The Talon Graduation requirements and different student roles are just a few big changes that she has had to get used to. However, she is eager to get to know her new students. “I approach it as whether they’re five or they’re eighteen, you still talk to a student and try to hear their story.” At Gibault, there’s lots of administrative figures all working on different roles like marketing and disciplinary, which has taken some getting used to versus being in charge of everything at a school. Mrs. Lanham has many hopes for the year and future. There have already been new changes with dress code and general rules, in which she is hopeful students have and understanding attitude about. Mrs. Lanham has even been making her way into senior and junior religion classes to meet with students, so studetns get a chance to talk to her and ask questions or comment about the new changes. Regarding students she said, “I want them to feel like they’re heard because I think that’s important at that age.” Mrs. Lanham also adds, “We want you to stand up for things, so we can’t just sush you when it doesn’t align with what I’m doing.” She is actively trying to build relationships with students and hopes they know they can ask her questions, hoping her relationships with students can grow. As for the future, she hopes to finish up two major projects at Gibault, the Commons and new prayer garden. The main focus now is finishing projects already started. GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 1 It is no secret that Gibault has had a handful of changes this year. However, the biggest one would be a new principal. Mrs. Sarah Lanham has taken role as Gibault’s Principal for the new school year. Students and staff are taking comfort in the knowledge that Gibault finally has a set administrative figure. Mrs. Lanham has a long history of education. She started teaching at Saint Mary’s in Belleville where she taught kindergarten for three years. Mrs. Lanham then moved to Saint Agatha, a Catholic school in New Athens, where she taught seventh and eighth grade for five years. This was the point where she then became the Principal at that same school when asked by the pastor of the church. Five years later, she returned back to a classroom setting where she taught at Saint John the Baptist in Smithton. She was a math and science teacher for grades fifth through eighth. When the Principal resigned at that school, she took on another leadership position as the Principal. All of these years of education added up, and it is currently Mrs. Lanham’s nineteenth year in education. Although she built lots of close relationships at St. John the Baptist with supportive families, she felt as if it was time to move on. Her oldest son, Josh, already went to Gibault and she realized there was a need for her here. When she was reapproached by administration, she carefully thought it through and accepted the job. Although it has been a huge change transitioning into a high school setting, Mrs. Lanham still manages to carry herself with a gracious and levelheaded attitude. In her words, the transition into high school has been a whirlwind. She stated, “There is so much I don’t know and am still learning.” FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX “I want [students] to feel like they’re heard because I think that’s important at that age.” GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Principal Lanham’s Promising New Start Junior, Grace Lowe Regarding the new Commons, Mrs. Lanham stated, “If other students have ideas on what space could look like and a plan for it, I would love to hear it.” When asked what message or imprint Mrs. Lanham wants to leave at Gibault, she had lots of great responses. She is proud to be the first woman Gibault principal. Mrs. Lanham stated, “I want students to know that they’re loved, that we do have their best interest.” She is also greatly inspired by Gibault’s theme this year, “Be Not Afraid.” Mrs. Lanham wants students to grow during this time at Gibault. In her words, “This is a safe space to make mistakes and learn from them.” Mrs. Lanham is actively listening to students and is open to listening to students with ideas, believing students perceptions should be heard. All in all, Mrs. Lanham has had a very strong start to the school year. It is truly inspiring to see how much Mrs. Lanham cares for her students in the short time she’s known some of them. She has many exciting hopes for the future that both staff and students are excited to see come to life.
The Talon It seems as if everyone has something to say about the newly implemented rules and policies at Gibault Catholic High School this year. These regulations include restricting where students may eat, enforcing a no-phone or ear bud environment in the classroom, blocking various applications on the school’s WiFi network, and tightening up on the dress code. Many students disagree with these changes, while faculty and staff members are in favor of the reforms, with several other opinions lying somewhere in between. Controversy has stirred throughout the school, leaving a need for a debriefing and justification for these changes. Over the past 3 years, Gibault, along with other schools throughout the world, lightened up on its usual campus policies in order to align with CDC guidelines and other safety practices during the COVID19 pandemic. With a major distraction in sight, upholding all of the pre-pandemic regulations had proved to be difficult for the Gibault staff at the time. The administration decided to enter the 2023- 24 school year with most of the pre-covid rules enforced the way they used to be. As expected by the staff, students have not been shy about voicing their opinions on the revised policies. Publisher: David Schauer Editorial Director: David Schauer Digital Content Coordinator: David Schauer 501 Columbia Ave. Waterloo, IL 62298 618-939-3883 Email: [email protected] Copyright 2023, Gibault Catholic High School GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 2 Continued on page 3... Students Respond to Rule Changes Re-Established in 2023 from The Revolution and The New Revolution www.gibaulthawks.com FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX Overall, most students feel that these rules are negatively impacting the school. Sophomore, Jai Lavington thinks that they are unfavorably affecting the students because “it takes away the point of this being a college-prep high school. [The policy changes] take away freedom and don’t allow [the students] to use their own study skills.” Similar to what Lavington says, many students believe that the administration is being hypocritical by implementing certain restrictions. “Gibault would sell themselves as having freedom. Having an open weight room after hours and being able to have your phone make the school more of a college environment. Now, [the administration] is making it more of a public high school, which isn’t preparing us for college,” Senior, Cade Kostelac comments. Juniors, Gavin Braun and Charlee Lumpkins share similar sentiment. Braun claims that “Gibault’s whole thing” is maintaining more freedom than an average high school. Lumpkins ties together the rule changes, especially the stricter dress code policies, and moving away from a college-like environment, stating that Gibault is “supposed to be a college prep school, and colleges don’t really have [strict uniforms] like other schools.” GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Seniors, Allison Stark and Brock Murphy The Talon Newspaper
·The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean. Written by a well-known science reporter, Kean details the historical background of the periodic elements. It all started when Dmitri Mendeleev constructed the original periodic table. From there, he went on to help discover an array of new elements. With new these elements, more were accidentally discovered and even shown to be able to help our society prosper. ·Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. This odd exploration of our human bodies post-death is sure to draw you in. Over thousands of years, we have come to discover new things about our bodies after death. Some of these facts are weird, or even funny at times, but they are sure to intrigue you. Roach’s writing tone captures a very dark topic and makes it feel light-hearted to readers. ·Cracking the Code of Life produced by NOVA. Diving into a deeply complex challenge of trying to decode the human genome, you witness an all-out competition between many different groups of people to be the first to do. While they are all competing, they do share the same project, the Human Genome Project. You follow geneticists Francis Collins, Eric Lander, and Craig Venter on their interesting journey. GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 3 ... Rule Changes Science Department Recommends... with Mrs. Asbury FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Even Gibault alumni are upset with some of these changes. “I think it’s overkill,” says Class of 2023 graduate Lauren Eichholz. “It’s one thing to add a couple rules to make Gibault a more consistent and well-rounded place, but a lot of these aren’t necessary and take away too much freedom.” For our athletes, the largest obstacle is the restriction of key cards that could allow students to enter the building after hours when the doors are locked. Many people who play a sport at Gibault, especially the upperclassmen, are used to being able to come to school in the evenings to work out in the weight room or practice their sport in the gym. Senior basketball and soccer player, Kanen Augustine says, “From the summer of freshman year (2020-21 school year) until my card got revoked, I’d be in [the weight room] 6 days a week, and 7 days for shooting basketball.” Augustine goes on to say that the environment always “felt pretty safe” when he used the weight room and gym after hours due to the small number of people in the building. As many Monroe County residents know, Gibault Catholic won the IHSA 1A Boys’ Basketball State Championship last school year. Class of 2023 graduate and basketball player, Kaden Augustine, is “not sure if we would have won state in basketball if we weren’t allowed to get into the gym after school hours.” He attributes much of his success to his personal time in the weight room and gym. “I would be in the weight room five to six days a week for at least an hour each day…Being able to work out and shoot at pretty much any time of the day was huge for me; it had a major impact on who I am as a player and athlete.” Kaden, along with other athletes, believes that the personal practice and workout time outside of scheduled practices is essential to personal and team success. “Just like in school, you don’t just want to do the bare minimum on assignments; you’re supposed to go above the requirements. The same applies to going to practice; you can’t just go to practices and expect to be strong. You have to workout on your own time.” Principal, Sarah Lanham has expressed her concerns for safety and security within the school. She is cautious to give key cards to students in case they injure themselves with the weight room equipment, or in case a person who could inflict harm upon the school is let in after hours. News Continued on page 4...
GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID| PAGE 4 FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX Many students have heard from staff members that Gibault is operating on a “pendulum” system, which explains why the school used to have looser policies for the past few years. In essence, as teachers have explained, one side of the pendulum holds less discipline and structure. The other side, which is where the administration intends to take the school this year, is home to more core values and strict policies. Some students have an issue with this logic, saying that we should “find a happy medium and not work on a pendulum system. The way it works is basically toying with us” (Kostelac). Other students, such as Senior, Hope Pollmann, are more understanding of this theory: “I think it’s very true…If we’ve gotten so strict right now, maybe throughout the year we could just ease back down into less strictness.” Not all Gibault students have negative opinions surrounding this issue. Freshmen, Coleman Ludwig and Mallory Wachtel believe that the new rules, especially the regulations about phones, are justifiable because “it’s kind of annoying when people are playing on their phones in class” (Ludwig). Wachtel thinks “it helps you concentrate more rather than just goofing around.” Although she is apprehensive about most of the latest policy changes, Pollmann does claim that the rules “can be positive and have a positive effect on everyone.” The faculty and staff at Gibault are mostly satisfied with all of the modifications that have been made to the school’s policies. “I like that [the rules] give the school a little more structure and that it’s not a ‘loosey goosey’ free for all,” says Mrs. Knittig. “I don’t like it if the kids feel like they’re getting freedom taken away…Really, I can’t think of anything I dislike, other than I don’t want the kids to feel any sort of unfairness against them.” Mrs. Kovarik adds that “we’re creating a better learning environment by making a lot of the changes this year. Things can’t always be fun and exactly how we want them to be.” However, Mrs. Kovarik understands why students are upset about this year’s alterations: “As soon as we’re getting used to one set of procedures and leaders, another leader might have a different set of expectations, processes, and communication styles. I see the effects of that in our staff and student body, particularly when our seniors would complain about things changing from last year.” GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 New EDITION #1 s Kanen Augustine proposes reforms involving proper instruction, education, and documentation leading to the privilege of using these facilities. When asked about safety concerns, he said, “I am in a chemistry class right now. Before ever doing our first lab, we had to sign a safety consent form and we learned all about safety… we aren’t banning chemistry classes because of potential burns.” He goes on to say, “I feel like the reform to the card situation is punishing me for just trying to better myself.” ... Rule Changes
Features GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 6 FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX After Ms. Hurst retired from Gibault Catholic High School, a new face arrived from one of the local middle schools, SPPCS. Ms. Kraus taught at SPPCS as the Spanish teacher before deciding to move to Gibault for a fresh start and a new change in scenery. Her and Mrs. Noles now make up the Spanish department of the school, working hard on teaching students a second language. Ms. Kraus hopes to focus more on communication skills of Spanish, rather than the vocabulary, to help students use Spanish in their everyday lives. In her class, she is encouraging students to speak Spanish to each other more often rather than simply translating sentences and practicing vocabulary. Even though she is brand new to the school, she is getting along nicely with both students and faculty. Many of the students she has now are her old students back from SPPCS, so she does know some familiar faces. GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Senior, Gabby Coates A New Face in the Spanish Department What intrigued and made her come to this school was the Catholic community, different opportunities, and the fact that many of her old students would be new students at Gibault in the future. Right now, she is interested in helping with the Cross-Country Team, and perhaps in the future, the Debate Team. With the Debate Team, she hopes to improve the speech quality of the team, preparing them for future debates. In our present-day world, knowing more than one language is vital to communicate with others who may not speak the same language. Ms. Kraus is giving the students an opportunity to develop their communication skills and improve the Spanish Department with Mrs. Noles. Gibault is excited to welcome her in and ready to see how she does in the current school year. Welcome to Gibault, Ms. Kraus!
Features Chris Braun was a former Gibault Alumni who graduated in 1998. Braun was best known for playing in Coach Denis Rueter’s Basketball program. Awarded the 1997-1998 Most Valuable Player award for leading the team in rebounds and points, Braun averaged 15 points per game. “[Gibault] taught me a lot about the value of community and friendships. I transferred my Senior year and met my new lifelong friends.” Braun looks back fondly on his time at Gibault and has advice for current players. “[It’s a] great program and [you should] expect to give your best effort all the time. Play as hard as you can because it only lasts so long. Coach Rueter is a great coach and will teach you life values outside of basketball.” Coach Ruter remembers Braun fondly. “[His] level of commitment was different and very high. Chris was very mature, well spoken, and we ended up becoming very good friends.” Braun got the opportunity to take in some of last season’s championship atmosphere. “I got to take my son up to Champaign to watch the games and it was a very different environment and type of excitement for both of us.” After Gibault, Braun went on to play basketball for Saint Louis University. Now, his life still revolves around sports. “I am the owner of a company that makes sporting goods and services and selling sports uniforms.” GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 7 FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Where Are They Now? Senior, Konnor Cartee interviews 1998 Graduate, Chris Braun Joining Gibault’s administration this year as a part-time counselor is Gibault graduate Emily Larson. It was during her time as a student at Gibault that Larson realized that she wanted to help others. She remembers feeling like she never really had someone to talk to about difficult topics. Larson believes that “everybody could benefit from talking to someone” and hopes to “provide encouragement, support, and advocacy for students who feel like they can’t speak up.” “I just hope to shine a light in some of those dark places,” Larson expresses. “People don’t have to suffer in silence,” she notes. “Every person matters, and we all see you, and Jesus sees everyone, as well.” Larson received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Originally, she planned to pursue a career as a Child Life Specialist. However, she realized that she didn’t want to be confined to working with one population [children]. Switching career paths allowed her to work with a wide range of people, from infants to the elderly. Before joining Gibault’s faculty and staff, Larson worked as a community mental health worker with BJC Behavioral Health. She went to homes and schools, providing support and clinical services. Larson also worked with the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Detectives during COVID. Though she was unable to meet with the victims, she provided resources over the phone. In March of this year, Larson began working with Waterloo, Illinois’ Human Support Services. When it comes to burnout, Larson says that she prioritizes her mental health as soon as she steps out of the office. “I do a lot of different things for self-care,” Larson notes. “...focusing on my physical health, working out, eating right, drinking enough water throughout the day, getting enough Vitamin D outside, just different things.” Self-care looks different for everyone, but Larson prefers to stick to a routine. “Just find ways to still see that there is beauty in life, despite the ugliness,” she remarks. Larson assures that “It’s okay if you don’t know what your purpose is. We’re all just kind of taking it one day at a time. We’re all in the same boat, and there is a purpose for everyone, even if you don’t know what that is. And we’re all still figuring it out, so I just hope that people feel comfortable talking to others, and they have a place to go that they can feel that support.” A Light in the Dark Senior, Ling Pace
The Arts GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 8 The drama department has been a valuable part of the Gibault experience from 1969, or perhaps earlier. Since then, actors and stage crew alike have been active in theatre through set design, costuming, lights, sound, acting, and bringing scripts to life onstage up to three times per school year. With the variety of roles to play and the diversity of themes among the fall and winter plays and the musical in the spring, opportunities for students to express themselves are almost endless. As actors and stage crew flock to the auditorium with excitement regarding this year’s fall play: The Face on the Barroom Floor, they will be greeted by Mrs. LeSaulnier as she makes her repeat appearance as Director and head of the drama department. Mrs. LeSaulnier is certainly no stranger to the stage and spotlight. Her journey with theatre began in grade school at Sts. Peter and Paul where she participated in the fourth and eighth grade plays, as well as doing speech every year. As a Gibault student, Mrs. LeSaulnier was an avid participant in each of the yearly performances. Throughout her four years as a Hawk, her love for theatre flourished, “I was so into the arts here, I knew I wanted to do something with the arts, and theatre was my happy place.” She knew from an early age that she wanted to study drama and the arts in college, and that’s exactly what she did, carrying her enjoyment of the theatrical experience throughout her time in college. A New Director's Repeat Appearance FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX Recapping her career in Gibault’s drama department, Mrs. LeSaulnier explained that this position is a continuation of a hat she used to wear. She began working alongside Mrs. Hurst in 2001, over time progressing to directing all three theatre events every year until around 2010, at which point she reduced her workload to just the fall and winter plays until she left in 2012. Mrs. LeSaulnier’s eagerness and enthusiasm for rejoining Gibault’s drama department is apparent. An exciting addition Mrs. LeSaulnier is bringing to the drama department is the addition of a permanent stage in the auditorium. Anyone who has been involved with the plays understands the redundancy of deconstructing the stage after each winter season. So, last year Mrs. LeSaulnier approached Mr. Kish about putting up the stage this fall and leaving it there because, “the auditorium isn’t as multipurpose as it used to be, when I was a student the auditorium [held] our assemblies and everything, over the past thirty years we’ve gotten away from that”, and she hopes that this will become a designated drama area with the drama closet already there. With the full school year ahead of us all, one thing Mrs. LeSaulnier hopes for the near future is for more students to become involved with theatre, “I want it to grow, it may never be as big as it was when I was a student, [. . .] but I would love to see more people.” Looking past the thrill of the coming months, Mrs. LeSaulnier has also set forth plans for the spring. Although she will not be personally directing the spring musical, she knows of fellow actors she has worked with through local theatre that she feels would do well to fulfill the director’s role. She and Mrs. Lanham will work together on finalizing that decision. GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Senior, Elseah Congiardo
Andy Warhol once said that “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.” Senior, Brianna Baldridge has had her eyes open and has seen the beauty in art for all four years of her time at Gibault. Even before Gibault, Baldridge spent valuable time with art every other day at Immaculate Conception School. “I never did art at home, it was always at school,” she said. “Like a hobby.” That hobby blossomed enough to impress Art Department Faculty, Mrs. LeSaulnier, who recommended Baldridge for Artist of the Month. Before this year, Baldridge’s work was made permanent on the wall of the art room. Her mural, a collaboration with Senior, Kate Kreps, brings attention to women artists and inspires expression. To be an artist, Baldridge comments that it’s less about talent and more about the artist themselves. “You don’t have to think you’re a good artist. It’s about expression and freedom.” Her outlook on expression and her views on the world have become the inspiration for her master works. She explains that while she prefers sketching and that acrylic and pastels bring out color and brightness in her work, Mrs. LeSaulnier’s direction in the art room have given her opportunities to explore more medias. Baldridge explains that LeSaulnier has “opened up” her artistic vision by introducing new concepts and allowing for more individual artist expression. “She’s doing really good things with our art program,” Baldridge comments. “It’s opened up a lot.” One of the biggest changes to come to the art classes this year was the introduction of an Artist Contract that LeSaulnier introduced early. Baldridge explains that it allows artists to choose the direction their art will take them. “It’s a less strict class. There is less of an emphasis on skill and more of an emphasis on expressing yourself.” Baldridge takes advantage of this strategy. The relaxation of stress allows her to produce higher quality works. “Art feels like a break,” she says. Baldridge’s most recent works include a re-imagining of her English essay. The layering of mixed media reinterprets her ideas from one class into another; evidence of a creative imagination. Her painting of the Statue of Liberty highlights her “most prominent image” as the focus. “It’s restating my thesis,” she said. Her future plans, unsurprisingly, include art as a pivotal ingredient. “I want to go to Principia College. It’s a liberal arts school but focuses on art in general. I also want to play basketball there.” If Baldridge continues to express her unique and creative view of the world through colorful and interpretive art, her acceptance letter is in the mail. “Art is telling a story,” she comments simply. Her art tells her story, giving viewers a delightful treat. The Arts GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 9 Artist of the Month: Bri Baldridge FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Faculty, David Schauer
Twelve years ago, Junior, Sadie Loless put on her dance shoes for the first time. Now she rehearses five hours a day. Every day. It’s that kind of drive and determination that has led to Loless earning her professional dance debut with the STL Rhythm Collaborative, a non-profit organization of passionate dancers. The group is made up of a variety of dance styles but focuses on tap, a draw for Loless. “I prefer tap dance the most because it isn't just dance, it's also a form of music. There are so many more tones and rhythms in tap dance than most people think. It is almost percussive.” But the art is more than the applause. “Dance has given me so many things,” she said. “Dance has given me lifelong friends, a community, an outlet for my feelings, and a way to express myself.” She describes how bad days melt away when her tap shoes slip on. “It has given me a sense of comfort, almost like when things aren't going my way in life I can put on my shoes, and I can make one thing go anyway I want.” Loless allows the music to guide her movements, creating visual, auditory, and overall performative art. “Most other types of dances are constrained to using music, but with tap dance you can make your own music, which makes the art even more personal.” That kind of personal connection easily builds into a lifelong passion. But to become a professional performer with so much career and opportunity in store, Loless is breaking away from the pack and becoming a powerful artist. But those accolades don’t come without a price. Performing at such a high level requires commitment beyond the high school standard. Balancing those priorities is essential. “Being able to balance keeping my body healthy, being at the studio late every night, college classes, and social life has been a task to figure out, but I think I've gotten there.” The news came with a flood of positivity. “I was obviously very excited to find out I was going to get to dance professionally.” Previous performances with student programs have given Loless experience, but now she has taken her artistry to another level. “Being able to do what I love professionally already makes me really excited for the future.” Loless’ future includes bright stage lights for years to come. “I hope to dance for as long as possible. There are tap dancers in their 90s who are still performing and teaching, so I hope to pursue a dance career in addition to college.” While she looks to the future, she continues to appreciate the art of the moment. “I can express myself however I want when I tap dance. Just like there are different types of music, there are different ways tap dancers can make music that is special to their style. One of my favorite things is being in a room with other tap dancers and just getting to hear everyone's own style and thoughts that are translated through what their feet do. The art is just so personal that it is hard to not express yourself through it.” The Hopi Indigenous Tribe have a saying, “To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.” Loless shines on stage, letting her heart sing a beautiful song. The Arts GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 10 Dancing with Her Heart FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Faculty, David Schauer
Sports GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 11 The Lady Hawks Volleyball team is back, and they are more spirited than ever. They faced the departures of last year’s Seniors but aren’t letting that spoil their season. It seems like any time they have a doubt, once they believe, they are sure to achieve. Giving the rest of the community insight into the beginning of their season, Senior, Kate Kreps emphasized rising to challenges. “Stepping up this season has been difficult for all three of us seniors, especially because of the overlap of power between us.” Kreps described a fragile leadership structure. “I feel like at this point we all know our roles and have adjusted well, and we can make our team mindset better,” she commented. Mindset is key for the team, with Kreps explaining that it’s one of the most difficult challenges. “In this sport, getting out of your head is one of the main factors and you really can't have a great game without your mindset.” When things get difficult, she turns to those beside her. “This year started rough. but through talking with my teammates, I have been able to look at the sport in a whole new light,” said Kreps. With this season just getting started, Kreps is excited about the opportunities and challenges this season will bring her. Senior, Lucy Range commented on the shifting roster. “For all of us, losing the seniors was a very hard change. We lost crucial back-row players and an important aspect of our front row. With those three gone, our varsity team is mainly underclassmen.” While Range explained that this is good news for the future of the program, it’s been a struggle this year. “Overall, the hype aspect of our team was something we had to rebuild. The chemistry has begun flowing now though.” Range believes that chemistry can take the Lady Hawks to the post-season. “I believe that we can go far. The underclassmen have stepped up in a way that no one expected them to. We now have a very successful libero along with a strong front row including multiple sophomores and juniors. With all of this put together, the post-season run will hopefully be long.” Range has long been seen as an amazing player for this squad, and over this senior season, she will continue to propel the underclassmen players to even more success in their futures. The way good leaders do. Senior, Avery Gilpin, credits the strong start to the season as a key to success. “[Everyone expected] Belleville East to come out well-fortified. Gibault came out just as powerful.” Gilpin explained that the “energy and grit” from the start of the season was the momentum to carry them forward. “There was no slow start for our volleyball team, we stepped on the court and played as one. We will continue to persevere in our talent as a team.” Gilpin has the utmost confidence in her team, not letting anyone rain on their parade. This talented squad is just getting started and they are off to a bang. The rest of the school, fans, parents, and others couldn’t be more excited to cheer them on as they progress throughout the season. All they have to do is keep believing in themselves, and they can keep achieving their goals. Believing and Achieving FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Senior, Jimmy Nations
Sports GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID | PAGE 12 The Gibault girls' golf team has kicked off their season 5-0 breaking the girls' golf school record with the lowest nine-hole score with 183. In the three matches before the girls beat the record, they tied that record of 187. Coach Street said,” Coming off setting a new school record last night with a team score of 183 and being 5-0 in 9-hole matches we are moving in the right direction as a team and should continue to strive to cut strokes off our score along the way.” This year has high experiences from Coach Street as he believes the girl's gold team can make it to sectionals as a team for the first time in Gibault girls' golf history. Leadership is a key component of a team's success. Street said,” The leadership from the whole team has been everything a coach can ask for from giving rides to the underclassmen, sharing old uniforms, and cheering each other on to finish strong.I’m very happy with this team.” Senior Libby Mesch says,” New coaching brings new challenges and adjusting to the new coaching strategies.” Having the same coach for three years and being used to the same coaching, was a big change for the girls. Senior Lindsay Harget says,” The coaching change has been difficult, but our scores have gone down significantly because he has brought a new perspective into golf helping us with not only the physical aspect but the mental aspect.” Both seniors believe that the team can only get better and have a real shot at making it to sectionals. Senior Libby Mesch,” I think the team chemistry has grown and the team gets along which makes winning more enjoyable.” FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Lady Hawk Golf eyes successful season Senior Libby Mesch says,” New coaching brings new challenges and adjusting to the new coaching strategies.” Having the same coach for three years and being used to the same coaching, was a big change for the girls. Senior Lindsay Harget says,” The coaching change has been difficult, but our scores have gone down significantly because he has brought a new perspective into golf helping us with not only the physical aspect but the mental aspect.” Both seniors believe that the team can only get better and have a real shot at making it to sectionals. Senior Libby Mesch,” I think the team chemistry has grown and the team gets along which makes winning more enjoyable.” Senior, Izzy Fouch
Sports GCHS | BE NOT AFRAID| PAGE 13 Over the summer, the Gibault Hawks Boy’s Soccer team went to an Iowa Showcase and played teams from Chicago and Missouri. The team made some chemistry and got to work together all weekend. During the summer practices and tryouts, there were about 10-20 players at practices. This affects the team by having a lack of subs and people having to step up and play more minutes This year, Gibault has no JV boys soccer team. The team faced a rough schedule last year with some of the toughest opponents being SLUH, Vianney, Webster Groves (3a MO state Champs) and Althoff (1a State Runner-Up). Gibault also faced Columbia in the regional finals for the second year in a row. Senior Captain, Ty Friedrich was asked about the rivalry with Columbia and if Gibault faced them in the regionals again, what would the outcome be. Ty stated, “I think they are down this year and we will be better.” He also commented about the showcase in Iowa in which he said “we looked decent and showed signs of potential.” FOLLOW TO GET THE TALON SENT TO YOUR INBOX Friedrich said he was looking forward to this season saying, “it is my last and I want to enjoy it with my teammates.” Fellow Senior Captain, Gavin Kesler was also interviewed he was asked what he thought about this upcoming season. “I am extremely excited for the upcoming season, and I have extremely high hopes. The team has been meshing very well and our team chemistry is at an all-time high. I’m expecting some hardware this year.” Kesler also commented on the tough schedule. “I think our strength of schedule is what makes us unique. Our record may not be the best throughout the season, but by the time we get to the postseason we are ready for 1A teams because we are used to competing with much larger schools. We are definitely going to be better; we have been figuring many things out and working on new formations. “ GRASPING GIBAULT'S NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION #1 Fast-Break for Boy’s Soccer Seniors, Kanen Augustine and Marvin Nambo-Limon Head Coach, Matthew Burke is only in his second year with the Hawks but has high expectations. “We expect to compete with Columbia for a sectional title and then hopefully make a run at state.” Burke commented on preparations between this year and last. “I feel like we are prepared this year. Last year was a big change and everyone was still learning to play together. This year, we see something much further than we were last year and expectations are high.” With no JV and a short roster, each player feels the heat. “Lack of players means everyone’s role is amplified. Everyone plays a bigger role and so far everyone has stepped up and responded well. The seniors have done a great job this summer and will count on them to carry us deep into the playoffs this year.” Hopefully this year will go better for the Hawks and lead to some hardware in the playoffs even with the setbacks
I H S A S T A T E C H A M P I O N S 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 GIBAULT HAWKS BASEBALL IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD. -1 THESSALONIANS 5:18
The 2023 Gibault Hawks baseball team was not a stereotypical state championship team. We only had 2 regular practices before our first game due to the elongated state championship basketball season. Things weren’t always so pleasant as it took most of the season for the guys to find their rhythm as a team. There was lots of frustration due to personal success and to be honest, there were points of the season some guys even talked about stepping down from the game because they thought it wasn’t for them. I hated to see this and gave encouragement where it was needed. Coach Skaer never gave up on this squad because he saw their potential. He sees things no one else can. There’s no one else you’d want leading your team because he has coached the best players in Gibault history and is no stranger to postseason success. I’d say it wasn’t until we won at the regional championship at Denny Pieper field when the guys believed they were capable of such an accomplishment. The one thing this team never had was nerves. MANAGER BRIAN STARK 2022-2023 I mean we could’ve been playing against an MLB all star team and the guys would’ve been talking about going bow fishing with Bill (Brady) 5 minutes to first pitch. They just went out there and did what they did. The last-minute rhythm this team found is really what made last season so special.
OUTFIELD I would like to say thank you to all of the fans who came to our games, the support was very much appreciated and helped keep us going. I would also like to thank our seniors who brought us together and made sure everyone on the team enjoyed their time. Thank you to the coaching staff for being hard enough on us but also letting us have some fun during practice and at games. Letting us do our thing really brought the team together because we were able to enjoy time with everybody. ANDY ALTES 2022-2023
PITCHER JACK BASLER 2022-2023
OUTFIELD / PITCHER I would like to thank all my family and friends that have supported me by getting me to baseball games and making me love baseball. I would also like to thank the coaching staff for all they have done to give us our best chance at improving or winning games. Another major part of our success was having great teammates that would keep the game interesting and always supporting each other. BRADY BIFFAR 2022-2023
INFIELD / PITCHER First, I would like to thank God for giving me this ability to play the sport that I love. HUDSON BLANK Lastly, I would like to thank my teammates and my coaches for grinding every day. Next, I want to tank my parents for giving me the opportunity to go to Gibault Catholic and all they have done for me. 2022-2023
Thanks to everybody on the roster for doing their part while making our run. Everybody stepped up when they needed to, from top to bottom. We had a lot of fun while doing it too. OUTFIELD / PITCHER DANIEL DARIN 2022-2023
THIRD BASE The state baseball tournament was a lot of fun for our team. I would like to thank the school for providing meals, hotel rooms, and transportation for us everywhere we went. I also want to thank fans and parents that made the drive up there to support us during the playoff run; it was fun to see everyone come out. Thanks to Coach Skaer, Coach Bell, and Coach Schreder for giving us their time to prepare us for he games every single day. And for Mrs. Davis for doing our laundry and making sure all our food was there when it was supposed to be. TY FRIERDICH 2022-2023
FIRST BASE First, I’d like to thank my parents in supporting not just on the field, but off the field. No matter how I played I knew I had their support. Next, I’d like to thank my teammates for doing whatever it takes to win. We always had each other’s backs and were stronger than ever when it came to playoff time. Finally, I’d like to thank God for letting me have this opportunity. TYLER FRIERDICH 2022-2023
CATCHER / PITCHER Thank you to my parents for taking me to everything and supporting. KAMERON HANVEY Thank you to my teammates and coaches for helping me get where I wanted to get. 2022-2023
INFIELD I would like to thank my parents for getting me involved in competitive baseball at a young age. JACK KEEVAN I would also like to thank all my teammates and coaches that have guided me along the way to a state championship. 2022-2023
OUTFIELD/ PITCHER Thank you to the coaching staff for the time they put into the team, the team itself, and the fans who came out to almost every home game. JJ KINSEY 2022-2023
FIRST BASE I want to thank my parents and coaches. They believed in me every practice and every game. My parents woke up every Saturday morning and drove me to games. Now it all paid off. My coaches believing in me and furthering my baseball skills. Lastly thanks to my team. We are brothers and that is why we were able to do what we did. We made history. CADE KOSTELAC 2022-2023
PITCHER DARRIN KUNKELMANN I would like to thank Coach Skaer and the rest of the Gibault Baseball State Team for working hard and coming together as a team to make it through the playoffs and win State, a goal that I never would have expected to happen. I would also like to thank my parents for driving me everywhere during the season and supporting the team during just about every game, especially during the playoffs. And finally, I would like to acknowledge that this all couldn’t have happened without God, and by staying prayerful during every game, no matter the outcome, God gave us the strength to push through every day. 2022-2023
PITCHER PEYTON SCHAEFER First off, I would like to thank the Gibault baseball team and Coach Skaer for the amazing experience of playing baseball and winning state. I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else. I would like to thank all the guys for picking me up during the games. I wasn’t performing as well as I should have been, but the guys picked me up, and as a team we still succeeded. Next, I would like to thank my parents. My parents have created a great atmosphere for me to be able to succeed in. Being supportive of me and pushing me to be my best self. Not only in baseball, but in life too. Next, I would like to thank all the other coaches from not only baseball, but basketball too. Basketball helped me develop skills that were helpful in baseball as well. 2022-2023 Lastly, I would like to thank all of the students that came to all of the playoff games. Some of those games we were down by a decent amount of runs. The energy from all of you helped us tremendously. I don’t know if we would’ve done what we did if it weren’t for all of you. Thank you to all of you for helping me and the Gibault baseball team experience something special.
THIRD BASE THOMAS SCHAEFER I want to thank my family, friends, and coaches for an amazing baseball season. 2022-2023
OUTFIELD TYLER WAHLE I would like to thank the coaching staff, especially both Coach Retting and Coach Bell for stepping up and fulfilling big roles. I would also like to thank my fellow players for making it one heck of a season. And to all the fans that came, parents, and students, that were there to support us along the way. 2022-2023
OUTFIELD MICHAEL WESSEL Thank you, Seniors, for all the hard work you put into the game and taking us all to state. 2022-2023