ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
F all 2017
’17
Eagles’ Nest
Fall EVENTS
SEPT 8. . .............. Eagle Football vs. Strake Jesuit
at NRG Stadium - 8:00 pm
SEPT 14.. ............................. Founder’s Day Mass OCT 6-7.................................. Homecoming with
Eagle Football vs. Pasadena
OCT 20-22. . ................... Fall Drama Production
Eagles’ Nest
DEPARTMENTS
14 EAGLE FLIGHT
Senior Stories highlight the 2017 Commencement while Judy Granberry earns inaugural Teacher of the Year disintction.
46 EAGLE SPIRIT
Astros All-Star Jose Altuve provides lifetime memories to St. Anne’s students.
OCT 25............................ Prospective Student Athlete Night - 6:30 pm
OCT 27................... Alumni Weekend with Good
Ol’ Boys Luncheon and Alumni Rooftop Tailgate
NOV 1. . ................................... Father/Son Mass NOV 4. . .................... Annual Auction & Golf Ball,
honoring Jackie Burke ’40 - 6:00 pm
NOV 20-24....................... Thanksgiving Holidays DEC 8..................................... Mother/Son Mass DEC 16..... Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament DEC 21-JAN 3. . .................... Christmas Holidays www.sths.org/webcalendar Eagles’ Nest Printed August 2017 The Eagles’ Nest is published three times annually by St. Thomas High School 4500 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77007-7332 | 713-864-6348
Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB - President Aaron Dominguez ’96 - President Eve Grubb - Vice President of Finance Mark deTranaltes ’83 - Vice President for Advancement Rodney Takacs - Dean of Students Keith Calkins - Director of Communications Darla Arter - Layout and Design Assistance Provided By: Chris Hodge, Molly Hittinger, Joanie Shelley Some photos provided by STH Publications Staff Circulation 9,500 c2017
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56 EAGLE FIGHT
State champion Eagle Baseball enjoys regal recognition at Minute Maid Park.
78 EAGLE PRIDE
26th Annual St. Thomas Golf Tournment again bridges a brotherhood unlike any other.
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Eagles’ Nest
FEATURES
9
One Ending, Many Beginnings “... you must consider and realize that success is about achieving a life of happiness, fulfillment and purpose.”
10
Charismatic Timothy Cardinal Dolan Ignites Commencement Weekend
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48
“... trying to shape young men who are going to become future leaders in our community” through the power of goodness, discipline and knowledge.
“Our guys truly cared for one another ... wanted to win for their teammates. There was a common goal ... a collective mission ... and they refused to be denied.”
Rare Cultural Exchange Sends Eagles to Cuba
Sports Hall of Fame Induction Turns Family Affair for Apolskis ‘85
Camp GDK Introduces St. Thomas Way of Life
35
“... not all that different as people ... the same dreams ... the same desires “He is such a dynamic person … tells ... the same needs.” great stories … possesses a genuine curiosity about people and their lives. And he always brings it back to Jesus Christ.”
Red & White, Rise & Roar!
66
“It’s coming home. I grew up at St. Thomas starting at age four ... I’m truly honored to be back. Totally unexpected. A humbling experience.” Eagles’ Nest Summer 2010 - 3 Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 3
LEADING OFF - FROM THE PRESIDENT President Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB holds a unique perspective as he enters his sixth academic year as the second president in St. Thomas history, succeeding Fr. Ronald Schwenzer, CSB in 2012. Fr. Storey has served on St. Thomas faculty, is a member of the General Council with the Congregation of St. Basil and was among an unrelenting force of visionary leaders who boldly stepped out to give rise to an extraordinary period in St. Thomas annals, the Joplin Campus expansion fueled by 4500Forever and the continuing 4500Forever Finish Strong capital campaigns. Fr. Storey is able to savor our remarkable present while embracing an undoubtedly dynamic future with a total understanding and appreciation that the collective achievements provide an emphatic affirmation of what we can accomplish together.
A
few years ago I was on a plane and the person beside me turned to me after takeoff and asked “Are you saved?” I politely responded that I was a Catholic priest, hoping that my revelation would shorten the conversation. Instead it led to a lively discussion that lasted almost the entire two-hour flight. It’s remarkable how infrequently we have conversations about our relationship with Jesus and my sense is that it’s usually because we either feel our faith is private or too awkward to convey. Our faith is personal not private. Jesus’ mandate to proclaim the Good News and to baptize all nations ensures that our faith is not private (Mt. 28:19). Outside of a few evangelical preachers, most of us struggle to adequately share our faith. We empathize with Moses who begged God not to force him to speak (Ex. 4:10). Yet sharing our stories of struggle, doubt, belief and trust in God are part of the new evangelization within the Church and we will be promoting greater opportunities this coming year so that our faculty, staff and students will come to a greater understanding of Jesus being our primary teacher and the Gospels the core textbook of STH. God bless, Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB
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LEADING OFF - FROM THE PRINCIPAL Months before St. Thomas welcomed students, faculty, staff and new families to launch the current academic year, the institution chartered a course unlike any other in its proud and robust history. In February 2017, Aaron Dominguez ’96 was named the first layman to serve as chief academic officer since the school’s inception in 1900, when forty-four young scholars gathered in downtown Houston to form St. Thomas College, led by the institution’s founder and first principal, Fr. Nicholas Roche, CSB. Through times both challenging and triumphant, St. Thomas has always kept within sight what is most important, building a strong Catholic academic community that is rooted in our Basilian values and inspires the complete student to reach his full potential. Dominguez is uniquely qualified to serve as our 27th principal and to guide St. Thomas into a vibrant future.
A
s you read this newsletter, we are several weeks in to fulfilling our mission of goodness, discipline, and knowledge at St. Thomas. The 2017-18 school year is a monumental year for the entire St. Thomas community not just because we have begun major renovations to our campus, are preparing to transition into the Joplin campus, or for the first time are offering bus service to parts of our STH community. This school year marks a new era in the history of St. Thomas High School because of the audacious goals we will set and achieve moving forward to best serve our students and families. The tradition of excellence that exists at STH is a great source of pride for our community and speaks to the exceptional teaching and learning already in place. However, we are looking to expand on that tradition of excellence and become one of the premier urban Catholic schools in the nation. We are already in the midst of my look, listen, and learn tour and will soon begin analyzing the data for inclusion in goal setting and action planning. Additionally, we have already begun work on expanded AP offerings, a revamped and service oriented counseling department, new learning and athletic facilities, and local partnerships to modernize and differentiate key academic areas. Thank you for your engagement as a member of the STH community. Please don’t hesitate to come by campus and be a part of STH as we stake our claim as one of the top ten, urban Catholic schools in the country. Yours in Christ, Aaron Dominguez ’96 Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 5
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE
COMMENCEMENT
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T
he 117th St. Thomas Commencement Ceremony provided one sense of finality while flashing vast potential to drive optimism for the future.
One hundred and seventy-two graduates who were awarded $8.5 million in merit-based scholarships to colleges and universities assembled in a stream of Red and White, embodying the value of a formative college preparatory education rooted in the Basilian ideal of teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge, poised to pursue human aims and define true worth in the eyes of God. Eagle students, their families and supporters along with St. Thomas faculty and staff saluted achievements from soon to be innovators, motivators, leaders and caretakers. In between the joyous moments and the reverence of tradition were invitations to take stock with satisfaction for the passion and perseverance in creating the journey’s just completed, and next charge confidently for the ones about to embark in a shifting world. Under largely overcast skies in the football stadium bearing his family name, Weldon Granger addressed the Class of 2017 emphasizing “one word that is often used in describing what you are looking for out of your life and where your next journey should lead you. That word is success. What is success? Is it financial gain? Is it the accumulation of material things? I am here to tell you that in going forward you must consider and realize that success is about achieving a life of happiness, fulfillment and purpose.”
He would graduate from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, then attended Mississippi State and the University of California Medical School in La Jolla “where he did his postdoctoral work. That young man later became the head of the Department of Physiology and Cardiology at Texas A&M Medical School.” Two younger brothers were inspired to become “the head of the Department of Physiology and Cardiology at LSU and the other to Mississippi State where he serves as assistant head of the Department of Physiology and Dean of the Medical Sciences Program.” Siblings followed in the wake to mold distinguished careers in law, education, real estate, including “one of the first women accountants to ever hold a managerial position with Texaco Oil. The last three brothers established their own oil and gas services companies.”
“What is success? Is it
financial gain? Is it the
accumulation of material things? I am here to tell you that in going forward you must consider and realize that success is
Granger was, of course, recounting the against-all-odds odyssey of his own family and “successful” parents who raised “a family of children who became productive, responsible citizens and who contributed to their communities. This is an example of struggle, discipline and hard work. It is an example of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
Granger then urged the Class of 2017 to emulate the virtues of his late wife Fran who “taught me true generosity because her actions were never for credit or attention, but from the heart and sometimes through tough love. I ask that you continue to give, through service to your community, and good – Weldon Granger deeds to those in need throughout your life, so that when you get to a ripe old Granger is the long-time owner age like me, you might look back and and managing partner of JonesGranger Law Firm headquartered know that you not only took from this bountiful world but made in Houston, a dedicated and vibrant advocate for St. Thomas every effort to give of your time and support to those in need. for decades and long-time champion of Catholic education in And, remember to enjoy as much of life as possible, with a good Houston. attitude and a smile towards all.”
about achieving a life of happiness, fulfillment and purpose.”
His diligent philanthropy is supported by an extraordinary ability to connect with others and a commitment to helping make the world a better place. Granger shared the story of a Louisiana sharecropper who “never received one day of schooling, never learned to read or write,” and raised 11 children with his wife who had but an “8th grade education.” The oldest of the 11 was faced with choosing from “work in the salt mines or go on to college as the first of 60 cousins.”
Salutatorian Michael Hill ’17 will be attending Cornell University to study biomedical engineering. “We have been challenged, but we persevered,” he said. “Through the values and lessons that we’ve learned, we have been set up with a solid foundation by St. Thomas to allow us to achieve great things in our lives if we continue to work hard.” Valedictorian and National Merit Finalist John Miggins ‘17 was awarded a prestigious by the Greatergang Houston The scholarship record-smashing Round-Up Chapter Alumni Association of Phi Beta Kappa during the
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 7
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE CONTINUED spring semester and will continue at the University of University of Southern California to study biochemistry and film. Miggins encouraged his classmates to “maintain your status as a Man of St. Thomas by focusing these college years and beyond on what you see for yourself in your own future, not what others claim to see. If you live according to your audience, you will be coaxed into compromising yourself in exchange for friends, fame or fortune, but let me give you just a little help .... materialism, notoriety and approval are not the key to true wealth.” The joyful weekend of pomp and tradition received a jolt when His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, agreed in February to serve as the principal celebrant of the Baccalaureate Mass. Cardinal Dolan was moved by the invitation from tireless St. Thomas supporters Melissa and Mark Dolan, Mark ’17 and nephew John ’18, deep distant relatives of the Cardinal but unknown until the initial request to his office four years ago. His moving homily peppered with large doses of his charming style and penchant for humor provided what President Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB described as “a lifetime of memories” for those in the Reckling Gymnasium audience. But Cardinal Dolan was quick to assert what he gained from his first-ever connection with St. Thomas. “Whenever you have parents and families that sacrifice for quality faith-based education ... that to me is an inspiration. As one who constantly struggles to keep our schools open I need to see this ... the results of this ... because every once in awhile I’m tempted to wonder if all the blood, sweat and tears are worth it. And then I come to St. Thomas and see the families, the faculty, the alumni, and most importantly I see the students ... I say you bet it’s worth it ... you bet it is.” The Class of 2017 left a lasting legacy of academic acclaim, including Miggins, Scott Pickering ’17 and Adam Lawrence ’17, each earning Finalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Program’s 62nd competition, joining 24 previous St. Thomas scholars since 2010 who reached at least the semifinal phase of the National Merit Program with 11 National Finalists in the last four years.
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172 ST. THOMAS
CLASS OF
2017 GRADUATES
AWARDED
8.5
$
MILLION IN MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
Eight other stellar graduates joined Hill as National Merit Commended Students who, along with Miggins, were also two of 50 senior members of the National Honor Society, which also included Lawrence, one of four National Hispanic Scholars. Collectively the Class of 2017 provided the leadership to fuel yet another phenomenal Round-Up, which for the 14th consecutive year generated a record-smashing total in raffle ticket sales to benefit St. Thomas tuition assistance, generating more than $581,000, crushing the previous benchmark by more than $80,000. The Class of 2017 also demonstrated exceptional active volunteerism in their communities, led by Carlos Perez-Abreu who totaled more than 200 hours with the Dublin Oak Academy Camp; Nathaniel Newhouse with 195 hours devoted to the Leukemia Society, Pines Camp and his Eagle Scout Project; Riley Lam and David Lane, each with 180 hours as counselors with Camp Balcones Springs; and David Guajardo who accumulated more than 140 service hours supporting MD Anderson, the Math ACES program and serving as an Eagle Ambassador. Multiple Eagle graduates will next attend Texas A&M University (24), the University of Houston (16), the University of Texas-Austin (15), Texas Tech University (13), the University of Arkansas (11), Baylor University (6), Louisiana State University (5), St. Edward’s University (5), Texas A&M University-Galveston (5) and the University of Texas-San Antonio (4). Eagle scholars will also be attending Rice University, Washington and Lee University, the University of Southern California, Cornell University, Georgetown University, Fordham University, the University of North Carolina, the University of Missouri, Clemson University, Southern Methodist University, Southwestern University, DePaul University, George Washington University, Tulane University, Loyola University Chicago and the Savannah School of Art and Design, among many other prestigious institutions. In addition, eight student-athletes are embracing opportunities to extend their careers at the college level, increasing the St. Thomas number to 108 across nine sports since 2012.
Looking back it is easy to see how the Annual Fund supports our students. To see the difference you can make in our future, be a part of The Annual fund. Every Gift Mattters! Make a differce, visit:
Give.STHS.org
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 9
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE
TIMOTHY CARDINAL
DOLAN Ignites Commencement Weekend
T
he message igniting the 117th St. Thomas commencement celebration aroused familiar time-honored values instilled by the founding Basilian Fathers more than a century ago.
Divine connection ... character-defining moments ... morals never to be swayed by convenience or expediency. But the first-time messenger brought a breakthrough penetrating presence rarely seen on this campus, both commanding and captivating while welcoming and reassuring. His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, served not only as the principal celebrant of the Baccalaureate Mass, but a swirling force-of-nature spirit of passion, zeal, humanity and good humor, his one-night encounter four years in the making. The invitation to Cardinal Dolan designed to commemorate Daniel ’17 was first initiated by loyal St. Thomas supporters Melissa and Mark Dolan, whose great grandfather was the brother of the Cardinal’s great grandfather. The original intent was to arrange a visit for the 2013 Mother / Son Mass, with the Dolans informed that the Cardinal’s agenda is typically filled two-three years in advance. Undaunted, the Dolans proceeded with persistence, and a series of letters and repeated requests were eventually rewarded when the Cardinal confirmed in February his participation. “I’ll go anywhere to support Catholic education ... have always held great respect for the Basilian Fathers ... and I was so moved that my distant cousin (Daniel) would reach out and express his desire to have me here ... how could I say no,” Cardinal Dolan said. While growing up Daniel had been vividly aware of the Cardinal’s ever-rising influence and profile, and was never entirely confident the logistics would be solved before the St. Thomas experience concluded. “All along I thought it was unlikely but worth the chance,” said Daniel, who will study psychology at the University of Texas. “He doesn’t really know us. Yet it shows how we are all joined through our faith no matter who we are, where we live or the place we occupy in life. Twenty minutes after he met me it was as if he had known me my entire life. Pretty special.” And even with heightened anticipation mounting over the years the eventual payoff for Melissa was “much more than I ever expected. He’s so humble ... was so interested in our family ... had so many questions about us when he easily could have been the center of attention. He was honestly excited to share in our weekend. God has blessed our family beyond measure.” Continued on p. 12
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FEATURE CONTINUED Friday afternoon Mark was escorted by a HPD motorcade to the Bush Intercontinental gate for a personal pickup. “Cardinal Dolan walks off the plane and gives me a monster hug as if we were long lost friends. And we had never met,” Mark said. “It was thrilling. He is such a dynamic person ... tells great stories ... possesses a genuine curiosity about people and their lives. And he always brings it back to Jesus Christ, just as he did with his homily. The energy in Reckling Gymnasium was amazing.” Self-deprecating and unself-conscious, Cardinal Dolan opened to the audience by declaring that “at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, we would call this a two-collection crowd.” He then detailed four points of emphasis in saluting the Class of 2017, beginning with congratulations for serving “as a powerful tribute to the Catholic identity in this great high school that on the eve of your graduation, you gather for the greatest prayer of all, the Holy Eucharist.” Cardinal Dolan commended parents “for the sense of sacrifice that characterized your decision to send your sons to an excellent Catholic high school ... that tells them about your priorities ... that education is not simply about reading, writing and arithmetic but also about religion ... and learning the importance of goodness, discipline and knowledge.”
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Cardinal Dolan then expressed gratitude to “our Basilian Fathers who have such a deep charism for academic rigor and teaching. Thanks be to God that they remain committed to secondary Catholic education.”
dose of his gregarious and infectious personality which has made him a major figure in the life of New York City and beyond, visible in the national conversation of contemporary social topics, inside and out of Catholic circles.
Finally, Cardinal Dolan weaved the Dolan family legacy into a powerful personal message that each member of the audience might absorb.
He posed for photographs, embraced conversation, held babies as well as the collective attention of all those in his immediate vicinity.
“The true way that I’m related to Daniel, Mark and Melissa is much more important than we have Irish background. What unites us in the core of our being is that we are children of God. What unites us far more than the natural blood in our veins from Cavan County is that we also have the precious blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. All of us here have been redeemed by our Lord. We are all deeply related because of our Catholic faith.
The extended Dolans were well represented, 26 family members traveling from Boston, St. Louis, Denver and California, including Mark’s brother John Dolan, who had previously worked with the Cardinal supporting various Catholic charities in New York, and attended the Cardinal’s elevation in Rome in 2012.
“This school is great because it’s sacred responsibility is not to get these young men to college ... to get them great jobs ... but to get them to heaven where we’ll all be united as one family. “And as Pope St. John Paul II used to say, ‘What’s more important than where we’re from is where we’re going.’” At the conclusion of Mass Cardinal Dolan turned Pied Piper leading assembled guests to Cemo Auditorium where he provided St. Thomas patrons a large
Melissa and John’s nephew John ’18 capped a joyous and unforgettable evening by presenting the Cardinal with his own keepsake, a hand-crafted wooden Celtic cross featuring the customary ring around the intersection of the stem and arms. “Dolans are accustomed to having big family get-togethers, but with the Cardinal here, this takes it to an entirely different level,” John said. “We hear about him quite a bit. I never imagined having the opportunity to spend this kind of time with him. It’s not often when someone exceeds your expectations. But that’s Cardinal Dolan.”
Eagle
FLIGHT Senior Stories.................................................... p14 2017 Legacy Graduates.................................... p20 Judy Granberry Teacher of the Year............... p25 Basilian Fathers Academic Awards................ p26
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 13
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT
SENIOR STORIES
MIGGINS ’17 Maintains Deep Long Family Legacy
J
ohn Miggins ’17 was very much aware while growing up of his family’s deep interwoven connection with St. Thomas that dates nearly a half century.
“I really believe St. Thomas taught us all how to be deliberate in our actions and become the best versions of ourselves.” – John Miggins ’17
And now the latest from the clan to claim the Eagle experience also emerged as one of the most acclaimed students in recent school history, and honored as the valedictorian for the Class of 2017. But never was the assumption that Miggins would simply veer in the same academic direction as previous generations, nor did he feel the burden of extensive pressure to preserve the family tradition. “My decision to attend St. Thomas was strictly independent,” Miggins says. “The one thing that struck me when I shadowed and toured (while in middle school) was the comfort zone I immediately felt. I just sensed St. Thomas would offer the freedom for me to be myself, pursue my interests and develop on a path that played to my potential. It was a fit that applied directly to me.” Miggins was one of three Eagle scholars from 2017 to earn Finalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Program’s 62nd competition. He was also a two-year member of the National Honor Society and was awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Greater Houston Chapter Alumni Association of Phi Beta Kappa. In firmly grasping the brass ring of college preparatory achievement, Miggins enriched the family’s already proud St. Thomas legacy which extends well beyond his father Matthew ’83 ... to uncles Rory ’74, John ’77, Larry ’78, Neil ’88, Robert ’90, Patrick ’92, Michael ’95 and cousin Thomas ’03. And in turn Miggins developed a second family of sorts ... living, studying and competing alongside
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classmates for four years who became more than friends ... many representing backgrounds and personalities very different from his own ... yet united by the shared pursuit of realizing dreams and the transformation that happens when giving in service to others. “I really believe St. Thomas taught us all (in the Class of 2017) how to be deliberate in our actions and become the best versions of ourselves,” Miggins says. “The faculty ... particularly in the AP disciplines ... Science and English ... really pushed me to reach my potential. There was a focus on meeting the student needs through technology and teacher involvement.” Miggins will continue in the fall at the University of University of Southern California to study biochemistry and film ... a hybrid in the best sense of the word ... an elite scholar advancing to combine the technical skills of a scientist trained in the Keck School of Medicine while exploring the changing spectrum of media arts and technology. “Medicine is what I believe I want for a career but I have a passion for filmmaking,” Miggins says. While developing his supreme academic profile Miggins was also a valuable four-year contributor to Eagle Swimming which placed fourth at the 2017 TAPPS Division I state championships. He fueled the most thrilling Eagle performance of the meet, breaking the STH mark to earn a secondplace result in the 200 medley relay, then added two fifth-place individual finishes, in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. Miggins arrived on campus certainly sturdy in St. Thomas cloth, and leaves as the latest thread weaving a family and academic legacy that never seems to stop growing.
SENIOR STORIES
YEBOAH ’17 Eagle Renaissance Man
F
or four years Sam Yeboah ’17 embraced the role of St. Thomas Renaissance man, earning individual and collaborative acclaim inside a culture that fostered opportunities for learning, growth and personal development. Yet the century-old tradition of Basilian education was something Yeboah wanted no part of in the weeks and months funneling into his freshman academic year. “I wanted to go to public school because that’s where all my friends were,” Yeboah says with a laugh. “But now I wouldn’t trade these times for anything ... would encourage anyone to make this their destination. I really can’t describe what St. Thomas has meant to me.” And then in signature Yeboah style he punctuates, “It’s because of the guys I met here, a giant fraternity of brothers fighting for bro-dom!” Yeboah’s gregarious personality routinely ignited every corner of the campus he encountered, seizing seemingly every occasion to chase his passion, and in doing so, create his own happiness. Yeboah culminated his St Thomas experience by receiving the Carl Mitchell Allnoch Athletic Memorial Trophy for Excellence in Academics, in honor of Fr. Allnoch, CSB, the 16th principal of St. Thomas. Yeboah maintained an A average throughout his Eagle career while earning seven varsity letters, a driving force and inspirational senior captain in both Eagle Football and Eagle Rugby. He was named preseason All-Houston by the Touchdown Club of Houston and finished as an all-state performer and the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player. Yeboah’s multi-faceted interests included serving as the sergeant in arms in student council ... co-founder
(with Ty Huggins ’17) and vice president of the Business Club ... and four years in the St. Thomas Band including first chair flute in Orchestra. Yeboah followed the prestigious path of 2016 TAPPS Male Athlete of the Year David Jones ’16 (Cornell University), Campbell Clarkson ’15 (Louisiana Tech) and Joseph Lowry ’14 (United States Military Academy) as the most recent Allnoch Trophy recipients, and will now attend the University of Texas to study computer science, a degree program ranked among the most elite in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. Yeboah moves forward instilled with the virtues of friendship and the power to build bridges across divides which become the girders of a wellfunctioning group and society. “This is a demanding four years and we all helped each other meet those challenges together,” Yeboah says. “I’m going to love all these guys ... stay connected with these guys my entire life ... during college ... after college ... when we get married ... that’s the brotherhood.”
“I’m going to love all these guys ... stay connected with these guys my entire life ... during college ... after college ... when we get married ... that’s the brotherhood.” – Sam Yeboah ’17
And central to that bond that Yeboah believes will never be broken are events forever embossed on his memory bank. “My sophomore year (2014) when we beat Stake in the closing seconds on the touchdown throw to Landon (Malouf ’16) ... I’ve never felt so united in my life. We all sprinted to the stands to share the moment with our fans. They just lit up. Craziest moment ever,” Yeboah recalls with pure joy. “And then the next year at NRG Stadium we won again in the final minute (42-35). There were thousands of people screaming of us. That’s what will always stay alive inside me.”
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Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT
SENIOR STORIES
FALCON ’17 Unwavering Resilience
J
ohn Falcon ’17 carries great satisfaction for a St. Thomas diploma that represents far more than all that he had accomplished academically and his ability to learn.
“These years at St. Thomas have been the best of my life because of my classmates and the culture of the school itself. I’ll have some of these guys in my life for the rest of my life..” – John Falcon ’17
Falcon marvels in the confidence and trust he gained in harnessing the necessary skills to continue combating the most threatening of challenges. “There were some times when graduating from high school seemed like a tough task, for me and my family,” Falcon says. “There was a real possibility I wouldn’t make it to that point. But now this is a huge step in my life ... with a lot more steps I’m still hoping to take.” Falcon encountered significant health issues as an infant. And while his formative years brought a reprieve, there were also persistent physical and emotional battles when the strength of his body was often sapped. But never his enthusiasm for life. In a tightly connected senior class Falcon was often the mortar binding the bricks, described within the Dean of Students office as “the most amazing and good spirited young man we have ever known.” “These years at St. Thomas have been the best of my life because of my classmates and the culture of the school itself,” Falcon says. “I’ll have some of these guys in my life for the rest of my life.” But midway into his senior year Falcon was dealt an unexpected relapse that placed his immediate future in jeopardy. He endured a long series of tests and treatments, entwined with fatigue and fear. Yet Falcon’s resolve never wavered, his faith never waned.
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In the April weeks leading into the 2017 Commencement Falcon was able to put the threat behind him, and he was recognized at the annual St. Thomas Academic Awards Assembly as the latest recipient of the Campus Ministry Award. Director Marty Matulia admitted to being “fortunate to have had many young men of St. Thomas assist our community every day to ensure we remain faithful to our primary mission” but was profoundly struck by the presence of Falcon, “a witness of fervent faith during the past four years” who has “persevered personally in the face of physical adversity” and remained “steadfast in the charge of spiritual leadership ... nobly serving others ... most notably in the school sponsored spring break mission trip, student retreats, Columbian Squires service projects and our summer Camp GDK ... and for two years with the Archdiocesan Youth Council.” Matulia says he will be forever impacted by Falcon’s testimony during the 2017 junior and senior retreats, “a living witness, and most courageous and remarkable young man who will never be forgotten.” Falcon’s immediate academic path takes him to the University of Houston with the plan to then transfer after two years to Baylor University to pursue a career in medicine. Not for fame and fortune, but largely gratitude. “One of the biggest motivators for me in overcoming these obstacles is to become a doctor,” Falcon says. “I want to follow the men and women who helped me throughout my many trials. And perhaps eventually I’ll provide that same kind of assistance and hope for someone going through what I did. I want to help others just as those have helped me.”
COMMENCEMENT 2017
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CONGRATULATIONS WASHINGTON
montana
N
OREGON W
S
May goodness, discipline and knowledge guide you in all your future success as you make a difference in the world. Heading to more than 60 destinations, the class of 2017 St. Thomas graduates earned $8.5 million in merit-based scholarships.
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IDAHO
E
wyoming
NEVADA
utah CALIFORNIA
arizona
colorado new mexico
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Texas Tech University (13) University of Texas (15) Texas A&M University (24) Baylor University (5) University of Houston (16) Rice University
]
o
TO THE CLASS OF 2017! LOYOLA University
massachusetts
wisconsiN minnesota
nebraska
kansas oklahoma
NEW YORK
MICHIGAN
iowa
PENNSYLVANIA INDIANA
ILLINOIS
texas
new hampshire vermont maine
FORDHAM University
north dakota south dakota
CORNELL University [2]
west virginia
missouri arkansas
KENTUCKY TENNESSEE
MISSISSIPPI
louisiana
OHIO virginia
SOUTHERN METHODIST University
connecticut new jersey DELAWARE MARYLAND
NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA
ALABAMA
GEORGIA
FLORIDA University OF ARKANSAS (11)
RHODE ISLAND
GEORGETOWN University (2) GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY University OF GEORGIA (2)
TULANE University
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY [5]
University OF ALABAMA
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 19
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT
bratin e l Ce
g Tradit ion :
H O N O R I N G OUR L EGACY FA M I LI E S
SALUTING
OUR LEGACY HORAN - Great uncle George ’64, father Thomas III ’85, Thomas ’17, grandfather Thomas Jr ’62, great uncle Timothy ’73, uncle Gregory ’89 and great uncle John ’71
GRADUATES
FROM THE CLASS OF 2017
HOTZE - Grandfather Don Heerensperger ’55, David Neill ’17, father David MADDEN - Uncle Pat ’79, brother Tyler ’12, Sean ’17, brother Michael ’09 ’75 and brother Brendan ’21 and father David ’76
MIGGINS - Uncle Patrick ’92, John ’17, father Matthew ’83 and uncle MINTON - David ’17 and grandfather Saverio Giammalva ’50 Michael ’95
PRICE - Grandfather Jerry Scruggins ’47, Asher ’17, brother Kyle ’10 and SAGE - William ’17, grandfather William Patrick ’61 and Thomas ’20 cousin Steven Cuarino ’07
20 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT
diligence & distinction
T
he St. Thomas Class of 2017 was awarded $8.5 million in merit-based scholarships to colleges and universities from across the United States while leaving a lasting legacy of academic acclaim, led by salutatorian Michael Hill ’17 and valedictorian John Miggins ’17.
Miggins, Scott Pickering ’17 and Adam Lawrence ’17 earned Finalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Program’s 62nd competition, joining 24 previous St. Thomas scholars since 2010 who reached at least the semifinal phase of the National Merit Program with 11 National Finalists in the last four years. Eight other stellar graduates were recognized as National Merit Commended Students, along with 52 senior members of the National Honor Society, which also included four National Hispanic Scholars.
The prestigious recognition includes … Jose Antonio Arizmendi Holy Names University Scholarship Christopher Peter Bagale Baylor University President’s Gold Scholarship Fordham Dean’s Scholarship Legacy Spectra Energy Scholars Award Santa Clara University Dean’s Scholarship University of Washington Seattle Purple and Gold Scholarship
Hadrian Alexander Barbosa University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship Drake Patrick Bennett Dayton Noon Lions Club Scholarship University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award Riley Bing Bishop Holy Name University Scholarship
Louisiana State University Academic Scholars Award Louisiana State University Flagship Scholars Award Louisiana State University Luke S. Bashore Memorial Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Excellence Award University of Alabama Scholar Scholarship University of Georgia Presidential Leadership Scholarship
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 21
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT CONTINUED University of Mississippi Academic Excellence Non-Resident Scholarship University of Mississippi Academic Excellence Scholarship University of Mississippi Holmes Scholarship
Chad McKay Coffey Deans Gold Scholarship Woodrow’s Scholar Award
Jordan Christopher Hallard Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship
Matthew Reuben Coughlin University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award
Elliot Reed Hammon Concordia University Wisconsin Presidential Scholarship Southwestern University Award Trinity University Tiger Award Whittier College Poet Award
Taylor Dorman Bowers University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship
Neal Ryan Deitz Baylor University Academic Scholarship
Jordan Patrick Broussard Baylor University President’s Scholarship Baylor University Scholarship
Mark Daniel Dolan Baylor University Provost’s Gold Scholarship Texas Christian University Faculty Scholarship
Austin Mitchell Buchala University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award Brandon Christopher Campos Texas Tech University College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Scholarship Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship Richard Louis Cantoni, Jr. Conroe Knight of Columbus Scholarship Julian Amado Cantu Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets Scholarship Jose Ernesto Cedillo University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship Ryan James Chandler George Washington University Presidential Scholarship Hofstra University Presidential Scholarship University of Missouri Mark Twain NonResident Scholarship Michael Evan Chaplin Athletic Scholarship Ahmad André Chenevert Seton Hall University Merit Scholarship 22 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
John Paul Falcon Baylor University Deans’ Gold Scholarship University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship University of St. Thomas Achievement Scholarship Sam Spenser Folb Southern Methodist University Dean’s Scholarship Texas Christian University Faculty Scholarship University of Georgia UGA Classic Scholarship Connor Mason Foster Academic Excellence Scholarship Myles Angelo Fucci Ramblers Award Daniel James Guthrie Army ROTC Scholarship Carroll College Trustee Scholarship Clarkson University Co-Op Scholarship Clarkson University Dean’s Non NYS Scholarship Clarkson University Scholarship Missouri University of Science and Technology Miner Scholarship Missouri University of Science and Technology Out-of-State Scholarship Missouri University of Science and Technology University Scholarship Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Merit Scholarship
Matthew Samuel Harris Baylor University Scholarship Texas Christian University Deans Scholarship University of Texas Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering Scholarship Nicholas Joseph Hebert Louisiana State University Texas Tiger Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Alumni Legacy Scholarship Michael Charles Heinz University of Tulsa Royal Blue Scholarship Michael Steven Hill SPJST General Freshman Scholarship Texas A&M University CLEN UG DT Scholarship Texas A&M University Lechner Scholarship Texas Tech University Bonus Scholarship Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship David Neill Hotze, Jr. Catholic University of America Honors Scholarship Catholic University of America Parish Scholarship Fordham University Loyola Scholarship Fordham University Tuition Award University of St. Thomas Presidential Excellence Scholarship Raul Alejandro Huerta Tulane University Alumni Donors Award Tulane University Scholarship Tyler Josiah Huggins Baylor University Academic Scholarship
Texas Christian University Faculty Scholarship Trinity University Scholarship Michael Joseph Jakab Clemson University Out-of-State Academic Scholarship Andrew Timothy Johnson University of Alabama Presidential Scholarship Jake Allen Johnson Deans Scholarship Nathaniel Thomas Jolly Texas A&M University Lechner Scholarship Baxter Reeves Jones Baylor University Academic Scholarship Alec Steven Jordan Young Textbook Scholarship Lars William Koehn Southern Methodist University Discovery Scholarship Southern Methodist University Distinguished Scholar Scholarship Trinity University Trustee’s Scholarship University of California Santa Cruz Undergraduate Dean’s Scholarship University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor’s Achievement Scholarship Krzysztof Dizon Kwiatkowski Alexander Briceño Endowed Exit Scholarship Michael Riley Lam University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award Nicholas John Lanza, III Louisiana State University Texas Tigers Scholarship Louisiana State University Tigers Excellence Non-Resident Award Texas A&M University CB Recognition Award Texas Christian University Faculty Scholarship
University of Mississippi Academic Excellence Non-Resident Scholarship University of Mississippi Academic Excellence Scholarship Patrick George Lapat Baylor University Founders’ Gold Scholarship St. Edward’s University Dean’s Achievement Award University of the Incarnate Word Archbishop Gomez Catholic High School Scholarship University of the Incarnate Word Distinguished Scholar Award Adam Gerard Lawrence Case Western Reserve University Scholarship Richard B. & Anne Stephens Scholarship Trinity University Trinity Tower Award Trinity University Trustees’ Scholarship Matthew Roel Leal Archbishop Gomez Catholic High School Scholarship Chaminade Grant Jordan Christopher Lewis Ohio Wesleyan University Bishop Scholarship Eric Alexander Linberg Louisiana State University Flagship Scholars Non-Resident Award Louisiana State University Texas Tigers Scholarship Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship Christopher Paul Luther Trinity University Tiger Award Grayson Angel McCarley Baylor University Academic Scholarship Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship University of Oklahoma Non-Resident Honor Award Scholarship John James Miggins Phi Betta Kappa Scholarship
University of Southern California Presidential Scholarship University of Southern California University Scholarship Washington and Lee Johnston Scholarship David Armstrong Minton Louisiana State University Texas Tigers Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Excellence Scholars Award University of Mississippi Academic Excellence Scholarship Nabor Stephen Mireles III Baylor University Academic Scholarship Houston Junior Forum Scholarship Texas Gas Association Academic Scholarship University of Texas President’s Horizon Scholarship University of Texas at Dallas Provost’s Scholarship Christian Hugo Blair Mitchell Houston Baptist University Founders Scholarship Point Loma Nazarene University Trustee’s Scholarship University of San Diego Presidential Scholarship University of St. Thomas Distinguished Scholarship Benjamin Arthur Muniz Alexander Briceño Endowed Exit Scholarship New York University Tandon Scholarship Rensselaer Leadership Scholarship Andrew Malcolm Neaves Miami University Merit Scholarship Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship Nathaniel James Newhouse University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award Chau Jonathan Tran Nguyen Baylor University Baylor Bear Scholarship Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 23
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT CONTINUED Baylor University Provost’s Gold Scholarship Jean-Pierre Anh Thien Nguyen Georgetown University Scholarship Rice University Scholarship University of Rochester Fredrick Douglas & Susan B. Anthony Scholarship University of St. Thomas Presidential Excellence Scholarship University of the Incarnate Word Archbishop Gomez Catholic High School Scholarship Samuel Joseph Nordloh Louisiana State University Texas Tigers Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Excellence Non-Resident Award University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship University of North Texas Excellence Scholarship Mason Martin Palmer University of Houston Academic Scholarship Benancio Palomo, III Baylor University Scholarship Holy Name University Scholarship St. Edward’s University Dean’s Achievement Award Jairan Christopher Parker Baylor University Academic Scholarship University of Missouri Diversity NonResident Tuition Scholarship
Trinity University President’s Scholarship Carlos Gonzalez Perez-Abreu Academic Excellence Scholarship Daniel Patrick Perkins Texas Tech University Presidential Scholarship University of St. Francis Catholic School Scholarship University of St. Francis Housing Scholarship University of St. Francis Trustee Scholarship Nicholas Phan Texas A&M Scholarship Ryan Shaw Philipps University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award William Asher Price George Washington University Presidential Scholarship Saint Louis University Vice President’s Scholarship Claiborne Webster Reidy University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award Mario Alberto Rodriguez HPOU Essay Award Nicholas Bradley Rodriguez Baylor University Academic Scholarship University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship
Houston Baptist University Founders Scholarship Southern Methodist University Discovery Scholarship Southern Methodist University Second Century Scholar Alejandro Gustavo Solorzano Baylor University Scholarship Rice University Trustee Distinguished Scholarship Texas A&M University CB Recognition Award Texas A&M University Lechner Scholarship University of Texas at Austin Business Honors Scholarship University of Texas Exes Houston Chapter Scholarship Robert Hogan Storie Presidential Scholarship University of Houston Academic Excellence Scholarship Henry McClean Suman University of Arkansas New Arkansan Non-Resident Scholarship University of Arkansas Tuition Award Jesus Toscano Supplemental Education Opportunity Scholarship Spencer Grant Vosloh University of Louisiana at Lafayette at Louisiana Out 0f State Scholarship
Daniel Anthony Penaloza III University of Missouri Mark Twain NonResident Scholarship
William Anderson Sage University of Arkansas Non-Resident Tuition Award
Robert Cleve Wight III Louisiana State University Texas Tigers Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Alumni Legacy Scholarship Louisiana State University Tiger Excellence Non-Resident Award
Leopoldo Perez Baylor University Merit Scholarship Southwestern University McKenzie Scholarship St. Edward’s University President’s Achievement Award
Scot Graham Sarlin University of Houston Honors College Scholarship
Grant Alexander Williams American Tank and Vessel Scholarship Presidential Scholarship
Winfield Michael Sides, IV Emory University Scholars Program
Maximilian Aubrey Winter Academic Excellence Scholarship
Luke Thomas Pelletier University of Dallas Presidents Scholarship
24 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
Alex Andrew Rzasnicki Baylor University Academic Scholarship
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT
GRANBERRY
receives award for
excellence
in instruction
F
or more than a century the Basilian Fathers and St. Thomas have truly valued faculty members who display exceptional dedication to bringing its classrooms to life through engaged partnerships with students. To honor those whose commitment to and investment in teaching has had a demonstrable influence on the intellectual development and lives of Eagle scholars, an annual award has been created to celebrate the kind of excellence in instruction that is at the heart of Basilian mission.
“the person who has pushed, developed and helped shape me into the teacher I am today” ... a “consummate professional exemplifying excellence in teaching the core values of goodness, discipline and knowledge” ... “informative and inspiring. If I were to grow up to be the teacher I want to be, I would be the embodiment of a teacher who is caring, consistent, entertaining, and effective - I would be (Granberry).” In completing her ninth year at St. Thomas, Granberry has encountered “a great place to work and I’m surrounded by great people with whom to work. Just a phenomenal environment. Engaging these young men every single day makes me hopeful for our future. They’re highly intelligent, appreciative, enthusiastic, all with a great sense of humor.” Granberry, Green, Mills and Thornton were also recognized among the Master Teacher Chairs, St. Thomas faculty members who exemplify exceptional content mastery, classroom creativity and teaching excellence while also deeply committed to Catholic education and the school. The Master Teacher Chairs for the 2017-18 academic year included Phil Gensheimer, campus ministry director Marty Matulia, dean of theology Jenny McConnell, Joan McNatt, dean of science Pete Nordloh, Ph.D, and Darrell Yarbrough.
This distinction seeks to recognize the most significant contributions among the exceptionally talented St. Thomas faculty who inspire students across disciplines to become compassionate and culturally competent leaders. Presented at the 2017 St. Thomas Academic Assembly, the inaugural Teacher of the Year, nominated and honored by her peers, is dean of English Judy Granberry, J.D. Her spirit of innovation in advancing the pedagogy of learning has provided a measurable impact on the academic experiences of St. Thomas scholars and the Eagle community. “I love what I do so to have this kind of acknowledgment is icing on the cake,” Granberry said. “What was particularly moving was the (favorable) reaction from the students. I love these kids and for them to have that kind of respect means the world to me.” Granberry was selected among eight nominees including Mike Adair, Beth Breuer, Dan Green, Michael Lynch, dean of social studies Brett Mills, dean of fine arts Mike Nebel and Laura Thornton. Granberry was described within the nominations as
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 25
Eagle
FLIGHT
I N P U RS U I T O F G O O D NE S S , DIS C IP L INE & KNOW L E DGE
SENIOR ACCOLADES
T
he annual St. Thomas Academic Awards Assembly is a stirring tribute to not only strong intellect and scholarly achievement but also the capacity for community and compassion ... an acknowledgement of wide ranging abilities and gifts ... and how students apply those talents to their school ... to each other ... and ultimately for the world. Michael Hill ’17 and John Miggins ’17 were named valedictorian and salutatorian of their class, the highest ranking seniors based on the calculation of their four-year grade point averages. Earlier in the academic year Miggins, along with Scott Pickering ’17 and Adam Lawrence ’17, earned Finalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Program’s 62nd competition, emerging from approximately 16,000
26 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
semifinalists representing less than one percent of high school seniors in the United States after taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) during the 2015-16 academic year. The National Merit Program also awarded Letters of Commendation recognizing exceptional academic promise to Hill, student body president Ryan Chandler ’17, Erich Hennings ’17, Michael Jakab ’17, Nathaniel Jolly ’17, Lars Koehn ’17, Jean Pierre Nguyen ’17, William Price ’17 and Winfield Sides ’17. Raul Huerta ’17, Nicholas Lanza ’17, Adam Lawrence ’17, Nabor Mireles ’17, Benjamin Muniz ’17, Alejandro Solorzano ’17 and Dominic Vela ’17 were selected by The College Board as National Hispanic Scholars for their performance on the PSAT andShawn invited to participate in the Walker with National Hispanic RecognitionChristopher Program. ’17
Dralon McCoy ’17 was recognized with the Albert R. Gaelens Award, given to the senior student who best embodies the school motto of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge. The Gaelens GD&K Award is named in honor of Fr. Gaelens, CSB, the 21st principal of St. Thomas who served the school for a quarter century before retiring in 2007. Seniors are nominated by their peers and the faculty then votes on those receiving the most nominations. McCoy was described as “virtuous, thoughtful and considerate ... faithful to his friends, his studies, and his religion ... always a volunteer who can be counted on should his fellow Eagles need him.” McCoy was a member of the National Honor Society, the Art Club, an Eagle Ambassador and AIM mentor while maintaining an A average throughout his St. Thomas career. An active and dedicated participant in his St. Angelo Merici parish, McCoy worked at the middle school camp promoting deep allegiance to the Catholic faith. From that experience McCoy says he was “able to see the sense of wonderment and amazement that scripture brought to some of the students, a sensation I had not felt concerning my faith in some time.
For four years Sam Yeboah ’17 embraced a Renaissance man role that culminated with his receiving the Carl Mitchell Allnoch Athletic Memorial Trophy for Excellence in Academics, in honor of Fr. Allnoch, CSB, the 16th principal of St. Thomas. Yeboah maintained an A average throughout his Eagle career while earning seven varsity letters, a driving force and inspirational senior captain in both Eagle Football and Eagle Rugby. He was named preseason All-Houston by the Touchdown Club of Houston and finished as an all-state performer and the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player. Yeboah’s multi-faceted interests include serving as the sergeant in arms in student council ... co-founder (with Ty Huggins ’17) and vice president of the Business Club ... and first chair flute in the St. Thomas Orchestra. He followed 2016 TAPPS Male Athlete of the Year David Jones ’16, Campbell Clarkson ’15 and Joseph Lowry ’14 as the most recent Allnoch Trophy recipients.
Riley Bishop ’17 was presented with the Principal’s Service and Leadership Award, valued as “an upstanding gentleman, scholar and athlete, described by his counselor “as the quintessential model among the St. Thomas community as a leader, team player and apostle of the St. Thomas motto Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge.” Bishop was an AP scholar, and member of both the Eagle Guard and The Eagle publication while an influential presence in the latest record-smashing Round-Up effort that generated nearly $600,000 for St. Thomas tuition assistance.
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 27
Eagles’ Nest
FLIGHT CONTINUED ................................................ Trevor Sides ’18 was recognized by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York with the Rensselaer Medal for Science and Math, awarded to the junior student who has displayed outstanding achievement. The merit scholarship holds a minimum value of $100,000 and was established to motivate students to pursue careers in science, engineering and technology.
................................................ The University of Rochester coordinates three different award programs, all for junior students, which carry with them merit scholarship opportunities of at least $10,000 per year. Cooper Gottschalk ’18 received the Bausch & Lomb Science Award for outstanding achievement in rigorous science courses for three years. Parker Rzasnicki ’18 was presented with the Frederick Douglass and Susan B Anthony Humanities and Social Sciences Award after excelling in social sciences and the humanities, demonstrating a commitment to leadership and to understanding social issues. The University’s Xerox Award for Information Technology was given to Kenneth Dang ’18 after demonstrating strong interest and innovation, as well as earning outstanding achievement in the area of technology.
28 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
LYNCH
’94
.........................................
Leads Innovative St. Thomas Science Strategies
St. Thomas physics instructor Mike Lynch ’94 never fully expected that a series of summer excursions would lead him to occupy a self-imposed academic island of sorts, never to be confused with Bermuda or Barbados. Lynch was first exposed and then inspired by an enlightening sequence of career development workshops at Columbia University which featured Modeling Instruction. In 2013, Electricity and Magnetism ... followed by Models of Light ... then a pair of special topic workshops each of the last two years ... and the latest, Modeling Instruction Leadership. Lynch became entrenched with the techniques, convinced the strategies would improve and deepen his own students’ understanding of crucial concepts, and he cultivated the skills to implement this student-centered, researched-informed, standards-based curricular. Even if the commitment meant embarking outside conventional teaching methods, leaving him somewhat isolated ‘on an island’ minus tradition network teaching support. “Modeling equips students to become learners,” Lynch said. “I don’t look at my role to be a physics teacher but someone who can facilitate students taking ownership of their education and acquiring the tools to learn. This is guiding them to an understanding. “Our AP physics scores represent how our students benefit from this technique, plus the ease in which our students transition to college courses where so many other students struggle. All of that is not a function of anything I’m doing but what I’m allowing them to do in the classroom.” Lynch’s conviction morphed into motivation to spread the wealth of his discovery. Partnering with St. Thomas faculty and administration, Lynch organized and orchestrated a two-week workshop on the St. Thomas campus, essentially the first of its kind in the Houston area, sensing a grassroots movement was primed to take off, and that no one was better qualified than teachers to provide support for other teachers. “The workshop leaders expressed real gratitude for our facilities, and that this was the most involved group they had ever had,” Lynch said. “That’s a function of a long-standing interest in this training in the Houston area without the ability to carry this out. It’s personally gratifying to play a role
in creating a greater curiosity for how science actually works.” In traditional, lecture-based science classes, students are taught principles, asked to memorize formulae or mathematical equations, and then to plug in numbers and solve for the unknown on a test. With modeling instruction, student groups carry out paradigm experiments in which they collect their own data, aligning participation in the classroom more closely to what actual scientists and researchers do in the field. Students work collectively to represent their findings in a variety of ways, and to find a “model” that will summarize and explain the results. St. Thomas faculty member Claire Conboy, Ph.D acknowledges that “in teaching science, we can take a lot of knowledge and understanding for granted. Everything we know today was gained through observations which led to conclusions. Because of the volume of information, students can flash answers without gaining the benefit of drawing those conclusions themselves. This pedagogy strategy allows students to do the experiments and then learn from their own experience.” Conboy joined St. Thomas Science Dean Pete Nordloh, Ph.D. and faculty member Sean O’Neill ’00 among the 35 teachersturned-students participating in this summer’s cohort. During the workshop, some cooperative teams would propel toy cars across a laboratory table to model the relationship between distance and speed, while others measured the density of solids or minerals, and then developed diagrams to help explain their findings. More than a dozen private, public and charter schools were represented, including Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart and Tomball Concordia Lutheran, along with others from Houston ISD, Clear Creek ISD and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. ‘These were teachers waiting for this exposure and didn’t previously have the forum or opportunity,” Lynch said. “I applaud all who embraced an alternative way to reach students, and invested discretionary
summer time to learn and push outside their comfort zone.” In 2015, Lynch was confident enough to convert his entire physics curriculum to inquiry based science practices and approached O’Neill to gauge his interest in following the form. “Mike was honest. He said the move would require some major adjustments at first because it’s not what you are accustomed to,” O’Neill admitted. “But I love this approach to teaching ... putting the impetus on students to engage each other and show understanding, rather than generating test answers without displaying any real command or application of the material. These two weeks in the workshop have really fortified that feeling.” Debra Hill has been with Cy-Fair ISD since 1995 and the secondary science coordinator within the Instructional Support Center since 2011. She accompanied eight faculty members from her district, recognizing that the true value of modeling is empowering students “for critical thinking in approaching the world. The essential skill from students emerging from science programs is the ability to analyse and manage data, make meaning of the data, and then manipulating those representations in a creative way. That provides an adaptability to solve problems we don’t even know exist yet.” Hill believes the advantage of modeling is measured across diverse high school student populations, and is perhaps even “more critical for students without the necessary background knowledge. Disadvantaged students who may not have thinking patterns in place often times struggle. Modeling is very specific in building the connections within brains and raising the overall capacity for cognitive skills.”
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 29
St. Thomas was blessed to again engage in the Basilian Network for Education & New Evangelization (BNENE) Conference ... along with Toronto’s St. Michael College School ... host Detroit Central Catholic High School ... and El Instituto de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (INSA) in Cali, Colombia ... partners in absolute dedication to Basilian education in the tradition of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge. St. Basil the Great ... tireless teacher, theologian, a champion of orthodoxy and particularly for the poor and underprivileged ... pray for us. Acclaimed faculty member Daniel Bryant ’93 who has been selected as the 2017 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award (OBTA) winner for the state of Texas. This prestigious distinction is sponsored by the National Association of Biology Teachers and “is a testament to (Bryant’s) dedication to provide students with an excellent biology education,” honoring his “professional achievements as well as … the sacrifices to ensure that (his) students receive a highquality biology scholarship.” Bryant is also an avid volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, and joined forces in 2012 with The Woods Project, a nonprofit enrichment program rooted in outdoor education and environmental awareness. He serves as a wilderness counselor for disadvantaged students, utilizing camping and hiking trips to Sam Houston National Park and Grand Canyon National Park to help them rise above systemic barriers. Eagle Rugby All-American Griffin Maat ’17 continues to rock the rugby circuit ... voted Rugby Texas High School Forward of the Year by a vote of coaches ... and also named to the All-State team in June. Maat was a standout member of Team Texas that placed 4th at Rocky Mountain Rugby Challenge in Denver while starting all four games, leading the team in tries and twice named Man of the Match. Maat is an exemplary student-athlete who reflects the virtues of a good man of St.Thomas and will continue his career at Baylor University. 30 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE
A
host of incoming Eagle freshmen didn’t wait until the official start to their high school experience to discover that the words Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge are so much more than a mere motto, but in fact a way of St. Thomas life.
LEARNING THE
ST. THOMAS
Camp GDK returned as a dynamic two-day leadership and character development workshop rooted in the words which have served as the foundation of the school’s sacred Basilian mission for 117 years, designed exclusively to provide incoming freshmen a compass for the core values a young man of St. Thomas is expected to embrace and then be positioned to share and role model for others. Nine-year athletic director Mike Netzel was an integral force behind Camp GDK’s launch in 2016 and sees the desired far arching trajectory taking form. “To me the biggest move forward (from last year) was the involvement of our student leaders,” Netzel said. “That first year was a top-down driven message. But (faculty member and
Quittenton seized the chance to impact “so many incoming students arriving from all over Houston from so many different backgrounds who don’t really know the St. Thomas culture. This experience allows them to be more comfortable from that very first day of class. But more importantly, as an educator in a Basilian school, you’re trying to shape young men who are going to become future leaders in our community. We definitely saw individuals step up in our camps after given that chance to lead ... that translates into the classroom ... the athletic fields ... debate ... whatever these young men identify as their path.”
LIFE assistant football coach) Andrew Quittenton recruited some phenomenal ambassadors. I cannot say enough about Jacob Manley, Melvin Larkins, Danny Garcia, Ian Wheeler and Adrian Marquez Avila ... really stepping up ... pulling other guys into the fold. As a group they believe that this is their school. They want to get the next core of students moving in the right direction. That is real leadership. Not talking. Doing.”
Quittenton and Netzel banded with campus ministry director Marty Matulia and summer programs director Gail Calkins to orchestrate campers through a series of energizing presentations, interactive discussions and team-building activities, all entwined with spiritual perspective, to better prepare them for their transition into college preparatory.
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 31
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE CONTINUED At the bedrock of Camp GDK ... the next class of St. Thomas students gaining an authentic understanding that a leader’s greatness is found in bringing out greatness in others. This summer’s most meaningful sessions were ongoing community service projects with the Memorial Park Conservancy. In June volunteers aided the park’s continuing recovery following the devastating 2011 drought and subsequent fire that wiped out nearly 50 percent of its trees. More than two dozen Eagle students worked the biocycle area within the Southside Trails system, uprooting pine seedlings designated for the Eastern Glades project which will include trails and boardwalks, picnic pavilions, plus a lawn and wetland, essentially a 100-acre park within the park that will restore Memorial Park’s natural ecology. “Amazing” was the one-word description program coordinator Kelly McCann used when she witnessed what unfolded in the sweltering Houston heat. “These St. Thomas volunteers rescued more than a thousand trees,” she said. “For one day they more than tripled our manpower hours. We absolutely rely on this kind of involvement because we simply don’t have the staff in place. We gave the students 15 minutes of instructions and turned them loose and their effort was extraordinary. “We see the conservancy as part of our mission to educate the public and get them involved with the outdoors. Behind the scenes projects such as this is where it starts, with this age group. We look forward to an ongoing relationship with St. Thomas and not only a one-and-done contribution.” In fact, Camp GDK was back just four weeks later, with Quittenton heading a group transporting water by wheelbarrows and buckets for those same pine saplings now planted deep into Eastern Glades. At the same time Garcia ’18, Wheeler ’19 and Marquez Avila ’20 joined Netzel and another dozen freshmen establishing a one-mile fence line barrier within the Memorial Groves area to protect World War I features before ecological restoration will take place. The remains of Camp Logan were hidden by underbrush for generations. The training facility was built in 1917 for the 130th Infantry. The surviving foundations for headquarters, artillery ranges, mess halls, latrines and bathhouses are the last of its kind in the United States. After an exhausting full morning drenched by Houston’s thick suffocating humidity, the St. Thomas contingent returned to campus and Netzel seized a teaching moment that exemplifies the power of Camp GDK. “Be thankful that you have the bodies and physical strength to be able to perform that kind of labor,” he began. “And be thankful that your parents are making the necessary sacrifices and commitment that enable you to attend St. Thomas and
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afford you options that will determine how you’re going to live the rest of your life. “So many of the individuals whom you saw working Memorial Park today didn’t have the kinds opportunities you have in front of you right now. And every single of one of those individuals represents great value to our community. Make sure you understand what that means. Acknowledge people and thank them ... whether here at St. Thomas or in your own neighborhood ... who make your life what it is ... who keep the power active in your homes ... air conditioning units running during 100 degree summers ... cars reliable to get you where you need to go. That is hard physical work performed every single day. Appreciate there are a wide variety of jobs that are necessary to make our city and country the best anywhere in the world. Understand there is a value in every single person whom you encounter every single day.” Tim Redden ’09 helped lead a panel group that included David Jones ’16, the 2016 TAPPS Male Athlete of the Year and now a student-athlete with Big Red football at Cornell University ... former two-sport all-state Eagle performer Pete Huggins ’16 who accepted a football opportunity to study at Middlebury College ... and Luis Contreras ’13, a summer intern with Cima Energy who is studying in Texas A&M’s Petroleum Ventures Program, a new entrepreneurial training to better prepare undergraduate and graduate students interested in the oil and gas industry.
Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 33
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE CONTINUED
“I saw some eager faces in that audience and it reminded me that it wasn’t that long ago when I was sitting right where they were,” Redden said. “They were locked in, no heads in hands or nodding off, ready to hear the message and that afforded all of us the opportunity to try to impact them in a special way.” Redden was a state champion with Eagle Baseball and is now practicing with Donato, Minx, Brown & Pool, P.C. after graduating from South Texas College of Law in May 2016. He spoke for the group of Eagle graduates when he said that “St. Thomas means so much to me. I’ve been blessed to accomplish a lot to this point in my life and attending this school is one of the reasons why. The foundation for success was established here and I’m confident I’ll carry that with me forward the rest of my life. This learning environment is not just academics and that’s what we wanted to emphasize to these students as they become decision makers really for the first time in their lives.” Peter Corbett ’21 was more than familiar with St. Thomas growing up and attending Annunciation Orthodox School. His mother is Mary Dana Corbett, the daughter of Vincent Mandola ’61, who is among the legendary first family of Houston food, and owns and operates Nino’s, Vincent’s, Grappino di Nino, La Gelateria and Pronto Cucinino. Camp GDK conveyed to Corbett that “this is a school
34 - Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017
that cares, whether it’s people, the community or the environment. What we were able to do at Memorial Park was a way to give back and also give to ourselves given that we use the park for cross country, tennis and various other activities.” Luke McLane ’21 enrolled at St. Thomas from St. Cecilia Catholic and said he “learned a lot from both the study skills camp and the (Camp GDK) leadership. Both were great introductions to the school, the academics, the values and the spiritual side (of St. Thomas). I met a lot of classmates and saw their personality outside the classroom, how they operate in a less structured setting. I think I’ll be much more relaxed coming back in August.” Netzel takes great satisfaction that more and more incoming freshmen are building great character from communication, collaboration and critical thinking, learning effective strategies for academic and personal triumphs, as Eagle students begin to define what is important to them, and then how to make use of their new knowledge to learn and live better. “Camp GDK is a game-changer when you consider all the demands of the ever-changing social landscape,” Netzel said. “This experience translates as an informal house system, where freshmen arrive and have a connection to two-three student leaders who serve as their go-to guys when they’re on campus, to work with them, mentor them. Our goal is to build champions for life.”
Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE
Rare Cultural Exchange Sends
EAGLES F
TO CUBA
or more than a decade St. Thomas foreign language dean Bill Dooley served as an apostle of the human spirit, frequently chaperoning student groups to Central America to provide humanitarian welfare and promote the advancement of social reforms. He mastered a familiarity with such excursions, “a definite comfort level. I’ve done them so often I could probably organize and execute them blindfolded.” However, the most recent seven-day stay that would take nearly two dozen Eagle students to Cuba brought a decided swirl of emotions and apprehension. “Yes, this time I was a bit more nervous,” Dooley admits. “What do you expect when you enter a Communist country? You don’t really know.” The auspice was an educational and cultural exchange with everyday Cuban citizens in the wake of a relaxed diplomatic U.S. relations in the ongoing Cold War-fueled economic sanctions, placing a value on just talking to people, extending kindness and sympathy to other human beings.
After a split between beleaguered Havana and an organic farming area six hours into the rural wilderness, Dooley marveled that “I’ve never been prouder of a group ... just fantastic ... never an issue from any front. The students never had to be asked to do anything ... never had to be prompted. They were more than willing to engage with people who simply wanted to tell their story. “One older Cuban who must have been close to 90 described the relationship between the United States and his country ... said it wasn’t all our fault ... wasn’t all your fault ... it was both of our faults. And that was surprising to hear. It has really stayed with me.” As expected the Eagles were greeted by a Havana stuck in a 1950s time warp ... working-class neighborhoods dotted with decaying apartments and crumbling buildings on streets clogged by uncollected trash ... never-ending parades of classic American cars rattling through ramshackled roads ... political propaganda displayed on faded billboards ... much of Cuba’s capital city in a dire state of disrepair thanks to years of hardship under Communist rule, the lingering effects of more than a half-century of the
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FEATURE CONTINUED
United States economic embargo, and the collapse of the Soviet Union with the sudden end of its decades-long economic patronage.
Dooley grew up fascinated by the Caribbean’s largest and, arguably, most intriguing island, just 90 miles from his Tampa-St. Petersburg community which housed a strong Cuban population with influences that carried beyond the iconic Ybor City neighborhood.
Yet Dooley was at times overwhelmed simply by “the warmth Dooley remembers that traveling to Cuba was “something that of the Cuban people ... so welcoming ... their perseverance always captivated me. I had a number of Cuban friends growing astounding. Given the Communistic rule I anticipated something up and many of my language teachers were from Cuba (following more along the lines of North Korea. But people would sit the Mariel Boatlift which brought down with you. They were curious more than 125,000 Cuban refugees what we had to say, and in turn we to south Florida between April and became more and more curious September 1980). When I saw this what they had to say.” Among the Eagles who participated on the cultural chance, I thought this would truly The St. Thomas students were exchange visit to Cuba were Henry Adair ’18, Henry be a once in a lifetime opportunity. guided through historic sites, In a few years, there will likely be Batt ’18, Julian Cantu ’17, John Cordes ’19, museums, schools, farm cooperaa Starbucks on every corner. The tives and other places that provided Johnathan Evans ’19, Josh Falcone ’18, Diego change is happening. Soon Cuba a rare glimpse into a way of life will not resemble at all what it Garcia ’18, Noah Kotlarek ’18, Jacob Lara ’19, Alex that has been closed to Americans looks like now.” for generations, “the hotel where Lee ’18, Matthew O’Connor ’19, Plato Pappas ’19, No doubt that the inevitable (notorious gangster) Al Capone Gabriel Rios ’18, Haden Ritchie ’18, Thomas Roberts McDonald’s will soon open in used to stay ... Chinatown where Havana’s first mega-mall. ’18, Matthew Soto ’18, Ryan Wagner ’18 and there are no Chinese restaurants ... just the signs.” The struggling country of 11 chaperone Rafael Garcia. million people has been moving The students traveled with slowly toward free-market changes, collective eyes and ears alert to with measures to further ease trade, bring back an accurate picture of travel and financial restrictions in place for decades. what Cuban life is actually like, discovering that the people are, in general, markedly and warmly disposed to Americans. Full-throttled tourism on the island is booming in the wake of the normalization process initiated by the United States and Matthew Harris ’17 spent “an hour talking with an older Cuba in 2014. woman in the casa de los ancianos ... learning about her life ... a A century-old shopping arcade has morphed into a temple of history teacher ... a regular church goer at the cathedral. She told conspicuous capitalism touting brands such as Chanel, Mont me what she thinks about the U.S. ... asked me what I thought Blanc, L’Occitane and Lacoste, leaving older Cubans stunned at about (President) Trump and (former President) Obama. I was the sight of goods worth more than a lifetime’s state salary. surprised she was that interested and aware of American events.”
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But the St. Thomas entourage also encountered an urban decay that somehow provides a huge part of the city’s unique charm, absorbing the sights and Afro-Cuban sounds less than two years since the official reopening of the long-shuttered U.S. embassy in Havana and only four months after El Comandante Fidel Castro died after 50 years as Cuba’s maximum leader of Communist revolution and totalitarian government. Some of which is a Cuba Juan Castillo ’18 has gained “from textbooks. And I had seen the television version but I wanted a smash immersion of reality.” Castillo had previously visited Dominica, a sovereign island in the Eastern Caribbean, and found Havana’s “architecture to be a real mix. The city itself almost resembles the U.S. but the rural areas are much more Caribbean.” Harris had joined Dooley’s previous calls to Costa Rica and Nicaragua where “the emphasis was more tightly described ‘mission work.’ The poverty and deprivation was extreme. You returned from those trips feeling you have many more individual advantages. The contrast with the Cuba experience is more from a pure political standpoint. The people are provided for in many ways ... housing, jobs, education, farming equipment. This trip was much more about learning the Cuban culture and engaging the people.”
Eagle
SPIRIT
Powerful Endorsements for St. Thomas Experience.......................... p38 GDK Dinner Honors Benefactors .............. p44 Astros All-Star Altuve Delivers Lifetime Memories ........................ p46
Which was the exact chord Dooley hoped to strike, aside from the satisfaction that the Eagle students developed a deeper and broader context for the long and tangled history between two former Cold War foes. “My greatest takeaway was that they returned with a greater appreciation and understanding of another culture,” Dooley says. “I wanted them to see that we’re really not all that different as people ... the same dreams ... the same desires ... the same needs. There’s much more in common than there is different. What we discovered working on the farms or in the senior center was that the only real barrier is language and that can easily be overcome.”
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Eagle
SPIRIT
B STRONG
support for
BASILIAN
IDEALS
efore becoming the president of the Houston Texans ... and the vice-chair of the Host Committee for the recent Super Bowl 51 hosted at NRG Stadium ... and receiving the 2016 Houston Business Journal Business Person of the Year ... and becoming the 2016 chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership, whose board consists of 130 of the city’s preeminent movers and shakers ... and launching Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew as president and general manager where he was MLS Executive of the Year in 1996 and Marketing Executive of the Year in 1999 ... and earning a master’s of business administration at Indiana University ... and graduating from Clemson University where he served as
student body president and was a member of the Tigers’ soccer team that captured two NCAA titles ... Before all of that ... Jamey Rootes received an invaluable slice of advice just weeks into his college introduction from a savvy sophomore that made an indelible impression. “Jamey, don’t ever let academics get in the way of a good education.” Rootes moved forward living the credo with gusto, the spirit of which led to his son attending St. Thomas where Jamey has become an ardent supporter. In March, Rootes and Bryan Caswell ’91 provided galvanizing testimonials during a campus event welcoming potential parents and students, the majority of whom form the newest members of the Eagle community representing the Class of 2021. Rootes commanded the audience with an indomitable verve and energy that has characterized his professional ascent.
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I want to commend all of you who made St. Thomas your choice, both the students and the parents. And I say that because I know as a family we made an outstanding decision one year ago for our son Christopher. And I was reminded of that when we were on spring break. We sat down after one year and took inventory of the decision we made. I’m even more convinced now than I was then that St. Thomas was the perfect selection. And it’s because of three reasons, three expectations that I believe you can comfortably anticipate. Number one, your son will be well prepared academically moving forward. Number two, your son will be well rounded. And number three, your son will be well on his way to becoming a good man. Well prepared ... the academics at St. Thomas are rigorous. He will learn how to study ... learn how to test ... and learn how to learn. All critically important considerations for parents when making the college preparatory choice. I understand that is necessary but it is not sufficient. Look at the fine arts department at St. Thomas ... the drama department ... athletics ... all outstanding ... all among the great opportunities for students to get involved and discover their talents and strengths. Many of those same kinds of lessons I learned at Clemson and utilize today in leading the Houston Texans. Athletics at St. Thomas provide for outstanding quality of life for students ... gathering points where Eagle pride is shared ... all building friendships that last a lifetime. Certainly the religious foundation here is important. We wanted our son to be immersed in a spiritual guide for living, a daily affirmation of faith.
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Eagle
SPIRIT CONTINUED Rootes then referenced the 2017 student-inspired Round-Up as the power of a collective purpose ... the long-standing St. Thomas fundraiser which generated nearly $600,000 for tuition assistance ... the latest astonishing financial total that has grown bigger, better and more robust for each of the last 14 years. That amazing effort builds an incredibly diverse student body. Students anywhere in Houston with the qualified credentials who desire this experience will not be denied based on financial needs. And that’s in large part because Eagle students are giving to their Eagle brothers. This is what the St. Thomas Round-Up embodies ... what you do for yourself may die with you ... but what you do for others lives forever. That’s what students at St. Thomas are embracing and that is what differentiates this school experience from any other in Houston. Rootes then concluded by declaring “it’s my privilege to welcome you all to the Eagle family. And it is also my great pleasure to introduce a friend who has helped build Houston’s reputation as the culinary capital of the South.” For Caswell, his latest return to campus represented more than a blast-from-the-past nostalgia spin. The nationally renowned celebrity chef-owner was relishing the 10th anniversary of his award-winning Gulf Coast seafoodcentric Reef while enjoying continued signature success with El Real Tex-Mex Café, slider joint Little Bigs, Jackson Street BBQ and 3rd Bar Oyster & Eating House at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Oxbow 7 is Caswell’s latest concept set to debut inside the Le Meridien Hotel now occupying the historic downtown Melrose building. Caswell has been a finalist for a James Beard Award ... acclaimed by Food & Wine magazine ... and served as a pulsating personality on Food Network. With his wife Jennifer in attendance, he genuinely and emotionally spoke from the heart when explaining how “St. Thomas forged the man I am today.” This place shapes who you are for the rest of your life. I’ve been blessed throughout my career ... worked in six countries across three continents ... represented this city in many ways and through a wide variety of multimedia platforms. St. Thomas gave me the skills to compete on a global level. I wasn’t a high achieving student ... didn’t have any real interest in academics ... wasn’t much of an athlete. I just wanted to go about my day and be left alone. But St. Thomas had other ideas. Any other school in Houston I would have drifted to the background or fallen through the cracks. But not here ... not where you are taught goodness, discipline and knowledge ... every single day. St. Thomas refused to let me down as a person. One semester my only option for extra credit to pull up a failing grade was 25 hours as Casa Juan Diego (a Catholic charity providing relief for immigrants, refugees and the poor). I learned what I never would have gathered on my own ... respect for human nature ... humility ... the power of grace ... and graciousness. Participating in STALCO (St. Thomas Art, Literary and Cultural Organization) was the single I can still remember the first play I saw at the Alley Theater ... my first visit to the Menil Collection ... being part of the Key Club. It was all a completely different world I didn’t even know existed. By the time I graduated ... my understanding for the arts ... was an impact that exists to this day ... a civic and holistic view that has shaped my career and life. Caswell then closed touching a cornerstone for the 117-year St. Thomas mission, now more alive and relevant than ever. This Basilian education showed me the man I could be. And more importantly, the man I should be.
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Eagle
SPIRIT
I
n 2008 fine arts dean Mike Nebel was settling into his first academic year at St. Thomas and was often interrupted by the metronome sounds reverberating from outside his second story lab that overlooks the home of Eagle Baseball.
NEBEL
Bonds With Bear Brothers Through Baseball
A constant thud ... thud ... thud bellowing from below. A precocious youngster swatting a tennis ball with a broom stick handle into the brick and mortar time and time and time again would soon earn from Nebel the moniker Wall Ball. Eventually Logan Bear ’17 moved his lefthanded smashing swing a few dozen feet to inside historic Fr. Wilson Field where he followed the family’s state championship form established by his older brothers Colin ’08, Austin ’10 and Devin ’13. Logan emerged his senior season to play a pivotal role in the latest Eagle title quest. His final Red and White appearance produced a blistering white hot sendoff ... driving in six runs in a five-inning 15-1 runaway to secure the program’s 24th state crown, the second in four seasons and fourth since 2010. Days later in the wake of the coronation at Concordia University Texas in Austin, Nebel was present to punctuate Logan’s full circle, gifting him and his brothers with commemorative bats from Nebel’s personal collection, each signed by members of their respective championship teams, and at the same making good on an unsigned promise made a decade ago to the Bear’s mother Shawn. After hearing rave reviews from Colin of a new fine arts instructor who was connecting with students in unconventional ways while driving deep discovery and curiosity, Shawn approached Nebel with a direct request that carried a nononsense tone and intent. “She said, ‘I really hope you’ll remain at St. Thomas until my youngest son graduates,’” Nebel recalled. “I asked, ‘Well, how old is he?’ She said, ‘He’s in elementary school.’ I thought ... wow.” Shawn emphatically remembers that “I made Mike assure me that he would not leave until Logan graduated. I was very serious and Mike took it to heart. He’s such a quality person, a good man. I sensed that right from the
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SPIRIT CONTINUED beginning. He puts all his students first but he really put his arms around my four boys.” Austin followed Colin in Nebel’s photography courses while Devin and Logan excelled in the s awardwinning and nationally acclaimed ceramics curriculum. “The Bear boys always performed above and beyond the standard,” Nebel said. “All four obviously carry their own personality but they all have the same devotion to family, love of baseball and always gave all that they had striving to be the best. Outstanding family ... incredibly genuine people.” Nebel struck an immediate bond with Colin who was among only seven students in an Advanced Photography course.
“ I told all my baseball students all year, you have to deliver a state title. I wanted that for all of them, of course, but especially for Logan. And they always said not to worry, we’ll get it done. And they did.”
“That group would meet in the mornings at various restaurants along Washington Avenue, just to learn about different lighting sources and industrial settings,” Nebel said. “One time a friend of mine who owns a commercial photography business was there and he gave them an impromptu lesson.
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“Later in the semester we had a culinary death march, a reward for some really beautiful work, and this was before digital when we were still developing film in a wet darkroom, the days of agitating photo paper and contact sheets.” As the championships from Eagle Baseball would mount, Nebel received bats featuring signatures from each member of the title-winning team ... beginning in 2008 with Colin (who later played at Northwestern State) ... then 2010 with Austin (Sam Houston University) ... and again in 2011 with Devin (Northwestern State). All of which left Logan precariously positioned to complete the Bear family’s grand slam.
– Mike Nebel
“I told all my baseball students all year, you have to deliver a state title,” Nebel said with a laugh. “I wanted that for all of them, of course, but especially for Logan. And they always said not to worry, we’ll get it done. And they did.”
Fine Arts Deacon
Nebel never gave a second thought to relinquishing the riches from the most rewarding of seasons.
“I just thought the Bear boys would treasure those bats more than I ever would,” Nebel said. “Once this (2017) team won and Logan was a big part of that, I said to myself I cannot keep these. The Bears were each a part of championships and a brotherhood of players who will remain connected for years to come. And these bats would be something they would always be able keep for lifetime memories. I just wanted to do it for them.” Shawn’s father Jack Thompson was on hand for the presentation, a one-time high school basketball star from the Bronx who was recruited to the University of Houston by future Hall of Fame coach Guy Lewis.
“I cannot even come up with words for Mike Nebel,” Shawn said. “He is the most sincere man ... molded and mentored my sons in and outside the classroom ... just the complete package. He truly represents what St. Thomas stands for as a school. He’s one of the reasons we were here all these years. My boys have come away with so much more than a diploma. They grew up here ... learned the value of hard work and dedication ... the love for their sport, coaches and teammates. What more could a mother ask?”
Thompson developed into a two-year starter in the Cougar backcourt, teaming in 1961 with All-Americans Gary Phillips and Ted Luckenbill when UH reached the Sweet 16 in the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament. Thompson then captained the 1962 team to a 21-6 record and a spot in the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament in New York. The grandsons would become captivated by a different brand of ball to carve their own separate yet same athletic identities, each sharing not only the essential divine qualities that elevate performers into champions, but also a relationship from outside the game as enduring as the triumphs themselves.
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Eagle
SPIRIT
T
he annual Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge Society Dinner celebrates those supporters whose generosity with gifts of every size helps St. Thomas have an even greater impact on the areas that matter most to the Eagle community.
Joplin then provided a stirring and emotional motivation behind his startling decision, describing how his family once faced financial stress and his father, unable to meet the next tuition payments, arrived on campus fully prepared to remove Bill and his brother from the school.
By investing in scholarships and student life, faculty and academic support, capital improvement and transformative opportunities, patrons help the Basilian Fathers drive the institution’s continued leadership and distinction in higher education.
The Basilians would have none of it, instructing the father to leave his sons enrolled and simply pay when the dollars became available.
GOODNESS,
DISCIPLINE AND
KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY DINNER Not in pursuit of others. But in pursuit of the total measure of the Basilian mission. President Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB recalled two compelling stories of donors who contributed significantly each in their own ways to the ongoing 4500Forever capital campaign fueling the upcoming campus expansion. In 2014, Bill Joplin ’54, whose highest financial contribution to the school had been $100,000, was requested by Fr. Storey for a gift five times that amount to help energize the campaign. After short consideration, Joplin responded, “Let’s just make it an even $6 million.”
40 44 - Eagles’ Nest SFall pring 2016 2017
Fr. Storey said that “Bill told me he promised himself at that time that one day he would repay the gift from the priests who restored his father’s dignity, and you’ve given me the opportunity to do exactly that.” To honor the remarkable philanthropy from Bill Joplin and his wife Jane, the Basilian Fathers and the St. Thomas Board of Directors have named the expanded STH footprint the Jane and Bill Joplin Campus. The second alumni contributor who greatly moved Fr. Storey arrived on campus in a hospital gown and intravenous tube demanding to see the president of the school. “I told him I was the president. He said you look awfully young,” Storey said to laughter throughout the elegant Racquet Club ballroom. “He insisted that whatever monies he gave me would go to acquiring the adjacent property. He told me that he wanted someone to have the same education he had. I promised him that whatever contribution he offered would be designed for the purchase. “So he gave me $50. Thirty-eight $1 bills. And $12 in quarters.” After a brief pause, Fr. Storey related that “both those gifts were equally passionate, just different amounts. In that same spirit, there are many of our benefactors here tonight who have given in different ways and in different amounts, and I am equally grateful to all of you because you have changed the history of St. Thomas, and definitely changed the history of young men for the next 117 years.”
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Eagle
SPIRIT
ALL-STAR
ALTUVE Delivers Lifetime Memories
I
n five full Astro seasons 5’5” mighty mite second baseman Jose Altuve has proven to be the smallest active MLB player routinely raking for the biggest of individual awards. A four-time All-Star ... two-time batting champion ... 2015 Gold Glove award winner ... the American League leader in stolen bases in 2014-15 and total hits each of the last three years. Adding to the litany of jaw-dropping memory lasting performances is perhaps Altuve’s most impressive Opening Day showing, all of which played out hours before the first-pitch launch into the 2017 season. Altuve staged a private 90-minute clinic for four star-crazed second graders from St. Anne Catholic at Fr. Wilson Field on the St. Thomas campus that included batting practice and baserunning
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drills, infield and individual instruction, autographs and pictures, all delivered with the signature grace and graciousness that has made Altuve a beloved Houston fan favorite. “It’s always been important for me to be more than just a good player, to get out away from the stadium and give back to people,” Altuve said in the Eagle home dugout following the full morning of activity. “I’m just happy to see the kids enjoy what we were able to put together for them.” Anthony D’Ambra watched his son Dominick hammer underhanded offerings served up by Altuve at home plate while older brother Anthony ’20 watched from a perch with St. Thomas classmates stealing a view during their lunch period. “You have a MVP-caliber player tossing to eight-year-olds,” the oldest D’Ambra said. “Like a dream come true, isn’t it? And on Opening Day. How many guys in the big leagues do that? Maybe just one. This is something these kids will never forget.”
Yanta is very involved in the Foundation Auction and reached out to ask what could we possibly do. Easy decision to get involved. We just didn’t want those kids to be disappointed (with a postponement).”
“When I was the age of these kids here today I didn’t get to meet and learn (from a major league player). Giving them this chance, that’s what our Astros team is all about. It’s not just me. Tomorrow it could be George (Springer), and the next day Carlos (Correa). I’m always excited to take part in something for a great cause. (Houston) is my second home and anything I can do to help my community I will do.” – Jose Altuve
When D’Ambra, John Dominguez ’97 and Derek Schoppa partnered on an auction bid to benefit the St. Anne Foundation, the original scenario was for Altuve to host the youngsters at Minute Maid Park. But the hectic logistics associated with the first game of the season prompted a reset and St. Thomas was willing and eager to provide an uninterrupted and showcase setting. “So many of us here on campus are parishioners of St. Anne, and whenever we as St. Thomas can step up and help a fellow Basilian school, we will absolutely make it happen,” athletic director Mike Netzel said. “(Eagle Football video coordinator) Dennis
full experience for the boys, you cannot say enough about him. It’s an honor for me to be out here. Very very cool.” Altuve’s modern day take on his individual day-night doubleheader meant one-onone instruction for Isa Garcia on the same field where his father Isa ’02 was an Eagle record-setter, a three-time allstate performer and major contributor for the 2001 state champions before finishing his career at the University of Houston. Schoppa said that his son Adam “knew he was meeting Jose Altuve and getting the poster on his bedroom door signed but I’m not sure he was expecting all this. It’s awesome to see (Altuve) so appreciative of his position that he would come out here to give back. A beautiful backdrop, a perfect day, we couldn’t have asked for more.” In short time the diminutive Altuve has elevated from curious novelty to one of the best all-around players in the game, named the Sporting News 2016 Major League Baseball Player of the Year, only the fourth second baseman selected for an award presented each season since 1936. He is pound-for-pound inch-for-inch dollar-for-dollar the absolute best bang for the buck in the big leagues ($4.5 million in 2017), unassuming in his celebrity, unshaken by his sudden rise in profile, embracing the opportunity to impact the lives of others.
Dominguez admitted that John IV “was so excited (the night before) he couldn’t fall asleep. He was so anxious to get out here. For Jose to do all this on Opening Day, one of the best players in the game right now, to have the patience and make sure it’s a
Netzel took in the full interaction between All-Star and Little Leaguers and came away “so impressed in how Jose engaged the kids. They saw the human side that makes him such a special person, not just an elite Houston Astro. Jose makes it so easy to root for him and his team.”
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FEATURE
RED & WHITE, RISE & ROAR!
T
hird baseman Logan Bear ’17 drove in six runs while Owen Meaney ’18 added three RBI to lead Eagles Baseball to an overwhelming five-inning 15-1 victory over Beaumont Monsignor Kelly Catholic to capture the 24th title in program history, fourth since 2010 and second in four years with head coach Ryan Lousteau.
State semifinal hero Meaney returned to the spotlight and quickly ignited the title game onslaught with a run scoring whack to the warning track in dead center field for a 1-0 lead after just three at-bats.
The Eagles finished the season winning their final 12 games, including a six-game sweep through the playoffs for a record of 34-5 and a phenomenal 64-7-1 during the last two seasons.
The thunder bats effectively decided the game with six runs in the second, tworun blows from Meaney, Bear and second baseman Daniel Perkins ‘17 to crush the count to 10-0.
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Bear then wrapped a four-run first inning with a blast to right center, clearing the bases with a stinging stand-up double to raise the score to 4-0.
Head Coach Ryan Lousteau: Our goal every year is to win it all but you have to believe it, not just talk about it. Our guys really gained their confidence to close out the regular season ... understood what it was going to take and that they could do it. We always emphasize ‘Team’ first and foremost ... an extension of our school that is rooted in brotherhood. And I think that carried over onto the field. Our guys truly cared for one another ... wanted to win for their teammates. And I will take that intangible every single year over pure talent. There was a common goal ... a collective mission ... and they refused to be denied.
Bear: This has been the greatest ride of my life. My last year to play baseball ... what a way to go out. The seniors all wanted to make one final statement. And we did.
Catcher Philip Matulia ’18 (Louisiana Tech): Our seniors took command throughout the season ... really started balling ... in the weightroom ... practice ... game night ... found that gear. And now we’ll have our plaque on the wall with all those other (Eagle) champions. I’m ecstatic ... dreaming my whole life for this ... really at a loss for words.
“ I felt really prepared ... comfortable on the mound ... confident attacking the zone. And then driving in the only run ... just a great feeling to put our team in the final game to give us a chance for what we all wanted.” – Owen Meaney ’18
Winning pitcher Simen Borland ’17:
Every time we reach this tournament it seems we’re the team that carries the target ... a lot of pressure ... but our guys routinely rise to the challenge.
ARMS RACE Borland scattered hits in each of the five innings to win for the ninth time in 10 decisions ... benefitting from three double plays ... two started by Bear to end the third and fourth innings. Borland’s performance completed a scintillating series of outings from the Eagles staff which allowed two or fewer runs in five of their six playoff victories.
Borland: I’m nervous before every start ... tonight even more so. All those early runs really took some of the edge off ... allowed us to just relax. Then I knew if we just played our game we would get it done.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE Borland’s season of excellence was a testament to waiting for his time to shine after Matthew Ashbaugh ’16 and Cameron Cash’16 served as the inningeating arms at the top of the staff throughout 2015-16, and serves as an example of the unselfish culture which allows the program to thrive outside the toxic ‘me-first’ mentality so pervasive in contemporary athletics. I knew coming into the season that someone was needed to fill the void. When there was an opening, I trusted I could be that guy. I just stayed believing in the coaches (as a sophomore and junior) ... kept trying to improve.
Athletic Director Mike Netzel:
We went through a hitting session (Wednesday) afternoon and the group was as locked in as any that I’ve had. We were really to roll.
We gave Owen some (pitching) rest during the playoffs. Sometimes that’s a good thing, other times it isn’t. This was a great thing. He accepted it as a positive and responded with his best stuff of the season ... dominant ... such a competitor.
Borland:
Nothing compares to this feeling right here.
Lousteau:
Lousteau:
Netzel:
MEANEY’S MASTERPIECE In his first career playoff start Meaney allowed Dallas Parish Episcopal only two base runners after a leadoff single to start the state semifinals ... finishing with a onehit shutout ... striking out 12 including seven of the last nine batters ... and drove in the game’s only run with a fifth-inning single. Meaney twice retired 10 straight batters ... interrupted only by a hit-by-pitch with one out in the fourth inning ... and a two-out walk in the seventh before he ended the game with a called third strike. It was Meaney’s first outing since April 26 ... a dominant two-hit shutout over St. Pius X striking out 13. The Eagles produced traffic on the bases in every inning but could only capitalize when Meaney delivered a ground single to right to bring home shortstop Brandon Campos ’17 from third after he reached base to start the fifth inning on an error ... stole second ... and advanced to third on a passed ball.
So much credit to Ryan and his coaches for keeping players engaged and involved in the program ... developing their skills and confidence. Look at how they plugged in an entirely new infield ... Nick Rodriguez new in center field ... a new pitching staff ... so many seniors who paid the price to be ready when the opportunity was there.
MOMENTS THAT MATTER During the furious finish to secure the district’s number two playoff slot, Borland outdueled Tomball Concordia Lutheran’s Shane Baz, the eventual 12th overall selection in the 2017 MLB Draft, allowing only five hits and two runs in a critical 5-2 verdict at Fr. Wilson Field that generated measurable momentum for the championship drive.
Netzel: We all sensed that the guys walked off the field that night with a deeper determination ... a different mind set ... that we could win it all. They held that throughout the playoffs ... never taking anyone lightly ... just coming out with a purpose and smashing it. And that’s how they finished it off.
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Eagles’ Nest
FEATURE CONTINUED AFTERMATH The runaway title rout over a familiar district foe returns Eagle Baseball full circle during a supreme decade of dominance. In 2008, Colin Bear ’08, Patrick Hicks ’10, Jonathan Mejia ’10 and Matthew Stuart ’08 led St. Thomas to a 12-2 fiveinning drubbing over Kelly for the second of consecutive state titles under head coach Ken Schulte. During the next five seasons eternal Astros icon Craig Biggio piloted the program, including four straight state tournaments, three straight championship games and titles in 2010 and ’11. In 2014, Lousteau was promoted from Biggio’s staff as his successor and cashed in repeated thrill-a-rama playoff rallies capped by a two-out two-strike walk-off single from Ben Condara ’14 to score
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Rawlings Elam ’14 with the margin that beat TCL 2-1 in the winner-take-all and guaranteed a third state crown in five years. After two encore seasons where the Eagles were eliminated in the playoffs by the eventual state champs by a total of three runs, Lousteau guided Eagle Baseball back to the throne with a deja vu all-over-again beat-down over the outfit from Beaumont.
Lousteau: It’s all about coaching good players. I mentioned to our staff that there’s a book project right now on Casey Stengel. He managed five World Series winners in a row with the Yankees (1949-53). And later (with the 1962 Mets) he managed the worst single-season team ever (120 losses). I’m a firm believer that at our foundation is good talent and good kids. We try to build that belief, come together as one and put the players in the best position possible to be successful.
Matulia: (Coach Lousteau) is always in command but he allows us to be ourselves ... be loose ... play our game.
Bear: He stays so even during the season. He commands great respect and I think that motivates each and every player to give him our best every time we step on the field.
ROUNDING THE BASES Bear, Borland, Campos and Meaney were all named to the State All-Tournament team. Meaney, Matulia and John Griffin ’18 were later selected TAPPS All-State, and Matulia All-Greater Houston by the Houston Chronicle. The Eagles won 22 of their first 24 games before a mid-season mini-slump resulted in three straight district defeats. The tide began to shift with a dramatic come-frombehind victory in the final at-bat over St. Pius X and the Eagles never lost again in route to the state title. The Eagles swept the regular-season series with Kelly by scores of 3-1, 14-4 and 9-4. The Eagles slammed through the playoffs outscoring Plano John Paul II 32-4 and San Antonio Antonian College Prep 20-7 ... fueling a seventh state tournament and fifth state final in eight years ... and setting the stage for the mid-week coronation in the Austin outskirts. Paolo Cannatella ’16, Nolan Lundholm ’16 and Eric Moore ’16 were among the many former Eagles attending the titleclinching evening. The championship marked the 101st state title in school history, secured one year following the milestone achievement of Eagle Track and Field.
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FEATURE
........... 2017 TAPPS DIVISION I CHAMPIONS ...............
WHERE EAGLES
DARE
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. .. . . 24TH TITLE IN PROGRAM’S ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY
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Astros Salute Eagle State Champions ....... p56 Matulia ’18 Commits to Louisiana Tech ........................................ p59 Eagle Football Hosts Acclaimed Quarterback Academy.............. p61 Parker ’17 Embraces SEC Football Challenge ............................. p64
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FIGHT For Eagle Baseball championship coach Ryan Lousteau ... the familiar metaphor is the windshield and rearview mirror ... the former clear and wide to see what life is offering ahead ... the latter small and on the peripheral providing ever-shrinking images of the past. Enjoy the ride but only to a point. Twice in four years Lousteau has guided St. Thomas to the pinnacle of Texas private school baseball but his almost immediate message after securing the crown is what has happened isn’t important. Tomorrow is.
THE CROWN BRINGS
regal
recognition
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Yet Lousteau allowed himself to relish one final nod to the recently minted 24th state title in program history, an invitation for Eagle Baseball to be honored by the Astros during the concluding homestand of June, beginning with an escort from Minute Maid Park’s VIP entrance to the field level for a two-hour up-close look of pre-game batting practice.
“The guys got to see how professionals who make millions of dollars a year go about their business. I could see the excitement in their eyes,” Lousteau said. “Being five-10 feet away makes it all seem so much more real, rather than sitting in the stands 20-30 rows up. A couple of our guys started up some conversations with some of the big leaguers ... came away with some pretty cool keepsakes. How many high school players can say they were once on that field?” The team was then recognized by the Wednesday night crowd at the bottom of the third inning on the massive Daktronics HD video board as a triumphant group clustered in section 235. In between were a master mix of unexpected experiences unlikely to be forgotten ... All-Greater Houston catcher Philip Matulia ’18 (Louisiana Tech) absorbing a few moments of councel from former Indians All-Star catcher and Athletics broadcaster Ray Fosse ... center fielder Nick Rodriguez ’17 walking out with a 34-31 maple tomahawk from A’s shortstop Adam Rosales ... Lousteau spending casual face time behind home plate with Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow ... and Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan seeking out the Eagle coaching staff to extend genuine congratulations on the latest success story. “That helps explain why this organization is now where they are (at the time, the third best 80-game MLB record since 2000),” Lousteau said. “Jeff and Reid are running a major league team at the highest level and took time out of their routine for St. Thomas, to find out something about our program and thank us for coming out. It shows they have great respect for winning regardless of the level. Tremendous guys. First class organization in every sense.” The final communal for 2017 included a number of seniors who played critical roles throughout a 34-5 campaign, such as Rodriguez, all-state tournament selections Simen Borland and Colin Bear, Brandon Campos, Daniel Perkins, Nick Phan and Max Winter, all sharing a championship bond that will forever unite the group.
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FIGHT CONTINUED “That tells me that our staff and our school did their job,” Lousteau said. “It meant a lot for these guys to be together, part of a team, part of St. Thomas, one last time. The seniors could have easily said, ‘We’re done with high school.’ But we had guys who are already up at the University of Texas and Texas A&M who made a point to get to Houston in the middle of the week. That means so much to me and it demonstrates what our program is all about.”
“The common denominator is the character of our kids,” O’Neill said. “We’ve had different levels of talent come through... some guys drafted in the higher rounds ... some later on ... some receive college scholarships ... the overwhelming majority finishing their careers at St. Thomas. But we’ve always had guys who cared about the team first and that has been our bedrock. They get after it and have fun. The coaches have changed but the tradition has remained intact.”
What Eagle Baseball was about in 2017 was a bullet train to the TAPPS mountain top, blitzing through six consecutive playoff victories, outscoring three opponents 68-12, capped by the five-inning 15-1 runaway over Beaumont Monsignor Kelly Catholic in the state final, one day after Owen Meaney ’18 spun a one-hit masterpiece with 12 strikeouts against Dallas Parish Episcopal while driving in the game’s only run.
Lousteau has more than maintained that supreme standard of excellence, winning an improbable 64 of 72 games in the previous two seasons and earning the program’s first-ever national ranking in 2016.
The celebratory scene at Concordia University Texas in Austin has become business as usual for faculty member and assistant coach Sean O’Neill ’00 who represents the one thread tightly tying together Eagle Baseball’s six most recent state crowns under three head coaches ... starting in 2007 and ’08 with Ken Schulte ... followed by the 2010 and ’11 titles orchestrated by eternal Astros icon Craig Biggio ... then the 2014 thrillorama post-season splash in Lousteau’s first campaign as a varsity head coach ... with a relentless tour de force encore three short years later.
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But regardless of yesterday’s riches, Lousteau pushes full throttle ahead, his focus riveted on what is present in the windshield, appreciative yet unconcerned by what might be disappearing in the rear view. “As the guys were watching the Astros take some swings I was looking at the group trying to envision what our lineup would look like next season,” Lousteau said. “Who’s moving on, who’s returning, how will the roster fit. And I have probably done that every single day since we brought the trophy back to St. Thomas. There will be new leadership within the team, new chemistry, new players advancing to the varsity, a new challenge. We’ll be ready for it.”
Eagle
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T
he pipeline from Eagle Baseball to college opportunities across the country continues to flow deeper and stronger than ever before in the program’s rich and distinguished history.
Catcher Philip Matulia ’18 is the latest talented performer to extend his career, accepting a scholarship to attend Louisiana Tech of Conference USA.
MATULIA ’18
“College baseball has been the goal forever,” Matulia said. “I wanted to play at the next level. And from there you never know what might happen.”
Catches College Baseball Opportunity
The mutual interest between Matulia and Tech accelerated quickly during the spring after Bulldog coaches made a recruiting trip to Houston. Matulia followed with an initial visit to the Ruston campus before cementing his decision after a return stop in late April. “You have to look beyond just win-loss records to determine what is the right fit,” Matulia said. “The team plays hard, enjoys playing together and playing for that coaching staff. I love the Ruston community, the coaches are solid Christian people and it’s a great academic environment.“ Following his midseason commitment Matulia played an essential role in the Eagles seizing the 24th state championship in program history, earning TAPPS All-Tournament and All-State recognition while also being named All-Greater Houston by the Houston Chronicle.
“Obviously I’m thrilled for Philip and his family,” said head coach Ryan Lousteau, whose own connections to the Tech program are through fellow University of New Orleans standout Jerry Zulli, the Bulldogs’ assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, who graduated from UNO two years behind the Eagles head coach in 2002.
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FIGHT CONTINUED Matulia, an acclaimed Eagle studentathlete and son of long-time campus ministry director Marty Matulia, immediately earned his way into the Eagle starting lineup his freshman season, flashing a polish and maturity beyond his years, and has continued to be a key contributor hitting from the number two slot in the Eagles batting order. And Matulia continued that consistently high offensive standard throughout 2017 while making the challenging defensive transition to catcher from the outfield appear seamless. “In talking with the (St.Thomas) coaches and getting other feedback before the season, my future was going to be behind the plate,” Matulia said. “I didn’t have the premium speed that it takes to play the outfield at the college level. I had played the position in some isolated instances but the full-time move was difficult. I got more and more comfortable with every game. I enjoy being more involved with every pitch.” Lousteau said that “leadership within the team comes from your seniors but also from your catcher and that’s a role that Philip assumed from the beginning of the season. It seemed every time I looked to Vandy (former assistant Clayton VanderLaan) to go talk to our pitchers, Philip was already on his way to the mound to settle things down before we can get out of the dugout. He’s got a great feel for the game.” For Matulia the dream of college baseball that began with hitting a stationary ball off an elevated tee when he was three years old is “an awesome feeling ... means the world. I’ve played the game year-round ever since I can remember ... travel teams every summer ... countless hours in batting cages and with the glove ... always working to improve and refine. I love baseball but there were still times when it was work and not fun. But I would always envision Friday nights and weekend series playing in college ... fans filling the stands ... hearing your name called out ... that always pushed me.”
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Matulia is moving into one of the rising program’s in the region, ranked last season in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time since 1986. In 2016, the Bulldogs won 42 games and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in 29 years. Head coach Lane Burroughs has maintained the momentum started by Greg Goff before he accepted the head coaching position at Alabama and then moved to the staff at Purdue University. Lousteau recognizes that Matulia will likely require some patience in establishing his college career but is uber confident he possess the proper skill set to excel. “There aren’t too many players who can step directly into a Division I program and be the starting catcher right away. Often times that is a role where you are groomed, similar to what a quarterback would face in football,” Lousteau said. “But Philip is such a good athlete he can maybe play some
outfield his freshman year if his bat develops the way we all expect, and then assume the catching duties as he moves forward. I’m so excited that all his work and dedication have paid off with this opportunity that is richly deserved.” Matulia now joins a group of players from Eagle Baseball approaching nearly two dozen who have vaulted to the college level ... Rice University and the University of Houston ... Princeton and Colgate ... as well as an assorted mix of thriving Division III programs ... since 2014. “We’re going a good job with the kids. It’s satisfying to see that they’re prepared to take that next step,” Lousteau said. “But we all know it starts with their individual talent. Our guys are buying into what our program prioritises They’re putting in the time, the effort, to get the most from their abilities and find the best possible college fit. Nothing is more satisfying that seeing so many of those dreams come true.”
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EAGLE FOOTBALL TEAMS WITH
GRAND MASTER QUARTERBACK GURU
T
he quarterback whisperer turned roving roaring celebrity ... tutoring some of the most pulsating players and personalities gripping sport’s most exacting position ... landed his traveling quarterback camp at Granger Stadium ... a tour touching hotbeds of promising talent from coast to coast. He preached an inspiring sermon of poise and composure under suffocating pressure to aspiring blue-chip recruits, commanding the attention of his sleep-deprived teenaged Sunday morning congregation that would cause envy from the most eloquently persuasive parish priest. “If you’re a quarterback, and George Whitfield is available, your focus is immediate, your eyes wide-open, and you’re ready to rock,” said newly minted Eagle Football head coach Rich McGuire. Whitfield has elevated himself from off-the-grid guru to soughtafter confident of the stars and ESPN Game Day insider.
His modus is commanding a calm in the tsunami storm of defensive duress. Whitfield has concocted a series of unorthodox havoc drills to build colossal in-game confidence of his pupils ... waving brooms or bombarding with beanbags or conducting dropbacks in the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean through sinking sand and pounding surf ... all designed to restrict visual awareness or cause discomfort in the midst of chaos. The innovative techniques have brought crazed endorsement from the likes of Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton ... Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston ... Texas A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel and a college kid client list connecting Power 5 programs from every corner of the country. The training stations dotting Hotze Field were no different in scope than what Whitfield routinely presents to his A-list clientele, appropriately scaled to meet that day’s skill level.
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FIGHT CONTINUED “For most of these guys, this is their last camp for the summer,” Whitfield said in between the morning / afternoon inferno sessions. “They have a foundation ... have thrown a million reps with teammates and through all the 7-on-7 tournaments. I want to make sure they’re equipped with the tools to deal with what is upcoming in the fall ... an added arsenal ... an emergency kit ... to take into a game that counts ... be prepared for the unexpected.” Whitfield’s connections with Eagle assistant head coach Jerrod Johnson first led Whitfield to St. Thomas in the spring after he scouted appropriate sites to work a host of his high-profile proteges, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers slinger and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Winston, and New Orleans Saints running back Adrian Peterson. That two-day stopover convinced Whitfield Granger Stadium would provide the optimal setting for when his quarterback travels next brought him to Houston. “I’ve been all over the country and in all honesty I’ve never worked with a group with a setup quite like this,” Whitfield said. “Where St. Thomas separated is they embraced this day and made it their own. Always a ‘we’ attitude. Many places will
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open the doors but it’s really only about their own players and coaches. Here I feel like an Eagle. The small things ... jumping in to coach ... assist ... push ... whatever it takes to make for the best possible experience for every single camper. I would come here every other week if I could.” Athletic director Mike Netzel admitted that “we don’t usually seek to stage these kinds of events but George Whitfield is an exception and I assured him we would do it right. From our stadium venue to audio-visual facilities to our coaching staff taking an active role, we wanted to deliver whatever organizational support he would need. The connection with Jerrod obviously serves us well. He’s a tremendous ambassador for our school and our program.” McGuire raved “to have this caliber of student-athlete on our campus, along with their parents, allowing them to see what we stand for and what we have to offer. A day such as this promotes our identity in a way unlike any other.” Whitfield grew up in Ohio where he quarterbacked football-mad Massillon High, rejected Division I offers that demanded he switch to defense, and enjoyed a
productive career with Division II Tiffin before becoming a graduate assistant at the University of Iowa. Whitfield veered off the traditional coaching tract before a series of seemingly random events led to him training school-age quarterbacks in the San Diego area where Whitfield Athletix is now based in Mission Beach. Gradually Whitfield built an under-theradar identity utilizing creatively designed “engineering” which emphasise footwork, throwing motion and throwing on the move. Earning the trust of the two-time Super Bowl-winning Roethlisberger in 2010 was a game-changer for Whitfield, and even though he is not quite yet 40-years-old, his reputation has rocketed to near rock star status within the football ranks. Whitfield’s one-day St. Thomas stay attracted the city’s NFL media czar John McClain with the Houston Chronicle and information titan Mark Berman with KRIV-TV (FOX). After conducting a sweat-soak morning workout, Whitfield reconvened his troops in Turner Hall for a brief lecture and video tutorial that featured the ad-lin antics of
Tony Romo and the one-time maniacal Aggie Manziel. With the lights back up, Whitfield then quizzed the audience. “Raise your hand if your team is counting on you this fall to win,” he instructed. “For many of you, you will pick up something this afternoon that’s going to win you a game. You’ll bolt something down to go against the best team on your schedule. And for some others in this room, today you’re along for the ride. You’ll have a great time here but won’t really bolt down that improvement. Choose which one will be.” Among the nearly 50 campers was Eagle Football’s Peyton Matocha ’19 who appears poised to firmly accept the torch from recordsetting Michael Keating ’15 after starting all 11 games as a sophomore in 2016. Matocha’s physical tale-of-the-tape measures 6’4” and 185 pounds after emerging from the summer’s Quarterback Industrial Complex ... Elite 11 combines, multiple college camps, high-level seven-on-seven passing leagues ... and is now considered a fast-rising dual-threat talent within the state.
“The college camps are about exposure, getting yourself known,” Matocha said. “The emphasis here is entirely different, all about adjustments, some subtle, some much larger, to deal with in-game challenges. Often times the small things can make a big difference.” McGuire quickly grasped that “a lot of what George is scripting today for these quarterbacks is that ‘Oh no, this isn’t right,’ how do I instantly react to save and extend the play, create something explosive. For Peyton, that’s already one of his natural strengths, but obviously the insight and reinforcement from one of the best in the business is invaluable.” Whitfield and Netzel also sought out the expertise of Ben Fairchild, the founder / operator of Fairchild Sports Performance and an industry innovator recognized throughout the region. “George is heavily focused on the skills that determine quarterback success,” Fairchild said. “I wanted to stress the other component of development, get the campers thinking about the underlying attributes that support and take that skill set to another level ...
practical strength, mobility, speed and agility. “These are over-the-head athletes, rotational athletes, lateral movement athletes, and should train inside a program built for those specific needs. Dense exposure is even more important for the developing age group before they elevate their performance ceiling. The older an athlete, the more difficult it is unteach.” Even with an ever-rising rep and demand for his unconventional methods, Whitfield relished his anonymous one-stop stay in the shadows of the Houston skyline before locking, loading and directing his caravan points west to San Diego. “I have roots in Texas,” Whitfield said. “My mother was born in Cleburne (on the fringe of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex) ... grandparents in Beaumont ... where I learned to ride a bicycle. Growing up in Ohio ... spending my summers in this state ... and now operating our academy in California ... that’s a shared epicenter. I love football and that’s why I was here at St. Thomas in Houston, a city that shares that same passion.”
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PARKER ’17 Charts Unconventional Route to Powerhouse SEC
hat has become an annual rite of spring within Eagle Athletics ... the May celebration saluting senior St. Thomas student-athletes continuing their careers at the college and university level ... now a rousing total climbing to 108 across nine sports since 2012. “One of the things we try to create for our guys is a truly rewarding time with the Red and White, so much so that if they have the talents and options to pursue possibilities at the next level, they’ll want to make that a part of their next four years,” athletic director Mike Netzel said. Among the latest representing the complete St. Thomas experience are ... n Elliott Hammon to Southwestern University Football n Michael Chaplin to St. Edward’s University Track n Miles Fucci to Loyola University Chicago Track n Griffin Maat to Baylor University Rugby n Nick Phan to St. Edward’s University Baseball
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And also included is a most intriguing journey by Jairan Parker who is headed to the most competitive body-slamming college football destination in America, the home of seven consecutive national champions from 2006-2012 plus an eighth in 2015, where every single Southeastern Conference Saturday registers on the richter, from the Swamp, between the Hedges or in Death Valley.
And the Mizzou coaches quickly concurred. Parker was offered a preferred walk-on opportunity, which means he’ll be among approximately 20 additional Tiger student-athletes who fall within the NCAA-mandated 105-player roster limit which includes a maximum of 85 scholarship players.
Last fall Parker was a forever quarterback packed a hard-charging 6-1, 210 pound-package, approached by Eagle coaches to make a radical position change to linebacker just prior to his senior season, hoping his supreme athletic skill and presence would greater impact the team.
Throughout the last decade the Tiger program has consistently discovered under-the-radar talents, particularly from Texas, and developed them into highly productive performers, including linebacker Sean Weatherspoon from Jasper (first round 2010 to the Atlanta Falcons), receiver Danario Alexander from Marlin (Rams and Chargers) and, mostly recently, defensive end Charles Harris (first round 2017 to the Miami Dolphins).
But Parker and his father Jimmie were determined to unearth first a curiosity followed by an offer. The two compiled a highlight video accentuating Jairan’s versatile difference-making and gamechanging skill-package, and then mounted an aggressive marketing strategy, identifying where Jairan would best meet his match. Their proactive approach paid the desired dividend.
As Parker absorbed the activities from the sidelines at Faurot Field he mentally “tried to envision myself on the field competing against those kinds of players, in that tempo, responding to those coaches. I came away believing I could meet the challenge.”
“When you are a zone-read option quarterback you don’t shy away from collisions and contact. I’ve always been an aggressive player so I’m actually looking forward to that part of the transition. And wherever you are on the field you have to rely on your football instincts. I’ve been playing the game since I was five-years-old.” There exists a bonus attraction to the Mizzou opportunity that intrigues Parker and provides as extra dose of confidence that he selected the most advantageous football option moving forward.
The move also proved beneficial to Parker’s next term potential even though he would be pursuing college opportunities in quick-time offering a limited body of work to forecast his potential.
“We sent out the material to a host of schools I was interested in and Missouri was one of the first to contact,” Parker said. “We arranged a visit during the end of the spring workouts ... met with head coach (Barry) Odom and (defensive coordinator and inside linebackers) coach (Demontie) Cross ... spent time with the players ... made the rounds on campus and the housing areas.”
offensive personal and recognizing schemes.
Parker immediately joined the program as a full member of the team when he arrived in June, granted the same status and receiving the same benefits as scholarship players, such as academic support, equipment, coaching, etc., fully aware that future rewards must be earned and there are certainly no guarantees. Parker said Mizzou projects him at “the SAM position, a hybrid role between a linebacker and safety where you are utilized in pass coverage and also blitzing the quarterback in some pressure packages. It’s similar to what I was doing here at St. Thomas but with more responsibilities in terms of identifying
“I was definitely aware of that (track record) when making the visit and trying to take in all that Mizzou was presenting,” Parker said. “There is a tradition I really hope to keep going. But there’s a lot of work ahead to make that a reality.” And Parker perhaps best sums the sentiment of each of the 2017 Eagles embracing their vault to the next test, following their hearts, trusting that it knows where it’s going. “Being a quarterback my whole life, this is not the exact dream I had growing up to play college football, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity God has given me,” Parker said. “This is a great chance to play in the best college conference in the country. What more could you ask for? I’m super excited to get started and see how far I can take it.”
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FEATURE Rick Apolskis ’85 didn’t just play football ... he stalked with mean intentions. He didn’t just experience hardships ... he lived through them in public. He didn’t return to the beloved birthplace of his career to bask in individual acclaim ... he gladly shared in a communal celebration of spirit and brotherhood.
Sports Hall of Fame Induction
TRUE FAMILY AFFAIR for
APOLSKIS ’85
In April, Apolskis was again familiar with the St. Thomas terra firma, among the latest Eagle luminaries gathered to be formally enshrined in the school’s prestigious Sports Hall of Fame that now totals 65 members. “It’s coming home,” he says with deep satisfaction. “I grew up at St. Thomas starting at age four. Going to school here just became a part of life. I’m truly honored to be back. Totally unexpected. A humbling experience.”
As he entered Cemo Auditorium, the emotional flashback for Apolskis struck with “the faces ... like Jim Schwartzbach ... my ninth grade coach ... thought I should play quarterback. Fortunately in 10th grade coach (Bill) O’Neil, coach (John) Carrigan and coach (Mike) McConnell figured out that I needed to play defense.” Rick proved to be a man-ster masher among school boys as he captained Eagle Football to three district championships and two TCIL state titles while his teams went undefeated four straight years in the annual series with Strake Jesuit.
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His mother Roxanne was devout in attending each and every game, grimacing with each and every collision. “Don’t get hurt ... that’s all I remember ... just prayed and prayed and prayed ... do not get hurt,” she says. “There was one year when Rick had mononucleosis. College scouts were going to be at the game so there was no way he wasn’t going to be on the field. The coaches wrapped him in some sort of brace to protect his spleen and he went out there and played.”
Rick’s grandfather Chuck played defensive end for the Chicago Bears and his great uncle Ray was a linebacker and offensive lineman for the then-Chicago Cardinals before and after his World War II military service commitment as a captain in the Marines who fought in Okinawa, Japan. He then was part of the Cardinals’ last NFL championship team in 1947.
Family patriarch Richard Apolskis lived out his hoop dreams playing for eventual Hall of Fame coach Guy Lewis at the University of Houston, one of five starters scoring in doubleRoutinely the only pain administered was the result of riveting digits in 1965 when the Cougars defeated Notre Dame in the thundering hits from Apolskis, who buried ball carriers and Midwest Regional of the NCAA tournament before falling quarterbacks beneath an avalanche of pressure so captivating to Oklahoma State in the Sweet 16. The next season Elvin that it has come to define the Hayes and Don Chaney arrived Eagle standard. to firmly stamp the program In 1984, Apolskis was recognized on the national radar just as “It’s coming home. I grew up at as one of the top high school Richard was concluding his lineman in the nation, a threecollege career. St. Thomas starting at age four. time all-state performer who was The next dribble-drives led twice named to Houston Chronicle Going to school here just became Richard to St. Thomas where he All-Greater Houston and was was the varsity head coach from a semi-finalist for the city’s top a part of life. I’m truly honored 1972-78. Roxanne says that defensive player award. allowed “Rick to run under the to be back. Totally unexpected. A Yet what Apolskis appreciates bleachers for seven years watchmost is that “we had great sucing his dad throw folding chairs.” humbling experience.” cess as a team ... a really close And the die had been cast for knit group. The experiences – Rick Apolskis ’85 where Rick would take his soontaught me so much about life. to-be bludgeoning football talent. The importance of discipline and effort, learning to compete. “Rick did not want to go to You have a job to do and at the Sharpstown and no way was same time you understand how he attending any other private important it is to encourage othschool,” Roxanne says. “He ers to do the same.” was determined to go to St. Rick’s rib-racking exploits came with his younger brothers David ’89 and John ’92 routinely in tow before each later carved their own Eagle athletic distinction.
“Rick was always my idol, no question about it,” David says. “I couldn’t wait for Friday nights to go with my mom and dad to watch those game. Rick dominated from the defensive end. Teams could not get around him. He was relentless. And he was like that in everything he’s done in life, always giving his best.” David followed in Rick’s wake with the same athletic urgency and identity, a highly decorated recruit and fulcrum for the 1988 state football championship before accepting a scholarship to the University of Southern California, while John was a key contributor in Eagle Tennis, winning the 1991 state title, the program’s first in 14 years and one of only 10 in school history. All of which helped extend the Apolskis athletic legacy that stretches deep throughout generations.
Thomas. He got a job that he really shouldn’t have had ... didn’t even know he was working at (Sharpstown Mall). And he saved every dollar to help us pay the tuition because he was going to St. Thomas.”
Rick’s rocketing football profile provided a choice of any college destination throughout Texas. He also visited Notre Dame and Louisiana State before deciding on Arkansas where he was a three-year starter at offensive tackle for teams that captured consecutive Southwest Conference championships in 1988 and ’89 to earn invitations to the traditional New Year’s Cotton Bowl clash. Rick was surrounded by a star-studded roster that included Steve Atwater, Quinn Grovey, Wayne Martin and Barry Foster to notch a 14-1 conference record during those seasons, finishing a collective 20-4 with head coach Ken Hatfield. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management, Rick played for the New York
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FEATURE CONTINUED Giants and NFL Europe’s Barcelona Dragons and Birmingham Fire before opting for a distinguished professional career that included more than a decade with global food and beverage leader PepsiCo.
Again adopting an example set by his older brother, David persevered with a dogged determination through the unrest, responded favorably and returned in 1992 to finish the final two years of his Trojan career.
Yet all the success was razor-thin to never materializing.
On a joyous evening that spawned rich reminiscing, Roxanne relished that her “boys have stuck together. In many ways Rick’s induction is a culmination of all our worlds coming together in one place ... and St. Thomas is that place.”
Weeks into his freshman year in Fayetteville, Rick received the devastating news that his father had suffered a heart attack and quickly passed away at age 41. “He almost fell over when he got the word,” Roxanne recalls. “He hadn’t even played a football game yet. He had gone to the dorm that night ... waiting for us to drive up to see him ... and (Richard) never made it through the morning.” David was a St. Thomas freshman and credits his mother for “keeping all of us united. She was the rock. It was especially tough on Rick because he was away from home and felt he should come back and take care of the family. But Mom told him, ‘We’ve got this.’ She was amazing. Even today I’m not quite sure how she did it.” Roxanne is steadfast in her belief that “St. Thomas is what held our family together. This community cried with me ... grieved with me ... made sure my boys had everything they needed. Benefactors stepped forward to ensure David and John would continue and complete their education here. To this day I don’t know who they were. But I’m eternally grateful beyond words. I love this place ... got me through some really bad years.” Years that brought more turmoil when David was two time zones away at USC. A starter and second-team freshman All-American center in 1990 after a redshirt season, David was diagnosed with testicular cancer only two days before the Trojans were to report to practice in August 1991. A testicle was immediately removed and three weeks later David had cancerous abdominal lymph nodes taken, followed by several weeks of chemotherapy treatments and months of uncertainty.
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John’s commencement exercise was the last event that brought the Apolskis family together on the St. Thomas campus. He then graduated from Stephen F. Austin University and is now a territory sales manager based in Jacksonville, Texas for US Foods, the second largest foodservice distributor in the country and the 10th largest private company in America. For the band of brothers, the Basilian motto Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge that each embraced during their Eagle experiences has proven to be the compass for the core values vital to their success as husbands, fathers, business and civic leaders. “It’s the bedrock,” John says. “I live by it every day. Use it in presentations with my business colleagues. Goodness ... being as good a person as you can possibly be. Discipline ... staying ethical and moral without compromise. Knowledge ... never stop learning in any aspect of your life.” David agrees that the credo “lives inside of you. You never lose it. When I went to USC, one of the reasons I was able to transition so quickly was that I was disciplined ... understood to be humble and hungry ... the best you could be on and off the field. That was instilled in all of us at St. Thomas and we’ve all tried to make that a part of our lives.” Rick shared the night back in the Red & White spotlight with his wife Jennifer and son Alexander. After 26 years of marriage the family is firmly anchored in Arkansas. But a rare weekend return to St. Thomas served as a revitalizing reminder of where pride once crossed with passion, helping pave a path through life’s unpredictable challenges to reveal unimaginable rewards.
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Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017................................... p70 26th Annual St. Thomas Golf Tournament............................ p76 2017 Style Show.............................. p44
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SEVEN LUMINARIES Alphabetically, the 2017 inductees are:
RICK APOLSKIS ’85
n one of the top high school lineman in the nation in 1984, three-time all-state, two-time Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston, and a semi-finalist for Houston’s top defensive player award as a senior n captained Eagle Football to three district championships and two TCIL state championships while his teams went undefeated four straight years in the annual series with Strake Jesuit n accepted scholarship to the University of Arkansas after multiple Division I offers including Notre Dame, Texas and Texas A&M n three-year starter at offensive tackle for head coach Ken Hatfield, second team All-Southwest Conference in 1989 and a key contributor for back-to-back SWC champions who won 20 of 24 games and earned invitations to the annual New Year’s Cotton Bowl game n played for the New York Giants and NFL Europe’s Barcelona Dragons and Birmingham Fire n rich St. Thomas family legacy includes father Rich who coached Eagle Basketball from 1972-78 following his college career at the University of Houston for Hall of Fame head coach Guy Lewis, and brothers David ’89 who played at the University of Southern California, and John ’92 n earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management from Arkansas, became a Certified Public Accountant, with a distinguished professional career including more than a decade with global food and beverage leader PepsiCo n married to wife Jennifer for 26 years and proud father of Alexander
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God has truly had a plan for my family ... taken us in some interesting directions. My father passed away in 1985 ... just as I was arriving at Arkansas for my freshman year. My two brothers were quite young ... David was 14 and John was 11 ... my mother (Roxanne) held us all together when I couldn’t be there. I had an opportunity to attend any school in Texas but I chose Arkansas ... (knowing) something was there ... trusting in God. My freshman year I met my wife and we’ve had quite the journey ... but it all comes back to St. Thomas ... I’m truly honored and humbled.
RECIEVED THE GREATEST RECOGNITION AFFORDED AN EAGLE STUDENT-ATHLETE ... INDUCTED INTO THE ST. THOMAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME ...REMEMBERED AND REVERED AT A CEREMONY BEFORE A VIBRANT AND SUPPORTIVE CROWD, APRIL 29, IN CEMO AUDITORIUM.
RICK AZIOS ’69
It’s been 50 years since I went to school here ... (and) God had His hand in this ... My dad once told me that St. Thomas is the best thing to ever happen to you ... and he was right. St. Thomas changed my life. It’s a brotherhood ... (that we) didn’t really realize until we left. A Hall of Fame at any level ... it’s the people you’ve known who care about you and love you ... the classmates ... and I want to thank all of them because they’re the reason I’m here. This is an honor ... a dream ... and thanks to everyone who was involved, the committee, for allowing me to be here and enjoy this.
n two-sport student-athlete and all-state quarterback for the 1968 TCIL state champions who posted an 11-1 record and defeated Dallas Jesuit in the title game n selected to the Joe McDonald-Burr Davis all-time team n accepted scholarship to attend Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana-Lafayette) n following his Ragin Cajun career coached for five years in the Houston Independent School District, followed by two decades in the oilfield and beverage industries n since 2000 has coached in the Conroe Independent School District and served as a boys athletic coordinator
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JOHN BRANIFF ’59
n two-year letterman and 1959 all-state performer for Eagle Baseball n all-city American Legion 1957-58 n undergraduate and graduate degrees from St. Mary’s University n served with the United States Army from 1967-68 before entering family’s Jas. J. Braniff & Co. Insurance n served on St. Thomas Board of Directors from 1968-71 n elected 1994 to Board of Directors 100 Club of Houston where he was president and chairman of the board from 2004-10 n one-time Vice President, Board of Directors, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo n Board of Directors, Tejas Vaqueros and Chairman of the Board 1991-96 n married to wife Martha with three children and 10 grandchildren
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I’m most gratefull for the friendships I developed here, the teammates that I had. All that carries forward in your life. And when you think of where you’ve been and where you are today, it comes from friends, teammates and coaches like Fr. Wilson. And when (high school) is done, not only is the education so important to all of us, it’s the culture that St. Thomas provides (for us) to take forward into our family lives, our civic lives. I am most gratefull and most humbled.
TOM BROWN ’65
n two-sport standout and TCIL all-state pitcher his junior and senior seasons helping lead Eagle Baseball to 40 consecutive wins in claiming the 1965 state championship and the American Legion state title n unbeaten with 14 straight wins during that stretch with an earned run average of less than one while striking out more than two batters an inning
I would say the reason I’m here is that I’m lucky ... lucky to grow up in the 1950s when there were sandlot games all over Houston ... lucky when I was nine-years-old to have my dad construct a pitcher’s mound in our backyard ... lucky to attend St. Thomas ... lucky the when I first came to campus to be surrounded by superb athletes and wonderful teams ... and lucky to be standing here tonight. Last April I left Baylor Hospital ... after three months ... arrived in an ambulance ... unresponsive in ICU for six weeks ... a tough time. When the fog cleared I was unable to walk ... in rehab for several months ... many of the people who I got to know in St. Thomas came to see me and they’re why I’m here ... the positive energy helped my family and helped me survive. Thank you so much.
n teamed in 1965 with catcher Steve Hall ’66, Frankie B. Mandola ’65, Jim McConn ’66, Jim Raley ’65 and Larry Zientek ’66 ... all inductees to the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame n two-platoon and all-state performer in Eagle Football and part of the 1964 TCIL state champions coached by Fr. Robert Matzinger, CSB who won 10 of 11 games and set St. Thomas standards for most points scored (388) and least points allowed (37), marks which have stood for more than half a century n rejected an opportunity to sign out of St. Thomas with the New York Mets organization and chose to attend Rice University among multiple Division I scholarship offers where he was a 1969 letterman n served for six years in the Texas National Guard as an Airborne Infantryman ... attended Army Basic Training and Airborne Training before returning to Houston to begin a distinguished professional career with Procter and Gamble in 1970, moving to Atlanta (1972), Phoenix (1973), Cincinnati (1977) and Dallas (1978) n married wife Julie in 1978 ... daughter Erin graduated from Texas A&M and son Brendan from the University of Texas, both now living in Portland, Oregon where Erin is an anesthesiologist and Brendan is an engineer ... son Richard died in an auto accident in 2007 n active civic leader serving on a wide variety of nonprofit boards, including Christ the King School and the advisory committee for the Texas A&M Mays MBA Program
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DICK KIRTLEY ’57
n three-sport Eagle student-athlete and three-year letterman for Eagle Football earning all-state recognition as team captain his senior season n member of the St. Thomas Honor Roll and St. Thomas Club n freshman walk-on at Texas A&M and was quickly awarded full scholarship from legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in 1957 n transferred to the University of Houston where he was a two-platoon three-year standout in the offensive and defensive lines from 1959-61 n earned his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Master of Arts from UH, and received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study mathematics n distinguished professional career included 25 years at NASA, plus acclaim as an energy economist and the National Cancer Institute in Washington D.C. n ties to St. Thomas and Eagle Athletics run long and deep, having coached with Joe McDonald, Burr Davis, Larry Gillespie and Fr. Bob Powers, CSB n long-time member of the St. Thomas Alumni Association and served on its Board of Directors while also a member of the UH Alumni Association, the “H” Association of former Cougar lettermen and the UH Political Action Committee (PAC) n vibrant supporter of the two-day MS 150 Houston-Austin fundraising bike ride organized by the National MS Society, a frequent volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and a participant in the Wounded Soldier Night at the Houston Livestock Show n passed away April 8, 2017, survived by his wife of 50 years Laura, son Richard Ryan Kirtley and wife Paula of League City, and daughter Laura Kristen and husband Cody Simmons of Friendswood
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Close friend Bill McCurdy ’56 spoke for Kirtley, beginning with some notes the inductee had prepared for his acceptance speech. I am pleased, honored and humbled to accept this award and join previous recipients who I admire and respect. A very special thanks to the board for selecting me and a enormous salute to all this year’s nominees. And thanks to those of you who supported my nomination. And McCurdy then added that “I know if Dick were here, the first name he would mention would be Oscar Padillo. And thank you to my wife and family, my extended St. Thomas family and friends.”
DANNY NEWMAN ’75
n rare four-sport student-athlete earning 13 varsity letters during his acclaimed career, including three each in football, basketball and baseball, and four in track
(Looking back) I want to thank all in the faculty for their dedication and vision, and my coaches for their instruction. My freshman year coach (Jim) Schwarzbach was still trying to figure out who we all were ... lined us up for sprints in fours ... I’m a semi-lineman with two sprinters and a running back ... came in about 10 years behind them in the 40-yard dash ... and Schwarzbach comes up to me and says ‘You remind me of a mule running with a bunch of thoroughbreds!’ Thank you for that motivation ... I believe each and every person who attends St. Thomas is a better person as a result of the mission. I feel truly blessed to receive this honor.
n key contributor for back-to-back TCIL state football champions in 1972-73 n team captain his senior year when he earned all-state and all-american recognition for the second consecutive season and was also selected to the Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston team and the Greater Houston Blue Chip list n helped lead Eagle Baseball to the TCIL state championship game in 1973 and Eagle Basketball to the 1975 state final n placed second in the high jump at the 1974 and 1975 state track and field meets n member of the student council, St. Thomas Club and honor roll in 1974-75 while maintaining an A average n recruited by more than 40 Division I schools and accepted a scholarship to Rice University where he was a three-year letterman and two-year starting tight end playing with recordsetting quarterbacks Tommy Kramer and Randy Hertel n earned Bachelor of Arts in Managerial Studies and developed a strong professional career in supply chain management n married to wife Becky n brother James ’72 also a multi-sport standout who received a football scholarship to LSU
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JOHN PIZZITOLA ’62
n two-sport all-state star who helped lead Eagle Baseball to the 1961 TCIL state championship and a return to the state championship game in 1962
Pizzitola’s son Jared delivered the acceptance speech on behalf of his father.
n capped his three-year varsity career with Eagle Football by being named Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston among both private and public schools
I want to thank the committee for including me in this most prestigious group. This is a true honor. I am so proud of my school, and all the classmates and alumni I have met throughout the years. I have never met anyone who couldn’t respect St. Thomas. I had so many special friends and priests who were an influence on my life. I am equally proud of the many friends I grew up with in Galena Park, many of whom are here tonight ... Knowing the list of all those selected in front of me for this honor makes it all the more special to be included ... I count all 171 classmates as my special friends and want to close with
n accepted a football scholarship to Texas A&M University where he then opted for baseball, performing for two years and then transferring to the University of Texas n earned his business degree from UT in 1967 and his jurisprudence from St. Mary’s Law School in 1970, ranking in the top 10% of his class and joining the Scholastic Honor Fraternity n founded and directed the St. Mary’s Criminal Law Association n began his law career with the Harris County District Attorney before opting for a 40-plus year private practice specializing in Criminal Law n approaching 50th wedding anniversary with wife Peggy having raised a daughter and three sons with 10 grandchildren n joins brothers Jerry ’60 and Jimmy Raley ’65 as members of the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame
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the memory of the most special one, the most popular in our class, Benny Tinerella (who) was killed in an car accident eight years after our graduation and remains the heart and soul of the Class of 1962. Thank you again for this honor and remember the Eagle flies on Friday. The St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame was established by the Alumni Association in 1998 to commemorate exceptional Eagle athletic accomplishment while celebrating lifelong excellence consistent with the Basilian motto of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge. The Class of 2017 joins Brandon Caraway ’96, John Fisher ’74, Marcus (Marc) Jankowski ’70, Roland Laurenzo ’65, Del Leatherwood ’73, Stephen Martin ’67, Bill Sage ’61, Tim Staples ’54, Michael Young ’66, Larry “Zinny” Zientek ’66 and the legendary undefeated 1939 St. Thomas Football Team from the Class of 2016 … and Bernard “Nardy” DeGeorge, Jr. ’63, Gary Martin ’69, George Mehaffey ’53, Mike Mulvihill ’56, Ted Nowak ’70, Jerry Pizzitola ’60, Jimmy Raley ’65, Bradley Smith ’88, Billy Welu ’50 and Mark Yokubaitis ’70 rom the Class of 2015 as the most recent inductees … increasing the overall membership to 65 Eagles. Eagles’ Nest Fall 2017 - 77
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enerations of Eagle arrived for a bonding that renewed Basilian values, invigorated the St. Thomas soul and raised valuable monies which help enable the tradition-steeped 117-year institution to continue inspiring students personally and professionally. A brisk cloudless afternoon beneath an ocean blue sky greeted more 200 participants zigzagging the demanding Jackrabbit and Cypress Creek courses of historic Champions Golf Club, which first carved its deep place in the game’s history hosting such prestigious events as Ryder Cup matches, the United States Open and the Champions International. Throughout the 26th Annual St. Thomas Golf Tournament, wide fairways were split, wedges shanked, enormous greens missed, inevitable wagers placed and many a Macanudo lit. And before the day was done, the treasure that is 94-year-old Jackie Burke ’40 briefly held court in the expansive Champions dining room before departing to a heartfelt standing ovation. “You can’t describe nor match the magic when Jackie meets with our Eagle family,” said vice president for advancement Mark deTranaltes ’83. The Champions founder, forever Eagle and secondoldest living Masters champion is annually encouraged (with $10,000 in expense money) to return to the hallowed golfing grounds to relive some of the rich tapestry he helped weave more than six decades ago with a dramatic final round charge to the coveted green jacket.
BRIDGING THE BROTHERHOOD UNLIKE ANY OTHER
But the World Golf Hall of Famer repeatedly declines overtures from Augusta National where he shares a permanent locker with Tiger Woods, more comfortable engaging assorted Eagles representing five different decades in the famed golfing club he built in 1957 with the late Jimmy Demaret, and every day since was worked to grow the game, teach it and play it. Burke maintains vivid memories of his iconic times ... two major tournament victories in 1956 when he was PGA Player of the Year ... five U.S. Ryder Cup teams with the likes of Ben Hogan and Sam Snead ... captain of an American squad that included Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Billy Casper ... and just as readily drains from his vast reservoir of wisdom when asked why he retains such deep convictions and connections to St. Thomas. “My father always told me to leave more than two footprints on this world,” Burke said while stationed in the flurry of activity outside his wood-paneled office. “We don’t do a lot of events like this. But St. Thomas
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has been a part of my life forever and we’re going to do this right because St. Thomas has always done it right. I know what (Fathers) Higgins and Allnoch and so many of the Basilians taught these guys in here. You either got along or got the (heck) out of school.” And correctly on cue a number of near-by listeners casually hanging on each and every Burke blurb burst with laughs and back slaps. deTranaltes has orchestrated tournament logistics, sponsorships and participation for five years and is routinely struck by much more than the monies raised for St. Thomas tuition assistance and Eagle Athletics which this year totaled $120,000. “The breadth and width of alumni who come together is what makes this gathering significant,” he said. “Some graduated five years ago and played for the first time ... many others are constants and have been involved for two decades. The brotherhood is for life. The friendships are what bring everyone back.” Posie Clinton ’91 is a notable example, making this Monday in April an automatic entry for more than a dozen years. When greeted with the the first-time opportunity
to co-chair along with three fellow classmates, “it never crossed my mind to not do it. I play golf here every year with the same group of guys I played with in high school ... same group I play with every week ... but this day brings such a different feel. We all are determined to keep our Eagle tradition alive.”
and I have to admit, I’m so competitive that I see this as another tournament to try to score as well as I can,” Dennis said. “But that being said, there’s also a great appreciation to support an event that helps students with scholarships and makes St. Thomas more available for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate.”
Co-chair Brian Cronin ’91 is another decade-plus veteran of the event that provides the chance “to remain in contact with those classmates who I only see playing the tournament ... a great time where it absolutely doesn’t matter how you play ... just fun.”
David Hanse ’91 said the teaming of the co-chairs was a natural, “a group of guys who I’ve been in their weddings and they’ve been in mine. We all currently have different perspectives of St. Thomas ... Brian has only daughters ... Posie has three sons and one who is there now (Posie ’19) ... Billy has a five-year-old ... I have an older daughter who went to St. Agnes and a younger son. But we all share the same appreciation for the school and want nothing but success for it moving forward.
Bill Dennis ’91 said he “never misses this ... 25 straight years ... seeing friends going all the way back to St. Michael Catholic. It’s all really more of a family reunion experience for me than anything else.” The co-chair routinely made the rounds at Champions during his own St. Thomas years through a family membership. Dennis would regularly brush against the legendary Burke or gather a glimpse of him working with standout touring pros such as PGA Champions Steve Elkington and Hal Sutton, or Rocco Mediate. “This is such a special and historic place,
“The tournament brings a mix of different constituencies together ... those who went to St. Thomas ... those who have sons attending now ... and those who simply have affection for the school and like to play golf. As chairs we tried to expose the event to those who have been involved in some way with St. Thomas in the past, enjoyed their experience either as a student or parent, and yet haven’t discovered further reasons to really stay involved.”
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26th
ANNUAL
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TOURNAMENT The brotherhood is for life. The friendships are what bring everyone back.
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he 46th Annual Style Show & Luncheon served as the signature salute honoring the graduating Class of 2017.
The River Oaks Country Club again provided the perfect spring setting ... hosting Men of St. Thomas - Saluting New Horizons ... chaired by Amy Huggins, Tiffany Leyendecker, Rhett Ross and Maria Varcados collaborating with director of special events and volunteer coordinator Catherine Chandler ... with the valuable proceeds benefitting the current and future men of St. Thomas. Special appreciation to Dillard’s for providing women’s and men’s fashions ... fashion event producer Lenny Matuszewski and senior fashion stylist Tamar Klosz Bonar ... Casablanca Productions ... Jentry Kelley ... Kax Salon ... The Phoenix Design Group ... and the accomplished St. Thomas Jazz Ensemble. And as is the grand Style Show custom ... no one fashed the sartorial struts quite like president Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB and his fellow bastion of bespoke assistant dean of students Fr. James Murphy, CSB.
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HAUTE
TIMES
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GREAT THANKS
to our young alumni who joined the bash at Saint Arnold Brewing Company with graduates from St. Agnes Academy ... Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart ... Incarnate Word Academy ... St. Pius X ... and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Excellent time had by all!
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Stay connected with St. Thomas and remember our Eagle Eye Clay Shoot Tournament upcoming October 7 ... Alumni Weekend October 27 ... the Annual Auction & Golf Ball, honoring Jackie Burke ’40 November 4 ... and our 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament December 16. Be social with STHCatholic on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram ... follow, click, share, like and retweet ... and continue the staggering digital growth St. Thomas has enjoyed the previous 12-18 months. We salute our supporters who are enriching relationships with individuals who have or are developing an affinity for St. Thomas. Most importantly, let us know how we may further fortify our brotherhood unlike any other. Contact alumni relations associate Sebastian Domenech ’10 at Sebastian.Domenech@sths.org. Eagle Fight Never Dies!
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IN MEMORIAM Eugene A. Barbles, father of Gary E. ’62, June 2017 Richard P. Bogatto, father of Richard F. ’84, April 20, 2017 William J. Bradfield ’53, May 19, 2017
Norma L. Bowers, mother of Murphy W. ’76, Hayden H. ’79 and Michael L. ’81, March 27, 2017 Anita M. Brown, wife of Robert O. ’62 and mother of Steven R. ’99, March 19, 2017 Vincent T. Caltagirone ’43, father of Jack J. ‘78, March 28, 2017 Susan H. Cedar, mother of Christopher ’85, May 27, 2017 Donald R. Costa ’51, June 13, 2017
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Rupert O. (Rocky) Carroll ’56 - June 21, 2017 A revered and sometimes rowdy custom cowboy-boot maker who crafted signature footwear for seven presidents, along with world-wide royalty ranging from Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana, to Oprah Winfrey and Willie Nelson, to Queen Elizabeth and Liz Taylor, including twenty-seven pairs fashioned for former President George H.W. Bush which are kept at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station. A forever Eagle who embodied Texas eccentricity and individualism like few others, Carroll served as a lawman with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for more than three decades, working narcotics, vice and the helicopter squad while creating his renowned artisan reputation. A boot maker’s son who carved his first pair of boots when he was 6 years old, Carroll died at age 79 at his eclectic Garden Oaks shop on 34th Street in the Heights.
Sue B. Draper, mother of John A. ’76, March 25, 2017 Joan H. Gleason, mother of John M. ’82 and Joseph A. ’86, June 4, 2017 Frank J. Haberger ’47, April 6, 2017
Patrick A. O’Brien ’56, May 13, 2017
Robert R. Reynosa ’71, May 19, 2017
Rose S. O’Brien, mother of Michael J. ’64 and William H. ’66, March 8, 2017
Justino Rosales ’55, May 4, 2017
Robert R. Ottis, father of Robert ’78, April 28, 2017 Pat S. Hablizel, wife of Fred Hablizel ’56, mother of Conrad ’79 and Matt ’88, grandmother of Brian Bedore ’02, sister of John W. Schattel ’64, aunt of Eddie ’69, Tom ’72 and Tommy Schulte ’00, John ’82 and Paul Laetsch ’86, cousin of John L. Schattel ’54, August 1, 2017
Virginia D. Passmore, sister of Paul ’49, Phil ’54 and Clyde Davison ’58, June 2, 2017 Joseph Parker ’49, May 4, 2017
Richard P. Kirtley ’57, April 2017
Vida L. Wisnoski, wife of John J. ’48, April 2, 2017
= Ben Pinto ’60, May 17, 2017
Paul M. Merriman, father of Glen E. Merriman ’83, June 3, 2017
William E. Ryan, father of Michael W. ’03, March 9, 2017
Please let the Alumni Office know if an alumnus has passed away. Call 713-864-6348 x150, fax 713-864-6402, or email alumni@sths.org. Those listed in this edition were received by August 1, 2017
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