of affection for the school. I believe Father Murphy has the same sense - coming into an experience and then being deeply and unexpectedly blessed by that relationship.” “Other than their lifetime devotions to GDK, Fr. Murphy sees the honorees united by their “pride in the success of our students, faculty, and staff. We genuinely care for each and every single one in our campus community. And we humbly stand and represent more than a century of extraordinary Basilian leadership. The ties connect our first principal, Father Nicholas Roche, and Father Thomas O’Rourke, who navigated our move from downtown to 4500 Memorial Drive, and everyone in between to the present.”

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Throughout the millennium, the honorees enthusiastically collaborated with a depth of stakeholders to strengthen the St. Thomas community and the institution’s educational mission. Essential in this transformative period in St. Thomas’ history was assuring that the distinctive Catholic Basilian DNA be preserved, including significant service in local, national, and international arenas.

In 1998, Fr. Schwenzer was appointed the 23rd St. Thomas principal equipped with a wealth of distinctive academic experience and expertise. “I was issued two mandates from our superior general - establish a board of directors with authority and develop a transition to the president/ principal model. I had never worked in that dynamic before but I understood it was inevitable.”

Under their collective leadership, St. Thomas charted significant courses that included launching the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in its history, initiating ambitious strategic plans with vibrant physical campus expansion, and dramatically enhancing student opportunities.

Fr. Schwenzer was elevated to president in 2006 and crafted an alliance with Fr. John Huber, CSB as principal. “Critical to making that relationship work was giving Father Huber the freedom to exercise his role. He had just completed a doctorate in Catholic school administration and we worked together to define responsibilities.”

Fr. Storey served St. Thomas initially as a faculty member beginning in 2004. After earning his Master of Education, Administrative Leadership from Basilian University of St. Thomas in 2011, he returned to succeed Fr. Schwenzer.

growth, including a prominent and pivotal position in the $66 million 4500Forever capital campaign.

“Father Storey absolutely had the essential skills and the personality to lead our next phase,” Fr. Schwenzer says. “I was extremely confident he would meet and answer all the challenges. And he did. His love for St. Thomas runs deep.” During his term as president, Fr. Storey played a vital influence in fostering future academic and financial

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Fr. Murphy acknowledges that both he and Fr. Storey “learned immeasurably on how to perform this job from Father Schwenzer. He brought great stability to our campus while the climate for college prep education was dramatically changing. He teamed with the board to implement cost efficiencies and reprioritize budgets so that we could redirect resources to other academic priorities. And he always held a great concern to serve our inner city Catholic schools. He valued all our students and was determined that our campus embrace their success stories.”

I WANT ALL WHO WORK AND STUDY ON THIS CAMPUS TO KNOW THAT OUR LEADERSHIP LOVES THEM AND CARES FOR THEM.

Vice President for Advancement Mark deTranaltes ’83 and Director of Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Chandler partnered with event chairs Mary Beirne, Christine Cummins, and Catherine Rentz, and a legion of devoted volunteers to make An Evening in Paris a jubilant celebration. The signature St. Thomas event quietly supports the people, places, and programs that propel a premier college preparatory experience. Through the incredible generosity of underwriters and patrons, the school ambitiously explores new paths to reach new heights while enriching the intellectual tradition.

Fr. Murphy believes that as Eagles continue to soar, St. Thomas will never lose sight of its humble beginnings and inclusive foundation upon which the school was built, forever rooted and forged by its Basilian morals and history. “I want all who work and study on this campus to know that our leadership loves them and cares for them. Our spiritual aim is to assure that scholars will find a home here for generations to come.” Uncompromising academics. Uncommon brotherhood.

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GRAND GRAND GRAND DESIGNS RAND DESIGNS DESIGNS INSPIRED ESIGNS INSPIRED INSPIRED BY NSPIRED BY BY GOODNESS/ Y DISCIPLINE/ AND KNOWLEDGE/

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Features

S D DD Arturo Chavez â&#x20AC;&#x2122;85

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The wide-eyed son of a carpenter started with a vision that resulted in designs. Literally. For his career. For his life. Arturo Chavez ’85 embarked into a world where so many different cultures operate at the same time, each with their value system. To become relevant, he would need to be open to an enormous multiplicity of interpretations. The old-fashioned Western ‘this is’ ‘that is’ was no longer tenable. Rather, he must be intellectual and rigorous, but at the same time a relativist. Arturo Chavez would emerge as the youngest managing principal in the prestigious 100-plus year history of architectural power, Page Southerland Page. Seeds were likely planted when he was “six or seven years old, watching and working with my father. I loved to construct and draw and see how the various shapes all fit together. I was always sketching and assembling. I was enamored and never envisioned doing anything else. I had friends I went to grade school with who asked me many years later, ‘So did you become an architect?’ I did.” The boy was mesmerized by the tools of the trade - stencils and scales, rulers and L-squares and measures, document tubes housing renderings that would not have been more captivating had they provided hidden paths to the Sankara Stones or the Crystal Skull of Akator. His journey crossed with art classes at St. Thomas and mechanical drawing lessons with Father Norbert Reuss, CSB. The student knew where he was headed. Chavez continued at the University of Houston where he focused on an intellectually intensive curriculum. He continued to savor architecture and its language - platform, blueprint, structure - which would become almost the preferred vernacular for the future frontiers pushed by Silicon Valley. The student prospered from an internship at 3D International and its architectural subsidiary Hoover and Furr. Chavez entered the marketplace armed with a substantial degree buttressed by invaluable real world experience just as Houston was ravaged by the 1980s oil bust and its worst recession ever, losing more than 200,000 jobs or about one in 12. The graduate was painfully aware of the city’s dire economic straits. Chavez was less than enthusiastic that an opportunity would be extended when he was granted an audience with the firm’s senior principal Norman Hoover, an influencer long before the notion of breathless beauty vloggers or wedding planning YouTubers hustling a hyper-saturated hyper-social world. Hoover eased into the dialogue. “I understand you are looking for a full time position. I would be honored and excited if you choose us to begin your career.”

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A humbled Chavez graciously accepted an offer as magnanimous as it was unexpected, a launch to the outer reaches of his boyhood dreams, and more. “It was a great lesson on how to treat people with grace and dignity under all conditions.” The novice soon clustered his sense of confidence, freedom, and self-discovery in an atmosphere of fevered activity, a round-the-world, round-the-clock endurance sport where the studio served as an arena and the due diligence demanded could be free spirited and open ended, or ad hoc. As the architect honed his skill, he was particularly proud of his input and impact on the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University - from early planning to detail design to production documents. But before its completion and 1997 dedication, Chavez was presented with a second career altering crossroad - a chance to follow mentor and senior principal John Cryor who had joined Page Southerland Page. At the time the option meant a transition to a smaller, less emphatic brand but with a promise to push architectural boundaries, excellence employing science and craft, designs that made lives better. The architect weighed the risk/reward with a resounding, “I’m going to do this. I want to be a part of a movement.” And he proceeded to carve a signature identity in a discipline that stands with one leg in a world 3,000 years old and another in the 21st century, an almost ballet-like stretch that makes the profession one of the last that holds memory. If the mission is not creating, then it’s protecting what already exists, in either instance paying homage to earlier mentalities to which a new dimension, a new function, a new aesthetic is achieved. Arturo Chavez matured into one of the nation’s most accomplished master plan designers, with more than three decades of experience in global project work. He played a significant role in the revitalization of Houston’s center, including the renovation of the historic Rice Hotel and influenced the city’s development through other ventures. No rigid precepts - each building unique from the last depending on the site, the client, and the mood, in complete harmony with itself and its surroundings while assuredly a process distinctively embedded with community involvement.

As chairman of the East End Foundation, Chavez advanced preservation and enhanced appreciation for this aspect of Houston’s cultural heritage. Under his leadership, the area was designated a Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The architect’s evolving role suggested channeling his expanding strengths into managing teams, fostering client relations, and recruiting, nurturing, and retaining the next wave of cognoscente, serving as a steward in an office seamlessly networked into the rest of the world.

The architect remains “extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with our partners and principals.” And since his arrival he has witnessed Page deliver on that anticipated growth, tripling its staff roster, and expanding its brick and mortar presence from Houston, Dallas, Austin and Washington, D.C. to Denver, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Dubai.

The senior principal assumed an active position in a restructured leadership pyramid less steep. Chavez is currently training his focus on expanding Page’s presence in Latin America. In December 2018, he spearheaded the firm’s formal opening in Mexico City where their significant works date to the design of the U.S. Embassy in 1965.

In 2005, Chavez recognized a shift in the architectural landscape. He fully embraced the idea of Page serving as a laboratory where both the firm and flood of rising design talent would continue to mutually benefit in an ongoing dialectical way, mixing and matching a virtuosity of interpretation.

The pay it forward advocate shares his extensive expertise by returning to the University of Houston’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture as an adjunct professor. The commitment includes an endowment from the Page Southerland Page Foundation - the Arturo Chavez International Studies in Architecture Scholarship funds study abroad opportunities for Hines College students. Chavez is a cherished inductee into the University’s Architecture Alumni Hall of Fame.

The always architect at heart sees clearly and speaks plainly. And whether constructing highly complex contours or incorporating massive scale monolithic walls, his internal designs are firmly governed by the ageless Basilian values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge. “It certainly requires discipline to have awareness for morals and ethics, and that should be first and foremost in all that we do personally and professionally. Knowledge carries beyond facts and expertise. It’s leading people to provide excellence, learning how to learn from others. Most education surfaces not in the labs but in the corridors where people meet and conversations take place and interactions percolate. Always look in the mirror and also in the rear view. How did you lead and teach to influence good? “I often take time to appreciate friends and collaboration. So much can be said for treating people fairly and honestly so that there’s no misconception. I believe we are all responsible for our brand and image. Do we conduct ourselves to leave others with the desired impression? It’s a self-awareness that we often learn later in life. But if we treat others with equal respect all along the way, life tends to return those acts favorably.” Lately, the boom in technology has revolutionized all architectural practices and morphed the mechanical vision - touchable holograms, virtual and augmented reality, automation. Yet, the computer is like a pencil, only as good as the person. In the end, architecture is all about a hard day’s work. A leap of faith. A laborious leap of faith.

IT CERTAINLY REQUIRES DISCIPLINE TO HAVE AWARENESS FOR MORALS AND ETHICS ... AND THAT SHOULD BE FIRST AND FOREMOST IN ALL THAT WE DO PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. KNOWLEDGE CARRIES BEYOND FACTS AND EXPERTISE. 12

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The once and forever Eagle remains grounded in his St. Thomas roots that run deep and secure. A son Matias ’13 enriched the Chavez legacy which his brother Marciano anxiously plans to continue in the class of 2028. Brother Sal ’83 and his sons Alejandro ’13, Vincente ’10, and Ivan ’19 further elevated the family’s strong ties to Basilian formation. Chavez also appreciates a continuing connection with Carlos ’84 and Michael Bolullo ’85. The three gathered in September at the Toronto Film Festival and reacquainted with attorney turned filmmaker Kayvan Mashayekh ’85, who is the co-chairman of the International Committee for the Producers Guild of America, the world’s largest trade organization of producers in film, television, and multimedia. The long nights and early mornings reaffirmed to Chavez the power of the Eagle brotherhood. “The wine and the tears were flowing. We were all left wondering why we missed out on so much together the last 15-20 years. Wow. The next trip is already planned. My advice is to never allow your friends to separate. “The academics at St. Thomas were valuable and made for well rounded, interesting, engaging young men moving forward. But most importantly, what is the longest lasting, is the fraternal aspect. I would encourage the current students to put their guards down and get to know those outside the group they’re comfortable with. Accept that you will learn from that encounter and promote good from people who you otherwise would not know. I am so thankful I have done that throughout my life.”

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The rapid business rise of Patrick Ryan ’99 is largely predicated on a proven principle which has long provided enduring success. Even in the midst of mega-million dollar revenues - never undersell the value of customer service. So an unexpected avalanche of texts and emails demanded that he clear his calendar in early April, a full-frontal focus colliding with a surging current of apprehension that something somewhere had flipped sideways. Until the one-by-one reveal through his inbox and messaging indicated quite the contrary, that Ryan’s world was, in fact, rocking into a far-reaching stratosphere and the deluge of attention was merely the ready response from colleagues, cohorts, family and friends reaching out to congratulate.

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Features WINTER 2019

Ryan was selected by Sports Business Journal for its coveted Forty Under 40 Awards, an annual list of 40 executives recognized for excellence and innovation in their careers, all before the age of 40. The elite group represents a broad cross-section of the sports business field, bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to their work in media; at leagues, teams and colleges; as agents; with corporate partners in technology, ticketing and finance; in marketing and sponsorship; in e-sports and in new sectors such as sports betting. “Satisfying, exciting and humbling all at once,” says Ryan, the co-owner and founder of Houston-based Eventellect. Ryan was celebrated with some of his closest confidants within the industry - Al Guido, president of the San Francisco 49ers and CEO of Elevate Sports Ventures; Tucker Kain, CFO of the Los Angeles Dodgers and managing director of Guggenheim Baseball Management; and Jake Reynolds, senior vice president of ticket sales and service for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center. But most meaningful for Ryan as he strolled through the black-tie gala at the Monarch Beach Resort in Southern California to receive his distinction was the presence of his parents, Victoria and Tom Guennewig, the surrounding applause mixed with a large dose of Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement” reverberating throughout the ballroom. If you do then, how would you explain? I’m ten years removed, still the vibe is in my veins. Ryan required roughly a decade to capitalize on the latest consumer trends in the secondary ticket marketplace. While the attention of the coast-to-coast fandom is typically fixed on favorite teams or major companies such as Ticketmaster and StubHub, Eventellect has quickly and quietly built a powerful position. Working with dozens of professional franchises, Ryan has become a trusted ally on ticket distribution, pricing, sales strategy, and inventory management, in effect becoming a valuable resource. “We’ve seen teams lean on us and seek our guidance, and that’s allowed us to pollinate best practices in a unique way,” Ryan says. “We’ve begun to engage in what I consider true consulting relationships because our goal remains to complement what the teams are doing themselves.” Eventellect’s supercharged acceleration is staggering. One mammoth example is the nine-figure partnership with the Dodgers brokered in 2018 and believed to be the most valuable known in the ticketing world, at least in terms of a single team. Ryan says Eventellect “handled about $350 million worth of tickets last year ... up from $200 million in 2017 ... up from $100 million the year before ... up from $50 million.” Hardly the explosion Ryan anticipated in July 2007 when he teamed with longtime friend Ignacio Cubero on a side venture - $10,000 worth of Cleveland Indians tickets, an investment which armed the pair with plenty of playoff inventory when the team advanced to the American League Champion Series. 16

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“If the Indians don’t reach that round of the playoffs, I’m probably not here today,” Ryan says. “We likely wouldn’t have had enough capital to keep the business going.” But in the spring of 2008 Ryan’s confidence was such that he quit at age 24 as one of the youngest national sales team reps with Careerbuilder to devote to a full-time collaboration with Cubero and The Ticket Exchange. “Our initial goal was to get to $10 million in revenue annually,” Ryan says. “We projected that benchmark would make us sustainable. Now we have many weeks when we do $10 million. We have weeks when we do $50 million. From that perspective, our success appears preposterous. “We can’t take credit for the secondary market erupting but we have taken advantage of the digital wave of commerce. From the very beginning, we were progressive, aggressive, and easy to work with. We built to scale to match distribution, connecting teams with platforms. We never viewed StubHub and Vivid Seats and SeatGeek and Gametime and TickPick as competition. Our motives were to partner and reach new customers, everyone learning from the other, getting smarter together.” Ryan and Cubero rebranded as Eventellect in 2016 and are relishing a continuing robust roll of exponential revenue growth, identified eight consecutive years by Inc.’s ranking of fastest-growing privately held U.S. companies. Not the sort of prosperity one would casually predict when an Eagle who graduates from the University of Texas strikes forces with a Strake Jesuit Crusader with a finance degree from Texas A&M.

The salute from Sports Business Journal allowed Ryan to network with the likes of Boston College Athletic Director Martin Jarmond and Zach Leonsis who oversees content for Monumental Sports Network, the over-the-top digital network operated by Monumental Sports & Entertainment that counts the Washington Wizards, Capitals, Mystics and Valor as part of its portfolio along with the Baltimore Brigade and Capital City Go-Go. The 20th anniversary of Forty Under 40 also returned a host of previous distinguished honorees such as George Pastolos, among Ryan’s Eventellect partners and the former Rockets and Astros president who played an instrumental role in working with Jim Crane and his group to purchase the Astros in 2011. The most recent acclaim confirmed to Ryan that Eventellect shares a culture fit “in an ecosystem with like-minded developers intent on growing sports and the fan’s enjoyment while attending sports. When we all engage there’s the confidence that we hold ourselves to certain values and accountability. “On any given day Eventellect processes 10,000 tickets ... or 30,000 tickets ... and the fan never has a problem. Our brand is built on world-class service, from pricing to operations to software to account analytics. I carry that message to our partner teams. Last year I visited 50 professional franchises. This year I’m already at 30. But I’m merely the face of a collective energy, a strength of numbers.”

Ryan next fortifies in the ongoing battle between venues and television screens for the spectator’s attention. The competition for consumer dollars has never been more rugged given the growing popularity of digital streaming services making it easier for a potential audience to skip the stadium, the arena or the theater and stay home to binge. The fundamental friction driving the seismic divides across the entertainment landscape - Does the experience and cost of attending an event outweigh the convenience of viewing at home? “When we launched (in 2006) there wasn’t HD television, Netflix, Amazon Prime, the flexibility of choices,” Ryan says. “Going to a game or concert was a no-brainer. Tickets meant access. Now the in-home options are multiplying every month, plus Topgolf and iPic Theaters. We’re on board with very powerful brands and sales forces. Our mission is to continue supporting those structures with subject matter expertise and perspective. Moving forward, the pivot points will be dynamic pricing models, a captivating game-day experience, communal seating and creative promotions.” Or as Jay-Z would offer from high atop rap Rushmore ... Get your umbrellas out because, that’s when I brainstorm You can blame Shawn, but I ain’t invent the game I just rolled the dice, trying to get some change

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INSTILLING INSTILLINGTHE THE

LIFE LIFELESSONS LESSONSOF OF GOODNESS, GOODNESS,DISCIPLINE, DISCIPLINE, AND ANDKNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE

For

generations of scholars, the authentic St. Thomas experience has delivered a demanding curriculum that prepares students for college and a nurturing environment for life beyond college prep.

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THE ONE-YEAR-OLD EAGLE HOUSE SYSTEM was designed to provide a deeply positive impact on student intellectual engagement and well being.

The introduction for the Class of 2023 came courtesy Camp Aquinas, named for the institution’s patron St. Thomas Aquinas, the consummate union of sanctity and intellect. The five day immersion for freshmen is rooted in the Basilian credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge with a healthy mix of academic elements and challenging team-building activities. The learning liftoff launched from Camp Cho-Yeh 75 miles north of Houston outside of Livingston. The Eagle contingent landed unglued to Twitter and Instagram, not surgically attached to smartphones, and not particularly caring whether future political courses are opting for continuity or chaos. Grover Green ’04 and Andrew Quittenton are the chief primary architects behind Camp Aquinas. The two tirelessly collaborated for three years before deciding on the proper model for the St. Thomas mission. Quittenton: Our fundamental purpose is bonding a large number of students from a variety of middle schools and backgrounds and begin forming men. Camp Aquinas is all about establishing what it means to be a Man of St. Thomas. Most importantly for me is what it takes to be a man of God. The faith element here is essential. We made some changes from last year to have every activity and event involve prayer ... God at the center of all that we do. The faculty and seniors bought in 100% and the support couldn’t have been more complete.

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Green: My formation at St. Thomas was quintessential to becoming an adult. As we continued to develop as a campus community, our students face more and more complex challenges - you name it, these young men are inundated with it. We needed a new approach and it needed to be somewhat radical and that’s Camp Aquinas. This is a week where the freshmen are provided with a firm foundation to move forward. One change from our first year was the Five Ps before, during, and after every activity - pray, play, process, pick-up, and pray. Whether it was paintball, a ropes course, sock wrestling, or presentations. We wanted to promote individual reflection that would later be relevant to the campers during their journaling. In establishing its house system, St. Thomas honored eight Basilians exemplars who played integral roles in the school’s history. Naming rights belong to St. Thomas Hall of Honor members Fr. Carl Allnoch, CSB; Fr. Donald Cooper, CSB; and Fr. Thomas O’Rourke, CSB, all former St. Thomas principals as were founder Fr. Nicholas Roche, CSB; inaugural president Fr. Ronald Schwenzer, CSB; and Fr. Ernest Magee, CSB. Former faculty members Fr. Carl Belisch ’54, CSB and legendary baseball coach Fr. James Wilson, CSB complete the regal row.

St. Thomas has long discovered that students are enriched by its diversity of backgrounds, academic interests and experiences, talents, and goals. The house platform creates further opportunities for stronger cross divisional bonds and mentorship, and drives healthy competition among young men. Jennifer Pearson is the faculty leader in House O’Rourke. She participated in a house system at a previous teaching position and believes the experience will prove indispensable to conveying the rich flavor of academic life at St. Thomas. Pearson: The first day there were obviously a great many freshmen who didn’t know anyone. But they quickly were confiding and respecting the seniors and each other. Their upcoming year is challenging, not just the transition to high school, but learning the St. Thomas way. And when they returned to campus there was a support system that otherwise wouldn’t be in place that they could rely and draw from. There was also a core group of teachers whom they built early relationships for advice and support. The unexpected bonus for me was hearing stories from the seniors and how they have overcome some rough personal times to grow as people. I enjoyed our conversations and discovered more of who they are as people, and not just students.

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Hank Shivers ’23 attended St. Thomas Episcopal School in Meyerland. He’s a member of House Cooper and realized during Camp Aquinas many of the dimensions of St. Thomas that motivated him to become an Eagle. Shivers: The core values of brotherhood are something else! I got here on Monday .... knew only three guys ... and they were in different Houses. But I didn’t feel alienated at all. We all began talking on the bus and just seemed to want to have fun before classes started the next week. The crate stacking activity developed a lot of trust and enthusiasm within our house. The teachers seem so supportive and willing to help. The first three days of Camp Aquinas presented opportunities to illustrate the value of goodness, discipline, and knowledge in the daily routine. Travis Enochs ’20 is a senior leader in House Schwenzer. Enochs: I shared with my House how discipline takes on different definitions. I explained how I have to cut 14 pounds a week in weight in order to compete during the wrestling season. To get to 132 pounds for meets, I coordinated with my coaches a spreadsheet detailing a routine from 7:50 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Every Sunday I planned and prepared meals for the week. I weighed ingredients, 4 ounces of chicken for every meal, stored them in the refrigerator, ready to go each day when I left for school. I drank three gallons of water a day. Discipline is not fun, but the byproduct is fun. Making weight is not fun, but wrestling is fun. Studying for a test is not fun at all, but the rewards are awesome. For the freshmen to hear that from a fellow student often means more than if the messenger is a parent or a teacher. The reaction to an adult can be “what do you know about today, life is so much different than when they were in high school.” Everything you do at St. Thomas requires some form of discipline, and if you have it, you can accomplish anything you want.

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GROVER GREEN ’04 AND ANDREW QUITTENTON ARE THE CHIEF PRIMARY ARCHITECTS BEHIND CAMP AQUINAS. THE TWO TIRELESSLY COLLABORATED FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE DECIDING ON THE PROPER MODEL FOR THE ST. THOMAS MISSION.

Zach Kroencke ’20 teams with Enochs in House Schwenzer. His heart-felt testimony to the uniqueness of St. Thomas came from a random interaction in the most unexpected of circumstances. Kroencke: I was in Baltimore a couple of years ago for a lacrosse tournament with my summer travel team. I‘m thousands of miles from Houston in the airport wearing a St.Thomas shirt. An older adult came up to me and started a conversation. He had attended St. Thomas years and years ago and this was the question that struck me - How are my brothers? He meant the current students who he obviously didn’t know decades after he graduated. How are my brothers? That’s what the St. Thomas experience meant to him and helped make him the man he is. And the St. Thomas experience is shaping me in many of the same ways. I wanted the freshmen to hear that so they can learn to love this school as much as I do. When my senior class started as freshmen we had to find our own ways individually and ways to fit in. This group (of freshmen) is so much further ahead. They’ve made friends during Camp Aquinas that they never would have been drawn to otherwise. And I love being a part of that connection. Travis Dunwoody ’23 is, like Shivers, a member of House Cooper. He transitioned to St. Thomas from Western Academy and found immediate evidence of a community that unites all as one. Dunwoody: As soon as I stepped on the bus I become friends with everyone and can already see that the brotherhood is very strong here. Learning the meaning of goodness, discipline, and knowledge is definitely something we can all take back to campus. I can see where all those areas are important to be successful, not only in high school but also in college and throughout life. The seniors know what we’re about to go through and they’re giving us the courage to be ourselves. It’s like they’re one of us. It’s amazing. Camp Aquinas was the best time of my life.

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Eagle Scholars Continue Rich Legacy with National Honor Society

Social Service In Action

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EAGLE SCHOLARS CONTINUE RICH LEGACY WITH NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY St. Thomas recognizes the latest induction into our acclaimed chapter of the National Honor Society. The distinction was achieved through a selection process based upon exemplary scholarship, enthusiastic service, steadfast leadership, and uncompromising character - qualities associated with the NHS since its founding in 1921. The nation’s premier organization established to identify and encourage extensive high school accomplishment also celebrates characteristics essential to citizens in a democracy. “All in the St. Thomas campus community salute our champion scholars for their resolute efforts toward excellence,” says Principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez ‘96. “They model the power of resilient work and embody the Basilian values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge. As they continue their college preparatory experience and spiritual journeys, I encourage them to embrace the joy of inspiring others to realize their dreams.”

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Science faculty member Dr. Claire Conboy is in her first year as chapter advisor and played a pivotal role in determining the deep St. Thomas NHS participation. “This is significant prestige that demonstrates the depth of the academic achievement thriving within St. Thomas,” Conboy says. “We are about developing and nurturing our students to reach their potential not only through curriculum but as vibrant contributors to society. And this honor provides a guiding light for all our young men of what is attainable and what should be pursued.” Involvement in NHS is both prestigious and an exclusive responsibility, with students expected to continue to reflect the society’s high standards, as well as serve the school and their fellow students as academic leaders, role models, and tutors.

The St. Thomas NHS officers for the 2019-20 academic year are president Grant McCoy ’20, vice president Ryan Mercado ’20, treasurer Jimmy Phan ’20, secretary Jean-Paul Nguyen ’20, and parliamentarian William Sterner ’20. McCoy and Harrison Held ’20 previously earned semifinalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Program and were among 10 St. Thomas scholars recognized by the NMSC, including commended students Grayson Drinkard ’20, Adam Dunn ’20, Nathan Lee ’20, and Joseph Swan ’20, and Hispanic National Merit Scholars Ryan Mercado ’20, Charles Boutte ’20, Trent Butler ’20, and Mason Ritchie ’20.

The newly inducted NHS members for the 2019-20 academic year include: Evan Benavides ’21 Michael Bevers ’21 Cael Boeckman ’21 Augustus Boettcher ’21 Brady Bourgoyne ’21 Vinicius Braga ’21 Zachary Bryant ’21 Max Chung ’21 Arthur Clarke ’21 Jackson Cooper ’21 Carlos Copello ’20 Travis Cummins ’21 Adam Desroches ’21 Robert Diamond ’21 Travis Enochs ’20 Tanner Erb ’21 Christopher Ezeude ’20 Adam Gensheimer ’21 Griffin Gregory ’21 Christopher Guzman ’21

Jacob Hulvey ’21 Carlos Kaehler ’21 Aidan Kelley ’21 Alex Kinsel ’21 Sebastian Lanz ’21 Vincent Lee ’21 Francisco LLamosa ’21 Raphael Mamaradlo ’21 Luke McLane ’21 Dylan Michaels ’21 Noah Mims ’21 Luiangelo Montes ’21 Benito Moreno-Garza ’21 Thomas Murray ’21 Dat Nguyen ’21 Roman Ochoa ’21 Jhosua Pasuquin ’21 Patrick Pham ’21 George Rentz ’21 Michael Requenes ’21

Luis Reyes ’21 Micah Reyes ’21 Will Rizzo ’21 Christian Rumohr ’21 Kyle Rzasnicki ’20 Aaron Schlosser ’21 Edward Sprigg ’20 Andrew Sudkamp ’21 Pablo Tager Ballesca ’21 Chris Tan ’21 Drew Tolson ’21 Marshall Turbes ’21 Thomas Valdes ’21 Zachary Voltz ’21 Haotong Wang ’21 Creighton Ward ’21 Jonah Webster ’21 Zachary Wilson ’21 Bishop Yokubaitis ’21

These commended students join fellow Eagles who had previously demonstrated the ability to excel, serve, lead, and succeed with a genuine quest for challenge and accomplishment. Martin Beirne ’20 Aidan Brelinsky ’20 Alec Burbridge ’20 Trent Butler ’20 Nicholas Chandler ’20 Grayson Drinkard ’20 Adam Dunn ’20 WIll Gardner ’20 Daniel Jones ’20 Zachary Kroencke ’20 Jacob Lara ’20 Jonathan Lay ’20 Grant McCoy ’20

Ryan Mercado ’20 Jordan Navarijo ’20 Jean-Paul Nguyen ’20 Jimmy Phan ’20 Nico Pivnik ’20 Nicolas Prodoehl ’20 Anthony Schlak ’20 William Sterner ’20 Camden Thomas ’20 Cooper Thomas ’20 Michael Tran ’20 Charles White ’20

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SOCIAL SERVICE IN ACTION St. Thomas remains dedicated to transforming the minds and hearts of the Eagle community through social service and advocacy, ensuring that the Basilian mission of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge measures beyond mere motto, but is a stable of life.

Eagle groups worked in multiple assembly lines, sorting incoming donated goods, filling boxes with an assortment of food basics which were then categorized and placed on pallets to aid more than 500 different relief charities through southeast Texas.

During the launch of the 2019-20 academic year, the student body provided valuable volunteer participation at the Houston Food Bank with each class accompanied by a sizable group of faculty members, staff, and counselors. The intent was to support and challenge Eagle scholars as they encounter differences, learn what they do not yet understand, and put their faith into action to benefit others.

The tasks varied, but the collaborative Eagle spirit was the same, working side-by-side and gaining an awareness of food poverty and its damage to people’s dignity.

“What was meaningful was St. Thomas seeking to make a difference in the broader Houston community,” faculty member Phil Gensheimer says. “We want our students to realize there’s more to their lives than what is represented on campus and in the classroom. We want them to be active in the wider world.”

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Dr. Alex Gotay is in his second year as the head of campus ministry. He believes that “a huge part of my coming to St. Thomas was this kind of dedication. I knew these young men were preparing to become future leaders, many as CEOs or with ranking job titles, and others as leaders within a church or a neighborhood or as concerned citizens. Those are roles where you find St. Thomas graduates. And I want to impress upon them this extended view of contribution beyond academic or professional advancement and have that be reflected in that future leadership.

“Believe me, there are many schools with solid reputations and when it’s over for students academically, it’s over. That’s not St. Thomas. When our students graduate and move on with their lives, there’s a connection with St. Thomas that remains. It may sound cliche but it’s fact. And that connection is built from activity such as this that will leave a mark.” The active involvement with the Food Bank is the latest commitment in a long standing St. Thomas relationship with a member of the nation’s largest non-governmental, domestic hunger-relief organization. The Food Bank annually provides more than a million meals feeding more 800,000 people. Fresh produce, meat, and nonperishables are distributed through pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies in 18 counties. Tiffany Thompson is a Food Bank volunteer representative and estimated that the St. Thomas contribution tripled the organization’s volunteer manpower during the two days. Many within the Eagle contingent visualized who may eventually benefit from their efforts - a family with infant children, or low-income single parents, or recently arrived working immigrants. Gotay vividly reached deep into his personal history. “My family was one receiving from these kinds of efforts,” Gotay says. “I grew up as a military brat ... bounced everywhere. Later (2001-03) I was part of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. I can speak first hand to the benefits of what our students and teachers are contributing to this week. It’s a powerful involvement.”

Gensheimer and his wife Chrissy have more than 40 years of combined teaching experience at St. Thomas. Their sons Josh ‘18 and Adam ‘21 represent the Eagle experience as students. The family routinely interacts with the Food Bank during the Thanksgiving holiday and summer months as a direct result of their exposure through St. Thomas, perhaps the supreme example of where an intentional introduction may lead. “Last year I recognized one of the volunteers outside our group as a former St. Thomas student Chrissy and I had taught,” Gensheimer says. “I came to find out he had pledged 200 hours a year to volunteerism. That’s a great example of what we hope to spark in our students.” St. Thomas also began the academic year with Camp Aquinas for incoming freshmen, prep sessions to accelerate the college selection and application process including a college essay workshop, and student visits to Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, and fellow Basilian University of St. Thomas. But most significant was maintaining the essential Eagle tradition of meeting the needs of disadvantaged and underserved groups whether it be direct engagement, contributions, or humanitarian relief, inspired by the Basilian realization that truth about God, the world, and personal identity can only be authentically explored through relationships with others. “I can’t tell you how many of our students perform significant service quietly and without notoriety,” Gensheimer says. “I often don’t discover the depth of their efforts until graduation or when I’m asked to provide a reference letter for college admissions. And that’s the true measure of service, reaching out in a humble yet meaningful way.”

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Patrick Pham ’21 is among the latest Eagle scholars to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Pham continues a thriving St. Thomas legacy of accomplishment that has been and continues to be richly recognized throughout the United States. Pham achieved his distinction through Troop 642 and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. He completed his demanding service project which benefited Regina Caeli Parish leading a volunteer group of 18 that included Gus Boettcher ’21, Griffin Gregory ’21, Luke McLane ’21, and Dylan Michaels ’21 that totaled 165 hours. The efforts re-fortified church property while providing parishioners with a peaceful sanctuary for prayer and reflection. Pham has served various leadership positions within Troops 642 while obtaining 28 merit badges to become eligible for a Bronze Palm. He’s participated in Camp Orr in Arkansas, Sid Richardson Scout Ranch on Lake Bridgeport, and Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. The multi-acclaimed Pham is an exemplary Eagle scholar-athlete excelling in a rigorous Honors and AP program with an extensive range of extracurricular involvement including the distinguished St. Thomas theater program and student government. The two-time TAPPS All-State swimmer contributed as a junior to the first-ever state championship for Eagle Swimming and also the 2019 state title won by Eagle Track and Field. He was also selected as the chairman of community life on the Youth Archdiocesan Council. Pham’s successes are a testament to a deep dedication to the BSA values of character, citizenship, community service, and allegiance to the purpose and goals of their respective troops - all consistent with the Basilian credo of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

Acclaimed St. Thomas scholar-athlete Nathan Lee ’20 was selected for an exclusive Economics For Leaders program at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Lee was one of 32 students from across the United States who shared in the summer enrichment exercise designed for talented and motivated high school students who wish to accelerate their academic growth and connect with peers and professors who share their like-minded interests. During the week-long EFL, Lee and his fellow participants engaged in an understanding of reasoning principles, how to integrate economics into the process of decision-making, and then employ those concepts for successful and effective leadership. Lee plans to major in Economics following his St. Thomas graduation and the EFL experience provided valuable framework before his upcoming AP curriculum. The EFL distinction is the latest in a series of elite academic success for Lee. He is an AP Scholar with Honors and member of the National Honor Society, the St. Thomas Club (surpassing 4.0 minimum GPA requirement) and the St. Thomas Student Council. Lee has also earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America. He is a three-year varsity performer for Eagle Lacrosse and was selected South Division II All-District Honorable Mention and played in the 2019 D-II All-Star Game.

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why we chose st. thomas The search wasn’t for learning subjects but to learn how to think critically. To live ethically. To find people who think differently from the way you think, talk with them to find out why, and enrich yourself in the process. The destination wasn’t simply to pave a path leading to upcoming professional development but a source pouring an unshakable foundation to fortify for personal growth. Roseann Rogers and her husband Aashish Shah M.D., J.D. were seeking the definitive college preparatory environment for their only son Nikhil that would challenge his already inquisitive mind, and in turn, connect with his body and soul. Surfacing on their collective radars well before the evaluation formally began was a recurring theme, whether through unsolicited channels, or a commissioner in Post Oak Little League, or a chance encounter in the valet line with a visitor at Texas Children’s Hospital. 32

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St. Thomas High School? That’s where I went. And my best friends in life are the ones I made there as an Eagle. “We heard from so many alumni and I can tell you for a fact that every adult male Nikhil knows who went to St. Thomas says that he still values those friendships,” Roseann says. “It’s the truth. No exaggeration.” As Roseann and Aashish plotted for the next phase of Nikhil’s academic career from middle school, they embraced a holistic approach - each piece of the judgement building an integrated and comprehensive whole. His educational pathway included not only academic excellence and intellectual vitality but a secure character and thirst for extracurricular activities. “I was open to a lot of different schools and I was a bit uncertain about public versus private for Nikhil,” Aashish says. “I kept an open mind while knowing that empirically he needed a group-based environment. From the onset, we knew St. Thomas had a reputation for building young men and that certainly was a priority for us.” Nikhil shadowed Eagle Ambassadors during a predetermined academic day in December 2018 and was struck by “students and teachers engaging in open partnerships. I respected that. I had previous middle school experiences where all that mattered was making sure you showed up and turned work in on time.” Roseann saw that as Nikhil continued assessing schools through campus tours, he would return home all the more convinced that St. Thomas “was the right fit and the only school for him. It was his first and last choice. He applied to one private school.” The fact that his favorite Indian restaurant, Surya, is a half dozen blocks to the north of 4500 Memorial Drive didn’t hurt the St. Thomas cause. Nikhil’s trusted instincts were immediately confirmed during his introduction to student life through Camp Aquinas at Camp Cho-Yeh 75 miles north of Houston outside of Livingston. The five-day immersion designed specifically for Eagle freshmen is rooted in the Basilian credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge with a healthy mix of academic elements and challenging team building activities.

“When you start high school and don’t know anyone, that can be the worst feeling ever,” Nikhil says. “But with Camp Aquinas, the seniors and the freshmen mixed. There was genuine leadership. The upperclassmen talked about their hard times and that sometimes it was tough to let it go. And at St. Thomas, when you need someone to lean on, you have your brothers, that family. That’s the brotherhood - being a man who helps another through a hard time. Being an only child with distant relatives, the brotherhood meant something to me, support during what can be difficult times in high school.” Aashish is the president and CEO of Provision CARES Cancer Centers based in Nashville after serving as the chief health care value officer at the University of Texas MD Anderson’s Proton Therapy Center. He shares his son’s confidence in the uncommon Eagle brotherhood and the cornerstone quality it provides for future success. “It certainly influences being a responsible young man and citizen. And I look forward to Nikhil benefitting because every 14-year-old needs that element,” Aashish says. “Work ethic and accountability are derivatives of being a strong upstanding young man. That’s is the palpable mission that I see and hear and feel from St. Thomas.” Roseann is the sales manager of the Houston division of Stewart Title. Her distinctive professional career includes extensive marketing and a popular media profile at KPRC 2 where Houstonians knew her as “The Buzz Lady.” Her philanthropic efforts have impacted the Junior League of Houston, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the American Heart Association Guild, and the Houston Ballet Guild. She has chaired a host of fund-raising galas for the American Cancer Society, the AIDS Foundation Houston, the Children’s Museum of Houston, Catholic Charities, and the Heart Center at Texas Children’s Hospital. With a military father, Roseann’s childhood was a series of uprootings and resettlings. From Kentucky to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to Lawton, Oklahoma to the Hanau American High School in Germany 30 miles outside of Frankfurt. She takes particular solace in knowing Nikhil’s teenage self discovery will be anchored through the consistency of the St. Thomas formation. “Right now, there’s that unknown of where his strengths will take him,” Roseann says. “There are interests he will uncover as he matures because there are so many opportunities in front of him to find that passion, whatever it may be. I know this, in 14 years, being accepted into St. Thomas excited him more than anything else in his life.” Within the exceptional depth of the St. Thomas experience, Nikhil may contribute to one or two activities or five or six clubs. The rich championship tradition of Eagle Baseball is an emphatic pull. Before completing his first day of classes his intrigue in sports medicine directed him to Eagle Athletic Training led by head trainer Chris Valdez in collaboration with the sports performance specialists at Memorial Hermann.

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Father, mother, and son all believe a college preparatory environment should be dedicated to more than expanding intellectual horizons. Aashish, Roseann, and Nikhil each identified at the core of St. Thomas a Catholic community of inherently shared values, as well as common global viewpoints of life with a dedication to service. There’s a mutual ambition within the family that Nikhil will grow, contribute, and thrive during the upcoming four years, and St. Thomas, in turn, will be changed by him.

Before the current academic year, Aashish shared in a Parents Day gathering of about 30-40 Eagle families and admitted to the group that “for the most part, everyone harnesses the same hopes and fears. You often question the decision making of your 14-year-old son. And in sessions such as these, I’m convinced that this is one of those times I’m not questioning his decision at all. St. Thomas is absolutely the right place for him.”

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‘A M I D S U M M E R NIGHT’S DREAM’

A High Spirited Spectacle Presented by St.Thomas

Director Daniel Green embraced his sixth staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an inventive take, both saucy and sweet, worldly and enchanted, on William Shakespeare’s fantasy comedy. Dangerous and mysterious potions, fairy warfare, and crazy mixed-up love are the themes of this 400-year-old fusion of Greek mythology and cringe comedy. There was plenty of plot to manage and showcase during the October presentation in Cemo Auditorium at the Moran Fine Arts Center. The mischievous fairy Puck is a reckless figure of anarchy and compassion played with zest by Jordan Navarijo ’20. He and the king and queen of the fairies - Bishop Yokubaitis ’21 as Oberon and Caroline King (St. Agnes Academy ’20) as Titania - turn their enchanted wood into a magical place for mortals in love. But since this is a comedy of errors, they all fall for the wrong people. Chaos reigns. And hilarity ensues.

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IN THIS CASE, THE WRONG PEOPLE INCLUDE ROBERT FRANK ’20 AS BOTTOM, WHO BECOMES THE OBJECT OF TITANIA’S AFFECTION. Audrey Moffet (Incarnate Word Academy ’20) plays feisty Hermia. She’s taken with Lysander, played by Patrick Pham ‘21, but is promised in marriage to Demetrius, portrayed with gusto by Gus Boettcher ’21. And Caitlyn Gilliam (SAA ’20), as the desperate pursuer of Helena, is after Demetrius, even as he lures for emotionally wayward Hermia. Got it? Good.

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“There was a willingness from the entire program to accept the challenge of William Shakespeare and exceed all of our expectations,” Green says. “Everyone surprised everyone with commitment and execution. There wasn’t a single weak link. The four lovers were wonderful ... the fool’s play within the play brilliant ... the fairies poetic and intoxicating.”

Green and his creative team including co-director Kim Shipman embraced these busy, discordant elements wholeheartedly and crafted an immersive production with stunning set design, costuming, musical accompaniment and, most importantly, captivating performances. “The actors brought so many of their own ideas to this story,” Green says. “The lovers’ fight with Patrick and Gus was very physical, a natural and logical sequence. Bishop brought a great physicality and strength to Oberon. He and Jordan and Caroline worked to give those fairy characters an otherworldly quality. It was suggested that Jordan’s Puck was imitating (Marvel Comics character) Deadpool when in fact it was Deadpool imitating the natural writing of Puck. And Jordan identified the playfulness and ran with it.

Gus’s snooty, snobby quality made us all truly dislike Demetrius. He was tremendous. It was grand fun.” The sprightly cast was alive with spot-on comedic timing, fully in sync with Shakespeare’s dazzling wordplay while creating energy infused chemistry onstage. In a play filled withscene-stealers, no one pulls off a great heist. But it seems clear that all the performers here were inspired by Frank’s bottomless passion to take on any role and turn every thought and impulse into theatrical action. “Frank provides the heart and soul of the play, a fool with great ambition,” Green says. “He played the part better than I ever did. He had the arrogance but also a vulnerability right under the surface, and neither was obtrusive that you wouldn’t laugh.”

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The production encouraged confidence from the outset, starting with scenic designer Phil Gensheimer’s set, assisted by Daniel Bryant ’93. Superb collaboration from audio/visual coordinator Chris Hodge and lighting manager Benjamin Haworth with Matthew Payne ’20 helped create the worlds of real and metaphysical. Essential contributors included stage manager Katy Neaves and St. Thomas Choir Director Josh Wilson, who was involved in his 16th STH production. “It was the grandest set we’ve ever had and I’ve loved every set we’ve had without exception,” Green says. “We knew what we wanted but didn’t know how we were going to get there. The finish was beyond what we expected. There was so much mobility and interaction on stage. Slides and trampolines. It was a playground.” A deep personal connection to Midsummer continues to return Green to what is thought to be Bard’s family-friendliest comedy. “This is the first Shakespeare play I ever laugh at,” Green says. “A PBS showing from New York City (1982) with William Hurt (as Oberon), Christine Baranski, Ricky Jay, and five-year-old Emanuel Lewis running around. It was so amazing. I was then cast in a role at Spring Hill College. “I believe this is the play that most teaches actors to love Shakespeare. There are other works that students read to understand and appreciate the Renaissance. But I want to give students something they naturally like and this is one part Animal House, one part “Love Stinks” (think J. Geils Band), one part Greek mythology, one part screwball comedy, all with assorted Bunny/Daffy Duck antics. I had always thought Shakespeare to be inaccessible but then I discovered Midsummer hits initially like The Three Stooges, and then on a second viewing The Three Stooges with some profound meaning.” In the hands of Green’s thespians, the Shakespeare tale of potions and potent feelings, of love lost and found in an enchanted forest became a gleeful tribute to the joys of losing and finding yourself through acting, and not merely the silly show-off antics that were on display. “With Guys and Dolls (spring 2019) or The Addams Family (spring 2017) the tone for the actors is established by the music, that’s the emotional suggestion on how to act,” Green says. “With Midsummer, you have to first translate the language and discover what the characters are saying. Then they have to learn how to act, both vocally and physically. The missing element is always the audience telling them it’s funny. By the end of rehearsals, they knew this was funny.” Whatever the countless translations for Shakespeare’s most malleable play, all audiences ever seek is magic and a sense of joy. Without question this thoughtful, relatively risky St. Thomas take on a familiar classic was well worth experiencing. If Shakespeare were always as much fun as this mounting, the kids would all demand to see it.

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PLAn NOW. GIVE LATER.

Remember St. Thomas in your will or living trust.

So many of our students could not have the St. Thomas experience without the faithful giving of others. If St. Thomas opened doors for you, consider how you can now open doors for others. Join the 1900 Society by including St. Thomas in your will or estate plans and help provide affordable tuition, exemplary instruction and spiritual growth for generations of students to come. If you remember all the goodness, discipline and knowledge that St. Thomas gave you, then please: Remember St. Thomas. Remembering St. Thomas in your will or estate plans costs nothing during your lifetime, but will transform the lives of STH men down the road. Contact Mr. Mark deTranaltes, ’83, P ’10 Vice President for Advancement remember@sths.org • 713-341-5557

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Celebrating Our Past, Embracing Our Future

Hoppiest of Alumni Happy Hours

Going 10 Rounds With Jennifer McDonald Pearson, PhD

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CELEBRATING OUR PAST, EMBRACING OUT FUTURE The beginning 120 years ago was meager, the ascension without fanfare. A steady process that preached purpose, culture, and service rooted in the Basilian credo of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge. Now, well into the second century after its genesis, St. Thomas celebrated its legacy as a premier college preparatory experience with its annual Founder’s Day Mass. President Fr. James Murphy, CSB served as the principal celebrant for an attentive campus community in Cemo Auditorium. Since 1900, St. Thomas has served as a Catholic Basilian beacon with a thriving intellectual and moral tradition that remains the cornerstone of an esteemed academic pursuit and formation. The second oldest continuously operating private high school in Houston (to Incarnate Word Academy) is home to a vibrant array of accomplished scholars, distinguished faculty members, deeply committed professional staff, and unwavering supporters and donors. President Father Murphy delivered a compelling message through his homily that spoke to the true spirit of the distinguished position St. Thomas occupies as it continues to prepare the next generation of global citizens. He referenced several Basilian icons, including one of the school’s original three patrons plus the third Eagle alumni to serve as principal - all invaluable contributors and leaders to the institution’s mission grounded in a deep sense of Catholic commitment. The very first stages of St. Thomas involved Father Victorin Marijon who was responsible for the Basilians in North American when our home was still France. He met with the bishop of Galveston in 1899 to plan for this new school that would be in Houston. The local diocese provided land downtown (at Franklin Avenue and Caroline Street). Father Nicholas Roche was the first principle. He was born in Ireland, then lived and worked on farms in Canada, and didn’t start high school at St. Michael’s College in Toronto until he was 21. Father Roche was the St. Thomas principal for six years and then returned to his homeland where he founded another high school. Father Roche never know how the seeds planted in him would grow further on in his life. Neither do we. But it is our responsibility to take those seeds and allow them to grow faithfully so that we may go out and share that example with the world. Father Walter Scott did precisely that. He was born in San Francisco, studied at St. Thomas (class of 1942) and then came back to his alma mater to teach English, theology, and theater. Some of his students later became Basilians.

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He was named the 17th principal of St. Thomas (in 1965) and after a three year tenure was appointed principal at St. Pius X High School (which the Basilians had taken direction) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Father Scott planted seeds here and then was needed elsewhere. Today our academic community plants a new seed. This is the first time we have configured our Mass with students grouped according to our house system, houses named for Basilians who have planted seeds over generations ... seeds of education ... seeds of goodness, discipline, and knowledge ... with the exact purpose of preparing young men year after year, decade after decade, to advance and be teachers of that same goodness, discipline, and knowledge. As we plant new seeds for this academic year, the stories told of the Basilians representing these houses ... Father Roche, Father (Donald) Cooper, Father (Ronald) Schwenzer ... their examples are among many that matter because of what they were taught and their decision to accept the same calling as teachers. As we celebrate our founding, we recognize that our motto speaks to each one of us, that a Man of St. Thomas embraces goodness, discipline, and knowledge because each one of us needs that. Let this be the time that we take the seeds planted within us and make them greater by admitting our struggles and difficulties, and asking for the help of each other. And if we do that, we are honoring the work and memory of Father Roche, continuing the work of Father Scott, and honoring our work that we perform each day to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

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ALL SAINTS DAY MASS CELEBRATES SPIRITUAL BOND THAT UNITES EAGLE FATHERS AND SONS

St. Thomas annually honors the spiritual bond that unites Eagle scholars with their fathers with the traditional Father/ Son Mass on All Saints Day, a morning liturgy and affirmation of faith which speaks to the very fabric of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basilian identity. Father Mitch Dowalgo, CSB served as the principal celebrant and authored an inspiring homily for a devout gathering in Reckling Gymnasium that included many second generation Eagles as well as supportive grandfathers in attendance. President Father James Murphy, CSB concluded the solemnity with a tribute to those who have gone before us, destined to judgment, and how they lived to enter their heavenly homes, some renown but infinitely more simple and hidden who through everyday holiness helped carry the world forward.

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Today we recognize the pinnacle of what we are called to be as children of God. All Saints Day is the roll call for those who made our sacred Hall of Fame ... the first ballot, induction ceremony, the bronze plaque, the best of the best. Saturday (November 2) is the feast of the faithful departed (All Souls Day), those who considered the possibility of playing the game, and we beseech on their behalf. We proclaimed today those Eagles who are no longer with us on earth. Many of us know names on that list. Someday we will know more names. And someday we will all, in fact, be on that list. Our prayer is that they become saints, having lived justly as Eagles and are now eternally close to God. We pray that they intercede on our behalf because we have that profound connection as St. Thomas brothers and they may take a prayer that is unique to a Man of St. Thomas to God. Let us pray that as a community that we may be father figures for each other, reaching out to become men of compassion, security, and wisdom for any who need us.

HOPPIEST OF HAPPY HOURS Great fun was had by all at the annual and always notable Young Alumni gathering at Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Another awesome Eagle turnout mixing, mingling, and crafting with our fellow Catholic school enthusiasts from Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, St. Agnes Academy, Incarnate Word Academy, St. Pius X, and Strake Jesuit. Stay social and connect with @STHCatholic on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow, click, share, like, and retweet with #mySTH and #ChampionsForLife.

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GOING 10 ROUNDS WITH JENNIFER MCDONALD PEARSON The St. Thomas faculty member tackles a speed round of questions. Before joining the ranks of college prep academia, you lived bright lights, big city in the frantic world of advertising. How did you land on Madison Avenue (or more accurately, West 33rd Street) as a talented, wide eyed LSU graduate? “I cold called agencies directly from Baton Rouge instead of applying online. The fourth contact was Universal McCann (full service marketing and media with global headquarters in New York). I was immediately transferred to Brian Maul. He looked over my resume during the conversation ... had me fly up the next week to meet ... made the job offer within 15 minutes of the interview. “For three years I was a media buyer ... negotiated commercial placement (“upfronts”) with television networks. My biggest account was Kohl’s department stores. In 2008, we had $200 million to divide between prime time, day time, cable, and syndicated programming.” In a nod to Don Draper, what was the benefit? As a client to the networks, all sorts of swag and schmooze. ESPN gave me their suite at Madison Square Garden for (NHL) Rangers games. Amazing sport in person. Knicks games, Yankees and Mets at the old stadiums. The best phone call ever was reaching my dad and telling him he needed to come to New York at the end of the week. He’s inventing all these excuses why he couldn’t travel. I told him, ‘Well, I’ll just have to sit with someone else in the VIP section of the NFL Draft.’ There’s a long pause. Then, ‘What day do I need to be there?’ We were the only two in the room with Saints stuff, front and center. Everyone else was decked in Giants and Jets gear.

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“I lived in Astoria (Queens) which is the largest concentration of Greeks outside of Athens. Every day was inside My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I found an awesome basement studio apartment in the house of an older married couple. They looked after me, invited me to their kitchen for dinner during the week. One of my first introductions to the brave new world was opening the door into a sidewalk filled with morning snow. I called the office, asked what I should do, and was told to put on my snow boots, walk to the subway, and get to work. I said, ‘What boots?’”

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In the cornucopia of creating the phenomenon of youth obsessed consumerism, what’s the lasting NewYork, New York moment? “Billy Joel and the Last Play at Shea (final concerts before the Mets’ Shea Stadium was demolished). Three hours with a guest list of Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltrey, Tony Bennett, John Mayer. Sat three rows from the top. They all looked like ants and it didn’t matter. “This was seven years after the 9/11 attacks. “For ‘Goodnight, Saigona and the chorus ‘And we will all go down together,’ the stage was filled with NYPD, NYFD, first responders, reps from each branch of the military. Then two spotlights representing the twin towers. Fifty-five thousand people in the house, I’m in a section of New York Italians, and we’re all crying out hearts out. “Then for the last encore, Billy Joel tells the crowd he’s not allowed to be the last to sing in Shea Stadium. It has to be the first to sing at Shea. Here comes Paul McCartney and the finale is ‘Let It Be.’ The most emotional performances I’ve ever seen.” Tomorrow never knows. Why give up the time of your life? “I’m very close to my family and I only had a chance to see them three times a year. So I quit. That was the reason. I moved back to Louisiana, got an advertising position in Lafayette, was laid off when the market crashed. The industry was redefining how they would going to do future business. I had this gut feeling about teaching. Started taking classes at Nicholls State University and finished the certification with a master’s in September 2012. “That took me back to E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux where I graduated. It’s a little odd when your teachers from high school become your co-workers. But I was ready to stay there forever - teacher, department head, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, president, retire. I had it all mapped.” We plan, God laughs. What happened to bring you to Houston and St. Thomas in 2015? “My sister and parents relocated to the city and I soon followed. St. Thomas intrigued me because of the Basilian legacy and the many similarities with the religious order that founded E.D. White (Brothers of the Sacred Heart). I was completing a PhD program through Catholic University in D.C. My dissertation focused on charisms and what happens when the numbers shrink inside religious life. I started in 2013 and wrapped up November 2018. Six years but I loved doing the research, that was the passion more than career development. And joining the English faculty at St. Thomas has been the exact fit I expected.”

Other cravings have led you to crisscross countries near and far. When did you become the intrepid explorer? “There’s always been a curiosity to experience cultures and heritage. Australia was the first overseas trip ... bungy jumping, scuba certification, hiking through jungles. Unfortunately, the skydiving was canceled. My sister lived in the Netherlands for three years so I took full advantage of the opportunity to visit several locations. Paris three times. Rhine River cruises. Rome, Florence, Pisa, Verona, Venice. “My favorite spot in the world is Adelboden, Switzerland. It’s a holiday resort in the middle of the Bernese Alps and I would move there tomorrow if I could. I found it almost by accident, part of a summer group excursion sponsored by Nicholls. There’s a gondola from the valley to the mountains. On the descent are countrysides, farming, cheese dairies, waterfalls, skiing and hiking trails. It’s paradise.” You entered matrimonial bliss on September 7. Is it mandatory that anyone with a wanderlust orchestrate an exotic destination wedding? “Not required but my husband Dane and I wanted a particular setting that fits our adventurous side. Our first choice was a castle in Ireland but that didn’t work. We decided on a resort at Yosemite National Park. Absolute blast. Even got in some climbs on El Capitan ... a 700-foot 6-pitch route called After Six. No calamities, no broken bones, no emergency rooms. Good times.” What’s the next exotic port of call? “Dane and I are honeymooning in Thailand which will be my fourth continent to visit. We have South America planned (for 2020), then Africa, and a birthday trip to Antarctica because the life goal is to visit all seven continents before I’m 40.” Who supplies the theme music for such wide ranging escapades? “Mumford & Sons, any time, anywhere. First time I saw them was a small dive venue in New Orleans and they were as good then as they are now. Saw them again at Bonnaroo. Have been to Coachella. VIP front row at Lollapalooza for Red Hot Chili Peppers. McCartney last year at Austin City Limits was tremendous. There are a ton of favorites.” Given your roots down on the bayou, what are the best cajun bon temps Greater Houston has to offer? “BB’s Cafe is strong. Dane would say Bullet for the King po boys are the best (chicken stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeño, wrapped in bacon). I go for their Surf and Turf (half fried shrimp, half roast beef debris). Best gumbo is of course mine but BB’s seafood (shrimp and crab meat) is in the game. Best boiled crawfish is The Boot (in the Heights).” Oui, cher. And remember, if you ever don’t like what’s being said, simply change the conversation.

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Features

EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND SACRIFICE ANDREW LOCKE â&#x20AC;&#x2122;03 HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED TO BE INTELLECTUALLY

INSPIRED, MORALLY GROUNDED, GLOBALLY MINDED - A WORLD CHANGER IGNITING POSITIVE IMPACT WHEREVER LIFE HAS TAKEN HIM. PARTICULARLY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AS A PLATOON LEADER IN THE ELITE SPECIAL OPS 75TH RANGER REGIMENT. A CALL OF DUTY THAT EXTENDED FAR BEYOND A GAMING CONSOLE. WINTER 2019

ach November Americans from sea to shining sea observe Veterans Day and pay tribute to those brave and skilled who serve and sacrifice for America’s freedom. Locke is among the generations of Good Men of St. Thomas who have participated or are engaging in that collective strength fighting for our basic American rights. Captain Locke graduated from West Point in 2007. He was deployed to Iraq as a Stryker vehicle platoon leader, followed by three mission-specific Ranger engagements in Afghanistan before retiring from the active Army in October 2017. He credits his parents for embedding a sense of service, of something larger than self. Locke watched the Twin Towers fall on a 10-inch TV while sitting in a sophomore history class, his psyche slapped with the realization that the world is bigger and more dangerous than he’d thought.

Among the select are William Bernrieder, a 1916 graduate who served in the United States Navy under five admirals including Halsey and Byrd.

Locke visited West Point during his senior year and was greeted “with a rush. At the end of the day, Americans have to raise their hands and decide whether to serve. If not me, then whom? Who is most capable of leading Americans? If I had the confidence and could generate the respect and trust of others, then why not me? The rewards were beyond measure. The experiences will prove to be the most moving of my lifetime.”

And Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Gatlin ’95 who lettered three years in the Black Knights defensive secondary, graduated from West Point in 1999 with an Economics degree, and has remained a career soldier. The commander of 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment has led the Army’s sexual harassment response and prevention program, and served for four years as the Company Tactical Officer at West Point. Gatlin holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and in 2017 was chosen as a White House Fellow to the Office of the First Lady.

In 1975, Rev. James F. Wilson, CSB led the effort to establish the St. Thomas Hall of Honor, recognizing Eagle graduates who exemplified the Eagle spirit and personified the Basilian motto Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge. As Locke made his daily four-year campus rounds through Cemo Auditorium, he glanced periodically at some of the initial names of that signature group.

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And L. Patrick Gray ’32 who advanced to the rank of Navy captain and later was appointed the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And George Cire ’40 who received the Silver Star and Purple Heart while fighting in World War II.

A few feet across the Cemo entryway from their framed distinction was the school’s stand-alone glass-encased salute to David McNerney ’49.

Following his St. Thomas graduation, McNerney enlisted in the Navy and served two combat tours in Korea. He then enrolled at the University of Houston, attended a class, and quickly joined the Army. He served four tours in Vietnam. In March 1967, First Sergeant McNerney’s unit was ambushed in an isolated region. His company was split, 22 soldiers including the commanding officer killed, another 40 wounded. McNerney took control of the surviving troops, organized the unit’s defense, coordinated their counterattack, cleared a helicopter landing site all the while suffering from a lacerated chest by a grenade. He refused to evacuate until B Company could advance and relieve the following day. The following year McNerney received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson at the White House for his outstanding courage at Polei Doc. The decoration is the highest award for valor which can be awarded an individual serving in the U.S. Armed Services. “You think of how much time has passed since then ... half a century,” St. Thomas athletic director Mike Netzel says. “And how much our country has changed beyond expectation and imagination, all of the options available and distractions that exist. And Andrew chose to follow in those kinds of footsteps, to be associated with those kinds of St. Thomas men. Impressive is not nearly a strong enough description of what he represents.” Locke was a stellar St. Thomas scholar athlete who enjoyed state championship glory spread across three Eagle sports. Yet, he held his rugby experience with savory satisfaction. Locke hosted college invitations while keeping the carnival recruiting process highly selective. He was pursued by West Point as a quarterback but had to be convinced by his father to make the official visit. “It was a free trip so why not take advantage,” Locke says. “I showed up, the weather was miserable, and after two hours I was hooked. I couldn’t have been more impressed by the highly dedicated Americans choosing to be a part of the Academy, all leaders of character for our military and our country. I was immediately convinced this was the environment I wanted.”

For Locke, National Signing Day represented not so much scholarship but service forged through sacrifice. He transitioned exclusively to rugby as a freshman and emerged as an All-American performer. Locke later captained extensive championship accomplishment and distinction on the international stage, including a role with USA Rugby at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. In 2018, Locke was among the luminaries inducted into the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame. The celebration delivered a firm affirmation of the “formative four years that greatly influenced my moral and ethical development. Athletics played a major role in terms of my understanding of what is required to be an effective leader and paved the way for what I accomplished at West Point and in the Army. To this day I’m so appreciative of all the opportunities I had at St. Thomas especially through athletics, the many coaches who mentored me.” Within weeks of his West Point graduation, Locke was positioned with a platoon that had just returned from a difficult 15-month deployment in Iraq. “There was a 50% turnover within the unit,” Locke says. “We had to build a new team, new cohesion, and deploy again in 12 months. It was an awesome responsibility to be entrusted at such a young age ... 22 years old and leading an experienced group. To form those relationships was deeply powerful and rewarding.” Locke is now a forward deployed software engineer at Palantir Technologies in Palo Alto, California. He left St. Thomas having given his all to the Eagles, then to the same to his unit, forever for his God and country. He chose to join the ranks of those who share a brotherhood and a bond unbreakable, bravery unbridled, an honor unmistaken. Captain Andrew Locke was never Captain America with wanderlust. But his is a name among those immortal without exception, even if relatively anonymous. Indomitable. Capable of any challenge they dreamed. All gave some, some gave all.

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Features

STIRRING

TESTIMONY

NOTHING BUT

STRIKES MARK APPEL HAS LONG BEEN

ACCUSTOMED TO CROWDS BROUGHT ABOUT THROUGH HIS SUBLIME ATHLETIC TALENTS.

A high school pitching sensation in Northern California. A record smashing All-American at Stanford University. The Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year. The glory boy of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft. His celebrated meteoric rise was followed by a well chronicled descent and premature exit from the game by age 26. The cheers were silenced well before he anticipated. Yet Appel has maintained a life-balance buoyed by his Christian beliefs. So when he was welcomed into Cemo Auditorium to meet the St. Thomas chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Appel brought a ninth inning, bases loaded, 3-2 pitch-type intent, a delivery as clear and direct as if the World Series outcome were at stake.

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“I pray these students will evaluate their relationships with God,” Appel says. “That’s the foundation – understanding who He is and His role in our lives. My faith is the most important aspect of my life, allows me to have the proper perspective. For so many in our society, their professional careers are their identity. It’s driven through money, power, and prestige. A consistent theme in scripture is that God is calling us to an identity of His children, to understand first and foremost that we are members of His family” Appel grew up in Houston harboring the boyhood big diamond dreams as early as Post Oak Little League. His father’s career as an attorney with Chevron demanded the family relocate to Danville, California when Mark was 12 years old and he soon became a pitching whiz kid at Monte Vista High School (hence his affinity for the Oakland Athletics). Prior to the 2012 MLB Draft, Appel was projected to be taken by his once hometown Astros with the no. 1 overall selection. But general manager Jeff Luhnow and his quantitative and qualitative crew of advisors passed as speculation swirled that Appel’s contract demands could become contentious. The Astros opted for a 17-year-old slugging shortstop from Puerto Rico – Carlos Correa. Appel was later taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates at no. 8, but he rejected the financial terms and chose to return to Stanford for his senior season. In 2013, the Astros were again operating at the top of the draft board. Granted a second chance at Appel they grabbed the 6-foot-5 right-hander fresh from finishing his four seasons with the Cardinal as the program’s career strikeouts leader. He projected to be a centerpiece alongside Correa, George Springer, Jose Altuve, and Lance McCullers Jr. as stars forming the core of a potential Astros launch towards rejuvenation and championship contention. But the expectations for Appel never intersected with reality. Injuries sabotaged his minor league development even after a 2015 trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. In November 2017, he was designated for assignment. Three months later the former can’t miss kid announced an “indefinite break” from baseball. Appel stepped away from the game after five professional seasons never facing a big league batter. He was content moving forward with a Management Science & Engineering degree from Stanford and many interests beyond baseball. Through the trials and transition, Appel has remained resilient and resolute by his faith. His authentic testimony recognizes adversity as inevitable. An uncompromising response is required, a warning all the more urgent for young adults inundated in a turbulent society and facing issues relating to mental health and vulnerability. 58

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“There’s no question that what high school students face now is significantly different from my own experience,” Appel says. “They’re now overwhelmed with technology and stresses through social media that they are not prepared to handle. What hasn’t changed is what God teaches, and what He has tried to show me just within the last few months is that what we allow into our minds affects our thoughts, emotions, and actions. If we can accept that concept and make an honest assessment of where we are, we can acknowledge it’s not where we want to be, and at least know the steps needed to improve our position.” Involving Appel was the first step by Eagle Athletic Director Mike Netzel and Campus Ministry Director Dr. Alex Gotay in establishing a new direction for FCA involvement at St. Thomas. Netzel was confident Appel’s notoriety and reach from baseball would allow his witness to immediately resonate within the student ranks. “The takeaway for our students from Mark is to be comfortable with who you are and what you’re about,” Netzel says. “Focus on the person God wants you to be regardless of the mob mentality. Who are you and what do you stand for? It’s not a Bible verse tattooed or flashed in a Twitter bio. It’s about living to that standard. I’ve gotten to know Mark personally in the last few years and was extremely confident he would connect with our audience in a meaningful way.” Appel is regaining his physical stability and not eliminating the possibility of a baseball comeback. He still has a boyish face and lives in the Heights where he and his business partners have debuted Ike’s Love & Sandwiches. It’s the first Houston location and third in Texas repping Appel’s ab fab fave San Francisco based eatery staring some of the most original, complicated, messy, satisfying concoctions on the planet with a decided dash of secret Dirty Sauce. Regardless of where his next journey takes him, Appel moves forward with a command born of his conviction that the ultimate destination is of divine inspiration. “What’s beautiful about God is that he tells us He’ll finish what He starts,” Appel says. “If we have a belief in Him and are secure in that relationship, we should have no fears. It’s a process that we can enjoy even in the struggles. I haven’t always managed that as well as I would have liked, but I’m better now than I was five years ago.” WINTER 2019

EAGLES SOAR MAY GOODNESS, DISCIPLINE AND KNOWLEDGE GUIDE YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS AS YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. 1 - California Loyola Marymount University (2) University of San Diego 2 - Arizona Arizona State University (5) 3- Wyoming University of Wyoming 4 - Colorado Colordado School of Mines University of Colorado at Boulder (2) 5 - Nebraska Creighton University

Texas A&M University System (8) Texas State University Texas Tech University (17) The University of Texas (8) The University of Texas System University of the Incarnate Word University of Houston (13) University of North Texas University of St. Thomas

11 - Mississippi Millsaps College University of Mississippi (4)

7 - Minnesota Gustavus Adolphus College

14 - Ohio University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music

12 - Alabama The University of Alabama 13 - Michigan Central Michigan University University of Michigan

8 - Missouri Missouri University of Science and Technology University of Missouri (2) Washington University

6 - Texas Baylor University Blinn College (9) Houston Baptist University Rice University (2) Richland College Sam Houston State University Stephen F. Austin State University Southern Methodist University Texas A&M University (20)

15 - Florida Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (2) Jacksonville University University of Miami 16 - New York New York University

9 - Louisiana Louisiana State University Tulane University 10 - Illinois Depaul University University of Chicago

WA ME

MT OR

MN ID

MD DE

KY NC

TN AR

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TX LA FL

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Birds Of Prey

When They Were Kings

Friday Night Lights, Eagle Style

Blast From The Past

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Eagle Football rallied from a less than brilliant beginning to stage a revival to rival Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show. Starting 0-2 out of the gate and slapped with a 2-3 mark at midseason, the Eagles adjusted with a hard reverse thanks to a relentless resolve. A group that refused to panic and splinter rebounded to rake seven straight wins, nine victories in 10 games, and reach the TAPPS Division I state semifinals for the first time since 2014 and ‘15. With quarterback Maddox Kopp ‘21 stretching seams and defeating schemes, game breaking receiver Cameron Bonner ‘21 emerging as the offensive player with the highest ceiling, and a defense capable of long stretches of shutdown swagger, St. Thomas averaged more than 40 points per outburst in their blitzkrieg to a second straight undefeated district title and beyond. The Eagles surged into the November money month with urgency and immediacy, searching for something audacious and achievable, simultaneously. But after detonating two explosive playoff knocks, a season that once sizzled crashed and burned at the Ford Center in Frisco. Reality arrived in the Final Four match with Dallas Parish Episcopal like a fence post swung by Buford Pusser. Running back John Fontenot ‘21 rushed for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns after Kopp teamed with receiver Spencer Kryger ‘20 for a score in the second stanza but Eagle Football ran low on octane and defensive resistance in a 41-21 defeat. No impassioned, season changing speech or movie caliber moment of truth would save the day. Streak snapped, title hopes dashed, disappointment complete. Reminded once again that Radiohead was right - gravity always wins.

The Eagles launched the postseason in the friendly confines of Hotze Field inside Granger Stadium. Kopp feasted on a scoring buffet of seven touchdowns in his first varsity playoff start - throwing, running, and a Super Bowllike “Philly Special” reception in the pivotal first half as Eagle Football cruised to a 51-35 romp over Addison Trinity Christian Academy. St. Thomas led 14-0 after the first period, 28-10 at halftime, and was never threatened. The swashbuckling and swaggy Kopp practically catapulted to outsized folk hero status while almost single-handedly terminating TCA’s playoff fate with 419 total yards. He took a Ginsu knife to the Trojan defense, connecting on scoring strikes to Crissmon in the first quarter, Kryger in the second period, and twice with receiver Drake Martinez ‘21 in the fourth quarter. The Eagles answered TCA’s first points of the game midway second period with a Josh Crissmon ‘20 kickoff return to the Trojans’ eight-yard line. Kopp then took a direct shotgun snap, handed off to Fontenot moving left, who then flipped the ball to Kryger reversing right. Kryger didn’t try to run the ball. He didn’t even pause. He simply rolled and lofted a short pass to the front right corner of the end zone, where Kopp cradled the first touchdown reception of his career. The trickeration was reminiscent of the Philadelphia Eagles’ antics featuring quarterback Nick Foles in their pasting of the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

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It was Kryger’s fourth completion of the season. In four attempts. With all four resulting in touchdowns. Seriously. The following week in the regional playoff in Rusk, Bonner bolted in Usain fashion for electrifying 94 and 79-yard touchdown receptions and added a critical fourth quarter interception as the resilient Eagles disposed of Dallas Bishop Lynch 21-7. St. Thomas required emergency quarterback relief from starting defensive back Aidan O’Hare ‘21 whose third period interception set the stage for the first Bonner breakaway moment. On the first snap following the swipe and from the brink of his end zone, Kopp found Bonner with a high arcing throw up the right sideline. He timed the completion perfectly and raced untouched for a 14-0 advantage with just under 7:00 remaining in the period. On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Bonner leaped high for a catch in the right seam, quickly landed, and turned on the jets leaving defenders chasing with no chance for redemption. His second scintillating score raised the count to the eventual final margin. It was simply Bonner’s latest in a series of signature plays that dilate your pupils. After a 101 receiving yards in his varsity playoff debut against TCA, Bonner doubled dipped the production on only six grabs and proved to be two-way valuable midway final stanza. With Bishop Lynch on the move and threatening the red zone, Bonner made a sliding takeaway to keep the 21-7 cushion intact. The run and hit Eagle defense forced a first half Friar fold up of five straight punts and then pilfered three interceptions in the second half. It was the fourth first half shutout of the season after China Spring in Week 6, Tomball Concordia Lutheran opening district in Week 7, and San Antonio Central Catholic in Week 9.

The array of marauders flanked by linebacker Cooper Thomas ’20 (verbal Columbia University) who was part of 13 tackles and defensive manchild Chidera Umeh ’20 smothered Bishop Lynch to only 243 total yards, one single solitary first down in its first four possessions, and one measly third down conversion in eight attempts. The Friars wheezed to a lone scoring drive aided by a face mask penalty and were pronounced DOA when linebacker Vince Lee ‘21 (part of 9 tackles) collected the third St. Thomas takeaway with 2:22 remaining in the game. The turnaround tour was performance punctuated with plenty of effort and plenty of fight in a righteous raucous recovery that provided the strongest hold steady since Craig Finn and the crew covered “Atlantic City.” The Eagles concluded a campaign where it beat almost everybody for two months but still left themselves wanting more. That’s the feeling of raised expectations that the standard of success for Eagle Football has returned to excellence. In spots this season, the Eagles hit that mark. In others, they did not. Five Eagles and head coach Rich McGuire were recognized by the Touchdown Club of Houston for postseason recognition at the 8th annual Private High School Awards Dinner. McGuire was a finalist for Coach of the Year in his third season leading Eagle Football. Crissmon, Thomas, Umeh, safety Daniel Coco ‘20, and kicker Paul Langemeier ‘20 were selected for individual distinction. St. Thomas is confident moving forward that they have a quarterback and a series of weapons to pile points. They have adopted a dual offensive/defensive identity of attacking without fear and with a double dose of aggression. The exhausting non-negotiable work that many teams try to avoid must be embraced to lay the proper foundation for continued championship contention. The offseason is already underway.

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EAGLE FOOTBALL 27 KINKAID 10

Kopp tossed for 244 yards and two touchdowns, the game breaking Bonner broke lose for two deep scores, and a rejuvenated wrecking crew defense rarely bent and never broke in a convincing road win for the first victory of the season. The Eagles (1-2) held a cosmetically close 20-10 advantage early in the fourth quarter. They took possession at their 35-yard line and decided on a “Unicorn” sighting ... the play call for Kopp to connect with receiver Spencer Kryger ’20 in the left flat with a lateral. The confused Kinkaid secondary overcommitted and Bonner escaped deep for a 65-yard catch and run touchdown that effectively secured the outcome just inside the 11:00 mark. In an astounding reversal of fortune, the Eagles’ defense fired a broadside at the Kinkaid bona fides, not allowing the Falcons an offensive touchdown just one season after surrendering 70 points in the matchup. Eagle Football permitted only 172 total yards, four rushing yards, seven first downs, and not a single solitary third down conversion (0-9). It was the stiffest St. Thomas stand since shutting out Pasadena on the road in Week 6 of the 2016 campaign.

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STAFFORD 21 EAGLE FOOTBALL 28

For the second consecutive week a gutsy call that bordered on diabolical. In the final two minutes in a 21-21 tie, receivers Kryger and Bonner spilled a large dose of comeback sauce to rally the Eagles (2-2) to their second straight victory. Kryger again took a lateral from Kopp and found Bonner in stride alone in the middle of the field. He angled across to the end zone to finish a 52-yard score with 1:30 remaining - a just reward for a revved up Red & White crowd and all the fingers likely calloused from the praying they no doubt had been doing in the waning seconds. The Eagles had practiced the trickeration one single time and not at all in the week of preparation, yet again executed to perfection in a pulse pounding Friday night thriller after trailing 21-7 at halftime.

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TOMBALL CONCORDIA LUTHERAN 7 EAGLE FOOTBALL 31

Kopp delivered twice with Bonner for touchdowns and added another payoff to Marinez two seconds before halftime as Eagle Football (4-3, 1-0) dominated a name-your-score destruction in the district debut. Bonner blazed for quick six grabs of 37 and 79 yards on a night he proved untouchable and the best player on the field with 237 receiving yards. The Eagles flashed the defensive equivalent of Joaquin Phoenix’s menacing Joker, posting its second consecutive first half shutout and setting the tone for the fourth win in five games. Bonner bedeviled so deftly that the opposing secondary was left stumbling like hapless Stormtroopers. In addition to the first half touchdown show and follow up reception that led to the three touchdown margin at halftime, his 17-yard catch was the big gainer in the opening third quarter series that ended with a 42-yard field goal from Paul Langemeir for 24-7. The Eagles’ final clock killing series included Bonner’s 36-yard reception to close out his most productive and pronounced effort of the season.

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EAGLE FOOTBALL 41 SAN ANTONIO ANTONIAN COLLEGE PREP 27

The Red & White roadshow featured more MCs than Wu-Tang Clan as the Eagles flipped two turnovers into a pair of first quarter touchdowns. A 40-yard interception return to the end zone from All-State safety Daniel Coco â&#x20AC;&#x2122;20 rushed the advantage to 17-0 as Antonian was losing equity faster than Lehman Brothers in 2008. The lopsided verdict gave the Eagles (5-3) a fifth win in six games and a 2-0 sprint into the district race. The gnarly and oppressive Eagle defense came within a minute of posting its third straight first half shutout, forcing five punts around Cocoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s takeaway return before surrendering the only Antonian first half points on a short field following a blocked kick.

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SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL CATHOLIC 19 EAGLE FOOTBALL 21

Fontenot left defenders flailing on the ground like gored matadors on his way to 215 bruising yards and two short range touchdowns while a snarly, salty St. Thomas defense responded with two critical fourth quarter stops in a tight verdict to keep the surging Eagles (6-3, 3-0) undefeated in the district race with their fourth consecutive victory. The Eagles saw their commanding 21-0 edge shrink to eight with Central Catholic threatening again midway in the final stanza. Linebacker Vince Lee â&#x20AC;&#x2122;21 forced a fourth down incompletion from the St. Thomas 25-yard line to turn the ball over on downs. On the next defensive series with less than 3:00 remaining, the margin was narrowed to 21-19 but the Eagles stoned the two-point conversion after a Central Catholic procedure penalty. Fontenot flashed the best entrance since strutting James Hardin paired a Helmut Lang ensemble with a Lil Baby (featuring Meek Mill) singalong. 70

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The first Eagle scoring session mandated seven physical touches worth 75 yards including an 18-yard gain on a pass in the flat and a 32-yard romp to the brink of the end zone. His touchdown on the first snap of the second quarter gave the Eagles a lead they would never relinquish. Eagle Football set an ominous tone for the regular season home finale with a ruthless precision that seemed like the stuff of sci-fi cyborgs. A dominant line and dynamic running game early, a doomsday defense late, a season best four-game win streak in the bank. After a wobbly 0-2 entry to the campaign, the Eagles discovered adversity is a companion of the champion and an enemy of the weak. They proceeded as honest and determined as Aldo Raine, rugged and ornery, and they play each possession as if their postgame pizza depended on it.

EAGLE FOOTBALL 47 ST. PIUS X 21

Kopp blistered SPX for a career best five touchdown passes as the Eagles shook free from a shaky start to face plant the Panthers with a Surge Knight beatdown so devastating it required an autopsy. The runaway wipeout cemented a second consecutive undefeated district title and the sixth crown for Eagle Football in eight years. The Eagles (7-3, 4-0) surrendered back to back touchdown drives to trail 14-7 early in the second quarter. A gang tackle assault in the SPX end zone resulted in a safety and ignited an avalanche of 40 consecutive St. Thomas points. Kopp soon reduced the SPX defense to an orange cone obstacle course. He connected on three touchdown strikes in the final 2:27 of the first half to detonate the latest rendition in a generational series decided without Game of the Century of the Millennium of the Epoch of the Era anticipation and drama. Koppâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seek and destroy missiles included a 48-yard deep post route to explosive Bonner, a 17-yard strike to Martinez in the left corner of the end zone, and a quick screen to running back Fontenot who crashed the goal line from 11 yards five seconds before halftime for an overwhelming 30-14 advantage.

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Night Lights

le Style! WINTER 2019

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WHEN THEY WERE KINGS

The 1969 state champion Eagles were welcomed with a rousing October return on the 50th anniversary of their collective triumph. The halftime salute commemorated the 16-6 victory over San Antonio St. Gerard in the final game played on the original St. Thomas home field. The Eagles defended their state title for a convincing fifth crown in six years.

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The era of dominance under legendary athletic director Fr. Robert Matzinger, CSB, head coach Joe McDonald, and assistant coach Burr Davis would continue with three consecutive championships in 1971-73. The Eagles buzzsawed their 1969 regular season opponents by a combined score of 251-121, including a 17-13 knockout of Mount Carmel and 43-21 dismantling of Strake Jesuit. Mark Yokubaitis ’70 and Marc Jankowski ’70 earned Catholic All-American and All-Greater Houston distinction while joining scholar-athletes Paul Burns ’70, Ray Reynosa ’70, and David Krischke among the Texas Catholic Interscholastic League All-State performers. Yokubaitis, Jankowski, McDonald, Tom Cones ’71, and Ted Nowak ’70 would later be immortalized with induction into the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST The two once teamed for wins and records and state championship caliber contention. They remain united because their ties bind well after and beyond the ball. In the early weeks of the 2020 academic year, Eagle Basketball boss Gary Hall welcomed a return from Scottie Reynolds, a revisit to their glory days in Herndon, Virginia nearly two decades ago. Fast breaking times and bonds that remain unbreakable. “Friendship and loyalty” are the split second descriptions Hall reserves for his once sublime high school talent. Reynolds replies that the two “don’t have to stay in contact every day or every week to remain connected. There’s tremendous respect between the two of us that picks right up where we last left off.” Hall follows that his coaching credo is “more than just the scoreboard. I’ve always believed that if we can leave this world knowing we’ve made an impact on someone, made a difference in someone’s life, that’s what matters the most. And I’m blessed to have that relationship with Scottie.” Memory preserves what otherwise is gone. And when Hall and Reynolds retreat to their collaborative times, the backward tracings are as sweet as deep wing jump shots spinning and splitting absolutely positively nothing but the bottom of the net. “Coach Hall created a great culture for success - in basketball, in school, in life,” Reynolds says. “It’s all about relationships. Right now I work out every day with Ricky Lucas at 6:00 a.m. He was a senior when I was a freshman (and then continued at George Washington University and Stony Brook). We hadn’t talked in years but that Herndon connection is still there. Same with coach Hall. That’s why relationships last, not because you once chased state titles but because there’s genuine appreciation for an individual.” Hall is in his second year reestablishing Eagle Basketball after reaching the TAPPS 6A regional final in his debut season. He acknowledges that “at Herndon, we had that ‘tradition doesn’t graduate’ mentality. Each of our senior groups passed along what it meant to be part of that program, the responsibility of being part of that program. That’s what we’re building here at St. Thomas.” Herndon was and remains a tight-knit community, where the winters are long and daylight hours short, and basketball games double as defining events. They are the communal gatherings, celebrations, and indelible beacons of the region’s identity. In two stints at Herndon High School, Hall posted an overall 392-189 record with eight conference championships, one regional title, and three state tournament appearances. In the mid-2000s, Reynolds was the ultimate avatar of Herndon basketball, a sinister slasher at the point who sprinkled his influence all over the box score, a strong relentless scorer with a deep-rooted competitive streak and passion for playing the right way.

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COACH HALL CREATED A GREAT CULTURE FOR SUCCESS IN BASKETBALL, IN SCHOOL, IN LIFE

In 2006, Hall navigated Herndon to the Virginia AAA championship final while Reynolds was earning his third straight Virginia Player of the Year award. By season’s end, he was among the McDonald’s All-American parade alongside Kevin Durant, Ty Lawson, Greg Odon, and Mike Conley. Reynolds later earned signature All-American distinction at Villanova. History called in the 2009 East Regional final of the NCAA tournament against Pittsburgh and he aggressively answered with a three-quarter court dribble drive in the closing maniacal moments. Reynolds pierced the paint and his floater flopped through the cords with a half second to spare to push a dormant Wildcat program to its first Final Four since the 1985 national championship. In the midst of the mayhem, Reynolds and his unscripted magic was forever planted among the mad dash March Madness poster boys. Fast forward to 2019 and Reynolds is in Greece as his professional hoopathon career extends into a second decade. His parting words of wisdom for Eagle Basketball were directed with Shark Tank clarity. “Be in the moment, cherish the moment. You’re never going to get these four years back so don’t leave with regrets that you didn’t try hard enough, that you didn’t care enough. Push yourself to do what you hope to do. Concentrate on the present and the future will take care of itself.” Hall relishes such sentiment, no doubt recalling that he imparted much the same advice on the high school Scottie Reynolds in Virginia. “Scottie never received special treatment because he was a star,” Hall says. “He had strong ties with people everywhere on campus because he took the time to know people by their first names. Life isn’t defined by how much money you make or reaching the NBA. It’s about making the most of your talents, overcoming adversity and obstacles, caring about others along the way. Very few people maximize their potential. Scottie has done that, on and off the court. That’s what makes me proud - who he is as a person much more than who he is as a player. And he’s a hell of a player.”

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Nicholas Chandler ’20 raced to a top-10 finish while Blazek Skucius ’20 and Daniel Gerlach ’21 contributed sizzling times to pace Eagle Cross Country to a second consecutive second place result at the TAPPS 6A State Championships at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco. The Eagles totaled 90 points to narrowly separate from The Village School for the runner-up position and push two-time state champion San Antonio Antonian College Prep. Chandler clocked the 5,000 meter layout in 17:10.3 to capture sixth place after a top-20 state finish in 2018. Skucius (17:32.9) and Gerlach (17:35.3) followed in close pursuit for 15th and 16th overall. Isaiah Garza ’20 (18:04.8) and Emilio Castaneda ’21 (18:17.9) added solid performances. The latest state results concluded a commanding season in the 15th campaign for Nathan Labus who has been associated with the program for a near quarter century.

Eagle Football will compete in an expanded district in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years while three other St. Thomas programs will be largely unaffected by the TAPPS biennial realignment and reclassification. St. Thomas is positioned in Division I District 2 football along with generational rival St. Pius X, Katy St. John XXIII, Tomball Concordia Lutheran, and three San Antonio schools - Antonian College Prep, Central Catholic, and St. Anthony Catholic. Eagle Baseball remains in District 4 with St Pius X, St. John XXIII, TCL, and Beaumont Monsignor Kelly Catholic. Eagle Basketball and Eagle Soccer will compete against the same lineup plus with The Village School. 80

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HOMECOMING2019 The St. Thomas campus community was thrilled to honor 2019 Homecoming queen Alanis Meza from Incarnate Word Academy and her distinguished court ... Janean Silva from St. Agnes Academy, Kellie Langeland from Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, and Sophia Cantoni, Grace Fisher and Darby Brown from IWA. Great appreciation to all who participated in making our annual Homecoming event a rousing success.

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in memoriam

John “Johnny” I. Finch ’45, father of Kevin ’74 and Allen ’79, brother of Melvin ’49, uncle to Larry ’88 and Michael Chmiel ’73, great uncle to Michael Stephens ’99, November 10, 2019 Finch was inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Honor in 2014 and Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He attended St. Thomas on a scholarship provided by the Basilian Fathers and accepted a baseball scholarship to Rice University where he graduated in 1950. He immediately joined the Humble Oil Company in a management training program and rose to vice president, director, and CEO of Exxon Pipeline Company, and CFO of Exxon Coal.

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After retiring in 1986, Finch established Corporate Staffing, giving 10 percent of the company’s net profits to the disadvantaged. Finch was a vibrant contributor to St. Thomas development campaigns and minority scholarship programs. The acclaimed scholar athlete earned All-American distinction for famed baseball head coach Fr. James Wilson, CSB and was named to the 1945 East-West All-American game staged at the famed Polo Grounds in New York City where he was coached by Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.

Joyce Ann Broussard sister of Jerry Walker ’52, Jack Walker ’55, Robert Walker ’55, and cousin of George Delhomme Jr. ’34, March 12, 2019 Dr. Donald M. Carlton ’54, August 8, 2019 Scott E. Cire ’74 son of the Honorable George E. Cire ’40, brother of George “Buck” ’75 and Stephen ’80, uncle to Mathew ’06, George ’08, and Lucas Dowdy ’13, November 5, 2019 Greg A. Danna ’74 brother of Louis ’67 and Michael Joe ’71, cousin to Bernard ’69, CJ ’72, Mark ’76, and Gary D. ’79, November 14, 2019

Armando Mercado father of Bryan Mercado ’02, January 13, 2019 Bruce M. Meredith ’62, July 7, 2019 Dr. Jan N. Olgetree ’55, June 4, 2019 Markus Ortiz ’95 brother of Octavio “Tav” ’85 and brother-in-law to Jeffery C. Burt ’88, November 18, 2019 Richard H. Patronella ’70, September 12, 2019 Brain P. Smith ’66 brother of Kevin ’65 and Timothy ’71, October 19, 2019

Gilbert P. DeLisle ’49 brother of James ’43 and John ’44, July 11, 2019

Michael T. Storey ’58, September 23, 2019

John C. Harris III ’68, August 21, 2018

Franklin “Pat” Patrick Tamborello ’63 brother of Charles ’51, August 13, 2019

Eric M. Hilton Jr. ’74, July 18, 2019 Timothy P. Hollywood ’57, August 18, 2019 Richard N. Jordan ’57, August 26, 2017 Raymond J. Keller ’70, November 21, 2014 Lena Hardee Kosha mother of Sam Nat Hardee ’62, September 18, 2019

John P. Olbrich ’65 brother of Doug ’57, August 22, 2019 Mary June O’Rourke mother of Timothy O’Rourke ’76, Thomas O’Rourke ’78, and Terence O’Rourke ’80, October 1, 2019

Wesley R. Lane ’62, September 25, 2019

William F. Pohl III father-in-law of Patrick Brogan ’87, uncle of Jack Brogan ’18 and Carrick Brogan ’22, December 14, 2018

Vincent J. Lima ’59, September 12, 2019

Thomas M. Purcell ’66, October 18, 2019

Edward A. Lamb Jr. ’45, June 5, 2019

Thomas J. Linbeck ’58, March 4, 2019 Marion P. Maggio ’54, November 18, 2019 Steve J. Mauro ’49, May 10, 2019 William O. McCurdy III ’56, April 27, 2019 Joseph A. Meleton ’45, September 5, 2019

William F. Steen ’58, May 29, 2016 Harlan F. Warden Jr. ’52 son of Harlan ’23 and brother of James ’58, June 4, 2019 George N. Zuckero ’56, August 25, 2019

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St. Thomas Eagles' Nest Winter 2019

Articles inside

An Evening in Paris Salutes A Legacy of Basilian Leadership

Grand Designs Inspired by Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge

Why We Chose St. Thomas

A High Spirited Spectacle Presented by St. Thomas | ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Andrew Locke '03 | Exemplary Sacrifice and Service

Stirring Testimony Nothing But Strikes