Assumption High School Newsletter
September 25, 2015
Dear Assumption Community,
With the excitement of a new school year and the start of fall just around the corner, we invite you to enjoy another installment of our Assumption High School e-newsletter.
The latest newsletter features news about enrollment, new hires, upcoming fall performances, recaps of recent athletic accomplishments, as well as alumni updates.
I enjoyed reconnecting with many of you at various reunion events this past summer, and look forward to seeing you all in a few days at Homecoming!
Please continue to send your news, feedback, and ideas. As always, we look forward to hearing from you!
One in the Spirit,
Jordan Gizzarelli '99
Director of Alumni Relations
Assumption Welcomes Class of 2019
Assumption welcomed 130 new Knights this fall, keeping enrollment solid at 460 total students. This year's student body includes 9th through 12th graders from all of the local parishes, a new student from France, an international student from China, and a diverse makeup with 16 percent of students self-identified as minorities.
Grading Begins on Athletic Complex
The wait is finally over and work is officially underway at the new Assumption Sports Complex located on the St. Vincent Center property at 720 West Central Park Ave.
Grading and underground utility work have begun on Phase I, which includes two artificial turf practice fields, along with a new shared softball facility for both Assumption and St. Ambrose.
Quad-City Times article
WQAD Video
2016 Assumption Legacy Students
Assumption is known for its strong family ties and over the years many families have seen multiple students graduate from the halls of AHS. But did you know that many families have what's known as legacy students?
A legacy student is a student whose parent(s) or grandparent(s) attended Assumption, St. Ambrose Academy or Immaculate Conception Academy. In all, 44 members of the 2016 Senior Class are defined as legacies. Check out the full list here.
Looking Toward Homecoming Week
Assumption will celebrate Homecoming 2015 during the week of September 28. As always, the week will include several dress-up days and plenty of Knight Spirit at the Homecoming Pep Rally, Bonfire, and Dancing with the Studs competition to be held Wednesday evening, September 30, starting at 6 p.m.
An all-school Homecoming Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 30, at 9:55 a.m. in Sunderbruch Auditorium, and the Knights will face Dubuque Wahlert at Brady Street Stadium on Thursday, October 1, at approximately 7:30 p.m. The theme for the annual Homecoming Dance, set for Saturday, October 3, is "A Knight in Wonderland".
Fall Blood Drive Saves Lives
Assumption students and faculty recently participated in the annual Fall Blood Drive led by science teacher and “Top Teacher Search (“LIVE! With Kelly”) national finalist Mrs. Wendy Martin. Staff members from the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center were on hand to collect donations.
"The Blood Drive is a great way for students and staff to perform an invaluable community service together. It gives students a sense of pride when they know they helped us reach our goal," Martin said. "Many students who first donate at school blood drives become lifelong donors."
New Faculty and Staff Join AHS Family
Assumption welcomed several new faculty members this year, including alum Mr. John Jacobs ’10 (Social Studies), Ms. Megan Miller (PE/Wellness), Mr. Corey Blair (World Civilization), and Ms. Monica Meissen (Math).
Alum Ms. Kelly Bush '99 was recently named Director of Student Wellness. Also, Sister Anthony Worrell joined the Religion department.
Fine Arts NewsKnight Players to Perform Two Shows
The Assumption Knight Players will stage two performances this fall, the Children's Play, The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, and Fall Play, Play On!
Performances of Play On! will be held October 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. Play On! is the hilarious story of a theater group trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty author who keeps revising the script.
The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet is a whimsical reinvention of Shakespeare's tragic love story, complete with rhymed couplets, creative wordplay, and fantastical machines -- similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with if he ever had his way with the script. Directed by Assistant Drama Director, Emily Hill '09, the cast and crew will stage performances on December 12 and 13 at 2 p.m. in Sunderbruch Auditorium. The Dec. 12 performance will be preceded by a Children’s Workshop for students in 1st–6th grade.
Drama Director, Elizabeth (Liz) King '00 Powers, would like to invite everyone to experience the talent of Assumption’s Drama Department. “We have a wonderful group of gifted actors and actresses this year. If you haven’t been to a Knight Players’ production recently, come back and see what you’ve been missing!”
If you have questions about the Knight Players or the Children's Workshop, please email liz.powers@assumptionhigh.org for more information!
Athletic News
Summer Sports Recap
Assumption's Baseball and Softball programs both had outstanding regular seasons, but both teams saw their goals of reaching the state tournament cut short by impressive opposing pitching in state qualifying action.
The Knights' Baseball team finished with a record of 30-10 overall, including a 13-5 conference mark that saw them finish second in the always-rugged MAC. Under Head Coach Billy Argo '83, Assumption defeated Maquoketa 8-1 in its District opener, before falling to DeWitt in the District Final in a 1-0 pitcher's duel.
Argo's Knights finished the season ranked #6 in Class 3A, while sophomore Trenton Wallace (outfield) and junior Connor Lindaman (utility) were tabbed first-team All-State by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Lindaman and Wallace were both First Team All-Metro and All-Conference selections, and were joined on the First Team All-MAC squad by seniors Justin McIntosh (pitcher) and Michael Alvarado (outfield).
The Lady Knights Softball program enjoyed an outstanding season that saw them finish 31-7 overall, and ranked #8 in the Class 4A poll. Under first-year head coach Ron Ferrill (also head coach at St. Ambrose), the team went 15-3 and finished in second place in the MAC standings.
Ferrill's squad cruised to an 11-3 Regional Semifinal win over DeWitt, before falling in the Regional Championship at Mt. Pleasant by the score of 3-1.
Sophomore catcher Emma Valainis hit a new school-record 15 homeruns, and earned First Team All-State honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association (IGCA). Freshman pitcher Hannah Kelley was a third team All-State pick by the IGCA, and she joined Valainis on the Class 4A Northeast All-District Team, while Ferrill was named the Class 4A Northeast District Coach of the Year.
Following the season, both Valainis and Kelley were voted First Team All-Conference, as was 8th grade second baseman Nicole Yoder. Juniors Kaitlyn Andresen (third base) and Jana Miller (outfield) earned Second Team All-MAC recognition.
King, Hager Lead South to Shrine Bowl Win
Assumption was well-represented in the 2015 Iowa Shrine Bowl, held July 25 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Wade King, serving as head coach, led the South team a 37-24 victory, while recent graduate Chase Hager '15 scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass for the South.
Current senior cheerleaders Bailey Abbott and Rachael Evans rooted the South team to victory, while sophomore Payton O'Neill served as a ball boy for the South.
Game Recap
Alumni Notes
Milestones
• Tim O'Brien ’11 helped welcome Pope Francis to Washington, D.C. Quad-City Times article.
• Jordan Allen ’15, a freshman at Bradley University, received a scholarship from local NBC affiliate, KWQC, during taping of the Paula Sands Live show.
• Hailey Schneden '13, a sophomore women’s basketball player at the University of Iowa, majoring in Elementary Education, was named a 2015 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award recipient.
• Mike Hagen ’97 was named Head Men’s Golf Coach at Arkansas State University.
• Tim Kilfoy '12, a senior strong safety for the Northern Iowa Football team, was named to 2015 Missouri Valley Conference preseason all-league team.
• Michael Alvarado ’15 was selected to and played in the 2015 Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series August 6-9 in Clinton.
• Jacob Phillips ’15 received a Sophia N. Hapke Scholarship sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.
• Ted Stopulos ’03 joined the Office of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as Legislative Liaison.
• Anna Corsiglia '15, a freshman at Elon University in North Carolina, was one of 19 females (out of 250 that auditioned) selected for the a capella group the Shirley Tempos.
• Sydney Lunardi ’13, a junior goalkeeper for Central College, was named the Iowa Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 6. She allowed just one goal in 225 minutes of action as the Dutch started the season 3-0 with wins over Nebraska Wesleyan, Alma, and Cornell College.
• Haley Resnick ’14, a sophomore tennis player for Coe College, was named the Iowa Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 14 - 20. She went 3-0 at No. 1 singles, and 2-1 at No. 1 doubles as the Kohawks won a share of their fifth consecutive Iowa Conference title.
• 17 former Assumption athletes are currently on NCAA Division I rosters: Riley Behan '15 - Iowa State (soccer), Claire Bird '14 - Dartmouth (softball), Danielle Cabel '14 - Connecticut (volleyball), Topher Carton '12 - Iowa (wrestling), Lauren Dunahugh '15 - Iona (volleyball), Lexi Flynn '14 - Coastal Carolina (volleyball), Jake Gervase '14 - Iowa (football), Brody Grothus '11 - Iowa (wrestling), Erica Grubbs '12 - Northwestern (cross country), Maddie Irmen '14 - Northern Iowa (track & field), Tim Kilfoy '12 - Northern Iowa (football), Ryan Langford '11 - New Mexico (football), Rebecca Mallon '12 - Northern Iowa (track & field), Danielle Moore '13 - Iowa State (soccer), Rose Ripslinger '14 - Iowa (soccer), Hailey Schneden '13 - Iowa (basketball), and Krysta Tutsch '12 - Louisiana Tech (softball).
Marriages & Engagements
• Kyle O’Day ’08 and Katie Smeltzer were married in August.
• Liz King ’00 was married to Paul Powers on August 7 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.
In Memory
• Gary Bolster ‘63 passed away May 20, 2015.
• David J. Losasso ’67 passed away June 24, 2015.
• Noreen Kivlin '65 Carstens passed away August 13, 2015.
• Barb Struve, a longtime Assumption Booster, passed away August 23, 2015.
If there is news that you would like to see appear in the next newsletter, please email us at: alumni@assumptionhigh.org.
Upcoming 2015 Reunions
Class of 2005: December 23
Contact: Katherine Karlix
(katherine.karlix@gmail.com)
Class of 1995: October 3
Contact: Andy Craig
(andy.craig@assumptionhigh.org)
Class of 1985: TBA
Contact: Thomas Mason
(thomas@rilcoinc.com)
Class of 1965: October 1-3
Contact: Mary Fran (Myatt) Payson
(EAPMFP@aol.com)
If you are interested in planning your class reunion, or know of someone who might be, please contact Jordan Gizzarelli at 563-326-5313 x 242 for more information.
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