Sakye Moore ’24 receives his diploma from Fr. O’Dwyer and Mr. Poelker during the Class of 2024’s Graduation Mass at the Cathedral Basilica on May 19, 2024. Dr. Drae Cox, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, reads the names of the graduates in the background. For more on the Class of 2024’s graduation celebration, see page 4. Cover photo by Will Poelker ‘25
“... let us build up Christ’s mystical body – at De Smet and throughout the world – through our generosity and service.”
Dear Friends,
The car I drive is from the Jesuit fleet – it has miles, dings, and the rubber from the steering wheel flakes o in my hand. But on this day, it felt as if the car was driving itself.
I had just left a meeting with Archbishop Rozanski. After months of planning, a feasibility study, and careful discernment, the Archbishop approved De Smet’s proposal to open a middle school.
The expansion to grades 6, 7, and 8 is a sign that our strategic vision is coming to life. This fall, De Smet will welcome its largest freshman class in 10 years. We are in the midst of a historic fundraising campaign. Our athletic programs continue to garner national recognition. Our faculty are among the most dedicated in the city, as they challenge students to discover their passions and talents. And the opportunities for greater service, at home and abroad, are reaching new heights. At the same time, we remain rooted in our mission: forming men for others.
Our success would not be possible without our alumni and generous benefactors. These pages are filled with examples of how our alums support De Smet’s mission – particularly through gifts to the annual fund and the new alumni mentorship series. You also invest in De Smet when you return to campus for games, attend First Friday Mass, celebrate at reunions, and support each other at family funerals.
After the meeting with the Archbishop, my car ended up at the Carmelite Monastery. That Eucharistic chapel on Clayton Road has long been my place when I seek clarity, courage, and guidance. In this year when Pope Francis calls us to renew our devotion to the Eucharist, let us build up Christ’s mystical body – at De Smet and throughout the world – through our generosity and service.
For in the end, strategic plans grow stale. Buildings age. Students matriculate. But generous service to the mission remains the truest measure of our success.
God bless you, and God bless De Smet Jesuit,
Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J. President
Spartans spent 10 days traveling in Spain in June 2024, visiting sites significant to the history of the Jesuits. A highlight was a visit to the Cave of St. Ignatius in Manresa, where St. Ignatius wrote the Spiritual Exercises in the 16th century.
Pictured (front row, from left) Ben Hollman ‘25, Parker Howell ‘26, Alex Miller ‘26, and Luke Mosquera ’25; (standing, from left) Jack Ga ney ’26, Adam Garcia ’25, Jack Guignon’26, Sam Wehrmann ’26, Keegan Reed ’26, Dresden Bressler ’26, Alex Myers ’26, Alex Renschen ’25, and Matthew Fite ’26
Photo by Lisa Mosquera
Our Beloved Sons
These are our beloved sons, in whom we are very well pleased. (adapted, Matthew 3:17)
This excerpt from the benediction read by Nick Phillips ’24 at the Baccalaureate Brunch on May 19 is a perfect summation of our admiration and a ection for the 155 graduates of the Class of 2024. These Spartans began as freshmen wearing masks because of Covid restrictions. They graduated as a close-knit class of leaders who will be remembered for their compassion, resilience, and spirit.
Heard at the Class of 2024’s Graduation Celebration
“Lord God, we begin today with gratitude. Thank you for all the blessings you have given us.
We are thankful that you have given us loving parents who desire that we are well-educated young men with bright futures ahead.”
- Graham LaBonté ’24, Salutatorian
“Here, I’ve met lifelong friends and grown in many ways, enabled by the amazing students, faculty, community, and sense of brotherhood. My wish for our class is that we continue to embody this spirit of service, justice, and action throughout our life’s journey – a commitment I will hold myself to.”
- Hudson Miller ’24, Valedictorian
“My advice: believe in yourselves, have passion, and always be curious. It’s all about your mission, living your values, and setting goals. . . You’re in control of how you live each day. Choose to give joy, receive joy, and live with joy.”
– Rusty Keeley ’87, Alumni Reflection
“I urge you to invite the Holy Spirit into your hearts to help you become the men you are supposed to be – men for others.”
Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J., Homily
Class of 2024 By the Numbers
•De Smet Jesuit’s 54th graduating class
•155 graduates enrolled in 62 colleges and universities
•Awarded 448 scholarships with a total value of $21,834,707
•Completed an estimated 20,000 hours of service
•Consumed 18,602 Spartan Cookies
•Collected 30 tons of food for the Great Ignatian Challenge
•Led the school for 1 outstanding year
Honors Received
De Smet Jesuit recognized the following individuals during the Baccalaureate Brunch on May 19.
Fr. Ron Windmueller, S.J., Ignatian Educator Award
Michael Callahan, Ph. D.
Pierre-Jean De Smet, S.J., Outstanding Service Award
Patrick Doherty, father of Ryan ’12, Sean ’18, and Colin ’19
Kyle McEvoy, father of Gavin ’18, Jake ’21, and Evan ’23
Valedictorian
Hudson Miller
Salutatorian
Graham LaBonté
Jesuit Schools Network Awards
Donald “Tripp” Bergan III
Kenneth “John” Carpio III
Frederick “Jack” Littauer
Colby Quinn
President’s Medals
Alexander Bentley
Pauli Buzzetta
James Lane
Myles Nigh
Jerry McMahon, S.J., Award
Ashton Phillips
Men of the Year
Charles Erker
Jacob Hanson
Christian Hill
Matthew Hodge
Jaren Jackson
Luke Koenig
Graham LaBonté
Andrew McLaughlin
Hudson Miller
Ashton Phillips
Andrew Raga
William Timmons IV
Anthony Mercurio (left) and Ben Alexander lead the procession of graduates into the Cathedral Basilica.
Sal Fiordelisi (left) and Grant Fowlkes show o their diplomas.
Photo by Debbie Higgins
Photo by Will Poelker ‘25
Father-Son Mass + Banquet
Our favorite moments during the school year always include sharing the most important thing we do at De Smet — praying together — with family members.
A capacity Father-Son Mass audience thoroughly enjoyed remarks by Joe Buck, Emmy-Award winning sports broadcaster. Mr. Buck entertained with personal stories of his legendary father, broadcaster Jack Buck; o ered advice for finding happiness and success in life; and encouraged aspiring student journalists. He also fielded open-mic-style questions from Spartans and their fathers for nearly an hour.
“Fatherhood is a beautiful thing and a great responsibility. I’ve tried to make my dad proud every day.”
–
Joe Buck
A Family That
Mother-Son Mass + Dinner
“We pray in gratitude for our mothers, who show us tangible evidence of God’s love every day of our lives.”
– Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J.
Prays Together
Grandparents’ Mass + Brunch
“Grandparents are symbols of God’s forever love because, like Him, they love us no matter what.”
– Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J.
Sophomores Demonstrate Commitment to Justice Through Poetry
by Robert Hutchison
These are not the hopeful dreams of an English teacher or the typical responses of students when they encounter poetry. These are actual comments from the Class of 2026 following a unit on poetry.
My goal was to create a unit that students found engaging. I wanted to provide students with a real-world experience where they could develop their critical thinking skills and creativity. I also wanted students to develop empathy through discussions related to the Grad-at-Grad principle of commitment to social justice.
We generated context by reviewing certain poetic devices
own poem using certain poetic devices like rhyme scheme, enjambment, or punctuation. Another requirement was that the student had to write a poem about a social justice issue of his choice. This was an impactful part of the process. Joseph Pupillo ’26 commented, “I always thought poetry was pretty easy, but I now realize how hard it is.” Many students made similar comments.
“Poetry is cool.”
The Jesuits’ Profile of the Graduate-at-Graduation expresses a number of ways that students can demonstrate their commitment to social justice. A few examples include treating and discussing how poets used these devices in their poems. Students demonstrated their understanding in a short essay. Students then experienced the challenge of crafting their
and human dignity for all, and moral ambiguities within Western culture. With such a broad spectrum, students wrote on a variety of topics, including drug abuse, refugees, immigration, internment camps, mental health issues, veterans, healthcare access, racism, poverty, and others.
“I liked being creative. It’s fun writing poetry.”
After creating their individual poems, students worked in groups to create poetry anthologies.
Over three class periods, student teams identified other poems that connected thematically to the poems they had written, designed a cover, created a table of contents, wrote introductions and biographies for themselves and other authors, and curated resources or materials such as discussion questions, teaching guides, or related essays to enhance the reader’s experience and understanding of the poems in the anthology. In order to ensure that students shared the responsibility, each student chose a particular role and was evaluated individually by their teammates as part of their grade.
Students loved creating the anthology, especially the collaborative team aspect. Brian Williams ’26, said, “I liked writing my individual poem and collaborating with peers on the anthology.” Numerous sophomores echoed Brian’s sentiments, identifying that the anthology helped them find “deeper meaning.” Ben Du y ’26 added “The anthology helped me recognize that poets have a particular purpose and audience when writing.”
“Poetry helped me recognize how words have meaning and authors write for a particular audience.”
The anthologies were designed to highlight the content rather than aesthetics due to time constraints. Still, student anthologies conveyed professionalism. Cover designs demonstrated incredible artistic ability
as well as the ability to leverage technology. Some used AI to generate impressive and emotionally charged images. Students also demonstrated an incredible ability to recognize themes and convey meaning in the introductions they wrote.
Among all of these amazing qualities, I was most impressed by the ability of students to reflect deeply on the human experience – their own as well as others – and find ways to take action. While this activity asked them to raise awareness through poetry, it is clear that students at De Smet Jesuit are developing the disposition to enact justice in their own communities.
Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award
On a typical day at De Smet Jesuit, you’re likely to find Kelsey Grimm:
• Leading a lively Spanish class, where students compete to practice their conversation skills, and their enthusiasm echoes down the hall because she understands how boys learn best.
• Recording and editing a weekly 3-Minute Theology video to deepen the school community’s understanding of Catholic faith and traditions.
• Guiding the best school-wide competition of the year — Saintopoly — every October to teach about the lives of the saints.
Sra. Grimm, a 2023 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, does all this and much more because she loves the faith community at De Smet Jesuit. “The community is the best part of our faith, of teaching in a Catholic school, especially at De Smet,” she says. “We care about the whole person, not just teaching students our course content, but making sure they are doing well in their life outside of class, developing into good men, and most importantly, growing in their spiritual life.”
In 14 years at De Smet Jesuit, Sra. Grimm has taught Spanish to sophomores, juniors, and seniors while creating a faith-based Spanish curriculum for Catholic grade schools. She was named De Smet’s Director of Campus Ministry in 2021 and guides a student-led team that shepherds students as they grow in their faith through the sacraments, prayer groups, retreats, and service. She creates opportunities for adult faith formation, serves on the school’s adult Ignatian Charism and Student Formation teams, and supports vocations through various initiatives.
“Señora Grimm is a shining role model of what it means to have your faith at the center of all you do,”
– Charlie Erker ’24, Campus Ministry student leader
“As a teacher, parent, and community leader, she shows us God’s unconditional and relentless love in a very simple and humble way every day,” said Erker.
Congratulations, Sra. Grimm!
Exploring Jesuit History
Students in the Campus Ministry homeroom took a field trip to visit important sites in the history of St. Louis, our Catholic faith, and the Society of Jesus in January. They toured the old St. Ferdinand Shrine and the former St. Stanislaus seminary and learned about its history from Fr. O’Dwyer. The timing of the trip was a perfect way to commemorate the January birthday of our school’s namesake, Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet, S.J.
Sites on the tour included:
St. Ferdinand Shrine
– Location of Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet, S.J.’s ordination
– Confessional where Fr. De Smet heard St. Rose Philippine Duchesne’s confessions
Convent and School of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
Former St. Stanislaus Seminary
Joy-Filled Learning
Inclusive Education Program thrives in its first year
When we think about the most memorable moments of the 2023-2024 school year, Aiden Hadican’s amazing half-court basket during Mission Week in February tops the list. The video of his remarkable shot quickly went viral, resulting in an interview on ESPN’s NBA Today program. The unabashed enthusiasm of the students who rushed the court to celebrate the moment resonated with thousands because it so authentically portrayed the joy De Smet Jesuit’s Inclusive Education Program brought to the daily experience of students, faculty, and sta in its first year.
With only seven months to plan, Inclusive Education Program Director Sarah Patton created an inviting, well-prepared,
intentional classroom and adapted the curriculum for Aiden and Peter, the program’s first two students. She collaborated with the De Smet faculty, who taught Aiden and Peter in their four mainstream classes and selected and trained juniors and seniors to be peer mentors.
Peer mentors, who were assigned to accompany Peter and Aiden to each of their four core classes, played a pivotal role in this first-year success. “Our peer mentors seized the opportunity to lead by example, showing their classmates that inclusion is not only possible but easy and seamless to do,” said Mrs. Patton.
Aiden assists Sports and Spirit
Sarah Patton works with Peter
For Jaren Jackson ’24, helping and encouraging Aiden and Peter led to his growth as a leader. His advice for new peer mentors? “Always have patience, and, no matter how your day has been, greet them each day with a smile on your face.”
Mrs. Patton was particularly heartened by the progress she observed in the student population as a whole as the year unfolded. “I witnessed students engaging with each other in a more equitable manner through simple gestures—from o ering help in the lunchroom to exchanging fist bumps and greetings in the hallways.” She added, “More students are stepping up to support the Peer Mentor Program next year. The number of applications for year two doubled from last year, which is a
testament to the positive influence a program like this can have in a school community.”
A sophomore job skills curriculum that includes opportunities to practice those skills is coming in year two. A part-time special education teacher will also join Mrs. Patton in supporting the program.
Inclusion Program by the Numbers
•1 new student coming in with the Class of 2028
•2 students in the Class of 2027 completed a successful freshman year
•4 core courses attended by Inclusion Program students (theology, fine arts, P.E., social studies) with peer mentors
•16 peer mentors (seniors and juniors) supported Inclusion Program students
•76,000 plays of the video of Aiden’s half-court basket during Mission Week
Jaren Jackson (center) with Peter and Aiden
Celebrating Progress: Strategic Vision Update
De Smet Jesuit High School made significant strides in realizing its strategic vision this year, focusing on four key priorities: Catholic and Jesuit, academic excellence, care for the whole person, and forming men for others.
An Academic Program for Grades 6, 7, and 8
In February, Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J., President of De Smet Jesuit, announced plans to expand
De Smet’s ministry to grades 6, 7, and 8 beginning in August 2025. The announcement followed more than a year of collaboration with the Archdiocese of St. Louis and a comprehensive feasibility study that indicated strong interest from families with children enrolled in public schools. Joe Kilmade joined principal’s team as Dean of the middle school on July 1. Mr. Kilmade will oversee curriculum development, hire faculty, and manage admissions.
Entrepreneurship Center, Coming Fall 2025
Construction of De Smet Jesuit’s Entrepreneurship Center will begin this fall. The center will be home to a maker space, business and entrepreneurship courses, and the Spartan Speaker Series led by alumni and friends. It will serve as the hub for the Summer Mentorship Program, helping students prepare for their professional journeys. De Smet is exploring naming options for the space. If you are interested in making a gift to name the center, please get in touch with Fr. O’Dwyer.
“In all his experiences, Mr. Kilmade has demonstrated a commitment to spiritual leadership and expertise in faith formation for middle school students,” said Fr. O’Dwyer. “These gifts were top of mind as we searched for a leader for this new program.”
Most recently, Mr. Kilmade was the principal of Ascension Catholic School in Chesterfield, Missouri.
During his tenure, he led a transformation of the school, including capital projects and a complete overhaul of the middle school program. Under his leadership, enrollment at Ascension grew by 30%.
Mr. Kilmade earned his undergraduate degree in English at Villanova University and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Notre Dame.
“I am humbled by the invitation to serve De Smet Jesuit as its first Dean of the middle school,” he said.
“I have always had a deep respect for De Smet’s mission and am excited to collaborate with the
community to build a program that helps young men discover the gifts they are meant to share with the world.”
A Game Changer
The Spartans started their 2024 baseball season with a new, state-of-the-art Sprinturf Grand Slam Extreme™ infield. The new turf provided a surface ideal for baseball and prepared the field for play even after rain. “The new turf gave us consistency,” said Noah Cunningham ‘25. “We had practices and games that we otherwise would have missed with the dirt infield.”
De Smet hosted a dedication ceremony in April that brought baseball alumni, former coaches, and project supporters to campus. Spartan Head Coach Tim Canavan said the new turf “helped the team hit its stride earlier in the season, as we won 11 of our last 14 games. The players were proud of the new turf and were enthusiastic to get to the field every day.”
Service and Cultural Immersion in Belize
Brennan Wahl ‘24 participates in Culture Day festivities
Be grateful for the simple joys in life.
This was the biggest takeaway for nine seniors who spent a week in Punta Gorda, Belize, working with the children of Silver Creek RC School and painting school buildings.
“There wasn’t a moment when the kids didn’t have smiles on their faces,” said Brennan Wahl ’24 of the school children who clamored for the Spartans’ attention for endless games of rockpaper-scissors. “It was cool to see how they could be so happy despite having almost nothing.”
For many Spartans, it was their first time traveling without their parents. The landscape of Punta Gorda, with its dense forests, ramshackle but colorful homes, and jaguar crossing signs along
“The
people of Silver Creek treated them like guests of honor...”
dirt roads, was unlike anything they had ever seen. That was a primary goal of this immersive service experience—helping the Spartans acclimate to a completely unfamiliar culture, including being present for people with a di erent worldview.
The people of Silver Creek treated them like guests of honor and invited them to Culture Day at the school, a joyful celebration with music, dancing, costumes, and a sampling of local cuisine.
The Spartans left Belize with memories and images they will never forget, as well as fresh perspectives on what matters most in life.
“They were always kind and hopeful and excited about everything,” said Jacob Winkelmann ’24 of the people he met. “They didn’t get caught up in trivial things like we tend to do here. They focused on the important things, like family.”
Visiting Mayan ruins (front row, from left) Lisa Knabe, Roman Kaminski, Daniel Ross, Brennan Wahl, Joey Hormberg; (back row, from left) Jacob Winkelmann, Luke Koenig, Louis Cernicek, Jack Hill, and Marc Bene; not pictured: Will Rebore
Kaminski
Roman
‘24 paints a school building
Empire Exploration
Seniors shadow alumni in the Big Apple
by Luke Koenig ’24
We are all confined to a little bubble of St. Louis and De Smet Jesuit. It is just a small taste of what the rest of the world has to o er.
I flew 1,000 miles to New York City in March with nine classmates. None of us knew what to expect, yet we were all enthused by the idea of getting away from school to explore potential future paths and visit alumni in their workplaces.
The first stop was Openmind, an advertising agency partnered with STL-based Purina and the widely popular social media platform TikTok. Connor Wilhelm loved hearing about a di erent side of the business world. “They had a panel of four interns and newer young associates who answered questions about their experiences in college and starting their first job,” he said. “They talked about why we need to take risks, do anything worth doing, and follow the opportunities we are given.”
Brown Brothers Harriman and Raymond James presented information that taught us the nuances of their businesses. Patrick Scally is considering a future working in finance. “It was amazing,” he said. “Being around so much excellence was an experience I will not forget. Also, the insight and advice we got from Mr. Schreiber ‘76 was nothing short of phenomenal.”
An evening reception introduced the Spartans to De Smet alumni living in NYC and other regions in the northeast. “It was inspiring to see De Smet alumni,” Kyle Crosswhite said. “These people were in our shoes at one time, and now they live and work in the northeast at high levels.”
Day two began at Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager and private equity firm, where Spartans had the opportunity to meet with young professionals who shared their journeys and insights. “It was cool learning all the di erent fields
Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
that Blackstone is involved in,” Mason Skornia said. “And it was even greater to see how young men in their 20s are making such a big impact on one of the biggest companies in New York City.”
Next, De Smet alum Steve Valentino ‘84 spoke to us about his experience working in the financial world at Lehmann Brothers and Rockefeller Capital Management. He also took us to the stock exchange floor, which isn’t quite the spectacle it used to be, but it was amazing to see.
Visiting the floor was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Gabe Sauer. “I felt like I was a part of history just being there and seeing how it operates. It was a high-energy and very intense environment, which I loved.”
Nick Redmond ‘15 closed our day by sharing his experiences at Grant Thornton and living in the Big Apple.
“Participating in this trip was both an honor and a privilege, far from just another class outing,” trip leader Je Cernicek ‘92 said. “The engagement of our alumni and the involvement of key experts from New York City’s finance, marketing, and investment sectors enriched the experience beyond expectation.”
THANK YOU to the alumni and parents who arranged meetings, networking, and tours for the Spartans.
Bryan Cernicek ‘89 (Raymond James)
Nick Guntli ’05 (The Horticultural Society)
Nick Lamb ’76 (Thompson Coburn)
Nikki McIllwaine (Raymond James)
Michael O’Meara ‘90 (Raymond James)
Nick Redmond ’15 (Grant Thornton)
Bud Schreiber ’76 (Brown Brothers Harriman)
Kent Skornia (Krilogy/Blackstone)
Steve Valentino ’84 (Rockefeller Strategic Advisory)
Ken Wilhelm (Nestle Purina/Openmind)
Visiting Wall Street
Blackstone Private Investment
Summer Mentorship Program: A Gateway to Future Careers
Imagine stepping into the boardroom of a venture capital firm, touring the innovation lab of a global tech company, or shadowing executives at a Fortune 500 corporation—all as part of your high school experience. For 46 students at De Smet, this became reality through an innovative Summer Mentorship Program that’s redefining career exploration for the next generation of leaders.
In June, De Smet Jesuit’s Summer Mentorship Program gave students immersive experiences at 21 companies with connections to alumni and parents. Students chose five companies to visit during the week to explore di erent career paths and industries. They had the opportunity to build connections with industry professionals, which could be beneficial for future internships and job opportunities.
The host companies were impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and potential. “Our session was lively,” said John True ’82 of Cultivation Capital. “The boys brought the heat. It’s refreshing to see students this hungry to learn about the opportunities and challenges of starting their own business.” He continued, “They came ready to challenge and debate the entrepreneurs and investors alike. They weren’t afraid to dive deep.”
“I thought each day was incredibly interesting,” said Will Timmons ’24. “I was fascinated by the work of venture capitalists, and I am now thinking about studying finance in college. I also have some leads for internships next summer.”
As De Smet Jesuit continues to nurture the next generation of leaders, the Summer Mentorship Program will remain a cornerstone of its commitment to student development and career readiness.
THANK YOU, HOST COMPANIES
Abstrakt Marketing Group LLC
Automotive Product Consultants
BSI Constructors
Cultivation Capital
Edward Jones
Enterprise Bank & Trust
Enterprise Mobility
Gensler
Graybar Electric
HP
Hot in the Kitchen
Keeley Companies
Krilogy
Mastercard
McCarthy Building Companies
Nestle Purina
PwC
Saint Louis University/ SSM Health –
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
Thompson Coburn LLP
Wells Fargo
World Wide Technology
On a Mission to Serve
Contribute to the world as men for others. It’s the most important aspiration we have for our Spartans. On May 8 De Smet Jesuit launched a new tradition—the Day of Service for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Freshmen worked in teams to pack 49,440 meals for Feed the Hunger. Sophomores hosted buddies for Special Olympics events, and juniors supported it all as setup and cleanup crews.
Will Poelker ‘25
Photos by Debbie Higgins except where noted.
Spectacular in Every Way
50th annual auction raises $1.1 million
The Spartan Spectacular Auction on February 10 was, indeed, spectacular in every way. More than 600 guests made it a record-setting night, helping De Smet Jesuit raise more than $1.1 million for the Spartan Fund that benefits every student.
THANK YOU to everyone who made this wonderful evening possible, including:
Special thanks to Scott Phillips ‘88, of Food Service Consultants, who graciously donated the Spartan Spectacular dinner, a generous gift that equates to funding a full scholarship for one student.
The Spartan Spectacular was an occasion to celebrate what we love most about De Smet Jesuit: our close-knit, welcoming community, the awe-inspiring generosity of our benefactors, and their remarkable commitment to making our Jesuit mission accessible for the young men entrusted to our care.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE NEXT FEBRUARY 8, 2025
Photos by LP Creative Studio
The Year in Athletics
Championships, league titles, and thrilling victories
There are many reasons why more than 80% of students at De Smet Jesuit play at least one sport, including successful programs, engaged parents, and enthusiastic student cheering sections. Participation in athletics gives students impactful, often life-changing team experiences. Student-athletes build relationships with coaches who come to know them well and with teammates of all ages, providing opportunities to both lead and mentor.
Coaches challenge student-athletes to work hard, achieve new personal bests, and handle setbacks with grace and maturity. They support them in all aspects of their growth as young men. We call this commitment to holistic support “caring for the whole person” and it is the foundation of De Smet Jesuit’s thriving athletic program.
Enjoy some highlights from the 2023-2024 athletic season.
State Champions
Bass Fishing
The Bass Fishing team of Danny Swallow ’24, Nick Whitney ’27, and boat captain Je Geiser won the 2024 TBF Student Angler Federation Missouri State Championship on March 16, the second-consecutive TBF title for the Spartans. Additional season highlights included an undefeated bank fishing season and first place in a tournament at Forest Park Hatchery.
Interest in Bass Fishing grew exponentially in 2023-2024, the team’s second season, with 23 students competing in either lake tournaments or the bank fishing season. De Smet added two boats to accommodate the growing team and expects to add more students and more boats for the 20242025 season. “That willingness of the guys to think outside the box and try di erent equipment paid huge dividends in the number of fish and types of fish they caught,” said Kevin Berns ’87, team coordinator.
Basketball
State Champions Repeat MCC Co-Champions
Class 5 District 3 Champions
“The boys were motivated going into the season ever since the 2023 district championship loss to Ladue. One year later, we won the rematch. Next, we had a tough game against Fort Zumwalt South in their gym. The entire gym rooting against us turned out to be the best thing for us; it motivated our guys to play extremely well on defense to advance to State,” said Kent Williams, Head Coach.
The Spartans jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the semifinals versus Winnetonka. With just one game left, the Spartans were ready to bring home the championship for the first time in 25 years. An historic first half, hitting 10 of 11 shots from 3 gave De Smet an 18-point lead over Je erson City going into halftime.
“This is why I came to De Smet -- for a chance to win a state championship and bring a title back to a program that had so much tradition. That’s why I created the statement ‘mission back to tradition.’ And we completed it,” said Coach Williams.
“All year we were working so hard for this goal -- to win state and prove to everyone that we were a really good team. All the guys knew what had to be done,” said Riley Massey ’25
TBF SAF State Championship
Hockey
Back-to-Back State Champions
22-1-5
The Spartans shut out Marquette High School 3-0 to win the 2024 Challenge Cup on March 1 in front of a standingroom-only crowd at Centene Center. It was the Spartans’ second consecutive title and 16th overall. They finished the season 22-1-5 overall and 5-0-2 in postseason play.
“After that 5 on 3 flurry we had in the final minutes of the game I knew we had it. The rest of the game was just counting down the seconds and then Theo Porter ’24 really put the icing on the cake in the last few seconds,” said Alex Rivolta ’24, goalie, who was later named the Post-Dispatch All-Metro Hockey Player
of the Year. “It was an experience I will never forget, and it meant the world to every player on that roster to have backto-back state championships for the first time since 2000.”
Ultimate Frisbee
State Champions
The Spartans went 8-0 in state tournament play and defeated Parkway United 12-9 on May 5 to win De Smet’s 13th Ultimate championship. “When push-came-to-shove against Parkway’s excellent team, the guys smoothly transitioned to a gnarly, intense man defense that produced key blocks and allowed our reliable o ense opportunities to put the game (and the championship) away!,” said HeadCoach Howard Place.
Winning the championship was special in several ways — it marked both a transition (the first year without Coach Peter Lenzini at the helm) and a culmination (as many of the seniors
have waited and worked since their freshman year to claim a state championship for De Smet). The varsity team brought a focused sense of purpose and drive to the season and dedicated themselves to mentoring JV athletes, who were all first-time Ultimate competitors. By years’-end De Smet was the top JV program in the state, winning the DII State Championship.
To commemorate Coach Lenzini’s 23 years of leadership with the program, the first Peter Lenzini DUC Award was presented to Jake Hanson ’24 for embodying the values of the program: dedication, understanding, and competition.
Soccer
Repeat Metro Catholic Conference Champions 16-4-1 record
CBC Tournament Champions #2 ranking in the state of Missouri in October & November 2023
“After winning the CBC tournament, the boys continued on a 7-game winning streak, defeating Vianney, Chaminade, CBC, and SLUH to clinch the MCC title for the second year in a row. We were ranked #2 in the state of Missouri and closed the regular season winning 10 of our last 11 to become the #1 seed in the district. Only a few teams in the past can claim they’ve done all of this in the same season. Next year we hope our underclassmen will remember the good as well as the defeats and use them as motivation to do something even more special like so many teams before us.” - Coach Josh Klein ’97
Football
Metro Catholic Conference Champions 10-2 Record
MSHSAA Class 6 District 3 Champions
19 players named Academic All-State (MOFBCA)
“2023 was an incredible year for the Spartans. The team was led by a veteran group of seniors who were truly men for others. They inspired and motivated a very talented junior and sophomore class to a second straight semifinal appearance. The team was known for hard-hitting defense and high-flying passes.” – Head Coach John Merritt
College Commits
De Smet Jesuit congratulates 19 student-athletes from the Class of 2024 who plan to continue their athletic careers in college next fall. They were honored at signing ceremonies during the school year.
Jack Ammons – Baseball – North Central Missouri College
Alex Bentley – Lacrosse – Elmhurst University
Brian Bessire – Cross Country/Track – Maryville University
Tanner Culleton – Lacrosse – University of Indianapolis
Grant Fowlkes – Ice Hockey – Lindenwood University
Ryan Jung – Baseball – Culver Stockton College
Jack Littauer – Lacrosse – Canisius University
Andrew McLaughlin – Football – U.S. Naval Academy
Jake Panagos – Soccer – Truman State University
Ashton Phillips – Football – The Citadel
Nick Phillips – Baseball – Truman State University
Caleb Redd – Football – University of Kentucky
Blake Schlueter – Lacrosse – Maryville University
Ethan Shupe – Baseball – North Central Missouri College
Payton Smith – Football – Lake Forest College
Thomas Stewart – Football –Lake Forest College
Myles Wessels – Baseball –Miles College
Damarion White – Football –Millikin University
Michael Wunderlich –Baseball – William Jewell College
Scan the code to view season recap reels.
Always a Spartan Reunion 2023
Alumni representing six decades returned to campus to celebrate milestone reunions in September. They enjoyed a barbecue for all alumni on Friday and class parties on Saturday. Thanks for staying connected, Spartans! Scan the QR code to view and download Reunion 2023 photos.
Photos by LP Creative Studio
Class of 1973
Alumni Association Gatherings
On June 13, the Alumni Association gathered for its final meeting of the school year. More than 100 alumni gathered to celebrate the past year’s successes and honor the Alumni Board’s leadership transition. Dr. Tom Zink ’74 concluded his term as President and was succeeded by Lucas Nikolaisen ’13. John Stewart ’77 has taken on the role of Vice President. Jon Schwendeman ’08 also passed the baton of Treasurer to Con Lane IV ’14
Thank you to our alumni leaders and all alums who made this past year so successful!
Legacy Performance Academy
(From left) Lucas Nikolaisen ‘13, Patrick Morris ‘06, Fr. Ronny O’Dwyer, S.J., Dr. Tom Zink ‘74, Jon Schwendeman ‘08, and John Goessling ‘71
Mass of the Holy Spirit
Our first all-school Mass in August asks for God’s blessing on the new school year. It’s a tradition in Catholic schools that dates back to the 16th century.
Fr. Ryan Quarnstrom ‘15 (left), and Kevin Poelker ‘98
Hall of Fame
The 2023 ceremony honored 2023 inductees John Goessling ’71, Jim Walsh ’76, and Fr. Ralph Houlihan, S.J
Congratulations to the 2024 inductees: Andy Riesmeyer ’83, Bob Schuchmann, and Tim Weber ’82. Save the date and plan to join us for the 2024 Hall of Fame Dinner on October 3.
2023 inductees
Class of ‘71 alumni at the 2023 Hall of Fame Ceremony
Holidays at De Smet
Honoring Past and Current Auction Chairs
Alumni Christmas Tree Lot
Black Robe Society Christmas Party
Christmas on Campus
Easter Egg Hunt
Class of 2024 Dads and Grads
We are proud to have 29 sons and stepsons of alumni in our Class of 2024!
(Seated, from left) Matt Mansfield ’81, Ben Mansfield ’24, Frederick Gardner ’87, Donovan Gardner ’24, John Gissy ’00, Jack Gissy ’24, Brian Jackson ’85, Jaren Jackson ’24, Rocco Fiordelisi ’84, Sal Fiordelisi ’24, Corey Quinn ’90, Colby Quinn ’24, Ron Rebore ’90, Will Rebore ’24, Con Lane ’84, James Lane ’24; (middle row, standing, from left) Phillip Carapella ’99, Dominic Carapella ’24, Dan Duffy ’90, Sam Duffy ’24, Brian Fox ’92, Jack Fox ’24, Edward Concannon ’91, Brendan Concannon ’24, William Mansfield ’80, Daniel Mansfield ’24, Jacob Wunderlich ’99, Michael Wunderlich ’24, Patrick Gaffney ’97, Quinn Gaffney ’24, Drew Luning ’81, Drew Luning ’24, Jeff Cernicek ’92, Louis Cernicek ’24; (back row, standing, from left) Paul Buzzetta ’93, Pauli Buzzetta ’24, Jacob Smith ’86, Andrew Smith ’24, Sean Lewis ’02, Landon Lewis ’24, John Osdieck ’89, Collin Osdieck ’24, Kenneth Carpio ’95, John Carpio ’24, Alan Orr ’88, Evan Orr ’24, Carlo Ilardi ’92, Nino Ilardi ’24, Jeffrey Erker ’91, Charlie Erker ’24
Not pictured: Paul Meyers ’94, Nathan Meyers ’24, John O’Leary ’95, Jack O’Leary ’24, Luke Rolwes ’99, Evan Rolwes ’24, John Manuel Cometa ’88, Miles Ward ’24
Junior Ring Legacies
Alumni dads and, for the first time, an alumni grandfather, continued the tradition of handing class rings to their Spartans during the Junior Ring Mass celebration on April 18.
(Front row, from left), Thomas Wortham ’71 (grandfather), Charles Wortham ’25, Timothy Dowling ’98, Patrick Dowling ’25, John Eisenbeis ’80, August Eisenbeis ’25, Kevin Donohue ’89, Christian Donohue ’25, Michael Distelrath ’25, Douglas Distelrath ’83, Timothy Ruddy ’98, Scott Ruddy ’25; (middle row, from left) Michael McManus ’90, John McManus ’25, Thomas Wortham, Jr. ’97, Steven Heffington ’89, Cole Heffington ’25, Robin Renschen ’88, Alexander Renschen ’25, Thomas Zeigler ’92, Thomas Zeigler ’25, Andrew McMillen ’91, Colin McMillen ’25, Brian McLaughlin ’92, Brendan McLaughlin ’25, John Nemec ’97, Jacob Nemec ’25; (back row, from left) Philip Weber ’95, Landon Weber ’25, Loren Wims ’89, Charles Wims ’25, Daniel Sullivan ’91, Michael Sullivan ’25, Michael Beatty ’89, Owen Beatty ’25, Brian Ortbals ’96, William Ortbals ’25, Brian McLaughlin ’92, Brendan McLaughlin ’25, Christopher Sullivan ’05, Alexander Sullivan ’25
Not pictured: Michael Eveler ’96, Jay Eveler ’25, Kevin Poelker ’98, William Poelker ’25, Adam Shea ’96, Richard Shea ’25, John Venneman ’88, Cooper Venneman ’25
1980s
Chris Higgins ’88 was a recipient of the Chief’s Heat-Up St. Louis Public Safety award in October 2023 for his leadership in promoting the science of meteorology, public education, and community outreach through his work at Fox 2 News.
Congratulations to Mike J. Miller ’88, who was ordained to the diaconate on June 8, 2024. He is serving St. James the Greater Parish in St. Louis.
1990s
Kirk Baker ’94 and his wife, Jenny Benzie, welcomed their first child, Stephanie Grace Baker, on September 12, 2023. The family (including their dog, Cooper) is doing well and living on Nantucket Island.
Congratulations to Coach Tony Vitello ’97 for leading the University of Tennessee’s baseball team to the national championship on June 24. The number-one ranked Volunteers defeated Texas A&M 6-5 in Game 3 of the College World Series Final in Omaha. Tony’s family, including his dad, retired De Smet baseball and soccer coach Greg Vitello, was at the game cheering him on. Tony earned three National Coach of the Year honors in 2024.
2000s
In February 2023, Dan Eagan ’00 and his wife Joanna acquired Washingtonbased D&H Trucking and took over operations. They reside in Wildwood, Missouri.
2010s
Matthew Beermann ’11, married Grace McKinney in Mobile, Alabama, on January 7, 2023. The best man was David Beermann ’15. Fellow De Smet alums were also groomsmen: Andrew Struttmann ’11, Robert Eberling ’11, Louis Sandt ’11, Jack Nations ’11, Anthony Marino ’11, and Patrick Morris ’06 See page 39 for a photo of Matthew and Grace
The wedding party of Kyle Downey ’12 and Julia Merlo included six De Smet Jesuit alumni: Evan Downey ’16, Jamie Hudson ’12, John Grigone ’12, Charlie Boehm ’12, Joe Dwyer ’12, and Patrick Ho ’12 See page 39 for a photo of Kyle and Julia
Joseph Zelasko ’14 graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in May 2022 with his DDS. He attended UMKC on the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP); a program that covered all dental school costs, provided him with a monthly stipend, and required a four-year active-duty payback as a Navy dentist. His first duty station was Norfolk, Virginia. Joseph and his wife, Breanna, were married in September 2022, and moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in June 2023 on three-year orders.
He writes, “GITMO has a population of about 5,500, including active duty, government contractors, foreign nationals, etc. I am one of three dentists on the island (no specialists), so I see a wide range of cases (endodontics, oral surgery, pediatrics, etc.). We welcomed our daughter, Zara, on November 1, 2023, at the Naval Hospital here. My hobbies here include scuba diving, running, and fishing”.
They became friends at De Smet doing theatre and now they are colleagues. Jonathan Boyle ’18 and John Higgins ’18 are working as directors of Bishop DuBourg High School’s Guild Players Theatre program, producing two shows per year.
Jack Shea ’18 writes, “After graduating from the University of Missouri, I moved south to Austin, Texas. I love the city and all the culture it has to o er. When I’m not paddle boarding on Lake Austin, listening to live music on 6th Street, or enjoying authentic Tex-Mex, I work in the heart of downtown at Park Place Finance. I build relationships with conventional loan o cers across the country and finance their hard money deals for their clients’ investment properties. I hope all my De Smet brothers are well. AMDG!”
2020s
Anthony Northway ’08 left Boeing in St. Louis and moved to California for a promotion with Dell to the role of Senior Advisor, Cyber Security Consulting. He is also finishing a master’s degree in computer science.
Alumni paid a visit to Delmar Gardens in June to catch up with retired Jesuits who taught them at De Smet. (Seated, from left) Fr. Ralph Houlihan, S.J., and Fr. Terry Dempsey, S.J.; (Standing, from left) Bill Holland ’71, Ed Benton ’71, Jim Harter ’83, Larry Linkul ’71, and Pat Hayes ’71
“I miss the brotherhood— just being around a group of guys I grew up with since freshman year.”
5 Questions for Mekhi Wingo ’21
In April, the Detroit Lions selected Mekhi Wingo ’21, a defensive end out of Louisiana State University, in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the 189th overall pick. Odyssey Magazine caught up with Mekhi this summer when he was working out at De Smet.
What was it like to hear your name called on draft night?
It was an amazing moment. I feel like it’s a great situation with the right team. I’m glad to be part of the Lions organization.
What is your favorite De Smet memory?
I would say it is beating CBC for the first time in a while on their field (42-14 on September 20, 2019).
That is definitely a great memory.
What do you miss most about De Smet?
I miss the brotherhood—just being around a group of guys I grew up with since freshman year. I enjoyed the whole school experience at De Smet.
What advice do you have for young De Smet football players?
Work hard and stay on top of your grades. Without good grades, you’ll never get where you want to go. Trust the process and put the work in. If it’s meant to be it will all work out.
What are your goals as you prepare for your first season with the Lions?
I want to learn everything I can from the bench and be the best teammate I can be. I know I’m coming in young so I’m just ready to learn.
Congratulations, Mekhi! We’ll be cheering you on!
In November, the Spartans collected 40,000 pounds of food for St. Patrick Center, enough to keep their food pantry shelves filled for six months. Senior leaders organized the entire food collection.
Spartan Snaps
Events and Gatherings in Spartan Country
*Save the date and join us on November 27, 2024
2nd Annual Spartan Smoker*
Mizzou Mentorship Lunch
Moxley Mentorship Lunch
Great Ignatian Challenge
NYC Reception
Kansas City Reception
Chicago Reception
Fr. Jim Burshek’s 60th Jubilee as a Jesuit
Fr. Ralph Houlihan’s 90th Birthday
Tradition Golf 2023
1999 Hockey Champion Reunion
1983 Golf Champion Reunion
1993 Soccer Team Reunion
Little Spartans
Births & Baptisms
Kirk Baker ’94 and Jenny: Stephanie Grace, September 12, 2023
Cody Critchell ’06 and Emily: Penelope Marie, August 8, 2023
Not pictured: Justin Davis ’12 and Abby: James Brendan, November 3, 2023
Adam Morganthaler ’12 and Megan: Theodore George, August 12, 2023
Joseph Zelasko ’14 and Breanna: Zara, November 1, 2023
Jack Patton, Jr., son of Kristen and Jack Patton ’12
Ava Schwendeman, daughter of Clarissa and Michael Schwendeman ’11
Weddings
Jamie Hudson ’12 and Katlin Kalish, April 20, 2024
Kyle Downey ’12 and Julia Merlo, October 14, 2023
Matt Beermann ’11 and Grace McKinney, January 7, 2023
Not pictured: Kevin Christo ’13 and Catherine Mitchell, May 11, 2024
Brett Rygelski ‘12 and Caitlin Riddle, September 30, 2023
Chris Struttman ’10 and Joy McNulty, October 7, 2023
Joseph Buchheit ’17 and Brianna Klatch, May 20, 2023
Brett Rygelski ‘12 and Caitlin Riddle Wedding Party September 30, 2023
Andrew Blossser ’11 brother of Brian ’04 and Michael Blosser ’06
James Cerneka ’88 son of Dennis Cerneka (former De Smet Jesuit faculty member); brother of Samuel Cerneka ’91
Adam Filla ’97 brother of Michael Filla ‘13
George Miller ’87 brother of Je Miller ’88
Joseph Welsch ’76
Gregory Buergler ’82 brother of Thomas ’72 and David Buergler ’75; uncle of Je rey Buergler ’97
Gary Einig ’80 father of Christopher Einig ’07
Thomas McNamee ’74 brother of Ronald McNamee ’81; cousin of Daniel Mauch ’00
Michael Thomas ’77 brother of James ’76 and John Thomas ’83
Matthew Wessel ’08 brother of Daniel ’98 and Andrew Wessel ’04
Dolores Barnes mother of Bob Barnes ’78
Je rey Bauer father of Luke ‘20 and Jake Bauer ‘22
Thomas Bourke father of Thomas Bourke ’86; grandfather of Thomas Bourke ’20
Evada Boyle mother of Jonathan Boyle ’18
James Braun father of Michael ’13 and David Braun ’17
Joseph Caruso brother of Fr. Michael Caruso, S.J., (trustee)
Stacey Castiglioni mother of Samuel ’22 and Nicholas Castiglione ’24
Kenneth Childress father of William ’98, Kevin ’00, James ’04, Dennis ’05, and Thomas Childress ’09; uncle of Michael Kelly ’97, Daniel Childress ’02, and Michael Castellano ’02
Brad (Mark) Condon father of Brian Condon (parent); grandfather of Brady Condon ’26
Rita Cortopassi mother of Joseph ’76 and Thomas Cortopassi ’74; grandmother of Andrew ’09 and Joe Cortopassi ’05.
Marilyn Daegele mother of James Daegele ’90
Richard Devlin father of Ryan Devlin ’12
Mark Forrest father of Brian ’02 and David Forrest ’07
Robert Franklin father of Corey ’95 and Adam Franklin ’99
Rita Furlong mother of Frank ’71 and David Furlong ’74
Linda Hays mother of Kevin Hays ’89
Lester Heitmann father of Rick ’76 and Glennon Heitmann ’79; grandfather of Timothy ’07, Matthew ’10 and Andrew Heitmann ’12
D. Anne Lewis wife of Franc Flotron ’73
Betty Jane Loe elman mother of Leslie Densberger (former faculty); mother-in-law of Greg Densberger (former principal); grandmother of Je rey Densberger ’97
Richard Long father-in-law of Doug Distelrath, grandfather of Robert ’17 and Michael Distelrath ’25
John Marino father of John ’12 and Andrew Marino ’15
Patrick Morris
father of John Morris ’83; grandfather of Patrick ’06, Daniel ’13, and John Morris ’15, and Justin Davis ’12
Robert Nuelle
father of Robert ’76 and Mark Nuelle ’82; grandfather of Christopher ’14 and Alexander Nuelle ’16
Daniel O’Brien
father of Michael ’75 and Terrance O’Brien ’76
David Ortbals
father of Christopher Ortbals ’94; uncle of James ’94, Brian ’96, nd Matthew Ortbals ’99
Melinda Parmeter
mother of Chris ’00 and Michael Parmeter ’05
Conrad Philipp father of Conrad ’75 and Christopher Philipp ’77
Rosemary Popp
mother of Jim ’88 and David Popp ’95
Patricia Saali
mother of James Saali (faculty member)
Thomas Schnelt
brother of Ann Ficken (former Trustee), uncle of Mark ’13 and Andrew Ficken ’18
Janet Shaughnessy
mother of John Shaughnessy ‘23
Rosemary Shaughnessy
mother of Paul ‘79 and Jim Shaughnessy ‘84
William Smith
father of Brent Smith (parent); grandfather of Carson ’24 and Brady Smith ’25
Rebecca Hoover grandmother of Evan Snively ’07
Frank Spinner
father of Frank ’73, David ’74, Steven ’76, Gregory ’80, Thomas ’81, Michael ’82, and Paul Spinner ’90
Carol Anne Steiner wife of Gregory Steiner ’71
William Strawhun grandfather of Anthony ’05, Christopher ’06, and Brett Strawhun ’09
Joanne Sullivan mother of Tim ’76, Michael ’79, Kevin ’81, and Dan Sullivan ‘91; grandmother of Brian ’23, Michael ’25, and David Sullivan ’27; aunt of William ’79, Daniel ’83, Michael ’84, and Daniel Crowley ’94
Arthur Zinselmeyer grandfather of Jonah Evans ’22
-For notices received through July 15, 2024
233 North New Ballas Road
St. Louis, MO 63141
Parents:
If this issue of Odyssey is addressed to your son who has established a permanent address, please notify the Alumni O ce of the new address: call 314-567-3500 or email alumni@desmet.org
The Buddy System
On May 8, sophomores proudly continued the tradition of hosting a Special Olympics track and field event on campus. Even though storms forced an early end to the festivities, the Spartans still had time to bond with their buddies.
For more on the Spartans’ service work this year, see page 21.
Pictured above—Kyran Joshway ’26 shares a moment with his buddy during the Special Olympics opening ceremony.
