ROCKHURST BASKETBALL G 145 - Rockhurst High School

ROCKHURST BASKETBALL G 145 

315/06

146 G ROCKHURST WRESTLING

Does leadership beget performance, or is it the other way 

around? That will be the question for this season’s 

wrestling team. With a new coach who’s eager to lead 

and key wrestlers who need to learn how, 

the team will face adversities and forge its way into the 

coming winter as a unit in transit. 

Turning a 

new page 

In the days 

leading up to districts last season, 

then-sophomore Sinon Bennett 

had a choice to make – stay at the weight class he was at (135 

pounds) and remain second on the depth chart, or bump up two 

weight classes (145 pounds) and claim a spot on the varsity squad. 

Bennett chose the latter, competed at 

districts and struggled mightily. However, 

he gained valuable experience that will 

serve him well this coming winter. 

So it went for the 2005-06 Rockhurst 

wrestling team, lacking in experience but 

abundant in guts and desire. 

Last year’s varsity squad included one 

senior and a multitude of sophomores, 

leaving little room for error but a lot of 

reason for it. 

“It was a developmental season,” 

assistant coach Nage Damas said. “We 

had a young team, and we took our lumps 

because of that. By the end of the season, 

the guys had a lot more confidence.” 

Tops on that list was Pat Kelly. In his 

sophomore season, Kelly finished with a 

19-20 record but closed the season strong 

and qualified for state. 

Now a junior, Kelly will be looked upon 

to lead a team in need of some direction. 

“You do have to step up as a leader, 

but I don’t see myself as a leader,” Kelly 

said. “It weighs on you because now you 

have to perform and help other people as 

well.” 

Part of this year’s task, it seems, will be 

to develop leaders as well as wrestlers. 

But that responsibility will no longer fall 

on the shoulders of Mr. Rich Wikiera. The 

former varsity head coach retired from 

coaching at last season’s end. 

Now holding the reigns will be head 

continued... 

Story by Steve Yanda 

ROCKHURST WRESTLING G 147

Familiar: After getting to know their coach, the team will get up close and personal with its opponents. 

coach Tim Freeland, who like his wrestlers 

is short on experience in the sport but long on 

desire to learn and develop. 

“We’re going to work hard and try to get to 

know each other,” Freeland said of how his 

first year as head coach will go. “The results 

will come out of the effort we put into the 

program.” 

More specifically, the results will be based 

on the work ethic and performance of the 

returning varsity wrestlers – the ones who spent 

last season taking their lumps and preparing to 

return the favor this year. 

Lou Groff will be the team’s lone senior this 

winter, but he will be joined by a gaggle of 

juniors who ripened under the varsity sunlight 

last season. 

Among those juniors, Casey Cummings, 

Doug McFarland, Will Richardson, Jason 

Head Coach 

Tim Freeland 

148 G ROCKHURST WRESTLING 

Coach Freeland is in his second 

year at Rockhurst as both a teacher 

and coach. However, he taught 

eight years in the diocese having 

been previously at both St. Pius X 

and St. Mary’s High Schools—and 

has been coaching football for six 

years and lacrosse for three years. 

He is also a lacrosse official. This 

is Coach Freeland’s first year as the 

head wrestling coach. He takes 

Taylor-Ohmes and Phil Watson all recorded 

double-digit wins in ’05-’06. 

McFarland led the team in wins, takedowns 

and pins, while Cummings led the squad in 

three-point nearfalls and Taylor-Ohmes had the 

most reversals. 

Sophomores Zach Poskin and Alex Wurtz 

also showed promise a season ago. 

Tough meets will test them early. The squad 

will again travel to St. Louis and around the 

metro area for a variety of competition. 

As for the upcoming season, one thing will 

be certain – it will be nothing like the one that 

preceded it. 

“Without having any prejudgments about the 

wrestling program,” Freeland said, “it will be a 

fresh start for everyone.” n 

Quote 

“We’re 

going to 

work hard 

and try to 

get to know 

each other,” 

Freeland said 

of how his 

first year as 

head coach 

will go. “The 

results will 

come out of 

the effort we 

put into the 

program.” 

over for Rich Wikiera who stepped 

down as head coach last year. 

Coach Freeland looks to bring a 

high level of intensity to the team 

stressing a good work ethic from his 

wrestlers. 

Coach Freeland will teach World 

Religions to juniors this year. He 

and his wife Joy have two sons, TJ 

and Joey.

Former military wrestler brings new 

meaning to the phrase “tough love” 

As Doug McFarland walked off the mat following 

a loss to an inferior opponent last season, the 

heavyweight wrestler knew what was coming. 

The man waiting for him at the edge of the mat has 

fill-the-entire-doorframe size, and that man’s eyes were 

on fire. 

“I shouldn’t have lost that match,” McFarland said. 

“I know you shouldn’t have lost that match!” 

the man responded. 

“I shouldn’t have tried 

that move,” McFarland 

continued. 

“I know you 

shouldn’t have tried 

that move!” agreed the 

man, simultaneously 

disappointed in his 

wrestler’s performance 

and pleased that his 

wrestler was doing the 

man’s job for him. 

Assistant coach Nage 

Damas is that man, and 

for the past two seasons, 

he has done 

his best to 

infuse the 

wrestling 

team with 

qualities 

like 

Head Coach Q & A 

Who is the coach you try to model yourself 

after? 

Coach Myers (football coach at St. Pius High 

School) 

What is the best thing about Rockhurst High 

School? 

Everything. 

What is your favorite part about being a 

coach? 

It’s a continuation of teaching and working with 

young people. 

accountability, grit and mental toughness. 

The boys might not always utilize those qualities as 

much as Damas would like, but they have taken notice 

on the impact the coach has made in the short time he 

has been with the program. 

“What he does best is he makes us find our mental 

limits,” McFarland, now a junior, said of Damas. “He 

came from WestPoint, so he knows how to push 

people to their limits.” 

Not only did Damas graduate from WestPoint, he 

also qualified for the 1972 Olympic Trials and finished 

fourth. The top three qualified for the Olympic squad. 

Damas went on to compete on the All-Army 

wrestling team for two years, so it’s safe to say when 

the man tells his wresters to do something, it carries 

some weight. 

“I really believe that being in good wrestling shape 

will take you farther than knowing 100 moves and not 

being in good wrestling shape,” Damas said. “The 

skills will come through when the kids are convinced to 

work hard.” 

Damas’ method of “convincing” often includes 

making his boys sprint the length of the wrestling room 

and back until most either puke or wish they had the 

energy to do so. 

But as nearly every wrestler will attest, the 

“convincing” that they go through at practice pays huge 

dividends against the opposition. And during those six 

minutes, there is no one who has their backs more than 

Damas. 

“He’s like a cheerleader on the sideline,” junior Pat 

Kelly said. 

Yeah, a cheerleader in baritone. 

What is the most challenging part of being a 

coach? 

Getting the kids to understand the need for 

repetition. 

What is the most time consuming part of 

your job as coach? 

All of the planning and things outside of the 

practices and the competitions. 

How would you describe your philosophy 

as a coach? 

Work hard and do your best. 



Schedule 

Wed. 11/29/06 Blue Springs South (JV, V) Home 6 p.m. 

Fri. 12/1/06 Belton (JV, V) Away 6 p.m. 

Sat. 12/2/06 Blue Springs Tourney (Fr,So) Away TBA 

Sat. 12/2/06 St. Joe Central Tourney (JV) Away TBA 

Fr-Sat 12/8-9/06 Truman Tourney (V) Away TBA 

Sat. 12/9/06 Harrisonville Tourney (Fr,So) Away TBA 

Wed. 12/13/06 St. Joe Central (JV, V) Away 6:30 p.m. 

Fr-Sat 12/15-16/06 Belton Tourney (V) Away TBA 

Sat. 12/16/06 Rockhurst Tourney (Fr) Home 8:30 a.m. 

Wed. 12/20/06 Lee’s Summit West (JV, V) Away 6 p.m. 

Thur. 12/28/06 Ray-Pec Tourney (JV) Away TBA 

Wed. 1/3/07 Frosh Quad Aquinas 5 p.m. 

Fr-Sat 1/5-6/07 Hazelwood Central Tourn (V) Away TBA 

Sat. 1/6/07 Fort Osage Tourney (JV) Away TBA 

Tues. 1/10/07 Wm. Chrisman/LSN (JV, V) LSN 5 p.m. 

Sat. 1/13/07 Blue Springs So. Tourney (JV) Away TBA 

Sat. 1/13/07 Center Tournament (V) Away 9 a.m. 

Tues. 1/16/07 Hickman Mills (JV, V) Home 6 p.m. 

Thur. 1/18/07 Grandview (JV, V) Home 5:30 p.m. 

Tues. 1/23/07 Lee’s Summit (JV,V) Home 6 p.m. 

Fr-Sat 1/26-27/07 Blue Springs So. Tourney (V) Away TBA 

Tues. 2/6/07 Park Hill (JV, V) Away 6 p.m. 

Fr-Sat 2/9-10/07 Super Sectional TBA TBA 

Th-Sat 2/15-17/07 State Championships TBA TBA 

361/06 

401/06

Assistant Wrestling Coach: 

Coach Damas is in his third 

year as assistant coach for the 

varsity wrestling team. Coach 

Damas began his wrestling 

career at Center High School 

before moving on to West 

Point Military Academy. After 

wrestling for four years at 

West Point, he served as a field Nage Damas 

artillery officer and a specialist 

in nuclear weapons in the 

military while also spending two years on the All- 

Army Wrestling Team. Coach Damas has earned 

a reputation for his intensity and passion for 

wrestling, both in practice and at matches. 

Assistant Coach/Team Award 

Beach Tuckness Award 

Given to the junior or senior who best exemplifies 

the characteristics of the first head 

coach, Mr. Beach Tuckness. 

2002 - Kevin Barth 

2003 - Brady Poskin 

2004 - Chris Mueller 

2005 - Steven Yanda 

2006 - Robert Tait 

2006 Statistics 

Name TD N2 N3 Pin Win Pts 

Frank Altomare 10 0 1 2 3 6 

Brent Baca 7 0 2 2 3 18 

Sinon Bennet 0 0 0 1 2 12 

Pete Buchanan 13 2 5 3 5 25 

Casey Cummings 24 3 22 4 12 44 

Connor Dervin 1 0 0 1 1 6 

Riley Dunn 0 0 0 1 1 6 

Lou Groff 34 5 14 13 17 97 

Hunter Hamilton 0 0 0 0 1 6 

John Hamilton 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Pat Kelly 36 13 13 5 19 87 

Taylor Mallon 26 2 9 8 18 54 

Doug McFarland 39 1 6 28 34 174.5 

Dan O’Brien 24 6 13 4 8 45 

Emmitt Pellant 3 0 0 1 1 6 

Zach Poskin 26 4 9 7 12 55 

John Price 27 3 1 1 7 26 

Will Richerson 20 2 10 7 12 55 

Bryan Schorgl 0 0 0 1 1 6 

Robert Tait 1 0 0 0 1 6 

Jason Taylor-Ohmes 26 7 13 8 14 56 

Phil Watson 27 5 10 13 20 96 

Alex Wurtz 11 3 7 3 6 30.5 

TD - Take down 

N2 - Near point - 2 

N3 - Near point - 3 

P - Pins 

W - Wins 

Pts - Points 



ADVERTISEMENT 

326/06

331/06 

439/06 

438/06 

Go Hawklets! 

6321 W. 119th, Overland Park, KS 

ROCKHURST WRESTLING G 153 

356/06 

440/06 

234/06

MTG Services, LLP 

fmtg@kc.rr.com 


462/06 

463/06 

498/06 

452/06 

Mark Anthony Davis 

Regional Vice-President 

464/06 

465/06 

467/06 

468/06 

453 /06

469/06 

470/06 

471/06 

472/06 

ROCKHURST WRESTLING G 155 

474/06 

475/06 476/06 

456 /06

156 G ROCKHURST ALL SPORTS 

481/06 

473/06 477/06 478/06 

Mechanical Contracts SINCE 1893 

3433 Roanoke Road, Kansas City, MO 64111-3726 

(816) 753-6969 • Fax: (816) 931-5773 

816-561-7660 

479/06 

482/06 

486/06 

480/06

Spring Sports 

ROCKHURST ALL SPORTS G 157

158 G ROCKHURST BASEBALL

As the story between the tortise and the hare goes, 

the former starts out slow but stays steady 

and eventually wins the race. The baseball team was 

not so fortunate last season. This year, the 

squad will take on the role of the hare and hope that 

a faster start will produce a happier ending. 

Picking up speed 

For a program 

that had won the 

previous three district 

baseball titles, the Hawklets sure got off to a rough start in 2006. 

The team went 0-3 to start the season, and in the first two games, it 

was outscored 15-2. 

“We had a slow start,” shortstop Mike 

Garza said. “But we gradually improved. 

It took a while for us to get used to each 

other.” 

A majority of the playing time last 

season went to younger players who had 

not played much together as one unit 

before. 

As a junior, Garza led the team in hits, 

batting average, RBIs and home runs. 

Unfortunately for him and for the team, 

all that production did not translate into a 

satisfactory ending to the season. 

Rockhurst finished an 11-12 campaign 

with a 3-1 loss to Raytown in the district 

playoffs. 

But according to head coach Jim 

DeGraw, the season of discontent that 

was, is no reason for despair. 

“We had a year last year that was not 

as good from a talent standpoint,” DeGraw 

said. “But we’re looking to get back on 

track in ’07.” 

A lot of that looking will be done in the 

direction of a talented senior class that was 

allowed to develop and gain experience 

on the varsity level as juniors last season. 

That group includes pitchers Aaron 

Meade, Josh Walker and Kyle Kongs, all 

of whom DeGraw feels are ready to break 

out. 

“All those guys received sufficient 

varsity time last year,” DeGraw said. “They 

were thrown into the fire and responded 

continued... 


ROCKHURST BASEBALL G 159

Revved Up: With a emphasis on speed, the baseball squad looks to run cirlcles around its opponents. 

well.” 

Meade led the team in strikeouts while 

appearing as both a starter and a reliever. 

As promising as the pitching may seem, what 

really excites DeGraw about the team he’ll field 

this spring is its speed. 

“Speed causes a lot of distractions for the 

opposition,” DeGraw said. “We’ll be a threat 

every time we have a kid up to bat. 

“You can teach kids to hit and field, but 

speed is a God-given talent. You can’t coach 

it.” 

Junior third baseman Kemer Quirk had three 

steals last season, the most of any returning 

player. 

Setting the breakneck pace this spring will be 

the brand new set of outfielders on the varsity 

squad. 

Juniors Brendan Quinn and Shane Grace, 

Head Coach 

Jim DeGraw 

160 G ROCKHURST BASEBALL 

Coach Jim DeGraw begins his 12th 

year as head coach of the baseball 

program. He has consistently led the 

team through districts and into the state 

playoffs-including a school-best secondplace 

finish in 2004 and a sectional 

appearance in 2005. His win-loss record 

while at RHS is 161-99. 

Coach DeGraw begins his 15th year 

at Rockhurst teaching in the Social 

Studies department. This year he will be 

teaching both World and U.S. History. 

A local graduate of Washington High 

along with sophomore Keith Langtry and Walker 

will share most of the outfielding duties. 

On the schedule, the squad will play its 

traditional opponents from across the metro. 

In the first tournament of the season, the team 

will be able to guage itself against rivals such as 

Liberty, Blue Springs, and Lee’s Summit. One 

of the highlights of the season looks to be the 

game against across town rival Aquinas who 

always fields a good team. 

Last season the team also enjoyed playing 

and practicing at home for the first time. 

Indeed, speed will be an important 

characteristic for the team in 2007, especially 

for a squad that got off to a slow start a year 

ago. 

“We have to get off to a better start,” Garza 

said. “If we start better, then we’ll have a lot 

more things going for us.” n 

Quote 

“Speed 

causes a lot 

of distractions 

for the 

opposition,” 

DeGraw said. 

“We’ll be a 

threat every 

time we have 

a kid up to 

bat.“You can 

teach kids to 

hit and field, 

but speed is 

a God-given 

talent. You 

can’t coach it.” 

School and a multi-sport athlete, Coach 

DeGraw went on to play baseball at 

Kansas City, KS Community College. 

He has also helped spearhead recent 

efforts to build the new baseball facility 

on campus. 

He holds a B.G.S. from the University 

of Kansas and a Master’s in Education 

from Baker University. Along with 

coaching baseball, Coach DeGraw helps 

with the freshman football team. 

He and his wife, Martha, have two 

children, Mitch and Macey.

Ray Chang 

John Mayberry 

Steve Murphy 


Former Rockhurst baseball players 

still living the dream in the minors 

What is your Favorite quote? 

“These pretzels are making me thirsty”. George 

Costanza 

What Coach do you try to model yourself 

after? 

Sparky Anderson 

What is the best thing about Rockhurst? 

Lunch 


coach? 

Wearing a uniform 

For eight glorious weeks earlier 

this summer, Ray Chang got to 

experience the show before The 

Show, the off-Broadway of baseball if 

you will. 

The 2001 Rockhurst graduate spent 

the better part of two months playing for 

the San Diego Padres Class AAA affiliate 

in Portland, Ore., and man, was it a 

blast. 

He got to travel by plane to road 

games. He got to meet big leaguers 

Woody Williams and Ryan Klesko, who 

were rehabilitating from injuries in the 

minors. 

Best of all, he got to see firsthand 

what it takes to play at the level before 

The Level. 

“The approach to the game is so 

much different (at Class AAA),” said 

Chang, who plays second base and short 

stop. “They have more of a baseball 

approach up there. Down here, guys are 

still learning and just getting experience.” 

Since his stint at Portland, Chang has 

been sent down to Class A Fort Wayne 

(IN) where in 27 games he holds a .286 

batting average. 

Like Chang, other former members of 

the Rockhurst baseball program are also 

finding their way through minor league 

systems, searching for their ticket to a 

major league roster. 

John Mayberry and Steve Murphy, 

who both graduated in 2002, are now 

both members of the Texas Rangers 

organization. 

Mayberry is playing the outfield in 

Class A Clinton (IA), where in 105 

games he is batting .253 with 17 home 

runs and 57 RBI. 

Guarding the outfield in Class A 

Bakersfield (CA), Murphy is batting .290 

with 15 home runs and 60 RBI in 96 

games. 

“Those guys were big time in high 

school,” Chang said of Mayberry and 

Murphy. “I was blessed to play with 

them and to see what it’s like for guys to 

play with all that pressure on them.” 

Rockhurst head coach Jim DeGraw 

said his program shouldn’t take much 

credit for the success of his former 

players, but he takes pride in knowing 

they once played for his baseball team. 

“The credit goes to those guys and 

their families,” DeGraw said. “I take great 

joy in seeing these kids extend their 

careers at the professional level. I like to 

know I was just a little part of it and to 

be able to say I know these guys.” 

What is the most challenging thing about 

being a coach? 

Wearing a uniform 

What is your favorite sports movie? 

Rollerball 

What is your philosophy as a coach? 

I agree with Yogi Berra when he says, “Baseball is 

90% mental - the other half is physical”. 

ROCKHURST BASEBALL G 161

Hitting 

AB H RBI BA 

Belfonte 33 9 9 .273 

Carter 36 8 4 .222 

Dailey 52 19 9 .365 

Flanagin 27 8 8 .296 

Garza 70 33 22 .471 

Gibson 64 21 12 .328 

Klinghoffer 7 0 0 .000 

Kovac 84 26 12 .310 

Lolli 60 18 15 .300 

Mancuso 1 0 0 .000 

Meade 1 0 0 .000 

Mehl 16 0 2 .000 

Quirk 52 13 3 .250 

Stock 45 10 4 .222 

Walker 42 14 7 .333 

Wickman 74 31 15 .419 

In Memory of 

Millard and Rosemary 

Aldridge 



Pitching 

344/06 

349/06 350/06 

W L SO ERA 

Cotter 1 3 36 4.67 

Flanagan 4 1 31 4.64 

Kongs 1 2 13 13.80 

Lolli 1 0 8 5.05 

Mancuso 0 0 1 31.50 

Meade 3 5 56 4.15 

Walker 1 1 4 10.64 

381/06 347/06 

497/06 501/06

Junior Varsity Baseball 

Coach: 

Coach Bascom is beginning 

his 18th year at Rockhurst in 

two separate tenures. Born 

in Manhattan, KS, he played 

soccer and graduated from 

Manhattan High School. He 

earned a B. A. degree in 

English and Classics at KU. His 

first stint at Rockhurst was from 

1984-89 before he spent his time away from RHS 

finishing his Master’s degree in English at UMKC. 

He is now back teaching in the English department. 

He and his wife Alice have four children–Andrea, 

Jim, Marjorie, and John. 

Assistant Coaches 

Assistant Baseball Coach, 

Assistant Football Coach: 

Coach Nick Vaughn begins 

his third year at Rockhurst and 

his second with the baseball 

program. He will also coach the 

freshman C team in football. A 

graduate from Lee’s Summit 

North in 1998, Coach Vaughn 

Jim Bascom played baseball in high school. Nick Vaughn 

382/06 

He earned a B.S.E. in Biology 

from UMKC and will teach General Biology. 

•Also coaching baseball pictured elsewhere 

in the program are Paul Winkeler, Matt 

Nolen, and Bernie Kreikemeir. 

R 

educing your cost 

through technical 

innovation and 

the effective use of 

explosive products 

and services. 

1109 Second Avenue South, Greenwood, MO 64034 

Phone: 816.537.6787 

Fax: 816.537.7481 

ROCKHURST BASEBALL G 163 

389/06 

354/06


14/06

ROCKHURST BASEBALL G 165 

359/06

166 G ROCKHURST GOLF

As the golf team found out last spring, state championships 

are never six of one and half dozen of the other. 

In fact, after winning a second straight title in ‘06, the 

squad is curious to see if it can find yet another 

way to win the crown in ‘07. Whether by major comeback or 

by commanding margin, a title is always satisfactory. 

Par for the course 

After the first 

day of play at the state 

championships, Rockhurst 

head coach Mike O’Leary was sitting pretty in the clubhouse. Unlike 

the previous year when his squad was seven strokes down after the 

first round at state, the 2006 team shot out of the gate to lead by 14 

strokes heading into the final round. 

That little nugget of information was 

enough to satisfy O’Leary, but the icing on 

the cake was yet to come. 

J. Brady McCullough, a reporter for the 

Kansas City Star, happened to be sitting 

near the coach and asked if his team’s 

performance that day was a record. 

O’Leary had no idea, so the reporter 

looked it up in the state record book. 

The bad news was the team had missed 

the record for 18 holes by one stroke. 

The good news was the team was well 

within range of the 36-hole record. 

The better news was that the following 

afternoon, the Hawklets were celebrating 

not only their second consecutive state 

championship, but also the breaking of a 

record that had stood since 1976 (set by 

another Rockhurst squad). 

“For the rest of the tournament our guys 

had a hidden agenda that no one else knew 

about,” O’Leary said of his team’s drive to 

break the record. 

The team had made a habit throughout 

the season of improving from one round 

to the next. 

Traveling to California near the end of 

March, the varsity squad struggled out of 

the gate. O’Leary said his boys were a little 

intimidated because, as a team, they had 

never seen national competition. 

After a first day in which the Hawklets 

continued... 

Story by Tom Wiedeman 

ROCKHURST GOLF G 167

Prepared: With all the work put into perfecting their swing, RHS golfers can afford to admire their shots. 

did not play up to their capabilities, the team 

shot the second lowest score on day two. 

“That gave them a little extra confidence 

boost that they would not have had just playing 

local competition,” O’Leary said. 

Two months later on the driving range and 

putting green after the first round at state, 

the Rockhurst squad was the only team still 

practicing after the first day of play. 

Some players were working out a few kinks 

in their game. Others were cleansing themselves 

of state tournament jitters. 

“I was so nervous the first day,” Michael 

McGee said. “I didn’t want to let anyone 

down.” 

A freshman playing in his first high stakes 

high school tournament, McGee said he played 

mediocre on day one, but then let his game do 

the talking on day two. 

Head Coach 

Mike O’Leary 

168 G ROCKHURST GOLF 

“He came out of nowhere,” O’Leary said of 

McGee. 

Now, the challenge for the returning players 

will be to maintain that high level of play this 

coming spring without having the McGee 

advantage of flying under the radar. 

Along with McGee, senior Andrew Campbell 

and junior Tyler Bernard will bring their state 

championship experience to the table and try 

to pass around the confidence that comes with 

it to the rest of their teammates. 

“The experience that we have will help those 

guys,” McGee said. “We’ll try to show them 

what varsity golf is all about.” 

For now, you can be sure that the Hawklets 

are out hitting balls at the range and on the 

putting green practicing striving towards the 

coveted three-peat. n 

Coach O’Leary begins his sixth 

year as head coach at Rockhurst 

but can add an additional ten 

years of experience with the RHS 

program and eight more years 

coaching golf at Wamego to bring 

him to a total of 22 years involved 

with the sport. His overall record in 

the sport is 39-3, including 9-1 in 

tournaments and matches last year 

at RHS. He has led the Hawklets 

Quote 

“The 

experience 

that we have 

will help 

those guys,” 

sophomore 

Michael 

McGee said of 

the returning 

lettermen. 

“We’ll try to 

show them 

what varsity 

golf is all 

about.” 

to four straight top three finishes at 

state, including last year’s state title. 

After receiving a B.A. from 

Kansas Wesleyan and a B.S. and 

M.S. from Kansas State University, 

he now also teaches Chemistry 

and Honors Biology at Rockhurst. 

Married to Kathleen, they have a 

son, Patrick, who graduated from 

RHS in 2003.

Senior golfers don’t own Kenneth 

Smith Award - it just seems that way 

On July 27, the past two 

winners of the Kenneth 

Smith Award faced 

off in the first round of match 

play at the Kansas Amateur 

Championship in Garden City. 

In one corner of the tee 

box stood Patrick Roth, 

who claimed the award 

in 2005 after leading the 

Rockhurst golf team to 

a state title in his senior 

season. 

Opposing him was 

Jason Schulte, who picked 

up where Roth left off in 

2006, winning the award and also 

leading the Hawklets to a state 

championship the year of his 

graduation. 

The two golfers are so 

similar (both consistently hit 

fairways and greens with 

machine-like efficiency), but on this day, there was one 

notable difference. 

“I beat him 3-and-2,” Schulte said. 

While Schulte may have gotten the last laugh on that 

day, both players have surely shared a chuckle over 

their recent dominance in metro-area high school golf. 

Given to the senior who excels both on the links 

and in the classroom, the Kenneth Smith Award has 

become something of a family heirloom amongst 

Rockhurst golfers in recent years, handed down from 


What is your favorite sports movie? 

The Rookie. It’s about Jim Morris, who came 

back after being a science teacher. 


after? 

I don’t model myself out of anybody in particular. 

I take a little bit out of various individuals. 



The type of kids it attracts. 


coach? 

generation to generation. 

First there was Roth, whom Schulte said personifies 

what the award is all about. 

“He’s a great guy, a good student and a solid player,” 

Schulte said. “Of course I wanted to be the same way.” 

And he was. Rockhurst head coach Mike O’Leary 

was impressed both by how Schulte led the squad and 

by how he was received by his teammates. 

“His work ethic is unbelievable,” O’Leary said of 

Schulte. “The kids look up to him like the pros look up 

to Tiger Woods.” 

As for the stranglehold his program seems to have 

on the annual award, 

O’Leary said the credit 

goes to his players; all 

he does is create the 

schedule. 

But Schulte 

believes the success that 

he and the other Rockhurst 

golfers have shared goes beyond 

the program, the schedule or 

the players. “That’s just the way 

Rockhurst is,” Schulte said. “All 

your friends are getting good 

grades, so you strive to do that too. 

There’s constant competition, 

and we’re all trying to beat each 

other, whether it’s as athletes or as 

students. There’s always a good 

balance.” 

The relationships with the players. 


coach? 

Providing a successful program. 


your job as coach? 

Making out the schedule. 

How would you describe your philosophy as 

a coach? 

I try to provide a consistent program that allows 

the athletes to reach their fullest potential. 


Congratulations 

Evan Paschal 2010 

~ from your friends at Odegard Crane & Displays 


391/06 

362/06 

355/06 

366/06 

364/06 

365/06 

360/06

Assistant Coach 

Assistant Varsity Golf Coach: 

Coach Ryan begins his 35th 

year as an AP Biology and 

Biology teacher. He has a B.S. 

in Biology from UMKC and an 

M.A. in Pharmacology from KU 

Medical Center. Steve taught 

three years at Bishop Miege and 

one year at Notre Dame de Sion. 

Over the many years of service Steve Ryan 

to RHS he has been head track 

coach, assistant football coach and head golf coach. 

Steve and his wife, Sue, have two children, Mike 

and Beth. 

•Also coaching golf pictured elsewhere in 

the program is Mark Nusbaum. 

383/06 

2006 District Statistics 

Name Rd 1 Place 

Jason Schulte 76 6th 

Tyler Bernard 75 T-1st 

Mark Ledom 

John Kimminau 76 6th 

Michael McGee 76 6th 

2006 State Statistics 

Name Rd 1 Rd 2 Place 

Jason Schulte 70 71 3rd 

Tyler Bernard 70 79 16th 

Mark Ledom 

John Kimminau 73 76 16th 

Michael McGee 76 73 16th 

358/06 351/06 


Go Hawklets! 

The McCarthy Family 


376/06 

370/06 

369/06 

Only 8 blocks from the stadium. 

103rd and State Line Road 

LEONARD ‘73 

SALVATORE ‘74 

JASPER III ‘98 

DELI 

JAMES ‘77 

JASPER JR ‘80 

385/06 

373/06 

371/06 

372/06

374/06 

377/06 

378/06 

Good Luck, Hawklets! 

The Korth Family 

Chris '78 Adam '01 David '09 

Eric '12 Luke '14 Jessica – Sion '16 

379/06 395/06 

392/06 

352 /06 


174 G ROCKHURST LACROSSE

The mantra for the lacrosse team that was perfect in its quest 

for a state title last season is fairly 

straightforward: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

With a close-knit squad returning this 

spring, the Hawklets will stick to a familiar formula. 

Win early, and win often. 

Perfecting the 

During the 

Sequel 

middle of the pennant race last 

summer, Chicago White Sox 

manager Ozzie Guillen said that if his team won the World Series, 

he would quit baseball.Rockhurst head lacrosse coach Jay Coleman 

knows exactly what Guillen meant. 

The ideal scenario for most competitors 

is to go out of their respective sport on 

top, so when Coleman’s lacrosse team 

went undefeated (27-0) last spring en route 

to winning a state championship, you can 

guess how the coach felt in retrospect. 

Last year was “unbelievable,” Coleman 

said. “It was out of this world, the kind of 

season you should retire after.” 

He didn’t, of course - not with a team 

coming back in 2007 that could be equally 

talented. 

Leading the attack will be senior Kevin 

Looby, who scored 70 goals, tallied 37 

assists and led the team with 107 points 

last season. 

Coleman also noted midfielder Reilly 

Hannapel and defender Steven Roepke as 

players he will count on to lead this year’s 

squad. 

“We’re a lot closer with the 

underclassmen,” Roepke said of the 

chemistry that exists between this year’s 

seniors and the younger players. “We think 

we can do just what we did last year and 

go undefeated again.” 

One thing going for the players is that 

pre-high school lacrosse is becoming 

more commonplace in Kansas City, which 

means the game doesn’t have to be taught 

from its most basic level once they get to 

Coleman. 

“Coming into Rockhurst, I had played 

(lacrosse) in eighth grade,” Roepke said. 

continued... 


ROCKHURST LACROSSE G 175

Bird’s-Eye View: The lacrosse team will use its vantage point from the top to hold down its opponents. 

“Right now, there are only a few grade school 

lacrosse teams (in the metro area), and you can 

tell that by the scores of every game (Rockhurst) 

plays against Kansas City teams.” 

Last spring, the Hawklets outscored its 

Kansas City-area opponents 102-9. 

Also keep in mind that Rockhurst never 

trailed in the second half in 2006 and that it 

became the first team from Missouri to land a 

spot on the national rankings. 

One area the team will need to address is the 

absence of Jason Coleman in goal. Coleman 

graduated after a stellar senior season in which 

he made 171 saves and had a 3.46 goals against 

average. 

Also lost to graduation are Schaffer Degen 

and Brent Sear. Degen scored 61 goals, handed 

out 39 assists and tallied 100 points, while Sear 

added 66 goals, 28 assists and 94 points. 

Head Coach 

Jay Coleman 

176 G ROCKHURST LACROSSE 

Coach Jay Coleman enters the spring 

season in his 10th year as head coach 

of the lacrosse program. The sport has 

grown tremendously through his efforts 

and that of his coaching staff, both in 

season and during summer camps 

and clinics that have created a true 

enthusiasm for the sport. His down-toearth 

style and enthusiasm have created 

some impressive results. During his 

tenure the team has consistently reached 

the final four of the state playoffs, 

including last season, when the team 

won a state championship with an 

For the record, Guillen didn’t quit his job 

after the White Sox won the World Series 

last October, and he’s trying to ride that 

championship confidence deep into another 

postseason this fall. 

Confidence also runs high on the lacrosse 

team, where the players may come and go but 

the standard remains the same. This spring, 

look for more of the same from the Hawklets. 

The team will once again travel to California 

over spring break to test their mettle early on 

against some strong opponents. 

“Yeah, we’ll still be the best team in 

Missouri,” Coleman said. “There’s no question 

about that.” 

As for the coach’s job status, it’s secure for 

now, but that might change if the team goes 

undefeated and wins a state title… again. n 

Quote 

“Yeah, 

we’ll still be 

the best team 

in Missouri,” 

head lacrosse 

coach Jay 

Coleman 

said. “There’s 

no question 

about that.” 

undefeated record. He also serves as a 

freshman football coach. Along with his 

efforts on the field, he is the theology 

department chair and teaches senior 

theology. He will also serve part-time in 

the College Placement Office He earned 

a B.A. from Rockhurst and a Master’s 

from the University of Notre 

Dame, where his son Jason will attend 

this fall. Coach Coleman divides 

his time between school, lacrosse and his 

family—he and his wife, Christine, have 

two children, Jason (‘06) and 

Sarah.


Cup adds extra incentive to an 

already-intense school rivalry 

It had been a long time since the 

Rockhurst lacrosse team had 

beaten DeSmet, too long if you’d 

asked them. 

For six years, the squad’s crossstate 

rival had beaten the Hawklets 

in the regular season, and each 

loss represented another missed 

opportunity to reclaim ownership of the 

McGilley Cup. 

Last spring, the Hawklets took back 

the Cup and picked up a confidence 

boost while they were at it. 

“After we beat DeSmet, I knew we 

were really good,” head coach Jay 

Coleman said of his team’s 16-5 regular 

season victory. “When we play an instate 

rival, even if we’re confident going 

in, we’re never quite sure we’re better 

than them. 

“But we rolled them in Kansas City.” 

While trouncing a rival is always 

a plus, winning back the McGilley 

Cup adds an extra bonus to the 

accomplishment. 

Established in 1999, the Cup honors 

the memory of Pete McGilley, who 

was killed in a car accident that 

year. 

McGilley played lacrosse for 

DeSmet before he and his parents 

moved from St. Louis to Kansas City. 

Who is your favorite professional player 

(past or present) in your sport? 

Gary Gait. He’s considered the greatest lacrosse 

player ever. He played at Syracuse and on the 

Canadian national team. 

What is your favorite part of coaching? 

The extra time I get to spend with the students 

outside the classroom. 

What is the hardest part of being a coach? 

The losing. 

He was one of the players who helped 

start the lacrosse program at Rockhurst. 

The regular season game each year 

between Rockhurst and DeSmet has 

been designated the McGilley Cup ever 

since ‘99. After winning the inaugural 

Cup, Rockhurst had not won the 

match-up again prior to this past spring. 

Matching up the two of the best high 

school lacrosse teams in the state, the 

McGilley Cup is known for its intensity, 

as well as for its high stakes. 

“It’s lots of fun to beat (DeSmet),” 

defender Steven Roepke said. “That’s 

one of those games where you’re 

nervous going into it. We always have to 

play our best versus them.” 

Proving that you can never get 

enough of a good thing, the Hawklets 

beat DeSmet a second time last season in 

the state semifinals. 

In addition to the Cup, the McGilley 

Family Coaches Award is presented each 

season to the Rockhurst player(s) who 

represents the ideals of the Rockhurst 

lacrosse program and Rockhurst High 

School. Goalie Jason Coleman was the 

2006 recipient. 


being a coach? 

In lacrosse, we travel all the time. I also lose a 

lot of sleep thinking about where everybody should 

play on the field and how to get the guys to play up 

to their ability. 


a coach? 

Have fun, play hard and always try to play teams 

better than you. Play whoever comes at you. 


Joel D LeMense, D.D.S. 

Family Dentistry 

8012 STATE LINE, SUITE 100 

SHAWNEE MISSION, KS 66208 

PHONE: 913-341-3415 

Jenks and Martinez Insurance Agency 

Auto and Home Insurance 

Charlie Jenks -Agent 

913-962-5100 

GO HAWKLETS!! 


394/06 

397/06 

396/06 

Located in the 

heart of Brookside. 

We have been providing cuts for 

the whole family since 1919. 

Come on in for a friendly home 

town barbershop experience. 

402/06 

403/06 

398/06 

386/06


Freshman Basketball Coach, Assistant Lacrosse Coach: 

Coach Stock is now in his third year at Rockhurst as a member of the Alumni 

Service Corps in 2004. From the St. Louis area, He graduated from the University 

of Missouri in 2005 with a B.A. in History and English while also playing lacrosse 

at MU for two years. His Jesuit connection comes from his high school days at 

Saint Louis University High School where he played both lacrosse and basketball 

before graduating in 2000. He will teach English II and III this year. 

•Also coaching Lacrosse pictured elsewhere in the program are Tim 

Freeland and Mark Bayhylle 

Scoring Statistics 

Name Sht G Ast Pts 

Blaine Balderston 1 1 0 1 

Josh Becker 23 10 3 13 

Scott Bluhm 17 6 3 9 

Brian Chalmers 4 1 0 1 

Jason Coleman 0 0 0 0 

Ryan Coughlin 2 0 2 2 

Schaffer Degen 134 61 39 100 

William Degen 3 2 0 2 

Danny Dougherty 15 3 2 5 

Joe Ferber 0 0 0 0 

Sean Fessler 5 3 0 3 

John Fryer 26 11 2 13 

John Goff 6 3 2 5 

Michael Gude 0 0 0 0 

Reilly Hannapel 37 11 6 17 

Tommy Herring 26 11 5 16 

Lance Holloway 11 3 1 4 

Jeff Huggins 0 0 0 0 

Goalie Statistics 


Name W L SO 

Jason Coleman 21 0 2 

Joe Ferber 3 0 2 

Michael Gude 1 0 1 

Mike King 0 0 0 

Steve Stock 

Name Sht G Ast Pts 

David Kauffman 59 31 8 39 

Mike King 0 0 0 0 

Dusty Kunce 26 13 5 18 

Kevin Looby 159 70 37 107 

Collin Looby 104 24 25 49 

Chad Maple 33 11 2 13 

Evan O’Brien 0 0 0 0 

Brendan O’Leary 0 0 1 1 

Jimmy Oades 34 6 8 14 

Mark Olshefski 0 0 2 2 

Kyle Pearson 60 23 4 27 

Brendan Quirk 1 1 2 3 

Paul Reintjes 6 2 2 4 

Danny Rhoades 0 0 0 0 

Stephen Roepke 8 1 1 2 

Brent Sear 172 66 28 94 

Collin Sigler 10 2 2 4 

Michael Stingo 3 1 0 1 

Spencer Walsh 3 1 1 2 

Jimmy Whitaker 60 25 9 34 

Connor Zecy 4 0 0 0 


jody tillotson is proud of her 

hawklet grandsons!! 

you’ve come a long way babies!! 

Joe Estes 

2007 


Joe Estes Travis Yuille 

Seniors this Year! 

Travis Yuille 

2007 

Mike Estes 

Future Hawklet 2013 

Vernon Estes 

2009 

411/06

Donald J. Porterfield 

First Vice President – Wealth Management 

Investment Management Specialist 

Financial Advisor 

4520 Main Street, 8th Floor 

Kansas City, MO 64111-7700 

Tel: 816-932-7820 

Tel: 800-821-6119 

FaxL: 816-932-7836 

donald.j.porterfield@smithbarney.com 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 

415/06 

416/06 

418/06 

GO HAWKLETS 

ROCK 

STATE! 

Herb Meagher ‘48 

Steve Meagher ‘78 

Mitch Meagher ‘10 

ROCKHURST LACROSSE G 181 

380/06 

417/06 

422/06 

420/06

182 G ROCKHURST TENNIS

Success, especially sustained success, can be a fickle fellow. 

It was no surprise then that in seeing its streak of 

ten straight state titles come to an end, the Rockhurst 

tennis team may have earned an equally impressive 

accomplishment. With a year of experience gathered, the squad 

will look to start its own streak this spring. 

Break Point 

For 10 years, 

Rockhurst has dominated 

the tennis courts of 

Missouri. Though teams have come close, no squad in Missouri has 

been able to top the seemingly endless supply of talent that led to 

ten straight state titles for the Hawklets. 

It’s more than slightly ironic, then, that 

last season – the year the Hawklets’ streak 

finally found its unavoidable end – may 

have been more impressive than each of 

those ten years. 

“It was a remarkable season. None of 

these kids had varsity experience going 

into this season and their ability to get to 

the final four and play the way they did 

is just a tremendous achievement,” head 

coach Ron Geldhof said. 

Faced with the loss of the team’s top 

eight players from the 2005 campaign – a 

varsity tennis lineup only has six spots – 

the team fought all the way to the state 

semifinals with a lineup of players who 

were all playing JV just a year ago. 

“There was a very large sense of 

[protecting the team’s legacy] among all 

of them from the beginning,” Geldhof 

said. “They knew it was gonna be tough 

stepping up playing against that type of 

competition, and boy, they worked their 

butts off.” 

That work took a team with no varsity 

experience through a difficult district and all 

the way to a state semifinal match up with 

Columbia Rock Bridge. Unfortunately, 

that’s where the streak came to an end. 

“They were disappointed, I wasn’t. I 

thought what they did was incredible,” 

Geldhof said. 

Last year’s squad was notable mostly for 

its depth – junior Jack O’Flaherty was 

continued... 

Story by Tom Wiedeman 

ROCKHURST TENNIS G 183

Confident: Looking to bounce back, the tennis team’s goal is same as usual - a state title. 

the team’s No. 1 player throughout the 

year, but the other five spots were taken up by 

six different players at different points in the 

season. 

This season should be no different. The 

Hawklets return four players from the top six, 

and last year’s squad proved that filling varsity 

spots with former JV players won’t dilute the 

talent pool for Rockhurst. 

“Everyone stepped up last year and this year 

we’ve got five returning lettermen. In tennis, a 

win at No. 6 is just as big as a win at No. 1,” 

Geldhof said. 

O’Flaherty will likely return as the team’s 

No. 1 player after a sophomore campaign that 

landed him on the Kansas City Star’s All-Metro 

first team with doubles partner Sam Schultz. 

Senior Patrick Tooey also made the All-Metro 

honorable mention team with partner and 

Head Coach 

Ron Geldhof 

184 G ROCKHURST TENNIS 

A brief biography cannot due justice 

to the many accomplishments of Coach 

Ron Geldhof. He begins his 34th year 

as head coach of the tennis program. 

During that tenure he has led the team 

to 13 state championships, including 

ten straight. In the classroom, Coach 

Geldhof teaches both the Honors and 

Advanced Placement chemistry 

courses. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry 

from Rockhurst University, a 

B.A. in Education from Kansas 

graduate Dan Close. Lettermen freshmen Joe 

Paris and junior Jonathan Farchmin also return to 

round out five of the six spots for next season. 

The team will not have an easy road, with 

several road blocks in districts and sectionals 

before the Hawklets will be able think about 

a state title. Blue Springs South consistently 

provides one of the team’s tougher matches, but 

the team to look out for, according to Geldhof, 

is Liberty. Rockhurst squeaked by the Blue Jays 

last season with a 5-3 win, and Liberty returns 

its entire varsity team from last season. 

But five returning letterman, invaluable state 

experience, and the player’s strong desire to 

get back to Rockhurst’s state title-winning ways 

means next season’s expectations won’t dip at all. 

“It’s the same as it’s always been for the last 

33 years,” Geldhof said. “Our goal is to win the 

state championship.” n 

Quote 

“Everyone 

stepped up 

last year and 

this year 

we’ve got 

five returning 

lettermen. 

In tennis, a 

win at No. 6 

is just as big 

as a win at 

No. 1,” head 

tennis coach 

Ron Geldhof 

said. 

University and an M.S.E. from UMKC. 

Coach Geldhof is also the science 

department chair. During his 35 years 

at Rockhurst he has also coached 

soccer and cross country. His level of 

commitment to the school is highly 

respected by both faculty and students. 

He is married to Kathleen—a long-time 

RHS French teacher.


Plenty has 

changed since 

1996. Back 

then, most people were 

wondering if football teams 

from down south could 

compete with the Nebraska’s 

and Colorado’s in the newly 

formed Big 12 Conference, 

watching Helen Hunt flee tornados 

in Twister, and dancing to a little 

number called the Macarena. 

Over the course of a decade, 

balances of power shift, movie tastes 

change, and dance moves improve. 

But for ten years, from June 1996 to 

June 2005, there was one constant: no 

one in Missouri could beat Rockhurst 

on the tennis court. 

As the 8 th longest such streak for 

any school in the country, Rockhurst’s 

streak of ten straight state titles is 

impressive by any measure. 

“I’ll remember most he remarkable 

streak of players we had every year. 

When players graduated, it always 

seemed like others came in and 

took their place,” head coach Ron 

Geldhof, the team’s one constant 

during the streak, said. 

The coach’s hesitance to 

single out any seasons or players 


after? 

I never have tried to pattern myself after any 

other coach. I’ve really just tried to be me and do 

what I thought was best for the team. 

What is the best thing about Rockhurst 

High School? 

The best thing about RHS is the care and 

concern it extends to every student, academically 

and otherwise. 

Even for tennis team, all good 

things must come to an end 

as some of the best during the streak 

perhaps hints at some of the quality that 

has been present at the baseline for RHS. 

But as he mentioned, there has been a 

remarkable string of talent. 

Ryan Osgood and Andy Metzler 

became the first Rockhurst athletes 

in any to win four state titles in four 

years. Casey Smith – who Geldhof says 

is “probably the best we’ve ever had” 

– won three individual state titles in 

four years, with a runner-up finish in his 

freshmen year. 

Players have been recruited to play 

at Notre Dame, Navy, North Carolina, 

Iowa, DePaul, Creighton, Truman State, 

and many other schools. 

As the team reached its most 

dominant point two years ago when the 

squad won the title and landed all four 

individual entries in the top 4 at state, it 

seemed the streak may never end. 

But it did – as it inevitably would. But 

thanks to last season’s success with an 

entirely new group of players, it may not 

be too long till we have to look back at 

the year yet another string of state titles 

began. 

“I think we have a good chance of 

starting a streak [this season],” Geldhof 

said. “Maybe not a ten-year streak – but 

the prospects are pretty good.” 

How would you describe your philosophy 

as a coach? 

Winning is important, but even more what I 

would really like is for every player to take great 

memories of what he did and what we did as a 

team on through his life. 

I love it when we go to reunions and former 

players will say something like”Remember when 

we did so and so? Boy we had a great time.” 

A season that ends with good memories is a 

successful season. 

ROCKHURST TENNIS G 185


393/06 

12721 St. Andrew Dr. 

Kansas City, MO 64145 

JMWConsulting@aol.com 

The Ir Ish PIPer 

Kevin E. J. Regan 

816-221-5357 

Available For Wakes, 

Weddings and Fancy Balls 

Julia Watson 

President 

JMWConsulting Services Inc. 

Pharmaceutical Industry 

(816) 830-9557 

Fax (816) 943-1016 

Licensed - Insured 

Rich & Julia Watson 

proudly support the 

Rockhurst 

Hawklets! 

421/06 388/06 

387/06 

427/06 

423/06


Assistant Tennis Coach: 

Coach Munninghoff is in his 

28th year at Rockhurst. Bill will 

coach tennis for his seventh year 

after coaching several levels of 

basketball. In the fall, he is the 

head tennis coach at Notre Dame 

de Sion. He received his B.S. 

degree in Social Studies from 

Christian Brothers University Bill Munninghoff 

in Memphis and a Master’s in 

Counseling from UMKC. Bill is a student counselor 

and sponsor of the senior service projects. He and 

his wife Alice have two sons, both graduates of 

Rockhurst–Eric (‘99) and Mark (‘03). 


Name Singles Doubles 

Joe Paris 13-4 10-7 

Jon Farchmin 8-7 9-4 

Jack O’Flaherty 11-12 18-8 

Sam Schultz 7-6 17-7 

Patrick Tooey 10-8 21-9 

Mark Anton 5-2 3-2 

Daniel Close 12-5 21-10 

David Sherwood 20-7 13-5 

Team Record: 11-3-1 

4th Place Finish at State 

•Also coaching tennis pictured elsewhere in the 

program is Patrick Kelleher 

432/06 

ROCKHURST TENNIS G 187 

431/06 

400/06


424/06 

429/06 

368/06 

409/06

Office: 816-444-1560 email: Padrich@att.net 

Good Luck Hawks! 

~Pat Donaldson, Class of ‘65 434/06 

433/06 

435/06 

Go Hawklets!!! Go Hawklets! 

Ignite the White! Call for a Free smile Evaluation 

ZOOM! Professional Whitening System 

436/06 

Go Hawklets!!! Go Hawklets! 

ROCKHURST TENNIS G 189 

437/06 

410/06

190 G ROCKHURST TRACK & FIELD

There are few certainties in sports. We all know the Yankees 

will alway$ be in contention and that the Royals will 

always, well, not. For the track team, it’s usually safe to assume 

that not a lot of seniors will stay on for their final 

season. But this year’s seniors plan on bucking the trend 

and making some strides while they’re at it. 

Out of the blocks 

In his first 

two years as head coach of the 

Rockhurst track and field team, Mike 

Sullivan has noticed that supply and demand are two formidable 

obstacles that work to keep the squad from reaching its fullest 

potential. 

“The problem that you have in track is 

that you don’t get a lot of seniors to stay 

with it,” Sullivan said. “If you’re not a really 

good athlete, it doesn’t make a lot of sense 

to come out your senior year.” 

Here’s the deal: with limited starting 

positions available on the team and a lot of 

kids competing for those spots, a majority 

of those who try out will not race, jump or 

throw at the varsity level. 

That’s not such a big deal if you’ve got 

a few years left in high school to grow 

and develop. But when you’re a senior 

relegated to the second tier during the last 

few months before graduation, practicing 

for the sake of practicing suddenly becomes 

less appealing. 

Fortunately for Sullivan, this year’s 

squad will feature more seniors than usual, 

which could signal a breakthrough season 

for the program. 

“We’re getting more guys to keep 

coming out,” Sullivan said. “We really harp 

on getting them to realize how good they 

can be if they keep things together.” 

Leading the way for the seniors will be 

the Brothers Cotter (David and Thomas), 

Jack Fletcher, Andrew Bush and Will 

Tarr. 

That group will solidify the 4X400 and 

4X800 relay teams, as well as the middle 

distance races, which Sullivan said would 

be the team’s strength. 

Last season, the team’s main strength 

continued... 


ROCKHURST TRACK & FIELD G 191

Improve: With more seniors, look for the track team’s leadership to rise and its production to follow. 

was, naturally, one of its strongest players. 

Senior shot put thrower Michael Duschen won 

a state title with a toss of 59’6.5”. 

Duschen was the only Hawklet to qualify for 

state, but he chooses to see the silver lining in 

that fact. 

“We had a lot more people qualify for 

sectionals than we thought we would,” Duschen 

said. “We were a pretty young team, but we 

weren’t too bad. It’s building.” 

And that building will continue with this 

year’s senior class. Sullivan said their influence 

will be paramount to the development of the 

younger players. 

The district and sectional competitions are 

highly competitive with several of the area 

teams challenging for the state championship 

each year. The development of the team will 

also hinge upon its ability to grow from facing 

Head Coach 

Mike Sullivan 

192 G ROCKHURST TRACK & FIELD 

Coach Sullivan begins his third 

season as head coach of the track & 

field program following four years as 

an assistant, working primarily with 

the shot put and discus throwers. Over 

his brief tenure he has coached two 

state champion throwers, including last 

year’s state shot put champion, graduate 

Michael Duschen. Coach Sullivan 

graduated from Rockhurst in 1984, 

competing in the long jump, high jump 

and the 400 meter dash. His shining 

moment on the track might be when 

these strong programs all season. 

In addition to some of the proven talent in 

the middle distance, the sprint corp returns 

a strong group of sophomores and juniors 

including Ivan Charbonneau, Darion Latson, 

Obi Ekekezie and sophomores BIlly Linscott 

and Joe Geha. Senior Steve Jones will be front 

and center to provide the leadership and the 

knowledge that he can take from the football 

field to the synthetic track. 

“No matter what, you have to have older 

guys who can help teach the younger guys and 

show them the ropes,” Sullivan said. “There’s a 

period coming up where we could have a really 

good racing team.” 

As the supply of seniors goes up, the demand 

of leadership goes down, and the head coach’s 

job gets just a little bit easier. n 

Quote 

“We’re 

getting more 

guys to keep 

coming out,” 

Sullivan said. 

“We really 

harp on 

getting them 

to realize how 

good they 

can be if they 

keep things 

together. 

he was thrown into his first 400 - he bit 

the cinders before finishing, trying to 

keep up with the fastest runner. Along 

with coaching track, Coach Sullivan has 

significant experience in football. After 

playing football at RHS, he went on to 

play at the University of Kansas, where 

he earned a B.A. in Chemistry and 

Biochemistry. After returning to KU to 

receive his teaching certificate, Sullivan 

came back to RHS as a teacher. He 

teaches both Biology and Chemistry and 

is an avid cyclist.

Throwers feel out own mistakes, 

then feel what it’s like to be on top 

Rockhurst track and field: We 

throw things far. 

Okay, so maybe that’s not 

the ideal slogan for the program, but 

it’s certainly accurate in light of 

recent performances. 

In 2005, Connor 

McDonough claimed the 

state title in discus, and 

a year later, Michael 

Duschen followed suit 

in the shot put. 

Not bad considering 

before those two, 

the last individual 

Rockhurst state 

champion in track 

and field reigned in the 1970s. 

“For the throwers to do what they’ve been doing is 

amazing,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “They have 

to be able to coach themselves.” 

Self-reliance has become an important quality in the 

past two seasons because the former throwing coach is 

now the team’s head coach. 

When the shot pit is on one end of the practice area 

and the discus range is up on the hill at the other end, 

spending time in both areas while also managing the 

rest of the team is a difficult task. 

Duschen drew this analogy: 

“It’s like being the quarterback of the football team and 

not having Coach Sev to help you prepare for the games.” 

While Duschen said that it was much harder to 

improve on his own as a junior, he also noted that at 




The kids are here to learn. They get things done. 

For the most part, you can rely on being able to tell 

them to do something and know they’ll do it. 


coach? 

I like the teaching of it, to see the kids succeed 

at whatever it is they’re doing, to see them set a 

(personal record) at any level, to see it in their eyes. 


coach? 

that point he had McDonough from 

which to watch and learn. 

The two threw different events, 

but solid work ethic translates into all 

fields. 

“You’re not going to be successful 

if you don’t have people that want to 

work hard,” Duschen said. “Connor just 

kept working at it, and one day, it 

just started clicking for him. 

The same thing happened 

for me.” 

As luck would have 

it, both things started 

clicking for both 

throwers at just the 

right time. According 

to Sullivan, the 

ultimate trick is 

to peak at state, 

a trick both guys 

mastered during 

their respective senior seasons. 

“When (McDonough and Duschen) would throw 

well early in competitions, everyone else knew they 

were throwing for second place,” Sullivan said. “What 

they did was amazing but not surprising.” 

Though he doesn’t mind the praise, Duschen said the 

feat and how he accomplished it isn’t all that complicated. 

“As a senior, it was easier because I could feel my 

mistakes, and I knew how to fix myself,” Duschen said. 

“Coach always told us, ‘When you know how to feel 

what you’re doing wrong, you’ve got it down.’” 

The organizational skills it takes and balancing 

your time. 


a coach? 

It takes a little discipline, but you’ve got to know 

when to put your foot down and when to back off. 

And you’ve got to have some fun while you’re doing 

it or it’s not worth it. 


after? 

I take the ability to motivate from Coach Sev and 

the ability to get things done from Coach Dierks. 


4x400 Meter Relay 


2005 Top Performances 

Thomas Cotter, Jeremiah Reardon, David Cotter, 

Jack Fletcher, Sam Dearth, P.J. Thompson 

3:28.36 

Discus 

Patrick Cullinan 133-05 

Sam Tapko 139-11.5 

Shot Put 

Michael Duschen 57-6.5 

Cornell Ellis 45-10.5 

High Jump 

Kirby Campbell 5’8” 

Jake Steilen 6’4” 

Long Jump 

Steve Jones 20’ 

Jeremiah Reardon 20’3” 

Triple Jump 

Darion Latson 42’7.5” 

Pole Vault 

Nick Becker 11’ 

Jake Steilen 10’ 


David Cotter, Andrew Bush, Avery Tummons, P.J. 

Thompson, Will Tarr, Thomas Cotter 8:16.80 

110 Meter High Hurdles 

Darion Latson 15.27 

Kyle O’Grady 16.39 

353/06 

357/06 

100 Meter Dash 

Ivan Charbonneau 11.09 

Steve Jones 11.57 


Ivan Charbonneau, Nathan Scheelhaase, Darion 

Latson, Thomas Cotter, Obi Ekekezie, Joe Geha 

1:32.83 

1600 Meter Run 

Andrew Bush 4:50.02 

Alex Dobens 4:50.00 


Ivan Charbonneau, Jeremiah Reardon, Billy Linscott, 

Steve Jones, Obi Ekekezie, Cornell Ellis 

44.70 

400 Meter Dash 

Jack Fletcher 51.24 

David Cotter 51.91 

300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles 

Michael Paradise 42.00 

Nathan Karlin 45.22 

800 Meter Run 

P.J. Thompson 2:05.97 

Will Tarr 2:01.19 

200 Meter Run 

Darion Latson 23.04 

Obi Ekekezie 23.72 

3200 Meter Run 

Evan Daugherty 10:38.72 

Avery Tummons 10:38.70 

363/06 

390/06

Assistant Track & Field 

Coach: 

Coach Bosco enters his sixth 

year at Rockhurst and teaches 

English. He is orginally from St. 

Louis, having graduated from 

Saint Louis University High 

School. He attended Rockhurst 

University where he has 

completed both undergraduate 

and graduate degree work. 

Coach Bosco works with the triple and long 

jumpers and hurdlers. Along with his work on the 

field and in the classroom, Coach Bosco is part 

of the pastoral team, coordinating the freshman 

retreat. He is married to Susan. 


Coach: 

Coach Derrington is in 

his third year teaching and 

coaching at Rockhurst after 

graduating in 1998. He 

participated in cross country 

for three years at RHS and 

then went on to the 

University of Missouri 

where he earned his B.S./ 

B.A in International Business. He then taught 

Spanish as a graduate student at MU and served as 

an adjunct professor at MU-Rolla before returning 

to RHS. He will teach Spanish I and II this year. 

In addition, Derrington is an assistant Speech and 

Debate Coach. 


Coach: 

Doctor Taracido will be 

in his 18th year as a long 

distance coach. Doctor 

Taracido holds a Ph.D in 

Romance Languages and 

Renaissance Studies from the 

University of Missouri and 

also has a M.A. in Spanish 

from MU and a B.S. from 

California Univ. in Pennsylvannia. He teaches 

Spanish IV AP, Honors Spanish IV and Spanish 

IV classes. Doctor Taracido has a daughter, 

Magdalena (Lula) and a granddaughter, Maia 

Alexandra. He is an avid runner and a fencer. 

Assistant Coaches 

Assistant Track Coach: 

Coach McLellan is in his 

second year with the track 

program and will be working 

with the sprinters. A 2000 

graduate of Rockhurst, Coach 

McLellan played lacrosse when 

he was in school here. He 

then went on to Rockhurst 

Chris Bosco University where he earned Luke McLellan 

a degree in English Literature 

and Composition. He will teach 

religion to freshmen and sophomores. 


Coach: 

Coach Reagan continues 

in his third year at his alma 

mater coaching track and cross 

country. At Rockhurst, he ran 

cross country for four years, 

graduating from in 1999. He 

went on to attend MU before 

Steve Derrington returning to RHS in 2003 as Scott Reagan 

Jorge Taracido 

part of the Alumni Service Corp 

program from the Missouri Province, volunteering a 

year of service to a Jesuit secondary institution. He 

has returned as a full-time teacher after pursuing his 

teaching certificate from UMKC. Scott teaches in 

the social studies department. 

Team Award 

Most Outstanding Track Athlete 

Michael Duschen 2006 

DJ Hord 2005 

Chris Fencl 2004 

Jed Burey 2004 

Brennan Metzler 2003 

Jack Jones 2003 

Dan Cooper 2003 

Dan McDonough 2002 

Sean O’Donnell 2001 

Adam Flack 2000 



404/06 

405/06 

399/06 

Custom Mosaic Art, 

Handcrafted Santas 

Sundance Designs 

Willa (913)491-1968 

Photo Name Frames (custom) 

ROCKHURST 

Willa Raybould (913) 491-1968 

406/06 

407/06 

414/06 

375/06

ROCKHURST TRACK & FIELD G 197 

412/06

Go Hawklets!!! 

The Paschang and Jouras Families 

Phil 1975* Matt 2004* Danny 2009* 

NORTHEAST REALTY COMPANY 

Since 1909 

5400 St. John, Kansas City, MO 64123 

816-231-8442 2/06 


1/06 

3/06 

4/06 

5/06 

91 

6/06 

9/06 

10/06 

11/06 

8/05

A Message from the Principal 

Mr. Larry E. Ruby 

After 37 years in 

Catholic education, 28 

of them at Rockhurst, 

Mr. Ruby will now take 

over the top academic 

position at Rockhurst as 

the school’s principal. 

Most recently Mr. 

Ruby served as Assistant 

Principal for Academic 

Affairs and instructor of 

United States history. 

Mr. Ruby received his 

Bachelor of Arts degree 

in Social Science from 

St. Mary’s University 

in Winona, Minnesota. 

His graduate work has 

included a Master of 

Arts degree in Recent 

American History and 

an Educational Specialist 

degree in Administration 

from the University of 

Missouri-Kansas City. 

Welcome to Rockhurst High 

School. We especially 

welcome our visiting 

opponents and fans for today’s contest. 

Rockhurst is proud of the strong tradition 

of excellence in athletics as an integral 

part of its tradition of excellence in 

academics and the Christian formation 

of young men. 

Athletic competition serves as another 

means for life-long lessons. Long after the 

memory of wins and losses have faded, 

athletic competition teaches athletes to 

work hard, become a part of a team, 

practice good sportsmanship and to 

deal with success and disappointments. 

In addition, involvement in athletics 

can also lead individuals to live healthy 

lifestyles. Athletics at Rockhurst High 

School serve to reinforce the mission of 

our school, the formation of Christian 

leaders. 

All of this is made possible for the 

young men of Rockhurst because of 

the dedication and commitment of our 

athletic department staff. My thanks to 

Mr. Doug Bruce, Athletic Director, his 

assistant, Mr. Pete Campbell, and to 

the coaches, managers, trainers, team 

physicians and statisticians. 

I look forward to cheering on our 

teams, in good sportsmanship, with the 

many students, parents, alumni, past 

parents, friends and fans of Rockhurst 

High School. My thanks to Mr. Michael 

Dierks, his associate editors and his 

entire staff for their tremendous effort 

in publishing this year’s edition of the 

All-Sports Program. Thanks, too, to all 

of you faithful and loyal supporters of 

Rockhurst High School. 

GO HAWKLETS! 

With best wishes, 

Larry E. Ruby 

Principal 

The 2006-2007 Administrative Team serves Mr. Ruby by performing a myriad of critical 

duties that support the students. Front row, from left, Mr. Ruby, Fr. Ian Gibbons, 

SJ (pastoral office), Mr. Jack Reichmeier (admissions), Mrs. Mary Catherine Newman 

(college placement); second row, Mr. Joe Delehunt (counseling), Mr. Mike Wickenhauser 

(faculty development), Mr. Mike Heringer (student activities); third row, Mr. 

Doug Bruce (athletics), Mr. David Alvey (dean), Mr. Scott Duschen (academics). 


MEC 

Midland Electrical 

Corporation 

Electrical Contractors - 

Industrial and Commercial 

Vincent C. Groff 

President 

Phone (816) 356-9027 

FAX (816) 356-6417 

Mobile (816) 985-8091 

E-Mail: mecvg@swbell.net 

10220 A E. 65th 

P.O. Box 9488 

Raytown, MO 64133 

Men Distinguished by Their 

Competence, Compassion, and Conscience. 


426/06 

816.246.4800 

www.meyerbro.com 

428/06 

425/06 

367/06

2005 National Merit Finalists 

Number of AP tests taken by 

Rockhurst students in 2005 

Number of Colleges attended 

by the class of 2005 

Rockhurst High School 

Athletics is certainly one 

aspect of Rockhurst that has 

become one of the school’s 

defining qualities, as three state titles 

last year attest. 

But Rockhurst is much more 

than an athletic program. Rather it 

is a combination of academics, cocurriculars, 

spirituality, community 

and athletics that defines a full 

Rockhurst education. 

As a Jesuit high school, Rockhurst 

is part of a proud academic tradition 

that reaches back 450 years. 

Throughout the United States, 47 

high schools and 28 colleges educate 

their students under the Jesuit ideals 

first expounded by St. Ignatius. 

Since its opening 93 years ago, 

Rockhurst has helped shape over 

12,000 young men by striving for 

the excellence prescribed in these 

Jesuit ideals that form the Graduate 

at Graduation. 

A Rockhurst education is based 

on not simply a preparation of the 

mind, but rather the education of 

the heart, body and spirit. This 

emphasis on the holistic education 

of each student is exemplified 

in the interconnectedness of 

the five aspects of the Graduate 

at Graduation: Intellectually 

Competent, Loving, Committed 

to Justice, Religious and Open to 

Growth. 

In helping its students mature and 

become men, Rockhurst emphasizes 

Christian principles in all areas of the 

school. This instills not only the skills 

necessary to succeed in college and 

the professional world, but also a 

love of learning and the importance 

of the living the school’s creed— 

“Men for Others”—throughout their A Rockhurst student mixes two chemicals in his 

lives. 

Chemistry Class. Lab work is a major part of the class. 

19 

260 

76 

Quick Facts 

Approx. number of service 

hours completed by Freshmen, 

Sophomores, and Juniors 

Approx. number of service 

hours completed during 

senior service projects 

18,750 

23,500 


Where 

SOLD 

Means 

More 

We Proudly Support 


Reeves Wiedeman Company 

14861 W 100th, Lenexa, KS. 66215 

913.492.7100 441/06 


448/06 

444/06 

442/06 

PROUD SUPPORTER 

OF ROCKHURST 

HIGHSCHOOL 

457/06 

458/06 

445/06 

443/06

Admission Calendar 

OPEN HOUSE 

Sunday, November 7, 2006 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

COMPLETED 

APPLICATION DUE 

Friday, December 15, 2006 

PLACEMENT TEST 

Saturday, January 6, 2007 

ENROLLMENT 

CONTRACT DUE 

March 15, 2007 

CLASS OF 2011 

ORIENTATION 

March 27, 2007 

7:00 p.m. 

FINANCIAL AID 

APPLICATIONS DUE 

Saturday, April 2, 2007 

QUALIFYING EXAMS 

April 28 and May 5, 2007 

Admissions 

Admission Information 

To apply for admission to Rockhurst 

High School, contact the Admission 

Office to obtain an application packet. 

This includes all the forms necessary 

for application to Rockhurst. 

Once all materials are turned in, 

the admissions committee reviews 

each application to determine how 

Rockhurst can best serve the applicant 

and his family. 

Open House 

Rockhurst hosts an Open House 

each year to give young men in 

grades six through eight and their 

families a chance to tour the school. 

The Open House allows the families 

to see the school’s facilities and meet 

with current faculty and students. 

This year’s Open House will be 

held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, 

November 7. 

Visit Program 

The Visit Program is another great 

way for prospective eighth graders 

to get a sense of a typical day at 

Rockhurst. Each participant spends a 

day “shadowing” one of our freshman 

through his daily class schedule. 

Shadow visits are scheduled on most 

Thursdays and Fridays from October 

through March. 

Visitors report to the Admissions 

Office at 8:30 a.m. and stay until the 

end of the regular school day. As an 

added bonus, lunch is on us! Call the 

Admission Office to schedule your 

visit. 

Placement Test 

Every student who plans to enroll 

in any Catholic high school in either 

Kansas or Missouri must take a 

standardized placement test. The test 

will be administered at Rockhurst 

High School at 8:30 a.m., Saturday 

Jan 6. 2007. Results of the test will be 

used to identify potential candidates 

for honors classes and also help the 

admission committee determine 

summer school attendance. 

Financial Aid 

Rockhurst annually awards just over 

$1 million in financial assistance to its 

students. The financial aid committee 

gives priority to current Rockhurst 

families and to those who have had 

sons graduate from Rockhurst. Aid 

awards are determined after taking into 

account an analysis by an independent 

agency of the family’s need, the 

applicant’s academic performance, 

and his enthusiasm for a Rockhurst 

education. 

Thanks to the generosity of alumni 

and other donors, Rockhurst awards 

scholarships to many of our incoming 

and returning students. With few 

exceptions, scholarship awards are 

based strictly upon merit and financial 

need. Aid eligibility requires that a 

family file a financial aid statement 

with the Director of Admission 

and Financial Aid, but no separate 

application is necessary to receive 

scholarships. 

In addition to need-based 

scholarships, an incoming freshman 

may qualify for either the President’s 

Scholarship or Ignatian Scholarship 

based on his composite score on the 

high school placement test.To be 

eligible for either scholarship, an eight 

grader must have: 

- B+ average in his seventh and 

eighth grade years 

- Received a positive teacher’s 

recommendation 

- Taken the placement test at 


A President’s Scholarship, valued 

at $1,000 is awarded to students who 

score in the 99 th percentile on the high 

school placement test. An Ignatian 

scholarhip, valued at $500, is awarded 

to students whose scores place them 

in the 98 th percentile. 

For more information, contact the Admission Office at (816) 363-2036 

For updates and activities, visit our web site at www.rockhursths.edu 


GO HAWKLETS CLASS 

OF 2010 

Ken and Chrystal Johnson 

John J. Hager 

Attorney at Law 

9237 Ward Parkway 

Suite 330 

Kansas City, Missouri 64114 

Phone: 816-523-8400 

Fax: 816-361-9232 


449/06 

460/06 

447/06 

446/06 

451/06 461/06 

459/06 

455/06 

454/06

As a college preparatory 

high school, Rockhurst is 

committed to helping students 

discover collegiate opportunities 

and programs that meet one’s 

academic, spiritual and social needs. 

Each student who graduates from 

RHS has the ability to succeed in 

a college or university setting. The 

academic foundation instilled by our 

faculty is the greatest bridge afforded 

to our students as they make the 

transition into collegiate studies. 

Thanks to the context in which 

our students learn - both in the 

classroom and through co-curricular 

activities - each graduate is able to 

embrace new settings, relationships 

and disciplines through a myriad of 

lenses. 

The philosophy of the College 

Placement Office is to understand 

and serve the specific needs of each 

College Placement Office 

student while enabling him to find 

a suitable and satisfactory match 

for his college experience. Through 

comprehensive programming, which 

introduces students to the world 

of college early in their Rockhurst 

experience, our students receive 

personal interaction and educational 

opportunities throughout the year. 

Ownership of the college selection 

process belongs to each of the 

students, while we gladly assist with 

their exploration, application and 

matriculation. 

With over 3200 colleges and 

universities in the United States, 

there is a suitable place for each and 

every graduate. RHS students attend 

colleges all across the nation with the 

largest percentage concentrated in 

the Midwest. This fall, the 28 Jesuit 

colleges and universities will welcome 

25% of Rockhurst’s 2005 graduates. 

Colleges Attended by the Class of 2006 

Aquinas College 

Arizona State University 

Baker University 

Barton County Community College 

Benedictine College 

Boston College 

Central Missouri State University 

Creighton University 

Dana College 

DePauw University 

Drake University 

Drury University 

Florida State University 

Green Mountain College 

Howard University 

Kansas State University 

Lewis University 

Longview Community College 

Loyola Marymount University 

Loyola University Chicago 

Loyola University New Orleans 

Marquette University 

Miami University 

Missouri State University 

Northwest Missouri State University 

Northwestern College 

Northwestern University 

Parsons School of Design 

Pittsburg State University 

Purdue University 

Regis University 

Rockhurst University 

Saint Louis University 

Santa Clara University 

Seton Hall University 

Southern Illinois University - Carbondale 

Southern Methodist University 

St. John’s College 

St. Olaf College 

Stanford University 

Texas Christian University 

The George Washington University 

The University of Arizona 

Trinity College 

Trinity University 

Truman State University 

Tulane University 

United States Military Academy 

University of Arkansas 

University of Central Oklahoma 

University of Chicago 

University of Colorado at Boulder 

University of Connecticut 

University of Dallas 

University of Dayton 

University of Denver 

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

University of Kansas 

University of Missouri - Kansas City 

University of Missouri - Rolla 

University of Missouri - Columbia 

University of Nebraska at Lincoln 

University of North Texas 

University of Notre Dame 

University of Oklahoma 

University of San Diego 

University of Southern California 

University of Wyoming 

Villanova University 

Washington University in St. Louis 

Whitman College 

Xavier University 

Yale University 

College Placement Info 

26 

avg. ACT 

27 

Students recognized by the 

National Merit Program 

19 

National Merit finalists 

7 

National Merit semi-finalists 

9 

National Merit Commended 

Students 

1 

National Hispanic Scholars 

76 

Colleges attended by the 

class of 2005 

28 

Number of Jesuit 

Universities 

99% 

Percentage of students 

attending college 

1 

Student attending 

military academies 



Annual Giving at RHS 

Rockhurst High School began to formally appeal to 

alumni, parents and friends for its Annual Fund in 

the mid-1970’s to promote loyalty and support for the 

institution. Annual Fund contributions are undesignated 

gifts to Rockhurst High School when the donor allows the 

school to use the funds as needed, generally for operational 

support, to relieve the strain on tuition and assist with 

managing daily needs. 

The annual operating budget for Rockhurst High School 

during the coming year will be nearly $12.8 million, which 

includes the salaries and benefits for faculty and staff, 

maintenance of the Greenlease Memorial Campus, utilities 

for the physical plant ($25,000 a month for water and 

power alone), as well as payment for program expenses 

(i.e. textbooks, co-curricular equipment, etc.). The school 

also awarded $1.1 million in financial aid to a third of its 

students, which is also part of the budget. Tuition accounts 

for just $9.4 million in revenue, leaving the remainder 

($3.4 million) to be generated from special events, fees, 

endowment revenue, and the Annual Fund. 

Funds raised through the Annual Fund impact Rockhurst 

High School students directly. With a vibrant Annual 

Fund, tuition costs can be forecast and kept affordable; 

more financial aid can be awarded to families who need 

assistance; basic maintenance for the school building and 

grounds can be provided; and contemporary resources can 

GO! FIGHT! FIGHT! 

WIN! WIN! 

HAWKLETS! 

HAWKLETS! 

505/06 

be available for faculty and students to reach their Godgiven 

potential. 

Rockhurst High School is enjoying tremendous growth 

in the quality and size of its student body, as well as 

the demand for its academic, co-curricular, and spiritual 

programs. Supporters enjoy a great sense of pride for the 

way students of today’s Rockhurst High School have built 

upon an already exemplary educational tradition; however, 

the institution cannot rest on its laurels. 

The challenge for Rockhurst High School is to dispel the 

myth that economic support is not needed to maintain the 

level of excellence that has made the school so well known. 

In fact, it does require a great deal of financial wherewithal 

to advance the school’s educational mission. Your gift to 

Rockhurst High School does make a difference. Please 

consider an investment in the quality of Rockhurst High 

School by becoming a partner in the institution’s work by 

making a contribution today! 

Gifts to Rockhurst High School can be made by cash, 

check, credit card, securities and appreciated stock, or on 

line at www.rockhursths.edu. Bequests and planned gifts 

are also a tremendous way for the school to plan for future 

needs. For more information, contact the Advancement 

Office 816-363-2039 (ext. 571) or lfreeman@rockhursths. 

edu. 


Fight Song 

Hail Blue and White 

Hail Blue and White 

We’re going to fight 

We’re going to fight for you 

Hail Blue and White! 

With all our might 

We’re going to see you through. 

And when the clouds of battle roll, 

And press around your standards true, 

We’ll push them back 

Until the light of victory shines 

On the Blue and the White!!! 

Written by Mr. Alton Davis and Rev. Martin Currigan, SJ 1952

Steven P. Franke 

Mr. Franke is proud to 

represent Rockhurst and 

its alumni as the President 

of the Rockhurst National 

Alumni Association for this 

year. He has been involved 

with the Alumni Association 

since 1996, both as class 

agent for the class of 1992 

and as a three year member 

on its Board of Governors. 

After graduating from 

Rockhurst in ’92, Mr. 

Franke continued his Jesuit 

education while earning 

his B.S.B.A. in Finance 

Economics and Management 

from Rockhurst College. 

Since 1996 he has been 

employed as an Investment 

Counselor for Atwood & 

Palmer Inc. and is also a 

founding board member of 

the F.L.H.W. Foundation, 

an organization dedicated to 

finding a cure for prostate 

cancer. 

Mr. Franke and his wife 

Jennifer have three children, 

Caroline, Maggie and 

Patrick. 

Alumni Association 

Alumni and Friends: 

A Rockhurst High School education 

is unlike any other in Kansas 

City. Each year, Rockhurst’s Ignatian 

educators commit themselves to the 

full development of more than 1,000 

boys. Four years later as men, they 

leave these halls and attend colleges 

across the country. Rockhurst is 

not alone in this endeavor. It is part 

of a 450 year tradition distinguished 

by excellence in academics, co-curricular 

activities, and on the playing 

fields. Nearly 50 Jesuit high schools 

in the country share its mission. 

The purpose of the Rockhurst 

High School National Alumni Association 

is to generate support for 

events that maintain and cultivate 

goodwill among alumni, and to educate 

graduates about the importance 

of their financial support of Rockhurst 

High School. The association 

provides opportunities for classmates 

to continue building relationships 

through events and reunions, which 

are fun ways to stay connected with 

friends and classmates. 

Alumni are encouraged to continue 

living the motto of being “men 

for others” by supporting Rockhurst 

High School with their time, talents, 

and treasures. Through everyone’s 

help, Rockhurst will be able to supply 

over $1 million in financial aid 

ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 

Friday-Saturday, October 20 - October 

21, 2006 

Campus wide 

SPAGHETTI DINNER 

Thursday, November 16, 2006 

(6:00 p.m.) 

Cafeteria 

YOUNG ALUMNI “POKER 

NIGHT” 

Thursday, December 28, 2006 (6:00 

p.m.) 

McGee Hall 

to more than one-third of the student 

body this year alone; this is no 

accident. With the rising costs of 

education, everyone’s support and 

participation are critical to keeping 

Rockhurst affordable; this is everyone’s 

Rockhurst, and your support 

makes all the difference! 

There have been 11,200 men 

who have graduated from Rockhurst 

High School in its history, with 9,400 

still living today. This core group is 

fortified by thousands of parents and 

family members who share a dedication 

to the school’s mission and 

vision. I thank you for your support 

today and trust that you will join 

each member of the Rockhurst High 

School National Alumni Association 

as we salute these young athletes in 

this spirited contest. 

On behalf of the National Alumni 

Association, please take a few moments 

to look over the advertisements 

in closed in this All Sports Program 

and consider patronizing those 

who helped to make this publication 

possible. 

Sincerely, 

Steve Franke ‘92 

President, NAA 

Calendar of Events 

DAY OF REFLECTION 

Saturday, March 3, 2007 (9:00 a.m.) 

McGee Hall & Rose Theater 

ROCKFEST BASKETBALL 

TOURNAMENT 

Sunday, May 6, 2007 (9:00 a.m.) 

Gymnasium 

ALUMNI SENIOR LUNCHEON 

Friday, May 11, 2007 (12:45 p.m.) 

Barry Student Commons 

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES 

Sunday, May 20, 2007 (12:00 p.m.) 

Municipal Auditorium 



450/06

Rockhurst School History 

In the 98 years since Rev. Michael P. Dowling S.J. 

laid the framework for what is today Rockhurst 

High School, it is clear that much has changed: new 

location, new name, and many new traditions. 

But the most important aspects of the school have 

remained unaltered: the spirit and mission. 

When Dowling presented his proposal to his superiors 

in 1908, the goal he hoped to accomplish through the 

new academy remains Rockhurst’s primary goal to this 

day. The school’s original mission statement proclaimed 

it was its goal “to turn out young men whose mental 

faculties have been so developed and formed that they 

may successfully enter upon the immediate preparation 

of any career.” 

continued...

The original Jesuit 

faculty, along with all 

current and former 

Rockhurst teachers, 

accomplished this with a 

curriculum equally focused 

on intellectual stimulation, 

moral formation and 

religious instruction, 

stating “it is men who are 

to be trained, not mere 

minds.” 

To this day, Rockhurst 

m a i n t a i n s 

this mission 

by actively 

participating, 

along with 47 

other Jesuit 

s e c o n d a r y 

s c h o o l s 

around the 

nation, in 

f o r m i n g 

young men 

to be leaders 

of our 

world and 

f a i t h - f i l l e d 

individuals. 

Four 

years after 

the State of 

Missouri officially 

chartered the school, 

42 students entered the 

doors of the “Academy” 

of Rockhurst College at 

52 nd and Troost on the 

morning of Septemeber 

15, 1914. The class of 

1917 became the first of 

thousands of young men 

who would be educated 

at Rockhurst. 

In 1923, the “Academy” 

became simply Rockhurst 

High School, though 

a direct connection 

between the college and 

high school remained. 

After nearly 50 years at 

the Troost campus, the 

school made the move 



Rockhurst Mission 

Rockhurst High 

School serves the 

greater Kansas City area 

by educating Ignatian 

leaders, MEN FOR 

OTHERS, in the Roman 

Catholic, Jesuit college 

preparatory tradition. 

In the spirit of Saint 

Ignatius Loyola, its goal 

is the formation of the 

whole person within a 

diverse and desciplined 

environment, as one 

who is open to growth, 

strives for academic 

excellence, is religious, 

loving and comitted to 

justice through service. 

to its present location at 

9301 State Line Road. 

Subsequent with the 

physical transformation 

that occurred in 1963, 


officially broke its ties 

with Rockhurst College 

(now known as Rockhurst 

University). 

The land acquired for 

Rockhurst’s State Line 

campus was a gift from 

the Robert C. 

Greenlease 

f a m i l y , 

l e a d i n g 

“Greenlease 

Memorial” to 

be added to 

the school’s 

official title. 

Rockhurst’s 

president at 

the time of 

the move, 

Rev. Maurice 

E. Van 

Ackeren, S.J., 

noted that 

Rockhurst is 

“a school for 

young men 

who will work very hard 

at studies and the other 

activities that comprise 

a student’s life.” Fr. 

Van Ackeren had been 

instrumental in pushing 

for the school’s relocation, 

and his groundbreaking 

was symbolic of his own 

efforts and the future 

of the school that he 

envisioned. 

Since that fateful move in 

1962, Rockhurst’s stature 

and reputation within the 

Kansas City community 

and beyond has continued 

to grow. As Rockhurst 

students collect numerous 

scholastic honors and 

state championships while 

contributing to the outside 

world both as students 

and alumni, the Rock has 

become a staple within the 

Kansas City community. 

The fall of 1988 marked 

a watershed point for 

the growth of the school 

into the institution it 

has become today, as 

the launching of the 

“Foundations Forever” 

campaign marked the 

school’s first-ever capital 

fund drive. The 3.5 

million-dollar project was 

designed to create an 

excellent fine arts program 

to match the already stellar 

athletic and academic 

aspects of the school. 

The results of the 

campaign are evident 

throughout the school. 

The centerpiece of the Fine 

Arts Complex is of course 

the 925-seat Rose Theatre, 

which houses everything 

from Bridging the Gap 

fundraiser concerts to the 

annual spring musical (the 

most recent being 2004’s 

production of Jesus Christ 

Superstar). To go along 

with this performance 

space, classrooms for 

drama, vocal music and 

visual arts were also 

created. The McGee 

Reception Hall also serves 

as the main foyer for the 

Rose Theater and another 

prominent gathering 

space. 

Within the original 

building, the project 

expanded the library while 

also creating space for 

the newspaper, yearbook 

and literary magazine staff 

and renovating the Jesuit 

Residence. 

With the inauguration 

of Rockhurst’s fifteenth 

president, Rev. Thomas 

A. Pesci, S.J., in 1993, 

Rockhurst began the 

defnitivie move towards 

creating the campus 

we see today. Fr. Pesci 

headed the “Millenium 

Master Plan” which hoped 

to assess and reconstruct 

Rockhurst’s programs and 

facilities to best suit the 

Jesuit mission in the 21 st 

century. 

The spring of 1998 

brought about the largest 

modernization and 

In 1998 the current facade of the building was 

constructed using the thematic brick wall.

expansion of the academic 

facilities since the move 

from the Troost campus, 

creating a school vastly 

different from the one that 

previously existed. 

Improvements due to 

the Millenium campaign 

were vast. The total 

number of classrooms 

increased from 37 to 

50. New science and 

computer labs were 

added and the gymnasium 

enlarged. The 125-seat 

Chapel of the Sacred 

Heart was added, along 

with a new administrative 

wing. A central hub was 

also created, as the Barry 

Commons replaced an 

outdoor atrium to give 

students a central meeting 

space and easy access to 

the bookstore, counseling, 

campus ministry, college 

placement, and—if they 

are unlucky enough—the 

dean of students. 

The 31,000 square feet 

added in 

the project 

allowed RHS 

to increase its 

e n r o l l m e n t 

to just 

over 1,000 

students. 

With the 

a c a d e m i c 

f a c i l i t i e s 

g r e a t l y 

i m p r o v e d , 

2002 brought 

about another 

large change, 

this time 

i n v o l v i n g 

the athletic 

f a c i l i t i e s . 

The central piece of the 

project was the expansion 

and renovation of Dasta 

Memorial Stadium. The 


Rockhurst Vision 

Rockhurst High 

School will be sought 

out and recognized for 

its ability to educate 

men-for-others. Rockhurst 

High School will, 

in the Jesuit tradition, 

foster lifelong friendships 

based on enduring 

principles and 

Ignatian values. 

It will be nationally 

and locally recognized 

as the best value-added 

education becuase of 

its success in developing 

community leaders 

for an increasingly 

diverse world. 

Breaking ground for the Rose Theatre, Fr. Tom Cummings, S.J., former president, 

helps Mrs. Katholeen Donnelly ceremonially begin a new phase in RHS history. 

new facility provided for including the annual move forward with plans 

nearly 5,000 seats on the Rockhurst Relays. for further growth in the 

north side of the field A successful $20- future. New, front-lit signs 

to better accommodate million dollar capital now greet visitors on 

the growing number of campaign has helped the State Line Road, but the 

Hawklet fans. school complete the final centerpiece of the project 

The state-of- elements of the Master is the construction of a 

the-art field Plan. In the summer second gymnasium. The 

turf playing of 2003, construction gym, to be constructed 

s u r f a c e centered around a new adjacent to the current 

p r o v i d e d baseball complex capable facility on the southeast 

a safe, of hosting games on the corner of the school, will 

manageable field south of the school, feature two full-length 

and easy along with a restructuring basketball courts, a weight 

means for of the traffic plan that room, and a wrestling 

p r o v i d i n g included widened room for an approximate 

an excellent driveways, more parking, cost of $3.75 million 

surface for and improved traffic flow. dollars. 

f o o t b a l l , On February 1, 2004, The gym will not only 

tournament Rev. Terrence A. Baum provide more room for 

level soccer, S.J. became the school’s varsity and intramural 

lacrosse and sixteenth president. Fr. sports, but will also free 

i n t r a m u r a l Baum is now entering his up several spaces for 

sports. The second full year in this classrooms and provide 

new 400- capacity. 

a permanent space for 

metereight- Even with the significant the school’s blossoming 

lane track that encircles physical transformation choir program. School 

the field also now makes the school has seen administrators hope the gym 

Dasta a feasible location over the past decade, will be completed around 

for track and field events, Rockhurst continues to the summer of 2007. 



499/06 

492/06 

493/06 

Love from Stephen, Joan, Cecil and Nila 

Beau, Vicky, Piercyn and Tresyn 

Nicke, Marty, Rayah, Jaxn, T, Chop and At 

26/06 

496/06 

484/06

ROCKHURST ALL SPORTS G 213 

503/06

SPECTACULAR 2007 

Committee 

Be part of this longstanding tradition 

to benefit the students of Rockhurst. 

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 21, 2007 

Tricia & Butch 

Slack 

Invite you to be on our team - 

Volunteer, donate, and attend. 

For more information, please contact 

Judie Scanlon at 816-363-2039 ext. 580 


Rob & Kathy 

Maple 

October 7, 2006 

Classic & Vintage 

Car Show 

also throughout the day 

506/06 

3660/05 

507/06

If you can’t attend a 

football game, make sure 

to tune in to AM 610 

to hear the Hawklets 

in action. 

47/06 

Steve Manning 

Plant Manager 

Proudly 

supports the 

Rockhurst 

Hawklets! 

ROCKHURST ALL SPORTS G 215 

67/06


“Thank you coaches for all of your 

talents, energy and inspiration” 

Rockhurst High School Athletic Department and Administration

ROCKHURST BASKETBALL G 145 - Rockhurst High School

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?