All Sports Program 2023-24

About This Year’s Program

ROCK PROUD!

The All Sports Program is put together in order to promote the 12 athletic programs under the Athletic Department. Thanks to the coaching staffs for providing much of the information. Thanks also to our designer, Anna Christello, for her help in producing this year’s program.

The program can be enjoyed in both print and digital versions (www.rockhursths. edu/asp). We love working on this publication each year because of the visibility we are able to give to each program. All 12 of our programs deserve so much recognition for the work of Hawklet athletes and coaches, from the freshman teams to the varsity squads. Our coaches do so much to help mold these young men into champions in athletics and in life - and of course, the parents are instrumental in this process as well.

We hope you enjoy this year’s program, and thanks for your support! Rock State!

Welcome from the President

Dear Rockhurst Community and our guests,

Welcome to today’s athletic contest! We are so grateful to come together in the spirit of competition that serves the development of the young people we serve today. Of course, there is so much more than competition that takes place in the educational purposes of athletics. Students learn teamwork, self-sacrifice, perseverance, and dedication. They learn how to accept feedback and guidance. They learn how to handle themselves when things go well and when things do not. Whether winning or losing, they learn how to be reflective in what went well and what did not in order to grow in continuous improvement. The lessons are many and they transfer to greater lessons in life, but the purpose of today’s activities is rooted in the education and formation we are called to provide young people. We wish for all those participating to grow in what it means to practice sportsmanship.

It is for these deeper life lessons to be gained through athletic competition that we salute the dedication of our coaching staff. Our coaches spend countless hours planning practices, strategies, scouting, and directing in order for our student-athletes to be in the best position for competition. But, beyond the coaching, they are working with young men to help them see themselves in relationship to their teammates, their opponents, the officials, and the results that come with competition. It is in the modeling and formation coaches provide “beyond the game” that help young people move from something immediate, to something that can be life-long in its impact. Thanks to our coaches for their dedication to our student-athletes and managers.

And this is the appropriate context for those who cheer them on in competition. Whether we are classmates or teachers, siblings or parents, friends or alumni, we are here in support of the young men who play. May our support be reflective of the highest callings that ground the purpose that answer the question “why” we are here.

Thank you to our parents, friends, and benefactors who support the mission of Rockhurst and insure our very ability to live out this aspect of our mission.

And finally, as a Jesuit Catholic school, we thank God - for the many gifts and talents of the student-athletes who share in competition today. We ask that God keep all young athletes competing safe from harm and call forth in all present today, our best selves for the greater honor and glory of God. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. We are so glad to be with you today! Enjoy the game.

Go Hawklets! Rock State!

God Bless,

Mission Statement

Rockhurst High School serves the greater Kansas City area by educating Ignatian leader, “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 disciplined environment, as one who is open to growth, strives for academic excellence, is religious, loving, and committed to justice through service.

Welcome from the Principal

Welcome to Rockhurst!

As one among 85 schools in the Jesuit Schools Network in the USA and Canada, Rockhurst believes that “a Jesuit school provides programs and services aligned with the mission to enhance the educational program and exercise care for each individual (cura personalis) as a whole person (body, soul, and mind).” Further, we believe that “a wide range of extracurricular, co-curricular, athletic, and other mission-supportive activities afford students the opportunity to develop their full potential to become enriched and well-rounded individuals.”

With the leadership of our Athletic Director, Mr. Michael Dierks ’91 and of his Associate Athletic Directors, Mr. Kevin McGill and Mr. Billy Thomas, our seasoned coaches, over 70% of whom are members of our full-time faculty and staff, help our student-athletes strive toward excellence in developing their whole selves: body, soul, and mind. I am grateful for all of our coaches, athletic trainers, and team physicians, parent volunteers, managers, and statisticians who inspire the studentathletes to channel their energies toward healthy development and competition, who pray with them in chapel and on the field, and who direct them toward doing their best in their coursework.

I also appreciate Mr. Robbie Haden ’09, Director of Communications and Mrs. Anna Christello for their tremendous effort in publishing this year’s edition of the All Sports Program.

On behalf of the faculty at Rockhurst, I offer prayers for faith-driven, healthy, positive, and safe competition for student-athletes and all others associated with our athletic programming. May they compete well, finish the race, and keep the faith (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7)!

Our Lady, Queen of Victories: Pray for us.

Vision Statement

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 valueadded education because of its success in developing community leaders for an increasingly diverse world.

Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ Principal

Welcome from the Athletic Director

If you are reading this, it is probably safe to believe you are a fan of athletics. I have had the privilege of being part of athletics for my entire adult career. It provides so many wonderful moments & memories. But it can go beyond the outcome - winning or losing. It amounts to building community, school spirit and allowing one to make new friends. It can also serve to be such an extension of the classroom.

Michael Dierks Athletic Director

There are strong lessons to be learned in athletics. Lessons include setting and maintaining high standards of sportsmanship, ethics, and integrity in our schools and our society. It is up to us to provide the direction and constant vigilance under which good sportsmanship can prosper and have a positive impact on our children, the leaders of tomorrow.

We feel the need to stress the type of exemplary behavior that should be exhibited by all coaches, players, and spectators at our events.

The value of the lessons learned by exhibiting good sportsmanship will last a lifetime. If we ever lose sight of that, then athletics is not worth sponsoring. The positive actions of a coach, athlete, or spectator at an event can influence how our school is perceived in our own community and the communities of those schools we meet on the field of play.

Sportsmanship, quite simply, translates to citizenship for our young men and women and all those involved with the interscholastic program. Through our programs young people learn and practice RESPECT… respect for self and respect for others.

Sportsmanship starts with you! We ask you to set a good example when in the stands at an event. It is only through these efforts that we can clearly communicate what is acceptable behavior. We hope that your positive example will help set the tone for those around you so we may all enjoy the games our athletic teams are involved in.

When you purchase a ticket to an athletic event, you are given the privilege to view the action and to voice your support of our teams. We want that support to be in a positive tone. Simply put: let the coaches coach, the players play, and the officials officiate. While in the stands tonight, cheer for the Hawklets and make us proud!

I want to thank our coaches for all their efforts in guiding these young men. I also want to thank our administration and our donors for helping make athletics thrive here at Rockhurst. Lastly, thanks to Mr. Robbie Haden ’09 for his work in producing this historical reflection of Rockhurst Athletics.

We appreciate your continued support of Rockhurst Athletics.

Thanks!

Michael Dierks ’91 Athletic Director

Athletic Department

Sportsmanship

It is the desire of Rockhurst High School that good sportsmanship be practiced by students, players, coaches, and fans.

Acts such as throwing items on the playing surface, participation in vulgar cheers, participation in cheers against referees, etc., will be considered offensive to RHS as they don’t teach good sportsmanship.

Violators will be escorted from the game and could be banned from attending future Rockhurst activities.

Paul McGannon brings 40+ years of athletic trainer experience and is a full-time member of Rockhurst’s staff. Previously he was at Sports Rehab doing athletic training coverage, and also was part owner of the company. A 1972 graduate of The Rock, Paul went on to earn his Bachelor of Science at Rockhurst University and his Masters of Science from the University of Central Missouri. His biggest sports influence was being part of the 1985 World Champion KC Royals. An avid hockey fan, Paul is part of NHL21 Civic Group, which attempts to bring NHL games and ultimately an NHL franchise to Kansas City. He was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. Paul and his wife have three sons: PT ’01, Brian ’05, and Kevin.

Please support your school in a manner that will reflect positively on both you and your school.

Kevin McGill Associate Athletic Director

Billy Thomas Associate Athletic Director

Paul McGannon Athletic Trainer

Hall of Fame Members

Inductees are listed in alphabetical order with graduation year. The year in parenthesis is their induction year.

Doug Albers ‘97 (2020)

Paul D. Ammatelli ‘82 (2012)

W. Robert Aylward ‘45 (2006)

Louis Robert Bauers ‘63 (2003)

Eric Berg - Coach (2012)

Tony Blevins ‘93 (2018)

Brad E. Budde ‘76 (2004)

Ted Brooks ‘93 (2020)

Peter C. Brown ‘76 (2012)

Doug Bruce ‘67 (2008)

Dan Boyd ’03 (2021)

Patrick J. Caldwell ‘61 (2007)

Michael Chonko ‘88 (2016)

Aaron Clevinger ‘00 (2020)

Jason Cole ‘99 (2019)

David B. Cone ‘81 (2005)

Sean Connelly ‘98 (2018)

John Cooper ‘87 (2011)

Jeffrey S. Crippin ‘76 (2004)

Jerome C. Culver - Coach (2006)

Chris Cummings ‘72 (2009)

Chris Damico ‘89 (2015)

Sam Davidson ’01 (2021)

Alton Davis, Jr. - Coach (1998)

Jim Doriac ‘88 (2018)

Sean Doyle ‘99 (2017)

William H. Dunn, Sr. ‘40 (2018)

Michael Ertz ‘85 (2013)

Tom Freeman ‘83 (2010)

Zach Frisch ’05 (2022)

Robert Gamble ‘89 (2014)

J. Randall Gardner ‘72 (2011)

Merle Gardner ‘87 (2019)

Christopher J. Garlich ‘75 (2004)

Jim Gates ‘96 (2018)

Ronald L. Geldhof - Coach (2004)

Alex George ‘55 (1998)

James Gleeson ‘29 (1991)

Mark J. Goodspeed ‘75 (2004)

Joseph B. Groner ‘64 (2004)

Louise Grovenburg - Parent (2006)

Eddie Halpin - Coach (1991)

Mark Hanrahan ‘76 (2013)

Chris Heller ‘89 (2014)

Vince Hodes ’90 (2022)

Chris Holmes ‘89 (2019)

D.J. Hord ’05 (2022)

Jim Houston ‘82 (2020)

Travis Huenfeld ‘91 (2016)

John Hungerford ‘84 (2014)

Thomas W. Jantsch ‘77 (2004)

Timothy C. Jantsch ‘77 (2004)

Matt Jewett ‘00 (2020)

Will John ‘03 (2020)

Timothy G. Johnson ‘80 (2005)

Kevin Kane ’02 (2021)

John Kafka ‘68 (2019)

Kevin Kopp ‘93 (2018)

Tom Knox ‘88 (2013)

Jerry L. Krause ‘56 (2012)

William J. Krizman ‘76 (2012)

Matthew Krull ‘94 (2016)

Chris Lawson - Coach (2020)

Len LeCluyse ‘43 (1992)

Bill Lillis ‘76 (2009)

Helm W. Lillis ‘50 (2007)

T. Michael Lillis ‘56 (2004)

Thomas Lillis ‘49 (1998)

Michael Long ‘84 (2014)

Pat Mason ‘17 (1991)

John Mayberry, Jr. ‘02 (2020)

Ken Mayer ‘65 (2009)

Paul McGannon, Jr. ’72 (2022)

Paul McGannon, Sr. ‘44 (2005)

Raymond “Red” McKee ‘25 (1991)

William J. McMahon ‘37 (2012)

Edward Mehrer ‘56 (1998)

Andy Metzler ‘00 (2017)

Brian T. Meyers ‘72 (2012)

Paul Migliazzo ‘82 (2008)

Carelton “Mickey” Miller ‘81 (2013)

Steven B. Mingori ‘62 (2007)

Harold Mitchem ‘86 (2013)

John Morris ’74 - Coach (2021)

Christopher Muehlbach ‘73 (2003)

Matt Muehlbach ‘87 (2014)

Thomas F. Muehlbach ‘64 (2004)

Sean Mulcahy ‘72 (2009)

Owen Murphy ‘32 (1992)

Sean O’Donnell ’01 (2021)

Thomas “Tay” Officer ‘94 (2019)

Jon Osgood ‘97 (2020)

Jerome C. Overton ‘55 (2006)

Phil Poppa ‘70 (2015)

David C. Poskin ‘78 (2005)

Chris Powell ‘90 (2015)

Rick Pribyl ‘66 (2008)

Thomas M. Raimo ‘55 (2007)

Kenyon Rasheed ‘87 (2011)

Edward Reardon ‘33 (2003)

Edward “Jay” Reardon ‘76 (2004)

Jerome J. Reardon ‘69 (2012)

Kerry Reardon ‘67 (2002)

Jack Reichmeier ‘49 (1992)

Tim Reidy ’02 (2021)

Alonzo Robinson ‘53 (2005)

Thomas Robinson ’06 (2022)

Bert Roney ‘91 (2019)

Matt Roney ‘93 (2016)

Christopher Russell ‘87 (2017)

James J. Ryan - Coach (1998)

W. Stephen Ryan ‘59 (2007)

Tim Ryan ‘87 (2010)

Kevin Sears ’03 (2021)

Todd Schieffer ‘90 (2015)

Don Schilling ‘61 (2009)

Shawn Schmelzle ‘88 (2011)

Tony Severino - Coach (2008)

Brandon Shelby ‘00 (2017)

Raymond Sonnenberg ‘30 (1992)

McCasey Smith ‘98 (2015)

Timothy “Ryan” Smith ‘96 (2016)

Virgil D. Staponski ‘67 (2007)

John A. Steck ‘40 (2006)

Janet Cauley StephensonParent (2003)

Thomas L. Stephenson ‘67 (2012)

Mark Stipetich ‘71 (2010)

Cecil Stockdale ‘76 (2004)

John “Red” Sullivan ‘26 (1991)

Conner Teahan ’07 (2022)

Mark Teahan ‘78 (2003)

John Teasdale ’97 (2022)

Joseph Teasdale ‘53 (2003)

Tony Temple ’04 (2021)

Pat Tierney ‘66 (2009)

Beach Tuckness - Coach (2001)

Carl Tutorino ‘74 (2019)

Brad Tyrer ‘82 (2011)

Jason Tyrer ‘88 (2018)

Mark Van Keirsbilk ‘85 (2011)

Kevin E. Wall ‘70 (2012)

Derek Wathan ‘95 (2017)

James Whitaker ‘63 (1998)

William T. Whitaker ‘77 (2004)

Bob Williams ‘48 (1992)

John A. Williams ‘50 (2006)

Paul Winkeler - Coach (2017)

Kevin Wyatt ‘82 (2010)

Vic Zahner ‘27 (1992)

2023 Hall of Fame Inductees

The page now turns on the remarkable story of athletics at The Rock to this year’s class. Once again, the honorees represent a standard of excellence that sets Rockhurst High School apart from some of the top programs in the nation.

Lester Ratcliff ‘84

Lester Ratcliff of the great Class of 1984 owned the Rockhurst High School track & field record board during the 1980s as a three-year varsity sprinter. In his senior season, Lester was All-State in both the 100 and 200 meters, running 10.98 for 6th place and 22.58 for 7th place, respectively. By graduation, he held school records in the 60, 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, as well as being a member of the 4x100 and 4x200 relay records. Lester also utilized his speed and athleticism on the football field and basketball court, where he was a two-year letterman in each. He was selected as an All-Metro Honorable Mention cornerback on the 1983 State Championship football team.

Justin Dro ‘97

Justin Dro of the great Class of 1997 was a name recognized throughout the state in both football and track & field. Justin became a starter on the football team as just a sophomore, eventually working his way to being an All-District, All-Metro, and 1st Team All-State offensive lineman as a senior. He also won Rockhurst’s Bukaty Award, the top recognition within the program, as well as the KC Star Scholar-Athlete for Rockhurst. In shot put, Justin was the State runner-up as both a junior and a senior, throwing further than 56-feet in both meets.

Jon Lecuyer ‘21

Jon Lecuyer of the great Class of 2001 became the fourth-ever Rockhurst lacrosse player to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame. A fouryear starting defender and two-time captain, Jon helped lead The Rock to four straight State Final Four appearances, including the first State Finals berth in program history in 2001, as the Hawklets took home 2nd place. Jon earned 1st Team AllConference and All-State honors three times, and was named to the US Lacrosse National All-Star Game. Jon still holds the career ground balls record, and his single season mark of 98 ground balls is 3rd most for a defender, and 9th most overall.

Ryan Reid ‘03

Ryan Reid of the great Class of 2003 was a fourtime All-State doubles player and two-time doubles State Champ. He made an immediate impact on the storied Rockhurst Tennis program as just a freshman, despite the team having already won four consecutive State Championships and having plenty of talent at every level. He earned a spot on varsity and played on the 6th Place doubles team at State while helping Rockhurst win its fifth straight team title. Ryan would be part of Rockhurst team championships each of the next three years as well. In his sophomore and junior seasons, Ryan won doubles State Titles with two different teammates, and then was doubles runner-up in 2003, only beaten by another Rockhurst duo.

Hall of Fame

The Rockhurst High School “Sports Hall of Fame” honors alumni, coaches, and friends who have had a major impact on the school’s athletic tradition. Given The Rock’s storied heritage of sporting excellence in the Midwest, selection to the Sports Hall means recognition among the “best of the best” in Midwestern athletic history.

The Sports Hall was established in 1991 by legendary coach and athletic director, Al Davis, Jr., along with his devoted student and friend, Mike Lillis ’56. Since the Charter Class of five men was inducted, the Sports Hall has grown to 149 members, plus the 2023 class of seven inductees, for a total of 156 members.

Allan Smith ‘05

Allan Smith of the great Class of 2005 remains as one of the greatest defensive linemen to play for the Football Hawklets. Only a sophomore, Allan led Rockhurst in sacks on the undefeated 2002 State Championship team that allowed just 10 points per game over the historic 13-game season. As an upperclassman, Allan was the focal point of the defense as he received 1st Team All-State defensive honors as both a junior and senior. He recorded 13 sacks and 85 tackles in only 11 games as a senior and won the 2004 Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best linebacker, defensive or offensive lineman in Kansas City. He remains the program’s career leader in sacks with 26 over three seasons, where the Hawklets allowed just 11 points per game while Allan was on the field, and combined for a career win/ loss record of 30-5. For his work, Allan was named a PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American in 2004.

Phillip Strozier ‘06

Phillip Strozier of the great Class of 2006 made winning plays to lead Rockhurst on the field and on the court. An eight-time varsity letterman in football, basketball, and track, Phillip chose to focus on football and basketball. At his defensive back position, he was twice selected 1st Team All-State as the Hawklets went a combined 19-4 record over his junior and senior seasons. Phillip was then named the 2005 KC Metro Defensive Player of the Year, while also Rockhurst’s leading wideout in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. As a versatile guard, he set

Honorees were determined by a Selection Committee that carefully reviews nominations by Alumni Class Captains, as well as recommendations from the public at large, before submitting a slate to David Laughlin, president of Rockhurst High School, for his blessing. Formal induction ceremonies occur each year during the Alumni Reunion Weekend. Members of the Sports Hall have distinguished themselves in many ways and were considered for a variety of reasons to be honored. A breakdown of some of the categorical members is listed to the right. Note that some will overlap between categories.

the tone on offensive and defense as he earned All-Metro and 2nd Team All-State basketball honors. Phillip helped guide the Hawklets to the Final Four in his last two seasons as The Rock went 48-14, and no play was bigger than his game-winning putback at the buzzer against Lee’s Summit North in the 2006 State Quarterfinals, sending Rockhurst back to Columbia. That season, he averaged 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.

Coach Mark Nusbaum

Coach Mark Nusbaum was born and raised in Iowa, but he has a special place in Rockhurst High School history. He joined The Rock in 1999 and immediately got to work. In his first season leading the Basketball Hawklets, the team made its first Final Four appearance since 1989. In Coach Nusbaum’s 14 years as head coach, Rockhurst made the State Final Four five times, notching two 3rd Place finishes, a State Runner-Up, and a State Championship in his final season in 2013. He owns the most wins in program history with 284 after averaging over 20 wins per season, and was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013. Coach Nusbaum was called back to lead the Hawklets again in 2014, but this time on the links. He has since served as the head golf coach for eight seasons (didn’t coach in 2016, and 2020 season was canceled), helping win two State Titles, two RunnersUp, and three 3rd Place finishes to go along with coaching two individual State Champions.

Colleges and Universities

Accepting Members of the Class of 2023

Arizona State University –

Tempe

Auburn University *

Aurora University

Avila University *

Baker University *

Baylor University

Bellarmine University

Benedict College

Benedictine College *

Bluffton University

Boston College *

Boston University

Bowling Green State University

Bradley University

Butler University

Case Western Reserve University

Central Methodist University

Central Michigan University

Chapman University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

College of Charleston

Colorado State University – Fort Collins

Columbia College

Chicago

Columbia College

Missouri

Columbia University

Concordia University –

Chicago

Cowley County

Community College

Creighton University *

Dartmouth College *

DePaul University

Drake University *

Drury University

East Carolina University *

Eastern Michigan University

Elon University

Florida State University

Fordham University

Furman University

Georgetown University *

Georgia State University

Gonzaga University

Hawaii Pacific University

High Point University *

Howard University

Indiana University –

Bloomington

Iowa State University *

Kansas State University *

Lafayette College

Lake Forest College

Langston University

Lewis & Clark College

Lindenwood University *

Louisiana State University *

Loyola Marymount University *

Loyola University Chicago *

Loyola University

New Orleans

Lynn University

Macalester College

Marquette University *

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Massachusetts Institute of Technology *

McPherson College *

Metropolitan Community College – Kansas City *

Miami University, Oxford *

Michigan State University *

Mississippi State University

Missouri Southern State University

Missouri State University –Springfield *

Missouri University of Science and Technology *

Missouri Valley College *

Monmouth College

Morehouse College

Nazareth College

Nicholls State University

North Carolina A & T State University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Northwest Missouri State University

Ohio State University

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Olivet Nazarene University

Ottawa University

Park University

Pennsylvania State University

Pepperdine University

Pittsburg State University

Providence College

Purdue University

Regis University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute *

Rhodes College

Rockford University

Rockhurst University *

Saint Anselm College

Saint Louis University *

Saint Vincent College

Santa Clara University

Seattle University

Southern Illinois

University – Carbondale

Southern Methodist

University *

Spring Hill College

Stevenson University

Sul Ross State University

Swarthmore College

Temple University

Texas Christian University *

Texas Tech University

The American University of Paris *

The University of Alabama

The University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of Tampa

The University of Texas at

Austin

The University of the South

Trinity College *

Trinity College Dublin *

Truman State University

United States Air Force Academy

United States Military Academy *

United States Naval Academy

University College Dublin

University of Aberdeen

University of Alabama in Huntsville

University of Arizona *

University of Arkansas *

University of California –

Irvine

University of California –

Santa Barbara

University of Central Arkansas

University of Central Missouri *

University of Colorado

Boulder

University of Colorado

Colorado Springs

University of Dallas

University of Dayton *

University of Denver

University of Evansville

University of Florida

University of Hawaii at Manoa

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

University of Indianapolis *

University of Iowa *

University of Kansas *

University of Kentucky *

University of Louisville

University of

Massachusetts – Lowell

University of Michigan –

Ann Arbor *

University of Minnesota –

Twin Cities

University of Mississippi *

University of Missouri –

Columbia *

University of Missouri –

Kansas City *

University of Nebraska –

Lincoln *

University of New Mexico

University of Notre Dame *

University of Oklahoma *

University of Oregon

University of Pittsburgh *

University of San Diego

University of South

Carolina – Columbia

University of Southern California *

University of St. Thomas –

Minnesota *

University of Toledo

University of Tulsa

University of Utah

University of Virginia

University of Wisconsin –Madison *

Villanova University *

Wake Forest University *

Washburn University *

Washington University in St Louis

Western Michigan University

Wichita State University *

William Paterson University

Xavier University, Ohio *

*Colleges Attending

Beyond Athletics… College Counseling

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 Counseling Office is to understand and serve the specific needs of each 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 more than 3,200 colleges and universities in the United States, there is a suitable place for each and every graduate. Rockhurst students attend colleges all across the nation with the largest percentage concentrated in the Midwest. Eighteen percent of our 2023 graduates are attending a Jesuit college or university this fall.

4-Year ACT Average

26

Attending Catholic Institutions

22% National Merit Finalists

5 National Merit Semifinalists

5 National Merit Commended

11 Advanced Placement Scholars

46

State Championships

Baseball

(1st)

(1st)

(2nd) 2018 (2nd) Golf

1976

2017 (1st)

2018 (3rd)

2019 (3rd)

2022 (1st)

2023 (2nd)

Lacrosse

2001 (2nd)

2003 (1st)

2006 (1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(3rd)

(2nd)

(1st)

(3rd)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(3rd)

2005 (3rd) 2007 (2nd) 2013 (1st)

1977

2007 (2nd)

2008 (1st)

2009 (2nd)

2010 (1st)

&

1991

1993 (2nd)

1996 (2nd)

1997 (2nd)

1998 (1st)

1999 (1st)

2000 (1st)

2002 (3rd)

2003 (3rd)

2004 (2nd)

2005 (1st)

2006 (1st)

2011 (1st)

2014 (1st)

2017 (1st)

2019 (2nd)

2021 (1st)

2022 (1st)

2023 (1st)

Soccer

1987 (3rd)

1988 (2nd)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(1st)

(2nd)

(1st)

(2nd)

(1st)

(2nd)

(1st)

(1st)

2007 (3rd)

2008 (1st)

2009 (1st)

2010 (1st)

2011 (2nd)

2012 (1st)

2013 (2nd)

2014 (3rd)

2015 (2nd)

2016 (2nd)

1989 (2nd)

1991 (3rd)

1994 (3rd)

1998 (1st)

1999 (1st)

2001 (3rd)

2003

(3rd)

(2nd)

(3rd)

40 1st

2nd Place

3rd Place Finishes:

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross Country Runners Repeat State Finish, Look to Improve in 2023

With four runners returning from the 2021 State-qualifying team, the 2022 cross country squad had experience to guide them throughout a season that featured stiff competition at every turn.

The top two returners, Brian Humphrey ’23 and Henry Acorn ’25 were All-State runners as a junior and freshman, respectively, and wanted to build on the team’s 7th place finish from that season. Joined by August Thompson ’23 and Justin Waldron ’25, Rockhurst headed into the fall with high hopes.

“Having several runners with State Meet experience gives the group confidence going into a new season,” said Head Coach Michael Dierks ’91. “But they have to work just as hard, if not harder, to prove to the rest of the team what it takes to replicate that success - and hopefully build upon it.”

The Hawklets kicked off the season at the Greg Wilson Invitational hosted by St. Thomas

Aquinas, placing 2nd out of 12 schools and finishing just behind Shawnee Mission East, the eventual Kansas 6A champs. Acorn, Humphrey, Thompson, and Waldron were all medalists placing in the top-14. That was the first medal of the year for Acorn, who would earn one in all eight meets during his extraordinary sophomore season.

Rockhurst took 3rd out of 18 teams in the top division of the Forest Park Invitational before winning its first meet of the season, beating 12 teams at the Lee’s Summit North Invitational. Drew McGalliard ’24 placed 16th, winning the first varsity medal of his career.

The largest meet of the season, featuring 40 teams, was the Gans Creek Classic at the State course in Columbia. Among a stacked field representing all classes in Missouri, the Hawklets brought home 5th, led by Acorn’s 25th place finish in 16:07.

The final two regular season meets were victories for The Rock. At the KC XC Classic, Rockhurst bested 27 teams from both sides of the state line. All seven runners earned medals, including Andrew Davis ’25 (23rd) and Kai Somasegaran ’25 (29th), who joined Humphrey, Acorn, Waldron, Thompson, and

McGalliard. Coach Dierks’ team then won a dual against Lee’s Summit West, taking seven of the top eight spots. They carried that momentum into the postseason.

Super Districts, which began in 2021, includes four District Meets across Missouri, with the top four teams from each advancing to State. Rockhurst’s District matched up 18 teams, with six expected to compete for the four spots. That turned out to be the case.

Just 25 points separated the 2nd and 6th place teams, with the Hawklets taking 3rd; three points behind 2nd and 17 points ahead of 3rd. Acorn ran sub-16:00 for the third time in his young career, with a new PR of 15:31, good for 2nd overall. Three other AllDistrict performances came from Thompson, Waldron, and Humphrey. Rockhurst punched its ticket to State for the 16th consecutive season.

Heading back to Columbia, the Hawklets were hoping for a podium finish, which go to the top four teams. Like the week before, 25 points made all the difference; but this time Rockhurst was on the wrong side. The Rock placed 7th with 179 points, while the 4th place team finished with 154.

Acorn, however, made his mark as an underclassman. Pacing in 19th position at the 1K mark, he continually moved up throughout the remaining 4K and finished 6th overall in

15:47. That made him the top sophomore in Missouri, and earned the best finish at the State Meet for a sophomore in Rockhurst history.

As for a return to the State podium for the first time since 2018, that may depend on the continued success of a talented junior class that boasts Acorn, Waldron, Davis, Somasegaran, and track middle distance standout Bill Hayes ’25, who ran 16:49 as a sophomore.

“It was a great sophomore season, but I feel like the team and I had much more to give,” said Acorn. “This year, I want to prove I’m much more than just a fast guy in the chase pack. And collectively, if we continue to train smart and consistently, and improve the mental factors of our mindset, we can achieve more than just a podium spot.”

A great opportunity to gauge their midseason form is at the vaunted Chile Pepper XC Festival in Fayetteville, AR on Sept. 30, the first time that the Hawklets have ever participated in the meet.

“Chile Pepper is one of the most competitive meets in the region each year. Last season, 59 runners broke 16-minutes and seven broke 15-minutes ,” said Coach Dierks. “It will give our guys a great opportunity to see their progress heading into October.”

“Having several runners with State Meet experience gives the group confidence going into a new season”

Head Coach Michael Dierks ’91

Cross Country 2023 Season Head Coach

Michael Dierks

Entering his 29th year at the school, Head Coach Michael Dierks ’91 relies upon his runners to be competitive, passionate and team-oriented. He recognizes that it is a combination of the internal drive and running for the boys which must motivate endurance athletes. In his 27 years as head coach, the program has qualified for the State Meet 18 seasons (including the past 16 in a row). They have also advanced past the District Meet in all but three of his seasons. As a runner at the University of Notre Dame, Coach Dierks has brought a strong pack running philosophy to the program. He is also in his 11th year as the school’s athletic director.

Assistant Coaches

Alex Dobens

Coach Dobens ’08 returned to Rockhurst and the cross country and track & field programs in 2020-21. He graduated from The Rock in 2008 and earned several varsity letters in cross country and track; he is a member of the Cross Country All-Time Team. Coach Dobens attended the College of the Holy Cross. He entered the teaching and coaching world in 2013 at Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver before joining Rockhurst’s staff in 2020. He teaches Classical Languages classes, is the junior varsity XC head coach, and the track & field distance coach.

Ryan McAnany

Coach McAnany ’12 enters his seventh season at The Rock. He previously spent time as an Alumni Service Corps volunteer at St. Louis University High School in 2016. While a student-athlete at Rockhurst, Coach McAnany excelled in cross country as a three-year letterman and was selected as the 2011 Golden Spike Winner. He was also a varsity track & field letterman. He continued his running career at the University of Dallas. He teaches Scripture and serves as the Assistant Pastoral Director in addition to his coaching duties in cross country and track.

Varsity Cross Country 2023 Schedule

Saturday, September 2 Aquinas Invitational Shawnee Mission Park

Saturday, September 9 Forest Park XC Festival St. Louis, MO

Saturday, September 16 LSN Invitational Lee’s Summit North HS

Saturday, September 23 Gans Creek Classic Columbia, MO

Saturday, September 30 Chile Pepper XC Festival Fayetteville, AR

Saturday, October 7 Kearney Invitational Jesse James Park

Saturday, October 21

Lee’s Summit West Dual Summit Lakes Middle School

Saturday, October 28 District Championships TBD

Saturday, November 4 State Championships Columbia, MO

Alan Ratermann

Coach Ratermann is in his fifth season with the XC team after assisting in 2015 while he was with Rockhurst as part of the Alumni Service Corps. He did such a great job at The Rock that he was hired full-time to teach English and is also the Director of Ignatian Service Programs. Coach Ratermann graduated from Rockhurst University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Theology, and Nonprofit Leadership Studies. He ran cross country for SLUH (’11) and shares his passion for sport in general and working with anyone committed to excellence. He also served as a swim & dive assistant coach from 2016-18.

Zander Haddad

Coach Haddad joins the Rockhurst Cross Country staff in 2023. He was raised in St. Louis and attended De Smet Jesuit High School where he ran cross country all four years. He continued his Jesuit education at Rockhurst University, earning his BA in Secondary Education and Spanish. Last year he served as an Assistant Coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, but now is at The Rock teaching Spanish and working with our runners.

Cross Country 2022 Season Results

All-Time Team

Aquinas - Greg Wilson Invitational

2nd out of 12 teams with 67 points

Forest Park XC Festival

3rd out of 18 teams with 112 points

Lee’s Summit North Invitational

1st out of 13 teams with 48 points

Gans Creek Classic

5th out of 40 teams with 183 points

KC XC Classic

1st out of 28 teams with 74 points

Lee’s Summit West Dual Won, scoring 18 points

District Championship

3rd out of 18 teams with 82 points

State Championship

7th out of 16 teams with 179 points

Cross Country 2022 Season Stats

State Championship

Top 15 5,000 Meter Times

District Championship

Cross Country 2022 Season Team Awards

All-District

Brian Humphrey ’23

August Thompson ’23

Henry Acorn ’25

Justin Waldron ’25

1st Team All-Metro

Henry Acorn ’25

2nd Team All-Metro

Brian Humphrey ’23

August Thompson ’23

Justin Waldron ’25

All-State

The John Grier Memorial Award

The John Grier Memorial Award is named after a past runner (1978-1982) who passed away. The criteria for the award is a sophomore or junior who best exemplifies Johnny’s spirit, which was a hard worker who took running seriously but was also the one who somehow still made things fun. Team members vote for who best represents these ideals.

Golden Spike Award

At the conclusion of each cross country season, team members and coaches vote for the senior who has best exemplified the following criteria for the Golden Spike Award: Faith, Scholarship, Leadership, Athletics.

VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY

Second

Henry Bosco, Hudson Tsevis, Bill Hayes, Drew McGalliard, Kai Somasegaran, Jake Bond, Tom Fimmen

Third row: Coach Alan Ratermann, Coach Alex Dobens, Coach Mike Dierks, Coach Ryan McAnany, Coach Zander Haddad

Fourth row: Ben Wachtel, Aidan Fugate, Langston Humphrey, Zach Zumwalt, Brody Finigan

JV CROSS COUNTRY

Second row: Connor Roudebush, Brady Brown, Danny Hodes, Charlie Porto, Michael Arico, Jack Brackett, Connor Deady, Connor Clune

Third row: Henry Bosco, Coach Alan Ratermann, Coach Alex Dobens, Coach Mike Dierks, Coach Ryan McAnany, Coach Zander Haddad, Tom Fimmen

Fourth row: Michael Denk, Sam Reintjes, Leo Borders, Daniel Colombo, Will Fanning, Eli Short, Asa Schaaf, Prosper Ott

Fifth row: Peter Gunter, Adrian Palan, Leo Faulkner, Van Tomasic, Luke Imlay, Drake Lewis, Noah Heinen, Owen Walsh, Landon Hochstein

Front row, from left: Caleb McNamara, Henry Hodes, Noah Titus, Ben Grilliot, Nolan Roeder, Liam Griffiths, Ryne Hallier, Liam Dennis, George Kennedy

Front row, from left: Calvin Seithel, Andrew Davis, Justin Waldron, Henry Acorn, Matt LaSala, Danny Gajewski

row:

RETURNING LETTERMEN

FRESHMAN CROSS COUNTRY

Second

Third

Coach Alan Ratermann, Coach Alex Dobens, Coach Mike Dierks, Coach Ryan McAnany, Coach Zander Haddad

From row, from left: Bill Hayes, Drew McGalliard, Justin Waldron, Andrew Davis, Danny Gajewski, Calvin Seithel, Matt LaSala, Henry Acorn, Kai Somasegaran

Second row: Henry Bosco, Zach Zumwalt, Aidan Fugate, Hudson Tsevis, Ben Wachtel, Tom Fimmen

From row, from left: Callahan Landes, Jude Gates, Jack Neely, Tyler Shivley, Josh Barney, Parker Finigan, Jack Bosco

row: Ethan Heinen, Alexander Graziano, Henry Pfeifauf, Will Moore, Drew Shepherd, Cooper McFadden, Ben Olschki, Jack Grisolano

row:

CROSS COUNTRY MANAGERS

CROSS COUNTRY CAPTAINS

From left to right: Henry Bosco, Tom Fimmen

From left to right: Drew McGalliard, Kai Somasegaran, Calvin Seithel, Henry Acorn

FOOTBALL

Football Up and Down Season

Ends, Experienced Players Poised for Breakout Year

High-scoring shootouts and low-scoring affairs - the Football Hawklets saw it all in 2022.

Regardless of the situation, Rockhurst was never out of a game even with a final record of 5-5. Of the team’s five losses, all but one were by one score. That exception came against Arkansas juggernaut Bentonville, which went on to be the Arkansas 7A State Runner-Up.

The season opened at Ray-Pec and the Hawklets and Tigers were tied at 26-26 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Ray-Pec scored with 7:20 remaining and The Rock couldn’t answer. But the squad quickly reset in preparation for the home opener.

Rockhurst hosted Blue Springs South, a team on the rise after a few tough years. Although the Jaguars ended the season ranked #13 in the Metro, the Hawklets exploded for 48 points in a blowout win. The ground game led

the charge with six rushing touchdowns, as running back Aidan Ryan ’24 and quarterback Ethan Hansen ’24 both rushed for nearly 100 yards and combined for three scores. The defense matched the effort, forcing five turnovers, including two interceptions by Brice Middleton ’23.

The game style was immediately flipped in a big matchup at Liberty North, which has now advanced to three straight State Final Fours. Rockhurst trailed 10-0 midway through the 4th quarter, stymied by a strong defense. But then Hansen hit his favorite target, Myles Carson ’24, for a 52-yard strike. Despite a valiant final effort, the Hawklets lost by three. But the defense showed itself as a strength too, and sophomore linebacker Jeb Koetting ’25 proved he needed to be on the field after leading the team in tackles.

Following the loss to Bentonville, The Rock came up one yard short of tying - and potentially beating - Bishop Miege. Ryan was a stalwart in the run game again, carrying the ball 28 times for 251 yards and a score. A large part of the rushing success came from the trenches; London Lewis ’23, Barrett Brewer ’23 Conor Sexton ’23, Trey Gunnoe ’24, and Andrew Sprague ’24 were constantly moving

defenders and opening lanes. Sprague, filling out his 6’8” frame and earning 1st Team All-State honors, finished most plays pancaked on top of an opposing player. He was named a pre-season All-American heading into his senior campaign. Rockhurst was ready to right the ship. That came in the form of a 21-point Homecoming win over St. Thomas Aquinas in the schools’ first meeting since 1999. Hansen threw for three touchdowns and Ryan added two on the ground on 111 yards. All-District defensive back Micah Oder ’24 picked off two Saints’ passes in big moments to keep The Rock’s lead at a distance.

A third consecutive victory over Blue Springs in that historic rivalry led into the second ever matchup with SLUH. After a four hour bus ride, the Hawklets got some extra football as the game went into overtime. The defense forced a turnover and then Logan Kuechler ’24 played the hero as he nailed a game-winning 28-yard field goal.

The regular season ended on a four-game winning streak with a 41-0 defeat of JC Harmon, in which no starters played and every JV and varsity Hawklet saw the field. Rockhurst would enter playoffs as the #3 district seed.

In a back-and-forth game against a powerful Park Hill offense, the team with the ball last won. The game was tied at 7, 21, 28, 35, and 42, but the Trojans scored with 20 seconds remaining to end the Hawklets’ season. Hansen totaled 250 yards and two touchdowns while Ryan broke the 200yard mark again and found paydirt four times.

With eight returning starters on both offense and defense, the 2023 unit is loaded with experience and guys who can play both ways. Additional offensive playmakers include wide receivers Maeson Tunley ’24, Mitch Forbes ’24, and Jack Bichelmeyer ’24. Defensively, Vince White ’24, Jack Manning ’25, Ben Stringer ’24, and Thomas Coppinger ’24, the team’s leading tackler in 2022, also return to starting roles.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming season as a coaching staff and team,” said Head Coach Kelly Donohoe, entering his fourth year leading the Hawklets. “We have a locker room full of players that really committed themselves in the offseason. This is the strongest team we’ve put on a field, and the brotherhood of this group is special.”

As always, Rockhurst Football’s schedule is chockfull of top-tier competition; the eight regular season opponents combined for a record of 62-31 last year. That includes four teams that made the 2022 State Final Four in Missouri (Liberty North), Kansas (Bishop Miege, St. Thomas Aquinas), and Arkansas (Bentonville). But Hawklet players are ready for the challenge.

“Everyone says we have a really tough schedule, but everyone who plays us has a tough opponent,” said Coppinger. “We have more experience this year with lots of guys returning. We have a team that can be special this year.”

“We have a locker room full of players that really committed themselves in the offseason.”

Head Coach Kelly Donohoe

Football 2023 Season Head Coach

Kelly Donohoe

Coach Donohoe enters his fourth season at The Rock. He grew up playing football in Harrisonville before playing quarterback at the University of Kansas from 1986-89 and earned his BS in Communications and Masters in Education from KU; he then received his Specialist degree in Administration from UCM. Coach Donohoe began his coaching experience in 1993 as an assistant coach at Blue Springs South and had his first head coaching job at Raytown South in 1997. He then had a great 20-year head coaching career at Blue Springs High School, winning four State Championships and being inducted into both the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2019; he then came to The Rock in 2020 and was inducted into the Kansas City Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022. Coach Donohoe also works in Rockhurst’s P.E. Department, teaching Lifetime Sports and weight classes. He and his wife Jennifer have a daughter (Taylor) and a son (Chase).

Coaching Records

*Denotes member of the Missouri Coaches Hall of Fame

Football 2023 Season Assistant Coaches

Greg Oder

Coach Oder joined Rockhurst’s staff in 2020 as Defensive Coordinator after coaching against The Rock for many years. He spent 24 years at Blue Springs South and was head coach from 2001-2015, winning three State Championships. From 2015-19 he served as an assistant coach at Mill Valley. He was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. Prior to coaching, he played defensive back at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University). Coach Oder also works in the classroom as a math teacher. He and his wife Christi have three children: Mayleigh, Marquese, and Micah ’24, and Coach Oder also has a son, Jacob.

Tom Kruse

Coach Kruse joined Rockhurst’s staff in 2020, bringing years of football experience to the Hawklet sidelines as the new Offensive Coordinator. He’s coached Kansas City high school football since 1992 with stops at Harrisonville, Park Hill, Park Hill South, and Raymore-Peculiar, where he was the head coach for 20 years and won State Titles in 2004, 2005, and 2006. He was inducted into both the Missouri Football Coaches and Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Halls of Fame in 2020. In his playing days, Coach Kruse was a quarterback at Northwest Missouri State. In the spring of 2020, he retired from public education, but he has also taken on a role coaching the Freshman A Basketball team, while also serving as a super-sub for Rockhurst’s faculty. Coach Kruse and his wife, Kim, have two children: Cole (wife, Darby) and Cassie.

Coach Morris ’74 has patrolled the sidelines, court, and track since he has been at Rockhurst. He is in charge of the offensive line and also serves as a basketball coach. Coach Mo has been a part of the football coaching staff since 1984, and was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. He also continues his work in the basketball program as an Assistant JV Coach. His education after RHS included a BA from St. Louis University and an MA from Loyola-New Orleans. A member of the Theology Department, he teaches Catholic Faith in Practice I & II. He and his wife Katy have three children: Kevin ’04, Clare, and Dan ’11.

Stephen Charbonneau

Coach Charbonneau rejoined the Hawklet Football staff in 2010 after a tenure from 2000-02. He coordinates the special teams and coaches defensive backs. Competing in football, wrestling, and track at Bishop Ward High School, Coach Charby then went on to be a three-year starter and captain of the football team at Benedictine College (KS). After earning his degree in Social Science, he coached at several schools including Bishop Sullivan, De Smet Jesuit, Seton Hall Prep, Delbarton, and Rockhurst. He is a Theology teacher, as well as the Theology Department Chair. Coach Charby is married to Joan and they have two children: Cecil ’23 and Nila.

John Morris

Shawn Schmelzle

Coach Schmelzle ’88 returned to Rockhurst in 2020 as a football coach, and then joined the faculty in 2021. While a student-athlete, Coach Schmelzle was a standout player for the Hawklets in the mid-80s, helping Rockhurst win back-to-back State Championships in 1986 and 1987, earning All-State lineman honors both seasons. He went on to play at Central Missouri State. In 2011 he was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame. For the 28 years prior to joining Rockhurst, he taught English and coached football, wrestling, and track & field at Blue Springs South. He also continues coaching the track & field throws for the Hawklets.

Mike Sullivan

A two-time State Champion while at The Rock, Coach Sullivan ’84 knows how to win. After RHS, he continued his education at the University of Kansas to play football, but suffered a career-ending knee injury his freshman year. He later went on to Webster for his Master’s. He is now in his 24th year at The Rock, coaching running backs on the varsity squad. In spring of 2019 he became head coach for Rockhurst’s newly-formed volleyball team, which placed 1st, canceled (Covid), 2nd, 1st, and 1st in the City Championship its first five seasons. Coach Sully also teaches AP, Honors, and Concepts of Chemistry. He married his wife Beth in 2008 and has two step-daughters: Sarah and Mary Kate.

Mike Garrett

Now in his sixth year of volunteer coaching at Rockhurst, Coach Garrett continues his work with the running backs, fine-tuning their technique and teaching the nuances of running the ball. Coach Garrett is a graduate of the University of Southern California where he was a standout in baseball and football, winning the 1965 Heisman Trophy. Choosing football as his professional sport, Coach Garrett played his first four years with our own Kansas City Chiefs and then spent another four with the San Diego Chargers. After a lengthy career in business and collegiate athletics administration, Coach Garrett moved back to Kansas City to bring his family closer to long-time friends and extended family. His sons John and Michael graduated from The Rock in 2022.

Jim Gillcrist

Coach Gillcrist is in his sixth year with the Rockhurst community as a Theology teacher and also serves as a varsity football assistant coach. Coach Gillcrist came to The Rock after five years at the University of Kansas where he taught philosophy; he is currently working on his PhD. Prior to that, Coach Gillcrist spent five years as an Infantry Officer in the United State Army, where he attained the rank of Captain. He played safety for St. Thomas Aquinas High School and loves working with athletes in a position in which he can help mentor young men, and teach the Catholic Faith.

Van Marshall

Van Marshall ’08 was a 1st Team All-State defensive lineman on the undefeated 2007 State Championship team. He went on to the United States Naval Academy and then graduated from Drake University. He joined the football staff in summer 2022 as the strength and conditioning coach. With his fitness background and passion, Coach Marshall runs his own training business in the Kansas City area, focusing on in-person personal training, small group fitness, and online coaching and exercise programs. He enjoys staying active, especially through the bowling league at Ward Parkway Lanes, which he attributes to taking Lifetime Sports as a senior at Rockhurst.

Football 2023 Season Assistant Coaches

Braxton Jones

Coach Jones joins the Rockhurst Football staff as a varsity defensive assistant coach in 2023. He hails from Asheboro, NC where he was a two-time AllAmerican wrestler and All-Region football player. He went on to play both sports at UNC-Pembroke before transferring to Western Carolina University to play football while earning his degree in Integrated Health Sciences. He began his football coaching career at Citrus Valley High School (CA) and then went on to St. John Bosco High School (CA) and helped the team win the 2019 State and National Championship. Coach Jones held collegiate coaching positions at Texas A&M and William Jewell before getting back into high school coaching in 2022 at Lee’s Summit West. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Educational Administration from East Carolina University. In his free time, Coach Jones loves traveling - he has been to 48 states and 15 countries.

Jeff Crowe

A former Rockhurst football letterman himself, Coach Crowe ’86 was reunited with the program in 1999 and is a current varsity assistant coach, as well as a sophomore coach. He is happily married with six kids: Jeff Jr. ’11, Mary, Joey ’14, Carolyn, William (Wally) ’18, and Rose. His interests outside of parenting include golf, tennis, waterskiing, wine, and food. His grandfather was the class president of Rockhurst’s third class. Coach Crowe is also on Rockhurst’s faculty as an Economics teacher and coaches Sophomore Basketball.

Chris Doyle

Coach Doyle offers his experience to the Hawklets after spending most of his life in the sport. He played linebacker at the University of Kansas from 1996-2000. Previous to that, he was a great player for St. Thomas Aquinas. Coach Doyle has helped for many years with the summer football camps and formed a connection with the program when his brother, Sean, played for Rockhurst from 1995-1998. Coach Doyle is a homebuilder with Doyle Custom Homes, a family-run business and holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology. He is a varsity assistant coach, as well as a sophomore coach, and has been on the football staff since 2012.

Shaden Siegfried

Coach Siegfried joins the sophomore football coaching staff for the 2023 season. He was raised in Colorado and attended Lutheran High School in Parker, CO where he was captain of the football team as a senior; he was named an AllState linebacker after leading the state in tackles in 2017. Coach Siegfried came to Kansas City to attend MidAmerica Nazarene University and played football for four years; he eventually was named as team captain. He graduated with his degree in Ministry and currently serves as the Youth Pastor at the Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene.

Derek Green

Coach Green ’18 returns to The Rock as a volunteer coach for the 2023 season. He was a three-year varsity letterman as a Hawklet quarterback, and then continued life as a student-athlete at SMU in Dallas for four years before graduating in 2022. He then played a graduate year at Long Island University in New York. In January 2023 Coach Green moved to Bologna, Italy to play professional football and will be returning for his second season this winter.

Jake Bradshaw

Coach Bradshaw is in his seventh year on the Rockhurst faculty, but has been an assistant varsity baseball coach for the last eight seasons. He also works with the freshman football team. Coach Bradshaw was a three-sport athlete for Oak Park (football, basketball, baseball) and went on to play both football and baseball at Kansas City Community College and Northwest Missouri State. He is married to Brittany and they have four children.

Nick Vaughn

Coach Vaughn works the sidelines for the freshman football team, and is also a varsity baseball assistant coach. He has been a member of Rockhurst’s faculty since 2004, teaching Biology. A native of Lee’s Summit, he attended Lee’s Summit North, UMKC for his BA, and Webster University for his MA. Coach Vaughn is married to Lisa and they have two daughters: Amelia and Claire. He enjoys watching sports, playing softball, golf, volleyball, and Texas Hold ‘Em with friends. Coach Vaughn cannot pick one favorite coaching memory because each year new memories and bonds form with players.

Mark Bayhylle

A Glastonbury, CT native, Coach Bayhylle attended Xavier High School before heading to the Midwest to enroll at the University of Kansas. At KU, he played club lacrosse and continued his love of the game by coaching at RHS before he got a job at the school. In 2006 he was hired to work in the Computer Services Department at The Rock. In 2009 Coach Bayhylle was named the Missouri Division I Lacrosse Assistant Coach of the Year, and in 2019 was the U.S. Lacrosse Assistant Coach of the Year. This is his fifth season also coaching freshman football. He and his wife have three boys: Jackson, Logan ’23, and Tommy ’25.

Jim Monteil

Coach Monteil enters his seventh year coaching football and track & field at The Rock. He spent 29 years coaching at O’Hara High School, where he was Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach for 21 years; he also spent time with the golf and wrestling programs. He works with freshman football along with the sprinters in track & field. Coach Monteil teaches in the Math Department. He and his wife, Shelley, have two daughters, Abby and Riley.

Varsity Football 2023 Schedule

Football 2022 Season Results

Record: 5-5

All-Time Team

In 1970, Rockhurst and DeLaSalle played their 50th and final football game. A select committee from each school named an All-Time Football Team.

Twenty years later, during the celebration of Rockhurst’s 75th year of football, the All-Time Team was updated. Rockhurst coaches have reviewed the many years of football teams and individual players and then honored additional players, naming them to the All-Time Hawklet squad yearly with the school criteria of having graduated five years ago.

Dick Flucke 1924

Jim Hogan 1925

Red McKee 1925

Duck Scanlon 1925

Red Sullivan 1926

Ed Henke 1927

Vic Zahner 1927

Jim Gleeson 1929

Ray Sonnenberg 1930

Ritchie Sullivan 1930

Owen Murphy 1932

John Scanlon 1938

John Steck 1940

Joe Fagan 1941

Len LeCluyse 1943

W. Robert Aylward 1945

Thomas J. O’Brien 1946

Football 2022 Season Stats

Rushing (Top Rushers)

Kick-Off Returns

Punting

Punt Returns

Receiving

Passing

Scoring

Football 2022 Season Team Awards

Missouri All-Independent

Barrett Brewer ’23 (OL)

Conor Sexton ’23 (DL)

Colton Wemhoff ’23 (LB)

Myles Caron ’24 (WR)

Thomas Coppinger ’24 (LB)

Ethan Hansen ’24 (QB)

Micah Oder ’24 (DB)

Aidan Ryan ’24 (RB)

Andrew Sprague ’24 (OL)

All-District

Barrett Brewer ’23 (OL)

Conor Sexton ’23 (DL)

Micah Oder ’24 (DB)

Andrew Sprague ’24 (OL)

All-State

Andrew Sprague ’24 (OL - 1st Team)

Mike Lillis Award

Instituted in 1997 after the untimely death of graduate and long-time supporter, the Mike Lillis Award is voted on by players to recognize the most outstanding lineman.

Pat Kane 1997

Tim Hanrahan 1998

Mike Frey

Nick Boyd

Murphy

Scholar-Athlete Award

The Scholar-Athlete Award for a football player has been in effect since 1999. The award goes to the player that not only excels on the field, but also in the classroom. The award emphasizes the importance of academics throughout all Rockhurst programs.

Mike Griffin

Rich

Mark

Jeff Koons

Josh Karlin

Sean Kitts

Joe Camarata

Alex Schoeck

Chris Castelluccio

Kyle

Ryan Karlin

The Coach Eric Berg and Coach John Morris Leadership Award

The varsity football staff confers this award to the senior player who, in seeking the Magis, has demonstrated the leadership qualities of Humility, Dedication, and Passion.

Edward F. Bukaty Award

The Edward F. Bukaty Award was given to Rockhurst by Alex George, Sr., in memory of Edward Bukaty. Mr. Bukaty was an avid supporter of Rockhurst. He suffered a heart attack and died while watching his son, Joe, play in the 1952 Lillis/Rockhurst football game. Every season since the Bukaty Award was established, a senior is selected by the football coaches and players as the recipient of this prestigious honor.

The criteria, set by Mr. George and former head football coach Mr. Al Davis, Jr., is to honor the individual player displaying the greatest leadership both on and off the field. The award criteria also state that the individual should lead by example and should have the respect of both players and coaches.

Since that time, 71 young men, including Joe Bukaty ‘53, have been selected for this special honor.

Severino Find a Way Award

Given to the athlete that displays tremendous tenacity and will always Find a Way.

Anselmo Special Teams Award

Started in 2011, this award is given in memory of Brian Anselmo, Class of 1999, who was a gifted athlete that used his powerful legs to become a kicker.

VARSITY FOOTBALL

Front row, from left: Robert Purcell, Ethan Hansen, Logan Kuechler, Luke Kuechler, Jack Bichelmeyer, Vince White, Aidan Ryan, Callen Eskew, Micah Oder, Mitch Forbes, Charlie Loose, Myles Carson

Second row: Maeson Tunley, Dom Yarbrough, Charlie Bernstein, Max Berghoff, Michael Tafoya, Pete Miroslaw, Chase Hammerschmidt, Brendan Bowen, Vince Jacoby, Ben Stringer, Jacob Hoolehan

Third row: Thomas Homant, Hunter Smith, Adam Poe, Van Pham, Pierce Fisher, Hudson Kuechler, John Reib, Jack Creger, Beau Neuburger, Gus Sorenson, Liam Daly, Matt Mears

Fourth row: Max Moylan, Gerald Wright-Pounds, Thomas Coppinger, Henry Coppinger, Bud Fallon, Jeb Koetting, Shea Walsh, Grant Haake, Auggie Johnson, Tommy Dorlac, Stephen Schoenfeld

Fifth row: Andrew Sprague, Darius Long, Brody Gordanier, Charles Long, Matt Bowling, Brennan Murphy, Gage Nelson, Jack Manning, Drew Mozena, Logan Hawley, Charlie Gormsen, Trey Gunnoe

Sixth row: John O’Farrell, Manny Mascote, Luke Lewellen, Anderson Mertz, Bobby Clemons, Cole Swanson, Riley Sullivan, Jackson Igoe, Chris Mohajir, Colin Komenda, Collin Powell

Seventh row: Owen Hokanson, Kevin Sullivan, Gavin Scott-Hying, Cole Hierholzer

Eighth row: Paul McGannon, Coach Van Marshall, Coach John Morris, Coach Shawn Schmelzle, Coach Greg Oder, Coach Kelly Donohoe, Coach Tom Kruse, Coach Mike Sullivan, Coach Jim Gillcrist, Coach Derek Green, Coach Braxton Jones

OFFENSIVE BACKS

Front row, from left: Robert Purcell, Ethan Hansen, Logan Kuechler, Jack Bichelmeyer, Vince White, Aidan Ryan, Micah Oder, Mitch Forbes

Second row: Myles Carson, Maeson Tunley, Dom Yarbrough, Ben Stringer, Van Pham, Baue Neuburger, Gus Sorenson

Third row: Thomas Coppinger, Jeb Koetting, Andrew Sprague, Jack Manning, Charlie Gormsen, Trey Gunnoe

Front row, from left: Robert Purcell, Ethan Hansen, Aidan Ryan, Charlie Loose, Charlie Bernstein, Chase Hammerschmidt, Van Pham

Second row: Pierce Fisher, Gus Sorenson, Thomas Coppinger, Henry Coppinger, Jeb Koetting, Tommy Dorlac

LINEBACKERS

Front row, from left: Vince White, Beau Neuburger, Grant Haake, Stephen Schoenfeld, Andrew Sprague, Darius Long, Brody Gordanier, Charles Long, Matt Bowling

Second row: Brennan Murphy, Gage Nelson, Jack Manning, Drew Mozena, Logan Hawley, Charlie Gormsen, Trey Gunnoe, John O’Farrell

Third row: Manny Mascote, Luke Lewellen, Anderson Mertz, Bobby Clemons, Cole Swanson, Owen Hokanson, Kevin Sullivan

Front row, from left: Mitch Forbes, Gus Sorenson, Liam Daly, Matt Mears, Max Moylan, Thomas Coppinger

Second row: Henry Coppinger, Bud Fallon, Jeb Koetting, Shea Walsh, Auggie Johnson, Tommy Dorlac

RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS

Front row, from left: Jack Bichelmeyer, Vince White, Callen Eskew, Micah Oder, Mitch Forbes, Myles Carson, Maeson Tunley, Dom Yarbrough

Second row: Max Berghoff, Michael Tafoya, Pete Miroslaw, Brennan Bowen, Beau Neuburger, Max Moylan, Thomas Coppinger

Third row: Grant Haake, Riley Sullivan, Jackson Igoe, Chris Mohajir, Colin Komenda, Collin Powell, Owen Hokanson, Kevin Sullivan

SOPHOMORE TEAM

FRESHMAN TEAM

Peter Nickson, Cash Lewandowski, Charles Rouchka, Cole White, James Bundy, Luke Bolch, Quinn Scanlon, Levi Pullins, Corey Mayfield, Reed Satterwhite, Tyson Nguyen; Second row, Sheldon Kight, Owen Hughes, Brock Hoban, Garrett Miller, Luke Prosser, Braedon Tunley, JP Stegall, Spencer Brooks, Blake Thomas, Mateo Reynolds, Carter Scott Third row, Theo Martin, Matthew Monroe, Nicolas Hunter, Carson Green, Quinn Walsh, Chase Quinn, Jonathan Homant, Jack Oettmeier, Vincent Sorenson, Jake Ward, Marcel Famous-Freese, Eli Murga; Fourth row, Theodore Brown, Caleb Doyle, Beckett Henry, Logan Filing, Robbie Wright, Jaden Johnson, Cohen Whitney, Timothy Truebner, Langston LaFond, Hayden Prasil, Elliot Turner; Fifth row: Michael McTavish, Frankie Garcia, Samuel Volker, Owen Hellen, Andrew Hoolehan, Thomas Hendricks, Luke Connell, Noah Bartling, Alexander Collinsworth, Hunter Stout, Teddy Houlehan, Collin Devereux; Sixth row: John O’Connor, Henry Hahn, Jackson Sallee, Bennett Wertzberger, James O’Farrell, Darryl Major, Jack Sprague, Charles Kenny, Connor Cowan, Owen Dawdy, Peter Messerly, Jack Haggerty; Seventh row: Oliver Arnold, Ethan Erwin, Samani Pahulu, William Brender, Carter Owen, Joseph Durkin, Jack Schultz, Declan Sullivan, Andrew Beck, Miles McCune, Warren Robertson; Eighth row: Benjamin Nigro, Owen Nance, Marck Marquez, Alexander Simon, Griffin Swoboda, Jack Korentager, Evan Gump, Kyle Maher, Cash Jones; Ninth row: Coach Mark Bayhylle, Coach Nick Vaughn, Coach Jake Bradshaw, Coach Jim Monteil

Front row, from left: Liam Conway, Bobby Buckley, Bodie Arthur, Will Stephenson, Charlie Bittel, Cooper Frey, Griffin Ford, Joey Pitzl, Levi Mason; Second row: Hudson Duff, Jamal Johnson, Sean Swinney, Nolan Dingley, Cooper Clemons, Luca Sano, Evan Murray, Tommy Reardon; Third row: Campbell Luzar, Michael Mason, Thomas Dulle, Riley Teeven, George Stuart, Danny Murphy, Zach Novotny, Dallas Black, Aiden Blair; Fourth row, Noah McCullough, Nick Beerman, Gabe Moore, Declan Fallon, Xavier Schnetzler, Jacob Kendall, Charlie Hodes, Nick Pizzichino; Fifth row, Michael LaSala, Jackson Price, Coach Chris Doyle, Coach Jeff Crowe, Coach Shaden Siegfried, Xavier Clemons, Caden Flores, Joe Teasdale

Front row, from left; Charles Mohn,

Varsity Football Series Record

Varsity Football Season by Season

SOCCER

New Players Fill Big Roles for Championship, Quest Begins for History

Jogging off the field following the Soccer Hawklets’ first loss since September 2021, the players were in a bit of shock. They had been leading Lee’s Summit West 1-0 with 15 minutes left in the match, and ended up losing 3-1.

But it was only the second game of the 2022 season, and the mostly-new lineup was still gelling. The program had won the State Title the previous year, led by a group of 16 seniors, and among them were eight starters.

The returning starters, however, had already bonded as a potent offensive threat. Forwards Teddy Franke ’24 and Uchan Kohring ’26 along with midfielder Baka Kante ’24 had combined for 27 goals and 17 assists during that 2021 State Championship season. The entire defensive unit, however, would include all new faces.

A senior group had moved its way through the Rockhurst ranks and was ready to undertake vital roles. Dylan Grojean ’23,

Andrew Maldonado ’23, and Matthew Coxe ’23 formed the new backline, and were aided by defensive midfielders Connor Gaarder ’23 and Grant Anielak ’23. All were flanked by another newcomer in freshman goalkeeper Luke Strueby ’26. With each practice rep, the familiarity and comfort with each other grew. And it had to - fast.

Coming off the loss to Lee’s Summit West, Rockhurst had three days to prepare for St. Thomas Aquinas, the #4 ranked team in the country. In what many expected to be a lopsided match, the Hawklets took a 2-1 lead on a 2nd half goal by Aidan Poynter ’26. The Saints answered, and after two overtime periods, it ended in a draw.

“Those two games ended up coming at the perfect time in the season,” said Head Coach Matt Darby ’00. “The Lee’s Summit West game let us know that we still had a lot to work and improve upon, but the game against Aquinas also let us know that we’re a really good team and have the ability to play with anyone.”

The confidence from that draw propelled the Hawklets forward. The team went 5-0 over the next two weeks, outsourcing opponents 22-4. By this point in the season, it was apparent

that there was another offensive weapon in the lineup. Freshman sensation Asende Welongo ’26 had already tallied seven goals and three assists through the first eight games of his career, and there would be plenty more to come.

Next was the annual Jesuit Classic, which Rockhurst hosted for the first time since 2018. Starting with Marquette (WI), always among the top teams in the nation, The Rock overcame a halftime deficit to pull out a 2-1 victory - its first over the Hilltoppers in the last six meetings. Another Jesuit win followed, 4-1 over Regis (CO).

The second and final tie of the season came against Blue Valley before Rockhurst rallied off four more wins over local opponents. In a home matchup versus Pembroke Hill, Welongo continued his scoring frenzy with a hat trick in a 5-2 win.

Rockhurst loaded its 12-1-2 record on a bus and headed east for the Jeff City Classic. Coach Darby’s squad was ranked #5 Missouri and faced #2 Chaminade. Falling 2-1, it would be the last time the Hawklets left the field in defeat.

After picking up a win over Jeff City and coming back home, Franke was the star in a 5-1 handling of St. James Academy as the junior forward recorded his own hat trick, bringing his regular season total to 16 goals and three assists.

The Hawklets cruised to a District Championship. Then, despite beating Kickapoo 6-1 earlier in the season, the State Quarterfinal matchup was much different. The game’s lone goal was a 2nd half score from Welongo assisted by Anielak. That sent

The Rock back to St. Louis for its state-record 27th Final Four appearance.

Then it was Kante’s time to shine. The do-everything midfielder directed the offense as Rockhurst moved past Columbia Rock Bridge 3-2, thanks in part to Kante’s PK goal. In the State Championship, Kante drew another penalty in the box with eight minutes remaining and buried another PK for the game-, and State Title-, winner. He would go on to be named Missouri Player of the Year and an All-American.

Now, with 97% of the 2022 goalscoring back on the roster, the sights are set on the program’s first ever three-peat. The Hawklets will look to back up their preseason #7 national ranking.

The job’s not done when you win the State Championship - you have to defend it,” said Kante. “We’ve done it once, which means we know what it takes to do it twice. Of course it won’t be easy, but that’s the fun in winninggetting it done in tough circumstances.”

“The job’s not done when you win the State Championship - you have to defend it”

Baka Kante ’24

Soccer 2023 Season Head Coach

Matt Darby

Entering his 20th year at Rockhurst, Matt Darby ’00 is also in his fifth season as head coach of the soccer team. Coach Darby led the 2021 and 2022 State Championship Team and was named both the Missouri and Central Region Boys Private School Coach of the Year. As a player, he was a three-year starter and an All-Time Team member for the Hawklet soccer program, and was a part of the back-to-back State Championship teams in 1998 and 1999. He was named the Missouri Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. Coach Darby went on to continue his academic and athletic careers at Marquette University where he was a team captain in 2003 and led the team in assists his junior and senior seasons. Since returning to Rockhurst in 2004, Coach Darby has worn several hats including JV soccer coach, English teacher, Assistant Athletic Director, Assistant Principal/Dean of Students, and now Head Soccer Coach. He and his wife Carolyn were the varsity soccer coaches at Notre Dame de Sion for 15 years where they won three State Titles, three 2nd Place finishes, and two 3rd Place finishes. They have three sons: Finn, Cole, and Ryan.

Soccer 2023 Season

Assistant Coaches

Dan Shaver

Starting his ninth year, Coach Shaver serves as the head coach of RHS’s JV soccer team and remains a member of the Math Department. He is a product of Jesuit education including both St. Louis U. High and Rockhurst University. After graduating from Rockhurst University with degrees in Math, Secondary Education, and Philosophy, Coach Shaver taught math and served as the varsity head soccer coach at Bishop Ward High School in KCK. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Claire, and son, James. Coach Shaver is also moderator of the Yell Leaders and serves as an assistant varsity soccer coach at St. Teresa’s Academy.

Jeremy McElduff

Coach McElduff, or “Técnico”, has 30 years of coaching experience. He spent 17 years coaching at St. Teresa’s Academy where they won five State Championships, two 2nd Place finishes, and one 3rd Place finish. After a two-year break, he returned to The Rock as a coach in 2019. He has been a Spanish teacher at RHS since 2000. A Columbia Hickman High Kewpie, he stayed in Columbia to earn his Bachelor’s in Classics and Master’s in Spanish. A two-year soccer letterman at Hickman, Técnico was the team leader in yellow cards. Among his hobbies are playing soccer, listening to 80s and 90s college music, reading, and spending time with his family. Técnico is married to Becky and they have two children: a daughter, Audrey Kay, and a son, Lemuel.

Jon Feder

Coach Feder is in his sixth year on the faculty at Rockhurst and his fifth season as the goalkeepers coach, after spending 2018 with the freshman soccer team. He played in the soccer program from 2006-09 before graduating from The Rock in 2010. During a year of volunteer teaching with the Alum Service Corps at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, he served as the interim head coach of the boys’ soccer team and assistant coach of the girls’ team. Coach Feder teaches Theology here at The Rock.

Dan Calderon

Coach Calderon ’99 came back to The Rock in 2019 after spending 10 years as a practicing attorney. As a faculty and staff member, he teaches English and Film classes, and heads the sophomore soccer team. He grew up in Kansas City and was part of the fabled 1998 Rock soccer team that logged an unprecedented undefeated season on its way to Rockhurst’s first State Championship in the sport. He was named to the Rockhurst Soccer AllTime Team. He then went on to Marquette University and the University of Kansas School of Law. Coach Calderon and his wife, Katie, have two children: Charlie and Isabel.

Scott Huber

Coach Huber and his wife, Lori, reside in Leawood. They have two sons, Kyle ’10 and Brett ’12. He was born and raised in St. Louis and graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in STL. Coach Huber played collegiate soccer at Avila University from 1980-84. He then became an assistant coach for the Avila men’s team until 1990. After a few years off, he then served as an assistant coach at St. Teresa’s Academy from 2016-21 and also started coaching at Rockhurst, and is currently in his eighth season with the Rock freshman team.

Matthew Martel

Coach Martel ’15 graduated from William Jewell College, where he studied Mathematics and Physics. He was part of the Rockhurst HS varsity team for three years, going to the Final Four each season and being part of the 2013 State Championship team. He is a member of the Rockhurst Soccer All-Time Team. At Jewell, an NCAA Division II school, he was a member of the men’s soccer team all four years. Of his family of five, his older brothers (Phillip ’08 and Andrew ’11) also graduated from The Rock. He has been part of the coaching staff since 2019 and works with Coach Huber on the freshman team.

Varsity Soccer 2023 Schedule

Soccer 2022 Season Results

Record: 21-2-2

Guadalupe Centers

Won 8-0

Lee’s Summit West

Lost 3-1

@ St. Thomas Aquinas

Tied 1-1

Blue Springs South Tourney vs. Lee’s Summit

Won 2-0

Blue Springs South Tourney vs. Blue Springs South

Won 1-0

@ Lee’s Summit North

Won 8-2

Kickapoo

Won 6-1

Lincoln College

Preparatory Academy

Won 5-1

Jesuit Classic vs. Marquette (WI)

Won 2-1

Jesuit Classic vs. Regis (CO)

Won 4-1

@ Blue Valley

Tied 1-1

Pembroke Hill

Won 5-2

Blue Valley Northwest Won 5-2

@ Blue Springs

Won 1-0

Blue Valley North Won 4-1

Jeff City Classic vs. Chaminade

Lost 2-1

Jeff City Classic vs. Jeff City

Won 2-0

St. James Academy

Won 5-1

Carthage Won 2-1

Districts vs. Raytown

Won 8-0

Districts vs. Ray-Pec

Won 4-1

Districts vs. Lee’s Summit

Won 3-1

State Quarterfinals vs. Kickapoo

Won 1-0

State Semifinals vs. Rock Bridge

Won 3-2

State Championship vs. CBC

Won 1-0

Coaching Records

Soccer 2022 Season Team Awards

All-District

Grant Anielak ’23

Dylan Grojean ’23

Teddy Franke ’24

Baka Kante ’24

Uchan Kohring ’25

Asende Welongo ’26

All-Region (Districts 5 & 6)

Teddy Franke ’24

Baka Kante ’24

Uchan Kohring ’25

Asende Welongo ’26

Region 3 Player of the Year

Baka Kante ’24

Region 3 Private School Coach of the Year

Matt Darby

All-Metro

Baka Kante ’24 (1st Team)

Uchan Kohring ’25 (2nd Team)

Asende Welongo ’26 (2nd Team)

Teddy Franke ’24 (Hon. Men.)

All-State

Teddy Franke ’24 (1st Team)

Baka Kante (1st Team)

Uchan Kohring (2nd Team)

Asende Welongo (2nd Team)

Class 4 Player of the Year

Baka Kante ’24

Class 4 Private School Coach

Matt

United

United

Coaches

Each year the soccer team awards athletes for their performances on the field, as a teammate, and in the classroom.

Leadership Award

Golden Boot Award

The Golden Boot Award is given to the best offensive player.

Bryan R. Bolden Award

The Bryan R. Bolden Award goes to the top role player.

The Solid As A Rock Award

The Solid As A Rock Award goes to the top defensive-minded player.

Soccer 2022 Season Stats

All-Time Team

VARSITY SOCCER

Front row, from left: Ryan Fanning, Liam Dean, Luke Strueby, Carter Middleton, Rocco Steffens, Aidan Poynter, Asende Welongo

Second row: Tom Deppe, Brooks Barrett, Wyatt Hawkinson, Tanner Hollenbeck, Baka Kante, Henry Mullen, Uchan Kohring, Henry Yagmin

Third row: Will Hunter, Cal Shieffer, Charlie Finn Barrett, Teddy Franke, Frank Robinson, Liam Ver Meer, Max Hafner

Fourth row: Nolan Lembke, Paul McGannon, Coach Jeremy McElduff, Coach Matt Darby, Coach Jon Feder, Austin Brinkman, Sammy Mpinga

RETURNING LETTERMEN

Front row, from left: Brooks Barrett, Liam Dean, Luke Strueby, Carter Middleton, Rocco Steffens, Aidan Poynter, Asende Welongo

Second row: Will Hunter, Wyatt Hawkinson, Tanner Hollenbeck, Baka Kante, Henry Mullen, Uchan Kohring

Third row: Cal Schieffer, Teddy Franke, Sammy Mpinga, Max Hafner, Liam Ver Meer

SOCCER FORWARDS

SOCCER MIDFIELDERS

Front row, from left: Asende Welongo, Liam Ver Meer, Aidan Poynter

Second row: Uchan Kohring, Teddy Franke, Max Hafner

Front row, from left: Baka Kante, Liam Dean, Henry Yagmin, Wyatt Hawkinson

Second row: Cal Schieffer, Max Hafner, Frank Robinson

SOCCER DEFENDERS

SOCCER GOALIES

SOCCER MANAGERS

From left: Sammy Mpinga, Austin Brinkman, Nolan Lembke

Front row, from left: Tanner Hollenbeck, Ryan Fanning, Tom Deppe, Wyatt Hawkinson, Henry Mullen Second row: Brooks Barrett, Teddy Franke, Will Hunter, Charlie Finn Barrett

From left: Luke Strueby, Carter Middleton, Rocco Steffens

VARSITY CAPTAINS

JV SOCCER

From left: Brooks Barrett, Teddy Franke, Baka Kante, Henry Mullen

Front row, from left: Hudson Malfer, Tommy Bowen, Rex Olivas, Quinn Condon, Brady Batz, Connor Dierks, Benny Ferrera, Ari Hertenstein

Second row: Peyton Hodes, Collin Leary, Henry Tsevis, Connor Williams, Ethan Guenther, Zander Nicotra, William Grams

Third row: Coach Dan Shaver, Charlie Heineman, Mohamed Abdalla, Michael Gary, Cian Hardy, Blake Helvey, Elmer Puga

C TEAM

FRESHMAN TEAM

Front row, from left: Nino Steffens, Brendan Ortbals, Cruz Garcia, Reece Kass, Owen Thomas, Ian Kabianga, Talyn Gates, Cooper Clifft

Second row: Coach Dan Calderon, Keenan Rourke, Luke Wachtel, Sam Hafner, Angel Ramirez, Bahar Ahmed, Hayden Fielder Third row: Aidan Comeau, Jack Meyer, Jack Hoban, Ben Walker, Cal Murphy, Bilal Mirza

Front row, from left: Sudipto Bhowmik, Jude Bailey, Parker Gomez, Angel Robles, Miles Boomer, David Ramirez, Mickey McGraw, Grant DeWees, Vinny Gronberg

Second row: Coach Matthew Martel, Jackson Staszak, Tyson Dameron, Hayes Konicek, Brandon Lonesk, Judah Bassin, Kevin Steed, Coach Scott Huber

Third row: Carter Dawson, Quinn Mallon, Doni Morales, Alex Wenzel, Tristan Batobalani, Connor Francis, John Paul McPherson

SWIM & DIVE

Swim & Dive

AquaHawks Set State Record, Now Aim for Fourth Straight Title

Within a dominant program that owns just about every Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) record, the 2022 Rockhurst Swim & Dive team still managed to distinguish itself from other unbeatable AquaHawk groups.

Rockhurst entered the 2022 season with a Missouri-leading 13 State Titles - all since 2005. Coming off the heels of back-toback championships in 2020 and 2021, the AquaHawks knew they had the potential to be special. The team returned an impressive core of swimmers and divers, including nine who earned individual All-State honors in 2021.

The group would be led by two returning members from the 2021 All-American 200 Freestyle Relay Team in Caden Francois ’23 and John Tietjen ’23. That relay team, however, finished as runner-up in the event at State. In fact, Rockhurst didn’t win a single event at State in 2021, but rather earned a team title by the sum of its parts via All-State (top-16) performances from 13 different athletes.

A return to having multiple events win State became a motivator for the 2022 version of the AquaHawks.

But the team would need to work its way up to having that opportunity. And Head Coach Paul Winkeler utilized every workout and practice to make sure the AquaHawks would capitalize when the time would come.

The season opened with an emphatic win at the SouthRock Invitational, scoring 577 points - improving on the previous year’s margin. The Hawklets lost their dual to Park Hill South, but it was in an ”off events” competition, in which no one swims in their prime events.

Without panic, the AquaHawks returned to their winning ways in Springfield with invitational victories in meets hosted by Glendale and Ozark.

Back in Kansas City, the team placed 2nd out of 22 teams in the Northland Invitational, but the focus of the meet for Rockhurst was on diving. And those AquaHawks showed out, as they took the top-four spots in that event. Owen Stuckey ’23 led the divers as he did all season, followed by Tony Orrick ’23, Joseph Douglas ’25, and Henry Kemp ’23. That performance would forecast things to come from the group.

The rest of the regular season can be best described as dominant. The AquaHawks went 3-0 in duals and recorded meet wins in the COMO Invitational, Grand Prix, Glendale Invitational, and Springfield Invitational. In the District Diving Meet, the lineup of Stuckey,

Douglas, Orrick, and Kemp, respectively, grabbed the first four spot again.

Set in their winning ways, Rockhurst was confident heading back to St. Peters, MO for the two-day State Meet.

Again, the divers set the tone. With three Hawklets placing in the top-nine, Rockhurst earned 45 points from Stuckey (State Champion), Douglas (3rd Place), and Orrick (9th Place). Then it was time for the swimmers to show their stuff.

With each of the three relays counting as double points, the AquaHawks have always put an emphasis on those events. In 2021, each came in 2nd Place at State - that was not the case in 2022. Behind All-American times in each, Rockhurst won all three at State, including a new State record in the 400 Freestyle Relay.

On the individual side, Francois solidified himself as one the best - if not the bestswimmers in program history. Along with his two relay wins, he was State Champion on the 100 Backstroke and 2nd in the 100 Freestyle. For his historic career, Francois was a two-time individual State Champ with a total of eight topfive finishes, and holds two school records (100 Back and 200 Free). As a relay team member, he was a four-time State Champ with a total of eight top-four finishes, and two school records (200 Medley and 400 Free).

Alongside him was fellow senior captain John Tietjen ’23, who was also on two winning relays in 2022 and scored 34 points individually in the 500 Free (2nd Place) and 200 Free (3rd Place).

“Caden and John were the driving force behind three State Championship Teams, both in and out of the pool,” said Coach Winkeler. “They set the tone for the team in practice and in meets, pacing both. Their dedication to academics and training program became the benchmark for the team.”

Also scoring points in multiple events, George Rebman ’23 was 3rd in the 50 Free and 4th in the 100 Free, while Evan Crim ’24 placed 3rd in the 100 Back and 5th in the 100 Butterfly. Carson Smith ’23 added a 5th Place finish in the 200 Free and 6th Place in the 100 Butterfly.

The leadership from the Class of 2023 helped guide Rockhurst to 422 points in the State Meet, a new Missouri record.

As for returners on the 2023 AquaHawks, along with Crim and Douglas, Blake Francois ’24 and Andy Baklanov ’25 brought home 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the 200 IM. And Josh Battison ’26 placed 11th in the 500 Free as a freshman.

With much production to replace, the Hawklets will have their work cut out for them.

“For the AquaHawks to win a fourth consecutive State title, we must be dedicated. Every member of the team must be focused and committed to the goal of the team,” said Baklanov. “With Coach Winkeler leading us, we will get reminders every day that to win we must put in the work daily. In this sport, you must be consistent; one day off of training equates to two days of improvement taken away.”

“For the AquaHawks to win a fourth consecutive State title, we must be dedicated. ”

Andy Baklanov ’25

Varsity Swim & Dive 2023 Schedule

Swim & Dive 2023 Season Head Coach

Paul Winkeler

A 15-time Coach of the Year, Coach Winkeler is in his sixth season during his second stint with the program that he also led from 1999-2014. During that span the program developed into the winningest program in Missouri boys’ swimming history. A graduate of De Smet Jesuit in St. Louis, Coach Winkeler earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry from Rockhurst University and a Master’s from Webster University. At Rockhurst High, he teaches Chemistry, Geology, and AP Environmental Science and is the Chair of the Science Department. In addition to his classroom work, Coach Wink is a Kairos Director, Hockey Team Moderator, Baseball Coach, and Moderator of the Conservation Club and Zoo. During his time coaching swimming at Rockhurst, Coach Wink has been a finalist for National Coach of the Year three times and has coached numerous individual State Champions and AllAmericans. In 2017 he was inducted into the Rockhurst Hall of Fame. He has also earned the highest level of certification through the American Swim Coaches Association, Level 5. Coach Wink is married to Margaret and they have three children: Mary Ellen, Amelia, and John.

Swim & Dive 2022 Season Results

SouthRock Invitational

1st out of 11 teams with 577 points

Park Hill South Dual Lost 99-87

Glendale Invitational

1st out of 7 teams with 431 points

Ozark Invitational

1st out 16 teams with 555 points

Northland Invitational

2nd of 22 teams with 298 points

Belton Quad

1st out of 4 teams with 830 points

COMO Invitational

1st out of 28 teams with 288.5 points

Blue Springs South Dual Won 226-85

Lee’s Summit West Dual Won 208-99

Grand Prix

No team scores

Glendale Invitational

1st out of 10 teams with 381 points

Springfield Invitational

1st out of 24 teams with 582 points

State Championship

1st out of 26 teams with 422 points

Swim & Dive 2023 Season Assistant Coaches

Andy Wilcox

A former standout swimmer himself, Coach Wilcox returned to the AquaHawk program in 2019 for his second stint after a few years off. He was a four-year letterman and school record setter in the 100-yard breaststroke at Wichita Northwest High School. After attending Pittsburg State University and Lesley University, he was head coach at Truman, Lee’s Summit, and St. Teresa’s Academy for more than 18 years, and won the MSHSAA Girls Swim Coach of the Year in 1998. Coach Wilcox resumed his role as the coach at St. Teresa’s beginning in the 2021-22 season. Here at The Rock, is the Chair of the Computer Science & Engineering Department, and is the Robotics Coach. He has two children: Vasile ’18 and Yalei.

Steve Robbins

Coach Robbins is the AquaHawks’ dive coach. He previously coached at several other private schools (Notre Dame de Sion, Pembroke Hill, Bishop Miege, and St. Teresa’s Academy), and joined Rockhurst’s staff in 2014. He holds degrees from Princeton in Psychology and English. While at Princeton he was named to the All-Ivy League and NCAA All-American Teams. In high school, Coach Robbins was a two-time Nebraska State Champion and two-time All-American.

Delaney O’Rourke

Coach O’Rourke is in his 11th year of coaching and has helped with the AquaHawks since 2019. Coach O’Rourke is also the Head Hockey Coach at Rockhurst High. An alumni of the RHS Class of 2008, Coach O’Rourke then went to Saint Louis University where he majored in Entrepreneurship and Psychology while he played for their hockey team. There he met his wife, a swimmer at SLU, Kirsten. After college, he worked in Facilities Management for the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, home of the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs. While working, he obtained his Master’s in Counseling from University of Missouri - Kansas City. He is currently in his 6th year as a counselor at Bishop Ward High School in KCK.

Matthew Margritier

Coach Margritier ’11 is in his fifth year coaching at his alma mater. While an AquaHawk himself from 2007-2010, he was a 16-time medalist at the Missouri State Swimming & Diving Championships, and captain of the AquaHawks his senior season. During his time at The Rock, he set four school and state records, was twice chosen as the KC Metro Swimmer of the Year by the Kansas City Star, and was selected as the Missouri Male High School Athlete of the Year in 2011 by the Kansas City Sports Commission. Coach Margritier went on to become a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at the University of Missouri. Following college, he returned to Kansas City as a CPA with Deloitte and is now the Controller at Teague Lumber, a Mead Lumber Company.

Nick Vignatelli

Coach Vignatelli ’06 joins the Rockhurst Swim & Dive coaching staff for the 2023 season. A familiar face, he was a four-year AquaHawk letterman who helped The Rock win its first-ever State Championship in 2005, and then again in 2006. A strong sprinter, Coach Vignatelli was an 8-time All-State swimmer and two-time relay State Champion, along with two individual 2nd Place finishes in the 50 Free. He was also a 5-time All-American. He studied at KU, earning his BS in Finance and then his MBA, and now works at Lockton Companies. Coach Vigantelli is married to Blair and they have two children, Jack and Hadley.

Swim & Dive 2022 Season Team Awards

The Rockhurst Swim & Dive program recognizes many different levels in its team awards. Self-evident in the purpose are the following: Rookie of the Year, Diver of the Year, MVP, Team Spirit, Leadership, Most Improved, and JV Swimmer of the Year. The Aquahawk Award of Excellence is the only award solely voted on by the swimmers/divers and recognizes the person who best represents the program. The Ironman Award is given to someone who had to really push himself to achieve something special.

All-State Individuals

Brian Bessenbacher ‘23

Caden Francois ‘23

Tony Orrick ‘23

George Rebman ‘23

Tate Slaymaker ‘23

Carson Smith ‘23

Owen Stuckey ‘23

John Switzer ‘23

John Tietjen ‘23

Evan Crim ‘24

Blake Francois ‘24

Andy Baklanov ‘25

Joseph Douglas ‘25

Josh Battison ‘26

All-State Relay Members

Caden Francois ’23

George Rebman ’23

Carson Smith ’23

John Switzer ’23

John Tietjen ’23

Evan Crim ’24

Blake Francois ’24

All-American Individuals

Caden Francois ’23

Owen Stuckey ’23

John Tietjen ’23

All-American Relay Members

Caden Francois ’23

George Rebman ’23

Carson Smith ’23

John Switzer ’23

John Tietjen ’23

Evan Crim ’24

Blake Francois ’24

Rookie of the Year

Team Spirit

Aquahawk Award of Excellence

Most Improved

Top Diver

Swim & Dive 2022 Season Stats

Relays

*!%#200 Medley Relay - 1:33.61

Caden Francois John Switzer

Evan Crim John Tietjen (State Champions)

*!#200 Freestyle Relay - 1:25.21

Blake Francois John Switzer

Carson Smith George Rebman (State Champions)

*!%#400 Freestyle Relay - 3:04.03

Blake Francois Carson Smith

John Tietjen Caden Francois (State Champions)

Individual Events

50 Freestyle

*George Rebman (3rd at State) - 21.30

Jude Sojka - 22.74

100 Backstroke

*!%#Caden Francois (State Champion) - 48.37

*Evan Crim (3rd at State) - 51.16

100 Breaststroke

*John Switzer (7th at State) - 59.00

*Tate Slaymaker (15th at State) - 1:01.33

100 Butterfly

*Evan Crim (5th at State) - 51.03

*Carson Smith (6th at State) - 51.12

100 Freestyle

*Caden Francois (2nd at State) - 45.04

*George Rebman (4th at State) - 46.71

200 Freestyle

*John Tietjen (3rd at State) - 1:40.34

*Carson Smith (5th at State) - 1:42.04

200 IM

*Blake Francois (2nd at State) - 1:55.73

*Andy Baklanov (3rd at State) - 1:55.79

500 Freestyle

*#John Tietjen (2nd at State) - 4:30.07

*Josh Battison (11th at State) - 4:51.45

Diving

*!#Owen Stuckey (State Champion) - 412.10

*Joseph Douglas (3rd at State) - 384.35

All-Time Team

This list will grow quickly as the swim team’s top performers during this State Championship streak become eligible for the All-Time team (must be five years from graduation). The team has a young history, and this list represents pioneers who helped establish the sport to the point where it is feared across the KC Metro area and the state of Missouri.

Submission for membership to the squad can be submitted to the Athletic Director or head coach, with credentials as to why their high school swim & dive career warrants consideration.

*All-State

!State Champion

%School Record

#All-American Blue indicates returnee

Gavin Delzer, Charlie Huber, Henry Huber, Taumr Sutton, Josh Battison, Alex Wolf; fourth row, Blake Francois, Gus Moseley, CJ Anderson, Aaden Lutman, Peter Claxton, Thomas Misemer, Grant Goforth, William Rebman, Nick Metzner, Andy Baklanov; fifth

DIVERS

Front row, from left: Charlie Penner, Logan Frank, JJ Frank, Charlie Klumpp, Rory Lewellen, Declan Griggs, Robby Evangelidis, Leo Claxton, John Salido, Ian Kennedy; second row, Joseph Douglas, Sam Robinson, Elliot Thomas, Will Townsend, Ben Holewinski, Cooper Riddle, Matthew Warren, Jack Huber, Jonathan Nash, Luke Creger; third row, Beau Harmon, Evan Crim, Noah Plunkett, Zach Brown, John Holewinski,

row, Soren Ursick, Kemper Roberts, Coach Steve Robbins, Coach Matthew Margritier, Coach Andy Wilcox, Coach Paul Winkeler, Coach Delaney O’Rourke, Micah Moncrieffe, Jude Sojka

Front row, from left: Declan Griggs, Charlie Klumpp, Luke Creger, Donnie Evangelidis, Charlie Penner Second row: Joseph Douglas, Sam Robinson, Zachary Brown, Thomas Misemer, CJ Anderson

Second

Third

FRESHMAN SWIMMING

Front row, from left; John Holewinski, Joseph Douglas, Ian Kennedy, JJ Frank, Jack Huber, Robby Evangelidis, Charlie Penner, Alex Wolf, Noah Plunkett

row: Matthew Warren, Josh Battison, Taumr Sutton, Henry Huber, Charlie Huber, Cooper Riddle, Evan Crim, William Rebman

row: Andy Baklanov, Thomas Misemer, Grant Goforth, Blake Francois, Gus Moseley, Jude Sojka, Soren Ursick

Front row, from left: Declan Griggs, Charlie Klumpp, Luke Creger, Leo Claxton, Donnie Evangelidis

Second row: Sam Robinson, Will Townsend, Elliot Thomas, Aaden Lutman, Kemper Roberts

SWIMMING MANAGERS

From left: Charlie Penner, Blake Francois, Evan Crim, Jude Sojka

From left: Jonathan Nash, Jack Huber, Robby Evangelidis, CJ Anderson

BASKETBALL

Basketball

Team Overcomes Obstacles to Sweet 16, Hopes for Healthy Season

Adversity. It’s a word that coaches and players like to throw around for every team in every sport, but it truly did characterize the 2022-23 Basketball Hawklets.

And it began before the season even started. Stemming from injuries sustained during the fall in football, three potential starters would not be available for the foreseeable future. That included 1st Team All-District forward Andrew Sprague ’24, who had averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Guard Ethan Hansen ’24 and forward Mitch Forbes ’24 were also expected to play big roles, but only Forbes would have the opportunity out of the three multi-sport athletes to play during the season, and he was limited to just three games.

With those injuries, Rockhurst returned only two players who had played consistent varsity minutes the year before in Brian Humphrey ’23 and Hayden Spachman ’23. Humphrey was an All-District Honorable Mention guard as a junior (9.8 PPG) while Spachman averaged 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds over 25 games.

They were tasked with helping develop a completely new team.

And that takes time and growing pains. The Hawklets opened the season with a 2-6 record, while going 0-3 in the Blue Springs South Tournament. But it was the defensive intensity and collective buy-in that kept them in every game. While the win/loss record wasn’t great, seven of those games were played within an average of five points, and two went to overtime. Rockhurst needed to continue to show patience and let the team - especially the offense - bond together.

That adversity again came to light in a December 13 matchup at Blue Springs. The two teams had played just three days prior in the Blue Springs South Tournament, with the Wildcats winning in overtime. In the rematch, Braden Lamley ’24 fought for an offensive rebound with time expiring in regulation and put up a midrange fadeaway before the buzzer sounded. Rockhurst celebrated as the shot went through, giving the Hawklets a two-point victory. But the refs ruled that he did not get it off in time, and sent the game to overtime. Head Coach Billy Thomas quickly moved his team through frustration and regrouped for an additional five minute period, and proved the correct result with a three-point win.

Rockhurst then went 2-1 in the William Jewell Holiday Classic and brought home a 5th Place finish in the Nelson Division, which led the team into the 2023 half of the season. Finding a groove, the offense was running through Spachman who was leading the Hawklets with 10.5 points on 55% shooting to go along with 5.5 rebounds. While an ankle injury sidelined Humphrey for 11 games, junior guards Lamley and Brady Maher ’24 showcased their abilities and were combining for 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per contest.

For the back-half of the regular season, the Hawklets would see-saw in the win/loss column, going 5-6 to finish at 9-13 going into playoffs. But those games provided plenty of positive performances and results on which to build. Spachman was a force slashing to the rim and finishing through contact. In a two-week span with six games, Spachman carried The Rock averaging 15 points and 6 boards, including a career-high 23 points against St. Thomas Aquinas and 22 points against Lafayette (Wildwood).

A highlight of the season came in back-to-back home wins over Shawnee Mission East and St. James Academy in late-January. Lamley led the Hawklets to defeat the Lancers behind 15 points on 4/7 from deep, while Maher and fellow junior guard Cooper Scott ’24 added 9 points each. Spachman was back in charge against SJA, accounting for 16 and 8. Freshman guard Cohen Robinson ’26 scored a career-high 13 points, Maher put in 11, and big man Thomas Coppinger ’24 forced his way to 10 points and 5 rebounds.

The regular season culminated in wins over Lincoln Prep and Center, but The Rock would enter the District Tournament as the #7 seed. That meant having to play the #2 seed in Raytown, which ended the Hawklets’ season the year before.

Spachman would not let his RHS career end that same way. He tallied his first double-double in a 21 point and 12 board effort, shooting 10/13 from the field. Maher and Humphrey added 13 and 12, respectively, in a 16-point Hawklet win.

The District Semifinal pitted Rockhurst against Lee’s Summit in a game that defined Coach Thomas’ squad. Down by eight with 90 seconds left, the Hawklets could’ve called it a season. But stifling defense followed and a Humphrey layup and three-pointer, and a Lamley three-

pointer tied it up. With another defensive stop and rebound, Humphrey got a fast break and, by most accounts, drew a blocking foul in the lane on a layup attempt - but no foul was called. Rockhurst again had to settle for overtime; and again, the team mentality prevailed.

“Our semifinal game really summed up what we were about and how we prepared every day,” said Coach Thomas. “We worked to become resilient and always compete, no matter the circumstance. It was so fitting that the crucial plays were made by Brian, a senior who had faced adversity all season with injuries and setbacks. We are a ‘no excuse’ team that got thrown injuries and bad calls, but our mission was to never let those instances control what we were capable of accomplishing. The outcome of that game was the reward for our preparation all season.”

That gutsy win earned the #7 seed a spot in the District Championship, or the State Sweet 16. But an impressive 26-win Lee’s Summit West team would end The Rock’s season. Not surprisingly, Spachman was selected as 1st Team All-District and Lamley was named Honorable Mention.

Rockhurst hopes to be on the other side of injury luck in 2023-24, but to also partner it with the same aggressive mindset it displayed all last season.

Basketball 2022-23 Season Results

Record: 11-14

@ Ruskin

Won 57-55

Liberty North Lost 38-31

Blue Springs Tourney:

Blue Springs South Lost 34-33

Blue Springs Tourney:

Fort Smith Northside (AR) Lost 61-39

Blue Springs Tourney:

Blue Springs Lost 59-52 (OT)

@ Blue Springs Won 67-64 (OT)

@ Raytown Lost 63-52

Lee’s Summit West Lost 48-43

William Jewell

Tourney: Pembroke Hill Lost 63-44

William Jewell

Tourney: Kearney Won 55-47

William Jewell

Tourney: Van Horn Won 58-44

Lee’s Summit Lost 47-46

Lee’s Summit North Won 53-44

@ Pembroke Hill Lost 54-42

“We worked to become resilient and always

Basketball 2023-24 Season Head Coach

Billy Thomas

Coach Thomas is in his third season leading the Hawklets after joining Rockhurst in 2021-22 as the new head basketball coach, as well as a member of the athletic administration and faculty. Coach Thomas was a basketball star at Loyola College Prep in Shreveport, LA, averaging more than 24 points per game in his high school career. He then went on to play at the University of Kansas and became an All-Big 12 player who still ranks third in KU history for three-pointers made (269). Coach Thomas enjoyed an 11-year professional career in the NBA, D-League, CBA, IBL, and leagues overseas. He then served as head coach of The Barstow School from 2010-2021, earning a record of 203-80 and making four Final Four appearances; Barstow won the 2015 State Championship. In addition to his head coaching duties, Coach Thomas works as an Associate Athletic Director and Physical Education teacher. He is married to Raquel and they have two children: Zion and Leyland.

Coaching Records

Basketball 2023-24 Season Assistant Coaches

Matt Gore

Coach Gore enters his third second on the Rockhurst staff. He grew up in Edina, MO where he played basketball and ran track for Knox County High School before attending Missouri Valley College and playing basketball there. Coach Gore, like Coach Thomas, spent time with the basketball program at The Barstow School, in addition to coaching AAU basketball. He serves as the Head Varsity Assistant Coach here at The Rock. Coach Gore is married to Nikki and they have three children: Brooklyn, Connor, and Grayson.

John

Morris

Coach Morris ’74 has patrolled the sidelines, court, and track since he has been at Rockhurst. He is in charge of the offensive line and also serves as a basketball coach. Coach Mo has been a part of the football coaching staff since 1984, and was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. He also continues his work in the basketball program as an Assistant JV Coach. His education after RHS included a BA from St. Louis University and an MA from Loyola-New Orleans. A member of the Theology Department, he teaches Catholic Faith in Practice I & II. He and his wife Katy have three children: Kevin ’04, Clare, and Dan ’11.

Sean

Reilly

Coach Reilly was a 2022 addition to the Rock Basketball coaching staff, bringing 45 years of education and coaching to the sidelines. Although a native New Yorker, he has called Kansas City his home for most of his adult life. His coaching journey in the KC area started with St. Mary’s in Independence, followed by stops at Bishop Miege, Shawnee Mission North, Turner, St. Thomas Aquinas, Johnson County Community College, and Rockhurst University. Now retired from education, Coach Reilly stays active working at Jewish Vocational Services serving in its refugee resettlement program.

Jeff

Crowe

Coach Crowe ’86 enters his second year coaching Sophomore Basketball. He has been on the football coaching staff since 1999, and is a current sophomore coach. He is happily married with six kids: Jeff Jr. ’11, Mary, Joey ’14, Carolyn, William (Wally) ’18, and Rose. His interests outside of parenting include golf, tennis, waterskiing, wine, and food. His grandfather was the class president of Rockhurst’s third class. Coach Crowe is also on Rockhurst’s faculty as an Economics teacher.

Basketball 2023-24 Season

Assistant Coaches

Tom Kruse

Coach Kruse joined Rockhurst’s staff in 2020, and continues his role as Freshman A Basketball Coach. In the fall, he works as Offensive Coordinator of the Football Hawklets. He was inducted into the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2020. In his playing days, Coach Kruse was a quarterback at Northwest Missouri State. In the spring of 2020, he retired from public education, but remained in high school athletics here at The Rock, and now also serves as a super-sub for Rockhurst’s faculty. Coach Kruse and his wife have two children: Cole (wife, Darby) and Cassie.

Sean Adams

Coach Adams returns for his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Basketball Hawklets. His background includes being a four-year varsity letterman in basketball and cross country in high school and now 10 years of coaching elementary, middle school, and junior high AAU coaching. Coach Adams attended Florida A&M University where he earned his BS and MBA in Finance, and is now retired from his professional career. He enjoys traveling around the world and is currently working on a book about the history of enslavement of Africans by Europeans. Coach Adams is married to Kathy and they have two children, Sierra and Luke.

Basketball 2022-23

Season Team Awards

All-District

Hayden Spachman ’23 (1st Team)

Brayden Lamley ’24 (Hon. Men.)

Hold The Rope Award

This award recognizes a varsity basketball student-athlete who best demonstrates leadership on and off the court. The recipient is the type of player who always works hard, makes big plays, and elevates the play of others while performing at a high level himself.

Mason Thompson 2021

Miles White 2022

Thomas Coppinger 2023

Attitude & Effort Award

This award recognizes a varsity basketball student-athlete who best displays positive attitude and tremendous efforts throughout the season. The recipient is an “energygiver” and shows his passion for the game and his team by his actions in practice and in games. The recipient puts himself second and his teammates first.

Charles Winkelbauer 2021

Aiden Demark 2022

Eli Rourke 2023

Gus Sorenson 2023

Basketball 2022-23 Season Stats

Team Stats

Points Per Game: 50.8

Rebounds Per Game: 26.8

Assists Per Game: 12.1

Steals Per Game: 8.4

Blocks Per Game: 1.5

Field Goal Percentage: 39.2%

Individual Stats

*All-District Blue indicates returnee

Basketball All-Time Team

First created in 1992, the Rockhurst Basketball All-Time team was formed to help celebrate 75 years of organized basketball. The team is now reviewed yearly for potential inclusions.

Submission for membership to the squad can be submitted to the Athletic Director or head coach, with credentials as to why their high school basketball career warrants consideration.

George Korty 1918

Irving Damon 1923

Jim Hogan 1925

Jim Lamb 1926

Red Sullivan 1926

Dick Hale 1927

John Sheridan 1928

Jim Gleeson 1929

Al Nemecek 1930

Owen Murphy 1932

Les Spurck 1934

Jack Mulvihill 1938

Bill Hardy 1943

T. Michael Walsh 1944

Bob Williams 1948

Tom Lillis 1949

Helm Lillis 1950

John Williams 1950

Joe Teasdale 1953

Alex George 1955

Alex Himmelberg 1956

John Gorton 1959

Jim Selzer 1960

Pat Caldwell 1961

George Kopp 1962

Bob Bauers 1963

Ken Mayer 1965

John Hill 1967

John Kafka 1968

Kevin Wall 1970

Mark Stipetich 1971

Tom Bosilevac 1971

Mark Teahan 1978

Bill Pruett 1980

Anthony Augmon 1981

David Cone 1981

Steve Schmitz 1982

Joe Karl 1983

Harold Mitchem 1986

John Cooper

Matt Muehlebach

WRESTLING

Wrestling

Wrestlers Come Up Just Short of State Qualifications, Motivated for Another Shot

The 2022-23 Rockhurst Wrestling season included a mix of experience and inexperience to help continue building up the program.

Returning to the team with plenty of wrestling pedigree was Head Coach Rich Wikiera, who retired from his career as a Rockhurst teacher and coach in 2019 after a 38-year career. But he felt the calling back to the mat, and began his third stint back at the helm as head coach in 2022.

“Being a part of the Rockhurst community for more than half of my life, Rockhurst is just a part of me,” said Coach Wikiera. “With no arrogance, I felt the wrestling program needed me and I believe I have more to offer.”

He would be working with a mostly-new varsity roster consisting of sophomores and juniors. The top returners, who would also serve as leaders of the team, included Bobby

Clemons ’24, Sam Reyna ’25, and Robert Purcell ’24, who had the most wins (21) the previous year.

There was also the important return of Luke Tyrer ’24, who was second on the team in wins as a freshman, but missed his sophomore season due to an injury. Back on the mat as a junior for the Hawklets, he would lead the team in wins, pins, points, and reversals.

Another leadership addition came in the form of Andrew Shipman ’23, who joined the program for his senior season. His physical and mental toughness motivated his teammates each day as he won the team’s Workhorse Award, given to the wrestler who comes to practice and conditioning and works harder than anyone in the room and on the mat. He also displayed his talent during competitions, finishing with the third most points on the team and first in takedowns.

Working to develop the entire varsity lineup, team wins were difficult to come by when facing programs that were deeper in each weight class. But the Hawklets were competitive and fought for close results against Lee’s Summit West, Raytown, and Blue Springs South. At the 24-team Lee’s

Summit Invitational, Tyrer and Purcell both placed 5th in their divisions and proved they were among the top in the area.

Rockhurst earned a 30-30 draw in the match against St. Joe Central, which led into the team’s first win of the season a few days later. On Senior Night while hosting Bishop Miege, nine Hawklets picked up victories resulting in a 48-24 win for The Rock. Shipman, Tyrer, Anthony Totta ’25, Gage Nelson ’25, and Shane McEnany ’25 all won by fall, pinning their opponents.

“The best memory of the season was the dual match against Bishop Miege,” said Totta. “It was Senior Night and the stands were electric, so having our guys show out in front of a big crowd was awesome.”

To close out the regular season the Hawklets picked up another win, this time 36-30 over North Kansas City and headed into Districts on a strong note.

With hopes of qualifying a few athletes to the State Meet by placing in the top four in their weight class, Rock Wrestling came up just short. While the team finished 12th out of 16 teams at Districts, Tyrer, Purcell, and Clemons each came within one win of advancing to State, essentially placing 5th in their respective divisions. That will be used as motivation going forward.

Members of the 2023-24 squad know that programs are not built in the late-fall and winter. They are built year-round. So the Wrestling Hawklets have committed to more offseason conditioning and workouts. Eleven team members attended the University of Nebraska team camp in the summer to compete and learn from coaches in one

of the top collegiate programs in the country. They also upped their summer training intensity, including having Marines lead conditioning sessions.

Rock Wrestling is pushing itself to fulfill goals of winning more matches, placing higher at Districts, and sending multiple wrestlers to the State Meet.

Fifteen Hawklets won varsity matches last season, and only two will not be back due to graduation. The new upperclassmen know that success will need to start with them.

“I want our senior wrestling class’ legacy to be reinvigorating this program,” said Purcell. “This involves having a winning dual percentage, being more of a team both on and off the mat, and supporting each other in every way possible.”

“I want our senior wrestling class’ legacy to be reinvigorating this program.”

Robert Purcell ’24

Wrestling 2023-24 Season Head Coach

Rich Wikiera

Coach Wikiera returned to the Rockhurst Wrestling program in 2022 for his third stint as head coach for the Hawklets. He has also served as an assistant coach during various seasons, as recently as 2019. He holds a BS from Rockhurst College and an MA from UMKC. Coach Wikiera taught Science classes here at The Rock for 38 years, and retired from the classroom in 2019. Coach Wikiera and his wife, Denise, have four sons (Rich ’98, Drew ’02, Dan ’07, Matt ’14) and one daughter (Lara).

Wrestling 2023-24 Season Assistant Coaches

Zach Anderson-Boland

Coach Anderson-Boland ’05 has been a pivotal piece to the Rockhurst Wrestling coaching staff since 2015. He had an impressive high school career at The Rock, as he was a four-year letterman and placed 6th at State as a senior. During the day, he is a Registered Nurse with degrees from the University of Missouri-Rolla (Bachelor of Biological Science) and UMKC (Bachelor of Nursing). He was also sports editor for the school newspaper while in Rolla, as well as Vice President of the Beta-Chi chapter of Kappa Sigma. Coach Anderson-Boland and Juliane have a son, Benjamin, and they can’t wait to meet their baby girl due in September.

John Reyna

Coach Reyna brought his fitness background to the mat for the Hawklets starting in 2022. His passion for wrestling started as a youth wrestler in Iowa and extended through Ellsworth College. He went on to earn his BS degree from the University of Iowa. His past coaching experience comes in the form of parochial league cross country and track & field for the past 10 years. Coach Reyna works as a scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency. He and his wife, Susan, have two sons: Samuel ’25 and William.

Adrian Rinas

Coach Rinas ’98 is back for his second season in his second stint on the Rock Wrestling staff. He was a standout wrestler himself for the Hawklets, as he was a District Champion and State qualifier his senior year. He continued his career as a student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma and was a member of the Big 12 Championship wrestling team in 1999. Professionally, he has worked at the Kansas City Assembly Plant since 2002. He got into coaching at the youth level before rejoining The Rock in 2012-13 and then again in 2022. Coach Rinas’ younger brother, Alex ’10, was a Hawklet team captain and former coach; his son, Tyler ’20, was a State-qualifying Hawklet wrestler. Coach Rinas also has a daughter, Abbie.

Wrestling 2022-23 Season Results

Wrestling 2022-23 Season Stats

Individual Records

Lee’s Summit West Lost 42-24

Raytown Lost 40-36

Lee’s Summit North Inv. 12th of out 16 teams

Raymore-Peculiar Lost 69-6 Blue Springs South Lost 42-30

Summit Inv. 19th out of 24 teams

St. Pius X Lost 60-12

St. Joseph Central Tied 30-30

Fort Osage Lost 51-18

Winnetonka Inv. 20th out of 22 teams

Bishop Miege Won 48-24

Blue Springs South Inv.

11th out of 12 teams

Lee’s Summit North Lost 72-6

North Kansas City Won 36-30

Districts

12th out of 16 teams with 26 points

Record: 2-8-1 Blue indicates returnee

Wrestling 2022-23 Season Team Awards

Beach Tuckness Award

Given to the wrestler who best exemplifies characteristics of the first head coach, Mr. Beach Tuckness.

Workhorse Award

Recognizes a wrestler that day-in and day-out comes to practice and conditioning and works harder than anyone in the room and on the mat. This individual is always working to improve. A workhorse never gives up, never cuts corners, always does an extra rep and does so with a positive attitude.

BASEBALL

Baseball

Season Ends in State Quarterfinals, Goal to Keep Advancing

The 2023 baseball season started and ended with a tough task: nationally-ranked Liberty North. A team that has now won back-to-back State Championships, combining for a 67-16 record over those two seasons.

The season opener, part of the annual KC Leadoff Classic, was a blowout loss for the Hawklets against Liberty North. Unfazed, and with hopes of seeing the Eagles again in the playoffs, Rockhurst bounced back with a 9-3 win over Liberty, which was also a top team in the city all year.

Following lopsided wins over Guadalupe Centers, the Hawklets were 4-2 going into the first home game of the season. Hosting Staley, another strong program, Rockhurst rallied to a 7-6 victory led by a 4th inning grand slam from catcher Evan Damario ’25.

During any long season, most teams inevitably hit a rough patch. Struggling to find consistent offense, Rockhurst dropped eight of its next nine games. While the Hawklets only allowed an average of 4.0 runs per game, they managed to average just 2.2 of their own.

The Rock was ready to flip the script. Sparked by a 3-1 win over Blue Valley North and a 13-2 win over Pembroke Hill, the Baseball Hawklets were finding their footing. Marco Dumsky ’23, a two-time All-District pitcher, went 6.1 innings allowing just three hits and one run against BVN. The offensive explosion against Pembroke, which was called after five innings, included four RBIs from Pete Miroslaw ’24 and a home run from Lucas Redd ’24.

In late-April, Rockhurst enjoyed a historic two-game stretch led by its pitching staff. Facing Lawrence Free State, Dumsky threw 6.2 no-hit innings with six strikeouts before having to be pulled with one out remaining, due to KSHSAA pitching rules. James Dulle ’24 recorded the final out for a team no-hitter. Two days later against Olathe Northwest, the effort was matched. Redd tossed 6.0 innings with five strikeouts and Evan Hartner ’24 came in for the seventh to once again combine for a no-hitter. The Hawklets won those games 10-0 and 7-1, respectively.

Now in a groove on offense, defense, and pitching, The Rock won three more games and extended its winning streak to five straight. In a close matchup with St. Thomas Aquinas, Cooper Westra ’24 picked up one of his five wins of the season in a 3-2 victory. Westra, also an All-District selection, maintained a 2.75 ERA while leading the staff

with 45.2 innings pitched. Timely home runs by John Diamond ’23 and Beau Neuburger ’25 were the key offensive plays against the Saints.

A 7-1 win at Bishop Miege featured Dumsky showing why he was the team’s ace. Over five scoreless innings, the Dartmouth signee struck out 11 hitters. On the season, Dumsky earned a 6-3 record with a 1.75 ERA over 43.2 innings with 62 strikeouts versus just 18 walks.

On Senior Day, Rockhurst honored its nine seniors. The group then led the Hawklets to a huge 6-4 win over Blue Springs South, which entered the game as the top-ranked team in the state, owning a 24-3 record and were the 2022 State runner-up.

“With Districts coming up, I told the players we could end up anywhere from the three seed to the six seed, and in order for us to reach that three spot we would have to start playing our best baseball - and we did just that,” said Head Coach Jim DeGraw. “After upsetting the number one team in Missouri, we had won five straight coming down the home stretch.”

Regrouping after close losses to Blue Springs and Liberty North, the team closed out the regular season with back-to-back wins.

One of those came facing another 20-win team in Blue Springs. Diamond, an All-District shortstop, broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh with a solo shot that proved to be the game-winner. Heading into the playoffs with a 15-14 record, the Hawklets had earned the #3 seed.

Ray-Pec started their ace in the first round matchup, and The Rock countered with Dumsky. The senior answered the call with a complete game, striking out eight batters. Situational RBIs from Carter Graham ’23 and Tyler Coffin ’25 allowed the Hawklets to advance.

Rockhurst had perhaps its best game of the season in a 15-1 thrashing of #2 Lee’s Summit in the District Semifinals. Colton Wemhoff ’23, Rockhurst’s outstanding three-year starting center fielder, blasted a two-run homer and then had a game-changing diving catch in the fifth inning before the Hawklets compounded their lead. Wemhoff, who hit .402 on the season, was

named All-District for the third time and AllState for the second. Meanwhile, Westra was steady again on the mound in the win with 6.0 innings pitched, six strikeouts, and one run allowed.

The Hawklets beat #1 Lee’s Summit West 9-2 after Redd started the game with a bang, hitting a grand slam in the 1st inning. It was the program’s first District Championship since 2019, giving Rockhurst a spot in the State Quarterfinals.

The team had earned another shot at Liberty North. But as they showed all postseason, the Eagles were hard-pressed to give up a run, and Rockhurst lost 2-0. Proudly, the Hawklets had ended their season on a 10-3 stretch.

Several important pieces will return for 2024, including Westra, Redd, Dulle, Damario, Hartner, Neuburger, Miroslaw, Coffin, and Nic Cipolla ’25, who started at third base and hit .314 as a sophomore.

“We’re looking to repeat the success we had last season, but with the expectation of making it to the Final Four with a lot of returning players, including a great pitching staff,” said Cipolla.

Baseball 2024 Season Head Coach

Jim DeGraw

In the spring of 2024, Coach DeGraw will begin his 28th season as the head baseball coach at Rockhurst. In 27 seasons (not including the canceled 2020 season due to Covid), Coach DeGraw’s teams have averaged 17 wins per season. He has led The Rock to 23 winning seasons. Coach DeGraw is the only coach to lead Rockhurst to the State Final Four; 2004 (State runner-up) and 2010 (3rd Place) and has an overall record of 451 wins and 267 losses. Since baseball returned to RHS in 1989, teams have won 15 District Titles (’90, ’91, ’92, ’94, ’95, ’00, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’10, ’12, ’13, ’18, ’19, ’23). Under Coach DeGraw, The Rock has made the national rankings as well, appearing in the USA Today Top 25 (#24), Baseball America Top 25 poll (#21), and the Midlands Region Top 5 (#2) in 2004. He has coached 31 players who have gone on to play Division I baseball and eight who have played professionally. There have been 30 All-State players on Coach DeGraw’s teams. Rockhurst has been ranked as the #1 team in the state of Missouri during the course of five different seasons in his tenure, and is a regular in the state’s top-10 rankings in the spring. In 2020 he was inducted into the Missouri Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Baseball 2023-24 Season Assistant Coaches

Coach Vaughn serves as a varsity baseball assistant coach, along with his duties as a freshman football coach. He has been a member of Rockhurst’s faculty since 2004, teaching Biology. A native of Lee’s Summit, he attended Lee’s Summit North, UMKC for his BA, and Webster University for his MA. Coach Vaughn is married to Lisa and they have two daughters: Amelia and Claire. He enjoys watching sports, playing softball, golf, volleyball, and Texas Hold ‘Em with friends. Coach Vaughn cannot pick one favorite coaching memory because each year new memories and bonds form with players.

Coach Bradshaw is in his seventh year on the Rockhurst faculty, but has been an assistant varsity baseball coach for the last eight seasons. He also works with the freshman football team. Coach Bradshaw was a three-sport athlete for Oak Park (football, basketball, baseball) and went on to play both football and baseball at Kansas City Community College and Northwest Missouri State. Coach Bradshaw had also managed the BJ Raiders for 10 years in the Ban Johnson Collegiate League, winning over 78% of games along with three championships. He is married to Brittany and they have four children.

Coach Holmes enters his eighth baseball season at Rockhurst with the same enthusiasm he had for more than 60 years. Energetic and passionate about the game of baseball are the best ways to describe him. His coaching experiences range from tee ball to summer collegiate players and beyond. He has played in and/or coached in seven amateur adult National Championship games with five championships. Coach Holmes also previously “enjoyed” a 20+ year career as an umpire, including collegiate and high school levels. He teaches three senior English classes and two junior English classes at Rockhurst and is also the Bowling Club moderator. Coach Holmes is married to Jill, a life-long teacher.

Martin Radosevic

Coach Radosevic will coach the Baseball C Team for the second year, after the team was established in 2023. He brings more than 20 years of youth coaching in baseball, football, basketball, and track & field. He was also the Rockhurst pole vault coach for four seasons. Raised in Havana, IL, he played football at Urbana University in Ohio and was an Academic All-American while earning degrees in Math and Business, followed by a Masters in Business Administration from Baker University. Coach Radosevic teaches Math at The Rock and serves as the Math Club and Future Business Leaders of America Clubs’ Moderator. He is married to Lori and all three of their sons are Rockhurst graduates (Martin, Jr. ’16, Maguire ’17, and Maddux ’23).

Paul WInkeler

Coach Winkeler returns for his eighth season in his second stint with the Rockhurst baseball program. He has taught and coached at The Rock since 1999, and is most known as the head coach of the swim & dive team, which he has led to 14 State Titles, including a streak of 11 consecutive. He returned to the swim & dive program in 2018 as well. Coach Wink teaches Chemistry in the Science Department and serves as the Department Chair. He and his wife Margaret have three children.

Nick Vaughn

Jake Bradshaw

Mike Holmes

Baseball 2023 Season Results

Record: 18-15

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Liberty North Lost 17-0

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Liberty Won 9-3

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Ray-Pec Won 6-3

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Park Hill Lost 11-6

@ Guadalupe Centers Won 16-0

@ Guadalupe Centers Won 29-0

Staley Won 7-6

@ Lee’s Summit Lost 4-1

@ Nixa Lost 1-0

Lee’s Summit West Lost 5-1

St. James Academy Lost 5-2

@ Creighton Prep Won 5-2

@ Creighton Prep Lost 6-1

@ Park Hill South Lost 4-3

@ Blue Valley Lost 5-4

@ Park Hill Lost 4-3

@ Blue Valley North Won 3-1

@ Pembroke Hill Won 13-2

@ Olathe South Lost 9-5

Shawnee Mission East Lost 7-5 @ Lawrence Free State Won 10-0 @ Olathe Northwest Won 7-1

@ St. Thomas Aquinas Won 3-2 @ Bishop Miege Won 7-1

Blue Springs South Won 6-4

Blue Springs Lost 3-2

@ Liberty North Lost 6-2

@ Blue Springs Won 3-2

@ Lawrence Won 5-4

District Quarterfinals:

Raymore-Peculiar Won 2-1

District Semifinals: Lee’s Summit Won 15-1

District Championship: Lee’s Summit West Won 9-2

State Quarterfinals: Liberty North Lost 2-0

Baseball 2023 Season Stats

Pitching Stats

Fielding Stats

Hitting Stats

Baseball 2023 Season Team Awards

GOLF

Golf State Championship Comes Down to Wire, Redemption Now on Minds

Waiting for the scorecards to be marked as official, the Rockhurst golf team knew it had a great round at the District Meet.

But it wasn’t just great, it was historic.

With all five golfers finishing in the top-18, each received All-District honors and an automatic qualification for the State Meet. The top four scores are then combined for the team score. Led by a 2nd Place finish by Luke Walsh ’23 shooting 68 (-4), three Hawklets shot par or better; Alex Hogan ’24 was 3rd at -1, and Kyle Stanley ’23 was 4th finishing at an even par 72.

Jack Cobb ’23 rounded out the scores at +4, leaving Rockhurst with a combined 287 on the par 288 course. It was the first time a Missouri team had ever broken par on a 288 course, as the previous record was a 288 back in 2004.

“Playing that well at Districts and setting a new state record was really special for that group, especially the three seniors,” said Head Coach Mark Nusbaum. “And more importantly, all five earned individual State qualifications, giving us the advantage of having five golfers play in the State Meet instead of four.”

That performance gave the team a shot at defending its State Title from 2022, a goal that was established heading into the new season. But the season got off to a slow start with a 4th Place finish at the Shawnee Mission East Invitational; the team shot 308 - one of the only times all season that the Hawklets did not break 300.

Rockhurst traveled to Palm Springs, CA to compete in the Champions Invitational and placed in the top half (T-19th out of 45) among stellar programs from seven states and Canada.

Returning to the KC area, the Hawklets found their strokes. They won the 11-team Blue Valley North Invitational shooting 290. Stanley shot a career-best 68, good for 2nd Place. Walsh and Cobb were both in the top-10, and George Besch ’26 tied for 12th in his first varsity competition.

That led into wins at the Laker Invitational at Lake Valley in Camdenton and the Helias Invitational at Jefferson City Country Club. Walsh was the individual winner at the 24team Laker Invitational, shooting 73 (+1). Rockhurst then earned bragging rights over Shawnee Mission East, the eventual Kansas 6A State Champs, with a 9-7 dual victory.

Led by all underclassmen, the Hawklets still won the 20-team Jeff City Invitational without their top three seniors. William Fitzgerald ’24 tied for 2nd with a 73 (+1) in his best varsity performance. JP Hepler ’24 tied for 4th at 74, and Nick Hartman ’24 and Blake Hartner ’25 took 11th and 12th, respectively. All four would challenge for top-five varsity spots going into the postseason.

Sandwiched between two triangular wins where Rockhurst averaged 296, the final big meet of the regular season was the Blue Valley Northwest Invitational. Walsh played his way to another individual top honor, tying for 1st with a 73 (+2) on the day.

Primed for the postseason, Hawklets played their sensational round at Districts six days later, cruising to a 22-stroke win for the District Title.

The State Meet would prove to be a much bigger test.

After tying for 10th individually at Districts, Cobb was determined to improve in his final tournament as a Hawklet; he was the team’s #2 player as a junior and #1 as a senior. Cobb played steadily over the two-day meet at Silo Ridge in Bolivar. He shot 71 (-1) on day one, tied for fifth. As a team, The Rock was at 297, one stroke behind Chaminade.

Facing stressful final holes, Cobb managed to par the last hole of the tournament in order to match his -1 effort from the day before. That earned the senior a 142 (-2) and title of individual Co-State Champion, becoming the 7th Hawklet to ever win or share an individual championship.

On the team side, Rockhurst shot 595. Although that same score was good enough to win State by 15 strokes in 2022, it was not quite enough in 2023. Chaminade combined for 594, blocking Rockhurst’s repeat bid by one stroke.

That sour taste will help fuel the Hawklets heading into the new season.

“Coming up one stroke short in 2023 will be motivation for us to break everything down shot by shot, instead of going for a certain overall score,” said Hogan. “Last season proves how important every shot you take is.”

Golf 2024 Season

Head Coach

Mark Nusbaum

Coach Mark Nusbaum will be back for his tenth year as head golf coach, and has led the Golf Hawklets to two State Championships and seven top-3 finishes (2020 season was canceled). As a former basketball State Championship coach for the Hawklets, he retired from the program in 2014 with a record of 284-110, and retired from teaching in 2015. He says that he missed the kids, and many former players (golfers and basketball players) know what he brings to the table in terms of attitude and effort. Coach Nusbaum was a four-sport, nine-time letterman at Marshalltown High School in Iowa. He taught and coached locally at O’Hara and Liberty before coming to The Rock and teaching Math. While he didn’t play golf in high school, he has plenty of experience in managing the game, both the mental side and the team dynamics. Coach Nusbaum now teaches at St. Thomas Aquinas. He and his wife, Kris, have two sons (Drew and Jameson) and one daughter (Carly). Coach Nusbaum was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame as a coach in 2023.

Golf 2024 Season Assistant Coaches

Theresa Fessler

Coach Fessler is in her fifth season as an assistant golf coach. She is also an assistant coach for the St, Teresa’s Academy golf team in the fall. She served as Rockhurst’s Registrar & Academic Coordinator from 2001-2022 before retiring from her role. Born and raised in northeast Ohio and Michigan, she is a graduate of Mercyhurst University. Coach Fessler and her husband, Bob, have three children: Stephen ’06, Sean ’08, and Meghan. Her hobbies include cooking, traveling, and playing golf.

Kevin McGill

Now in his 17th year at The Rock, Coach McGill is an assistant golf coach and an Associate Athletic Director. He grew up in Fremont, NE where he played four years of football, basketball, and baseball, and was a two-time All-State player in basketball. He then went on to play four years of hoops at Midland Lutheran College. Coach McGill and his wife, Sara, have two boys: Charlie and Keegan.

Golf 2023

Season Results

Shawnee Mission East Invitational

4th out of 24 teams, shooting 308

Champions Invitational (CA)

T-19th out of 45 teams, shooting 908 (3 rounds)

Blue Valley North Invitational

1st out of 11 teams, shooting 290

Laker Invitational

1st out of 24 teams, shooting 299

Helias Catholic Invitational

1st out of 20 teams, shooting 308

Shawnee Mission East Dual Won 9-7

Jefferson City Invitational

1st out of 20 teams, shooting 302

Liberty North/Park Hill South Triangular

1st out of 3 teams, shooting 298

Blue Valley Northwest Invitational

1st out of 10 teams, shooting 303

Blue Springs/

Lee’s Summit North Triangular

1st out of 3 teams, shooting 294

District Championship

1st out of 15 teams, shooting 287

State Championship

2nd out of 9 teams, shooting 595 (2 rounds)

Golf All-Time Team

Best

State Record Book Entries in 2023 Season (place at time of submission)

LACROSSE

Lacrosse Extends Dominant Streak, Explosive Offense Returns

11.2 lbs. It’s a weight that the Rockhurst lacrosse program has become accustomed to hoisting in mid-May.

The Hawklets etched another line in the Lacrosse Association of Kansas City (LAKC) books by becoming the first team in league history to win back-to-back-to-back championships. In winning the 2023 title, Head Coach Tim Reidy ’02 and his teams have now won five of the 12 LAKC titles since the league was established in 2012 (the 2020 season was canceled).

But this season was particularly special. For the first time since 2006, Rockhurst recorded an undefeated season. And, quite frankly, only two of the 18 games were particularly close. The Rock also became the first team in LAKC to complete an undefeated championship season.

Opening the year with a 21-3 win over Lee’s Summit West and a 22-4 win over Olathe,

it was a sign of things to come. As in most games, the starters were pulled around halftime, and backup, JV, and underclassman players had the opportunity to gain varsity experience.

The Olathe game also included Luke McNamara ’24 breaking the Rockhurst alltime scoring record. In just the second game of his junior season, McNamara tallied the 134th goal of his career and stood alone atop The Rock’s leaderboard. Already owning the single season scoring record from his sophomore year, McNamara would continue to rewrite his own record book throughout his incredible junior campaign.

Coach Reidy and his staff, knowing that the 2023 team could be elite, had scheduled matchups against strong Texas programs in Houston-based Strake Jesuit and Episcopal. In a 20-hour period, the Hawklets beat Strake 1513 and Episcopal, the #2 team in Texas, 21-5.

“Our trip down to Texas at the beginning of the year was a defining part of our season,” said Jack Bichelmeyer ’24. “It really bonded our team together and started us off for a strong year.”

While McNamara was often the focus for defenses, there was plenty of firepower

surrounding him. Croix Snow ’24 scored 37 goals, Colin Komenda ’24 netted 36, Bichelmeyer had 36, and Reid Moshier ’24 added 20. All five juniors were named to the All-LAKC Team. Another selection, senior leader Brock Narciso ’23, had 15 goals of his own. And all were happy to share the wealth, as each player had at least 17 assists; Moshier led the team with 28.

Back to league play, Rockhurst cruised to victories over Blue Valley Southwest, St. Thomas Aquinas, Mill Valley, and Lancer Lacrosse by a combined score of 80-18. In a 10-point win over the Lancers, McNamara broke his own record by scoring nine goals in the game. He also scored seven goals in four different games during the season, and eight goals twice.

Meanwhile, the defensive side of the field for the Hawklets was more than holding its own. Matthew Koehler ’24 solidified himself as the top goaltender, maintaining a 67.5% save percentage. All-LAKC defenders Charlie Gormsen ’24 and Hayes Homes ’24 helped anchor the defensive unit, while Henry Kemp ’23 and Gentry Curtis ’26 were forces on the faceoff, as both won over 75% of their faceoff opportunities. They led Rockhurst in ground balls with 84 and 68, respectively.

The Hawklets again wanted to test themselves against out-of-area opponents. They did so in defeating Chaminade 18-8, Creighton Prep, the #1 team in Nebraska, 18-1, and St. Louis University High 15-2. Mixed in around those games were three more LAKC triumphs over Blue Valley, Pembroke Hill, Northland, and Lee’s Summit United by an average of 13 goals.

“Most of the team had been playing varsity together for two or three seasons so they had great chemistry, and many new faces and unexpecting players played key roles throughout the season” said Coach Reidy.

Rockhurst confidently headed into the league playoffs with a regular season record of 15-0, and a +208 goal differential. In LAKC play, the Hawklets were 10-0 with a +150 differential.

The quarterfinal matchup against Lee’s Summit West results in a 25-point rout in which 16 different Hawklets scored.

In the 16-4 semifinal win over Pembroke Hill, McNamara and Bichelmeyer combined for 10 goals on 12 shots. Three of McNamara’s six goals came on behind-the-back shots, which he has

grown to master in his high school career. Kemp and Curtis won 19 of their 21 faceoffs to keep Rockhurst in control of possession all night.

Cementing their legacy as one of the best teams in Rockhurst history, Coach Reidy’s group beat Blue Valley Southwest 14-10 in the LAKC Championship to complete the 18-0 season. Komenda earned Championship MVP with his five goals on five shots along with two assists.

“It was an incredible experience to be the first time in LAKC history to three-peat,” said Komenda. “All of the hard work that we put in over the off-season and in-season showed. I was grateful to receive MVP, but couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches helping me throughout the game and season.”

While 11 Hawklets were to All-LAKC teams, McNamara also became the 22nd All-American in program history after totaling 103 goals on 70% shooting and adding 20 assists. A complete team top to bottom, Rock Lacrosse finished the year ranked #8 in the Midwest.

With no plans of slowing down, Rockhurst returns over 80% of its goal production and the majority of its starting defense.

“We stayed hungry throughout the season and did a very good job of staying focused on trying to get better every day while treating each game like a championship,” said McNamara. “And since we are returning so many players this year, if we keep that same effort then another championship is definitely possible.”

“We stayed hungry throughout the season and did a very good job of staying focused on trying to get better every day while treating each game like a championship.”

Luke McNamara ’24

Lacrosse 2023

Season Results

Record: 18-0

Lee’s Summit West

Won 21-3

Olathe

Won 22-4

Strake Jesuit College Prep (TX)

Won 15-13

Episcoal (TX)

Won 21-5

@ Blue Valley Southwest

Won 17-4

St. Thomas Aquinas

Won 21-0

@ Mill Valley Won 21-3

Shawnee Mission East Won 21-11

Chaminade Won 18-8

@ Blue Valley Won 15-1

@ Pembroke Hill

Won 19-9

@ Northland Won 15-2

Creighton Prep (NE)

Won 18-1

St. Louis University High School

Won 15-2

@ Lee’s Summit United Won 18-3

LAKC Quarterfinals: Lee’s Summit West

Won 28-3

LAKC Semifinals: Pembroke Hill

Won 16-4

LAKC Finals: Blue Valley Southwest

Won 14-10

Lacrosse 2024 Season

Head Coach

Tim Reidy

Coach Tim Reidy ’02 is in his 13th season at his alma mater. As a Hawklet, he was a defender and was named the first lacrosse AllAmerican in school history. He played collegiately at Mount St. Mary’s University. Coach Reidy holds an MEd from the University of Notre Dame and BA in History & American Studies from the University of Kansas. At Rockhurst, he serves as the school archivist, teaches Kansas City History and AP World History, and is the Chair of the Social Studies Department. During his time at Rockhurst, Coach Reidy has been named U.S. Lacrosse Coach of the Year three times and is a 2021 inductee into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Reidy and his wife Heather have twin sons (Ryan and Padraig) and a daughter (Frances Grace).

Lacrosse 2024 Season Assistant Coaches

Mark Bayhylle

A Glastonbury, CT native, Coach Bayhylle attended Xavier High School before heading to the Midwest to enroll at the University of Kansas. At KU, he played club lacrosse and continued his love of the game by coaching at RHS before he got a job at the school. In 2006 he was hired to work in the Computer Services Department at The Rock. In 2009 Coach Bayhylle was named the Missouri Division I Lacrosse Assistant Coach of the Year, and in 2019 was the U.S. Lacrosse Assistant Coach of the Year. He is also in his sixth season coaching freshman football. He and his wife have three boys: Jackson, Logan ’23, and Tommy ’25.

Tim Hannon

Coach Hannon has been part of the lacrosse coaching staff at Rockhurst since the program began in the spring of 1995. A former lacrosse player and graduate of the University of Missouri, Coach Hannon has been heavily involved with the development of youth lacrosse. In 2014, Coach Hannon was voted the Assistant Coach of the Year for the Lacrosse Association of Kansas City (LAKC). In May 2015, Coach Hannon was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Great Plains Hall of Fame. Outside of coaching lacrosse, Coach Hannon is a Business Banker at U.S. Bank. He and his wife, Deborah, have one child, Zach ’13.

Luke McLellan

Coach McLellan ’00 rejoined Rockhurst Lacrosse in spring 2018, after assisting with the program from 2008-2011 and then taking a break. This season he continues his work as the freshman team coach. In the classroom, Coach McLellan teaches Theology classes, and is also the moderator of the evergrowing Outdoors Club. He is married to Jaime and they have two children.

Clayton Melrose

Originally from St. Louis, Coach Melrose played attack for the Webster Groves High School and CBC High School programs. He graduated from CBC in 2007 and then went on to play attack and midfield for the University of Missouri, serving as team captain for the nationally-ranked Tigers his senior year. In 2012 Coach Melrose graduated from the University of Missouri with his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and began working for Hubbell Power Systems. After coaching youth lacrosse and officiating high school lacrosse in 2013, Coach Melrose became the head coach for the University of Missouri’s club lacrosse program from 2014-2016, before relocating to Kansas City, where he coached for one year as an assistant at Blue Valley West prior to joining us at The Rock in 2019.

Joe Vasta

Coach Vasta is in his sixth year as an assistant lacrosse coach. He was previously the head coach of the Blue Valley Titans High School women’s team, where he led them to two consecutive championships in 2011 and 2012. In 1993, Coach Vasta was named the Texas High School Men’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year while leading Central Catholic High School in San Antonio to the State Quarterfinals. As a player at Air Force, he was a four-year All-Conference attackman and named All-American in 1986. Coach Vasta was a top scorer in D1 lacrosse all four years, and from 1986-2007 held the all-time NCAA D1 college career scoring record of 343 points. After graduating from the Air Force, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and served on active duty as an F16 fighter pilot with combat time over Iraq. After 22 years of service, he retired from the Air Force and is now a captain with FedEx.

Matt Ruemker

Coach Ruemker enters his fifth season with the Lacrosse Hawklets, and holds a long history of lacrosse experience. He was a standout at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis, earning 2nd Team All-American honors, and then played at Kansas State University. His coaching background includes stops at Lansing High School and Blue Valley West High School. Coach Ruemker and his wife, Brooke, have four children, and he works at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City as an Assistant Vice President.

Sean McNamara

Coach McNamara joined the program in 2021 and brought with him an extensive lacrosse background. He was a standout player at Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, NY prior to his college career at Randolph-Macon College. His coaching experience includes serving as Head Coach at Calverton High School (MD) and assisting at Calvert Hall (MD) and McQuaid Jesuit (NY). He has coached collegiately at Messiah College, Randolph-Macon College, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Coach McNamara has also coached club lacrosse with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 24 years. Coach McNamara and his wife, Anna, have four children, including Luke ’24 and Caleb ’26. He works at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as their Chief Support Officer.

Robbie Healy

Coach Healy ’14 officially joined the staff starting in the 2022 season, but had assisted during the postseason runs since 2018. A former Hawklet defender, Coach Healy was vital to the Hawklets’ LAKC Championship his senior year and was named LAKC 1st Team All-Metro, and is a member of Rockhurst Lacrosse’s All-Time Team. He went on to play collegiately at DePauw and Rockhurst University. Coach Healy holds a BSBA in Financial Markets and Economic Analysis from Rock U. He is a coach for Team KC Lacrosse and a co-founder of the KC Smoke, Kansas City’s only men’s box lacrosse team.

Brendan Surface

Coach Surface ’09 has been a staple in the KC lacrosse community since his days as a player for the Hawklets. He helped The Rock win the 2008 State Championship and runner-up in 2009. Coach Surface was 1st Team All-Conference and All-State, and an All-American after leading Missouri in points (105) and goals (73) in 2009. He went on to the University of Kansas before returning to Kansas City and coaching at Rockhurst University. Coach Surface spent six years as the Offensive Coordinator and two years as the Defensive Coordinator. He now runs Project KC Lacrosse, and rejoined Rockhurst Lacrosse in 2023 as a freshman coach and varsity assistant.

Lacrosse 2023

Season Stats

Scoring and Defense

Goaltending

*Indicates All-Metro

#Indicates All-American Blue indicates returnee

Lacrosse 2023

Season Team Awards

All-Metro

Henry Kemp ’23 (1st Team)

Jack Bichelmeyer ’24 (1st Team)

Charlie Gormsen ’24 (1st Team)

Matthew Koehler ’24 (1st Team)

Luke McNamara ’24 (1st Team)

Colin Komenda ’24 (2nd Team)

Gentry Curtis ’26 (2nd Team)

Brock Narciso ’23 (H.M.)

Hayes Holmes ’24 (H.M.)

Reid Moshier ’24 (H.M.)

Croix Snow ’24 (H.M.)

All-American

Luke McNamara ’24

Hannon Award

The Hannon Award is given to the Offensive Most Valuable Player.

Connelly Award

The Connelly Award is given to the Defensive Most Valuable Player.

Bayhylle Award

The Mark D. Bayhylle Award is given to two underclassmen (one from C Team and one from the JV Team) who best represent the ideals of the Rockhurst Lacrosse program on and off the field.

McGilley Award

The Matthew C. McGilley Award is given annually in memorial of Matt McGilley, Class of 1995, one of the founders of Rockhurst Lacrosse, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000. The McGilley Award is given to a senior lacrosse player who exemplifies the spirit of Rockhurst Lacrosse both on and off the field.

Lacrosse 2023

All-Time Team

The newest sport for the school has still been competitive as the sport continues to grow nationally and more significantly on a local level. The program was a club sport initially before becoming a varsity sport in 1997. Submission for membership to the squad can be submitted to the Athletic Director or head coach, with credentials as to why their high school lacrosse career warrants consideration.

TENNIS

Tennis

Young Team Accepts Challenges, Builds for Future Success

As the 2023 Tennis Hawklets stepped onto the court for their first varsity match of the season, the nerves were high. Coming off of a 3rd Place finish at State in 2022, Rockhurst had to replace its top seven players. So to kick off 2023, it was the first varsity competition for all but one Rock player. And the opening match came against John Burroughs, a team that would go on to be Missouri Class 3 (big class) State Runner-Up.

While trying to get accustomed to the speed and intensity of the varsity level, the young Hawklet players were thrust into playing the best teams on both sides of the state line, seemingly on a weekly basis. Their first five matches of the season put Rockhurst through the gauntlet, with only Henry Stevens ’25 having any varsity experience; he played four singles matches and eight doubles matches as a freshman.

The Missouri opponents included Burroughs, St. Joe Central (16-2 season record), and Liberty (20-5 season record). But the Hawklets battled hard against SJC and Liberty before eventually dropping both matches 6-3. The Kansas side was even more daunting. Rockhurst faced Blue Valley Northwest and Blue Valley West, with both teams later competing for the Kansas 6A State Championship. Northwest took fourth, while West won the title.

The winless start to the season brought on moments of frustration, but the growth of individual players and team as a whole was promising. Stevens and Caleb Bridges ’25, just sophomores, were stepping up as The Rock’s top singles and doubles players and taking on older, more seasoned varsity opponents. Bridges’ first singles win came playing in the #1 spot against Liberty.

Improving by the day, the Hawklets were rewarded with their first victory of the season in a home match against Lee’s Summit West. Picking up big wins in singles and doubles, Rockhurst pulled out the 6-3 result.

Another positive sign within the program was the development and success of the JV team. The Rock took home the top prize at the Pembroke JV Tournament and then swept all three divisions of the NKC Novice Doubles Tournament and won the team trophy.

Meanwhile, the varsity Hawklets continued to be paired against stiff competition. Following the win over Lee’s Summit West, they played the three-time defending Kansas 6A State Champs from Shawnee Mission East. That led into a contest versus Barstow, which eventually took 3rd in Missouri Class 2. The Hawklets would take them to the wire, but came up just short in a 5-4 loss.

On the singles side, Nate Dierks ’24 was a bright spot, working his way to a winning record of 8-3 during his junior campaign. Charlie Porto ’25 also tallied a winning singles record at 6-4.

Rockhurst squared off with Pembroke Hill to close out the regular season. The Raiders, a talented team that would keep a record of 20-1, overpowered the young Hawklets.

But the focus quickly turned to the postseason. Although Rockhurst had the fewest regular season dual wins in its seven-team district, it still earned the #1 seed and a quarterfinal round bye thanks to The Rock’s strength of schedule. In the semifinals, the Hawklets rolled through Lee’s Summit North, 5-1, and then defeated Lee’s Summit West again, 5-2, to win the team District Championship and advance to the State Quarterfinals.

In the individual district competition, Rockhurst swept doubles with Bridges and Stevens taking 1st and Dierks and Luke Johnson ’26 finishing 2nd. Both doubles tandems qualified for the individual State Tournament.

Back on the team side, the Hawklets’ season came to an end against Pembroke Hill, which won the State Title without dropping a game in its five postseason matches.

The doubles teams, though, earned the privilege of traveling to Springfield. Bridges and Stevens battled to a 7th Place finish.

“The trip to individual State was special because I would consider it a successful tournament for me and Caleb getting seventh,” said Stevens. “But it was also a highlight due to all of the amazing memories I made that weekend.”

In 2024, the goals shift from growing to flourishing. None of the team’s top 12 players were seniors in 2023, so plenty of experience will return to the court for the Hawklets.

“I think we are going to be able to have a lot more significant growth for the 2024 season,” said Bridges. “A lot of younger players had to step up to fill big shoes last season, and because of that I think we will see more players taking bigger leadership roles this spring.”

Tennis 2024 Season Head Coach

The Rockhurst Tennis head coach for the 2024 season had not been finalized at the time of print.

Tennis 2024 Season Assistant Coaches

Max Dunmire

Coach Dunmire ’18 rejoins the Rockhurst Tennis program as a coach for the 2024 season. He was a three-year player for the Hawklets, helping the team to two 2nd Place State finishes and a 3rd Place finish. As a senior, he posted a singles record of 13-0 and doubles record of 14-4. Coach Dunmire and his doubles partner (Nate Bodde ’19) placed 4th in doubles at State in 2018. He went on to graduate from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Business Management. Coach Dunmire currently works for Brenda Doudican at Midwest Land Group.

Tennis 2023 Season Stats

Singles Record Match Play

Doubles Records

Tennis 2023 Season Results

District

Tennis 2023

Season Team Awards

All-District

Nate Dierks ’24

Caleb Bridges ’25

Henry Stevens ’25

Luke Johnson ’26

All-State

Caleb Bridges ’25

Henry Stevens ’25

“Rock Award” (new in 2021)

Charlie Duethman 2021

Nick Koca 2022

Caleb Bridges 2023

Tennis All-Time Team

Tennis is the most successful sport at Rockhurst in terms of State Championships (18 1st Place finishes), including a 10-year streak, so members on this All-Time team have dominated courts all over. Some include state record holders as well. Submission for membership to the squad can be submitted to the Athletic Director or head coach, with credentials as to why their high school tennis career warrants consideration.

Robert Riley 1953

Lonnie Taylor 1974

Joe Ruysser 1975

Pete Brown 1976

Bill Krizman 1976

Tom Grier 1983

TRACK & FIELD

Track & Field

Top Athletes Leave Mark on Program, Depth Becomes Focus for 2024

Control what you can control.

That was the coaching staff’s message to the Rockhurst Track & Field members who had earned the opportunity to compete at the State Meet. That meet turned out to be one of the most competitive championship meets in Missouri history.

But in order to have the chance to race, jump, or throw in Jefferson City, it takes months of work. Several Hawklets were willing to put in that work, as evidenced by dedicated offseason training among sprinters and middle and long distance runners.

Following the Ron Ives Invitational being canceled due to weather, the first meet of the year was the Rusty Hodge Invitational at Blue Springs South. It was the first of many individual gold medals of the year for senior standout Kene Okpareke ’23. He had burst onto the sprint scene as a just a sophomore,

qualifying for State in the 200-meter and placing 11th. His junior season was cut short in Sectionals due to an injury; he was ranked in the top 10 in the state in both the 100-meter and 200-meter.

Motivated for a memorable final campaign, Okpareke used his 6’5” frame to his advantage in his open sprints and as the relay anchor. He opened the season with a 200 victory at Rusty Hodge in 22.65. In middle distance, Brendan Kerr ’23 was also back for his final season with high expectations. He won the 800-meter in 2:00.28, and would consistently shave off time going forward. As a team, Rockhurst took 2nd out of 14 teams.

Early-season meets offered athletes to try different events and showcase their abilities. Dom Yarbrough ’24 was showing promise in the long and triple jumps; Henry Knutson ’23 continued improving in the 300-meter hurdles that he began racing as a junior; and Luke Lewellen ’24 was scoring points in both the shot put and discus.

Unfortunately, injuries sidelined several Hawklets throughout the season, including sprinters Charlie Haake ’23, Leo Faulkner ’24,

and Landon Brewer ’24, as well as Knutson. Only Faulkner would be able to finish his season.

At the 27-team Bill Summa Invitational, Rockhurst gave a glimpse of its talented relays in winning the 4x800 and 4x100, and taking 3rd in the 4x200. Individually, Kerr showed his range by finishing 2nd in the 400-meter (50.21), while Henry Acorn ’25 was 3rd in the 1600-meter (4:25), and 4th in th 3200-meter (9:26)

Among a collective underperformance at the 100th KU Relays, Okpareke raced to 2nd in the 100 (10.66) and was hunting down the school record of D.J. Hord ’05. That record of 10.35 was manual time, so the conversion to fully automatic timing (FAT) was 10.59; so Okpareke would need to beat 10.59 for the record.

The Rock then placed 3rd in the Grain Valley Invitation, again led by wins from Okpareke in the 100 (10.63), Kerr in the 400 (49.71), and Acorn in the 1600 (4:22). Other strong performances came from August Thompson ’23 taking 2nd in the 800 (2:00.38), and 3rd Place points from Yarbrough in the 200 (23.16), Knutson in the 300H (41.89), and Kai Somasegaran ’25 in the 3200 (9:40). The 4x100 and 4x400 relays also crossed the finish line first.

The Al Davis/Mike Lillis Invitation, Rockhurst’s home meet, resulted in another 3rd Place for the Hawklets, but were only four points behind the winning team. Middle distance up-and-comer Bill Hayes ’25 raised eyebrows as he ran 1:58.94 in the 800, 4:27.06 in the 1600, and split 50.80 in the 4x400 relay.

The ultra-competitive Shawnee Mission North Relays rounded out the regular season, highlighted by a few PRs. Kerr took 3rd out of 34 runners in the 800 (1:56.23), Acorn was also 3rd in the 3200 (9:19.97). The 4x800 relay team ran the second fastest time in Missouri to that point, going 7:55.87, led by a 1:57.80 split from Andrew Davis ’25.

Rockhurst was aiming for a District Title, but fell just five points short. Event wins came from Okpareke in the 100 and 200, Brian Humphrey ’23 in the 1600 for the second consecutive year, and the 4x100 relay. Seven other individuals placed in the top four of

their events and advanced to Sectionals, including Lewlellen in the shot put and discus.

At Sectionals, the 4x100 and 4x800 relays along with Kerr, Okpareke, Yarbrough, and Acorn punched their tickets to State.

The two-day meet in Jeff City was a spectacle as Rockhurst finished tied for 9th out of 56 teams. The 4x800 relay was arguably the best in state history; the Hawklets ran the second fastest time in school history (7:48.37) which was good enough for 5th Place. That time would have won State in seven of the previous years. And the 4x100 relay team of Max Smith ’23, Yarbrough, Brayden Worstell ’25, and Okpareke took silver at State. Their best time of the season, 41.92, missed the school record by 0.04.

Okpareke was able to eclipse Hord’s time, running 10.56 (10.32 MT) to take 5th as well. He earned another All-State honor by finishing 8th in the 200. Kerr ended his Rockhurst career with a 4th Place medal in the 800 with a PR of 1:55.67.

With five All-State runners coming back for 2024, the Hawklets look to build more depth to take the next step and win the District Championship.

“One of our improvements last year was scoring in more events. We need to continue that development this season,” said Head Coach Troy Harding. “District titles are more about the depth of a team than they are the strength of a few elite athletes. If we continue to develop all 19 events, we should be able to compete for that District trophy, and then represent well at the State Meet.”

Track & Field 2024 Season Head Coach

Troy Harding

Coach Troy Harding has served as the head track & field coach since joining the program in 2018. For the prior 25 years, Coach Harding taught Math and coached track & field at Blue Springs South High School - 19 years as head coach. He primarily worked with hurdlers during this time. He coached four State Champions in the hurdles. He was also the head cross country coach for 18 years. While a student-athlete at Carthage High School, Coach Harding competed in football, basketball, and track & field all four years. His senior year (1988) he earned AllState honors in both hurdle events. He continued his track & field career at the University of Central Missouri, specializing in the decathlon, and earned All-American honors in 1992. Coach Harding and his wife, Kimberly, have two boys: Emerson and Coleridge.

Track & Field 2024 Season Assistant

Coaches

Tim Bianco

Coach Bianco ’11 returned to Rockhurst on the track & field coaching staff in 2020, and has been a volunteer throws coach for the last three seasons. While a student-athlete at The Rock, he was a two-year letterman in both football and track & field. Coach Bianco went on to throw for the St. Louis University Men’s Track & Field Team, while earning a degree in Elementary Education and a Certificate in Special Education. He works full-time as a Special Education Teacher in the Kansas City Kansas School District. Coach Bianco married his wife Mary in June 2020 and they have a son, Timothy Giuseppe.

Jim Monteil

Coach Monteil enters his seventh year coaching football and track & field at The Rock. He spent 29 years coaching at O’Hara High School, where he was Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach for 21 years; he also spent time with the golf and wrestling programs. He works with freshman football along with the sprinters in track & field. Coach Monteil teaches in the Math Department. He and his wife, Shelley, have two daughters, Abby and Riley.

Alex Dobens

Coach Dobens ’08 returned to Rockhurst and the cross country and track & field programs in 2020-21. He graduated from The Rock in 2008 and earned several varsity letters in cross country and track; he is a member of the Cross Country All-Time Team. Coach Dobens attended the College of the Holy Cross. He entered the teaching and coaching world in 2013 at Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver before joining Rockhurst’s staff in 2020. He teaches Classical Languages classes, is the junior varsity XC head coach, and the track & field distance coach.

Ryan McAnany

Coach McAnany ’12 enters his seventh season at The Rock. He previously spent time as an Alumni Service Corps volunteer at St. Louis University High School in 2016. While a student-athlete at Rockhurst, Coach McAnany excelled in cross country as a three-year letterman and was selected as the 2011 Golden Spike Winner. He was also a varsity track & field letterman. He continued his running career at the University of Dallas. He teaches Scripture and serves as the Assistant Pastoral Director in addition to his coaching duties in cross country and track.

Shawn Schmelzle

Coach Schmelzle ’88 returned to Rockhurst in 2020 as a football coach, and then joined the faculty in 2021. While a student-athlete, Coach Schmelzle was a standout player for the Hawklets in the mid-80s, helping Rockhurst win back-to-back State Championships in 1986 and 1987, earning All-State lineman honors both seasons. He went on to play at Central Missouri State. In 2011 he was inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame. For the 28 years prior to joining Rockhurst, he taught English and coached football, wrestling, and track & field at Blue Springs South. He also continues coaching the track & field throws for the Hawklets.

Christopher Melton

Coach Melton joined the Track & Field Hawklets in 2022 and is back for his third season. He was a State-qualifying jumper in high school and also has experience in doing private coaching and on the Liberty North staff as well. Coach Melton is currently back in school to earn his Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education for Earth Science. He is married to Danielle, who owns a private practice as a Mental Health Counselor. In his free time Coach Melton plays ultimate frisbee and cheers on the Chiefs.

Track & Field 2023 Season Results

Ron Ives Invitational Canceled

Rusty Hodge Invitational

2nd out of 14 teams with 90 points

Shawnee Mission South Relays

4th out of 15 teams with 60 points

Bill Summa Invitational

3rd out of 27 teams with 57 points

Fort Osage Invitational

3rd out of 8 teams with 123 points

KU Relays No team scores

Grain Valley Invitational

3rd out of 11 teams with 114.5 points

Liberty North Invitational

3rd out of 11 teams with 77.5 points

Al Davis, Jr./Mike Lillis Invitational

3rd of out 10 teams with 123 points

Shawnee Mission North Relays No team scores

All-Time Team

District Championship

2nd out of 9 teams with 127 points

Sectional Championship No team scores

State Championship

T-9th out of 56 teams with 22 points

From several individual state champions and relay teams to the glory years of the 1970s, the track & field program continues to develop disciplined, passionate and talented athletes. Formed in 2009, the list below and in the future represents the best of the best at Rockhurst where the sport draws more than 100 participants yearly.

Track & Field 2023 Season Stats

Track Events (season bests)

Field Events (season bests)

*Denotes State qualifier

!Denotes All-State performance

#Denotes school record

Blue indicates returnee

Track & Field 2023

Season Team Awards

All-District

Brian Humphrey ’23

Brendan Kerr ’23

Kene Okpareke ’23

Max Smith ’23

August Thompson ’23

Leo Faulkner ’24

Luke Lewellen ’24

Dom Yarbrough ’24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ’25

Bill Hayes ’25

Kai Somasegaran ’25

Brayden Worstell ’25

All-State Brendan

Kene

Max

Dom Yarbrough ’24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew

Bill

Brayden Worstell ’25

Leadership Award

Most Valuable Player

Each year the coaching staff votes to recognize the Track & Field’s most Outstanding Athlete of the Year, “Honoring those who gave their all.”

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball

Team Crafts Second Undefeated KC Season, Prepares for Bigger Competition

Starting in 2024, there will be a new official varsity sport here at Rockhurst: volleyball.

What began as a club sport in 2019 as part of the Kansas City High School Boys Volleyball League (KCBHSVL) will now join the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) boys volleyball league, and will compete against St. Louis schools, which have been playing at a high-level for several decades.

In the four years of playing in the Kansas City league (2020 season was canceled), the Hawklets have been dominant under the tutelage of Head Coach Mike Sullivan ’84. In its first three seasons, Rock Volleyball won the league championship twice and was runnerup in the “down” year. The 2022 won the title while carrying an undefeated record through the entire year.

It would be a tough season to replicate, but the 2023 squad was ready for the challenge.

And the KCHSBVL is not a recreational league. There are more than 30 teams that play each season, and more than 20 have competitive varsity lineups.

Rockhurst, however, has been the standard of boys volleyball locally, and started the year going 4-0 in matches. The average margin of victory was 10 points per set against East, St. Michael the Archangel, Blue Valley West, and St. Thomas Aquinas.

Then in the KC Tournament in mid-April, the Hawklets cruised to a championship while winning all six matches with a 12-0 set record.

Through the first 12 matches of the season, Rock Volleyball had not lost a set. But in its neutral-site match against Cair Paravel (Topeka), the team dropped the opening set 22-25. Rockhurst bounced back with a 25-13 victory in the second set, and then snuck out with the match following a 25-23 third set win.

The team’s leaders were three seniors who had also been integral parts of The Rock’s undefeated campaign in 2022. Barrett Brewer

’23, Colin Fitzgerald ’23, and Connor Gaarder guided the team through the remaining seven matches of the regular season without dropping a single set. The record was 20-1 heading into the KCBHSVL playoffs.

Rockhurst matched its previous performance with another impressive run through the league tournament. Coach Sully’s team defeated Wichita Southeast, Blue Valley, Lincoln Prep, and Staley in straight sets. The Rock dropped the opening set in the semifinals against St. James, but knocked off the Thunder 25-14 and 25-21 to advance to the finals against Lee’s Summit North.

Another straight set victory (25-20, 25-21) earned the Hawklets their third league championship in four seasons.

“The bond that we formed throughout the season helped lead us to another title,” said Will Campbell ’25. “All twelve guys on the team had the same goal in mind of winning the league championship, so when we all came together with that shared belief we became a team that couldn’t be beat in the league.”

And for the first time, the Hawklets’ season didn’t end after the KCBHSVL tournament. A few Kansas City teams were invited to play in the Missouri Boys High School Volleyball State Tournament, which included the top St. Louis programs.

Matches in this tournament are played bestof-five. In the District Championship, The Rock swept Lee’s Summit West to move on to the State Quarterfinals. Brewer, Fitzgerald, and Gaarder, along with Gage Heueisen ’24 and Mason Kastel ’25 were selected to the AllDistrict Team.

The remaining eight schools were Rockhurst and seven St. Louis schools: Francis Howell Central, Vianney, Lafayette, Marquette, Parkway South, St. Louis University High, and Chaminade. The Hawklets drew the District 6 Champions from Parkway South.

In a back-and-forth match that went four sets, Rockhurst came up just short against a top team in the state. The sets went 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 24-26. But the young program from Kansas City showed that it belonged.

“St. Louis is a powerhouse in volleyball. But I think our play in the State Tournament proved that in a very short time we have been able to put together teams in KC that can compete pretty well with teams in St. Louis,” said Coach Sullivan. “Volleyball in St. Louis has a big head start, but this year gave me hope that we can make some big jumps toward leveling that field if we work hard.”

The Hawklets will have that opportunity starting in 2024.

“The bond that we formed throughout the season helped lead us to another title”

Will Campbell ’25.

VOLLEYBALL 2024 Season Head Coach

Mike Sullivan

Coach Sullivan ’84 spends his fall seasons coaching running backs on the football field, but spends his summers inside coaching the volleyball team. Rockhurst Volleyball was started by Coach Sully in 2019 and was a club sport through 2023. In those four seasons (2020 was canceled), the Hawklets won the KC League Championship three times and were runnersup the other year. Beginning in 2024, boys volleyball will be a MSHSAA varsity sport. A former athlete himself, Coach Sullivan led the Football Hawklets in rushing on the 1983 State Championship team and went on to play at KU before suffering a career-ending knee injury. He’s now in his 23rd year at The Rock coaching and teaching AP, Honors, and Concepts of Chemistry. He married his wife Beth in 2008 and has two step-daughters: Sarah and Mary Kate.

VOLLEYBALL 2024 Season Assistant Coaches

Pete Campbell

Coach Campbell ’89 enters his third season with the Volleyball Hawklets, and has plenty more experience in his athletic coaching background. He was a member of the 1989 Basketball State Championship as a senior before earning his degree at Mizzou (and playing one season of club volleyball) and deciding to get into education and coaching. He returned to Rockhurst in 1996. For the last 27 years he has taught Math, mostly to freshmen, while also serving as a basketball coach for 25 years (one year sophomore coach, 16 years varsity assistant, eight years varsity head coach), and also worked as Athletic Director for eight years. Coach Campbell and his wife Cara have three children: Catelyn, Emma, and Will ’2

VOLLEYBALL 2023

Season Results

Record: 27-1

East Won 25-12, 25-10

St. Michael the Archangel

Won 25-13, 25-16

@ Blue Valley West Won 25-22, 25-17

@ St. Thomas Aquinas Won 25-19, 25-13

Kansas City Tournament

1st Place, going 6-0 in matches

Northeast Won 25-10, 25-9

Lee’s Summit West Won 25-15, 25-13

@ Cair Paravel Won 22-25, 25-13, 25-23

@ St. Thomas Aquinas

Won 25-15, 25-23

Northland Christian Won 25-9, 25-11

Staley Won 25-19, 25-18

Cornerstone Family Schools

Won 25-6, 25-6

Blue Valley Southwest Won 25-12, 25-17

@ St. James Academy

Won 27-25, 25-20

@ Louisburg

Won 25-14, 25-22

League Tournament vs. Wichita Southeast

Won 25-11, 25-10

League Tournament vs. Blue Valley

Won 25-7, 25-9

League Tournament vs. Lincoln Prep Won 25-9, 25-6

League Tournament vs. Staley

Won 25-12, 25-18

League Tournament Semifinals vs. St. James Academy

Won 15-25, 25-14, 25-21

League Tournament Championship vs.

Lee’s Summit North Won 25-20, 25-21

State Tournament District Championship vs. Lee’s Summit West Won 25-15, 25-16, 25-22

State Tournament Quarterfinals vs. Parkway South

Lost 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 24-26

VOLLEYBALL 2023

Season Team Awards

All-District

Barrett Brewer ’23

Colin Fitzgerald ’23

Connor Gaarder ’23

Gage Heueisen ’24

Mason Kastel ’25

All-State

Barrett Brewer ’23 (H.M.)

Connor Gaarder ’23 (H.M.)

Topper Award

Awarded for promotion of excellence and outstanding leadership in the RHS Volleyball Program.

Joe Leggio 2022

Barrett Brewer 2023

All-Time Team

The All-Time Team for volleyball will begin in the 2024 All Sports Program, with the volleyball team’s first group of seniors in the Class of 2019.