All Sports Program 2024-25

ROCKHURST

Sports Program

HAWKLET

Kissick Construction is proud to celebrate our 30th year in business, and an even longer connection with Rockhurst High School. We’ve supported the school from our very beginnings, helping to build some of the facilities—and our founders Jim Kissick and Pete Browne both graduated from here. We’re proud of our Rockhurst roots and proud to help the next generation of Hawklets soar to new heights.

Contact any member of our team to find out how Kissick Construction can meet your project needs in any of our areas of expertise.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Any comments about the program can be sent to the: All Sports Program Editor 9301 State Line Road Kansas City, MO 64114 allsports@rockhursths.edu (816) 363-2036

ROCK PROUD!

The All Sports Program is put together in order to promote the 13 athletic programs. 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 and to Almar Printing for printing the publication.

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 13 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, selfsacrifice, 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,

David J. Laughlin President

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 wellrounded individuals.”

With the leadership of our Athletic Director, Mr. Tom Kruse 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 student-athletes 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. Michael Dierks ’91 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.

Rev. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ

Principal

/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.

/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 value-added education because of its success in developing community leaders for an increasingly diverse world.

WELCOME FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

/Tom Kruse Athletic Director

I want to personally welcome everyone to one of the greatest venues in Kansas City. Rockhurst High School is rich with tradition and pride and it is an incredible honor to serve as the Director of Athletics here.

We welcome our visiting fans to Dasta Stadium and Severino Field for an exciting event. We ask that you always show respect to both the officials, and tonight’s opponent, and their fans. I am grateful for all those who work behind the scenes to make tonight’s game possible.

I am excited for this school year to get underway, and see the many great things that will take place on the fields, courses, pools, gyms, and tracks throughout this year. We have so many opportunities for young men to develop in the areas of faith, service, leadership, and personal growth through athletics. Athletics here at Rockhurst is simply an extension of the classroom. Our young men will hopefully learn that through competition, at the highest level, anything is possible.

I am grateful for the partnership that our Athletic Department has with Rockhurst parents. I love seeing our parents’ involvement in not only their sons’ lives, but the friendships that develop with other families throughout their time here.

I am grateful for the great coaches we have in place here, and the time commitment they put in for our young men. They care for our Hawklets as young men first and foremost, and then as student-athletes.

I am grateful for the alumni who continue to be invested in our programs. The “Rockhurst Brotherhood” is real, as at almost any sporting event you will run into many alumni that understand what competing for The Rock is all about. Our community support at Rockhurst is unlike any place I have been.

I’d like to thank Coach Mike Dierks for his work in putting together the All-Sport Program this year and all he continues to do for Rockhurst.

Again, I want to thank you for being here tonight and supporting Rockhurst High School. We ask you to show great sportsmanship tonight to our visiting team and their fans and a huge thank you to the officials working our great game. Enjoy the game!!

Rock State,

Tom Kruse Athletic Director

/Athletic Department

/Kevin

McGill Associate Athletic Director

/Billy Thomas Associate Athletic Director

/Paul McGannon Athletic Trainer

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.

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.

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

/Hall of Fame Members

HALL OF FAME

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)

Justin Dro ‘97 (2023)

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)

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

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)

Jon Lecuyer ‘01 (2023)

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)

Mark Nusbaum - Coach (2023)

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)

Lester Ratcliff ‘84 (2023)

Edward Reardon ‘33 (2003)

Edward “Jay” Reardon ‘76 (2004)

Jerome J. Reardon ‘69 (2012)

Kerry Reardon ‘67 (2002)

Jack Reichmeier ‘49 (1992)

Ryan Reid ‘03 (2023)

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)

Allan Smith ‘05 (2023)

McCasey Smith ‘98 (2015)

Timothy “Ryan” Smith ‘96 (2016)

Raymond Sonnenberg ‘30 (1992)

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)

Phillip Strozier ‘06 (2023)

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)

HALL OF FAME

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.

/Matt Darby of the great Class of 2000 was pivotal in Rock Soccer winning the first State Championships in program history. In 1998, Rockhurst did not lose a match, going 27-0-1 en route to its first-ever soccer title. As a midfielder, Matt played both sides of the ball and the defense allowed just 10 goals all year. Matt’s senior year squad recorded 15 shutouts in 29 matches while the team went 27-1-1. In that season, Rockhurst defeated #1 nationally ranked Marquette University High School. Matt and the Hawklet defense went on to blank SLUH in the State Championship and Rock capped its repeat title with a #10 national ranking. Matt was named 1st Team All-State and the Missouri Defensive Player of the Year and continued playing at Marquette University. He was named head coach of the program in 2019. Through five seasons under Coach Darby, Rockhurst is 103-14-3, winning State Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023, as well as the program’s first National Championship in 2023 after going 24-0-0.

/Tim Mauck of the great Class of 1990 sparked a Hawklet offense that averaged 34 points per game during a State Runner-Up finish in 1989. At tight end, Tim broke the Rockhurst single season receptions record with 43 catches, totaling 628 yards and seven touchdowns. That still stands as the most productive season for a tight end in program history. But Tim may best be remembered for recovering a fumble in the end zone in the fourth overtime to beat Jefferson City in the State Semifinals, in what Athletic Director Al Davis called “The Game of the Decade.” He was selected as 1st Team All-State tight end and was also named a 1st Team Jesuit All-American. Tim won the Bukaty Award as a senior, given to the team’s best leader on and off the field. Baseball returned to The Rock as a varsity sport in 1989, and Tim was a varsity letterman in his junior and senior seasons before playing football at New Mexico State University.

/Michael McGee of the great Class of 2009 stands out even in a storied program like Rockhurst golf. As a freshman, Michael made the varsity team on the defending State Champions. He placed 6th at Districts and 16th at State as the Hawklets were again the Missouri State Champs. That would be the first of three team titles Michael helped win. As a sophomore Michael was the top Rockhurst player at State with an 11th Place finish as the team took 3rd. He then accepted the leadership role as an upperclassman as The Rock won both the 2008 and 2009 team championships. Michael finished 14th as a junior, and was co-individual State Champ as a senior while the Hawklets won by an incredible 23 strokes. In his historic senior season, Michael averaged 73.7 strokes per 18 holes. He was the program’s third individual State Champ, but the first to ever pair it with a team title. Michael went on to play at Indiana University.

/Nathan Scheelhaase of the great Class of 2009 was the definition of a dual-threat quarterback. While the starter for two full seasons, Rockhurst’s offense was unstoppable. In 2007, the Hawklets averaged 38 points per game en route to the program’s fourthever undefeated State Championship season and #20 national ranking. Nathan totaled 2,800 yards of total offense, throwing for 20 touchdowns and rushing for another 14

scores. He won the Simone Award for the most outstanding player in Kansas City – the first non-senior winner in the award’s 25-year history, and was also the Missouri Gatorade Player of the year. Rockhurst went 10-2 in Nathan’s senior season, as he totaled 2,600 more yards and 33 total touchdowns. Nathan was also a three-year letterman in basketball and a four-year letterman in track & field. He was an All-State sprinter and member of the school-record 4x200 Relay team. He went on to play at the University of Illinois and is still the program’s leader in career total offense.

/Nick Vignatelli of the great Class of 2006 is the second AquaHawk swimmer to be inducted into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame. Nick was a four-year letterman who helped The Rock win the 2005 swim & dive State Championship; the first of many for the program. As a junior, Nick was a member of the 200 Medley Relay team that won State in record-breaking time. He also placed 5th in the 50 Free, giving Rock valuable points to help beat Blue Springs by 12 and bring home the program’s first title. As a senior, Nick was 2nd in the 50 Free in 21.37 and earned AllAmerican honors. Nick and his AquaHawk teammates also won the 200 Medley again as Rockhurst cruised to back-to-back State Titles. For his individual and relay career, Nick was All-State eight times and All-American five times.

/Kevin Ward of the great Class of 2000 helped make Rockhurst golf a dominant force in the late-90s and into the 2000s. Kevin made the varsity team as a sophomore and was a District medalist before helping The Rock win the 1998 State Championship and was an All-State finisher in 14th place. His junior season in 1999 was even more impressive for the Hawklets. Kevin and his teammates went undefeated, winning all seven duals and all seven tournaments, which had at least 16 teams each. Kevin was again All-State, placing 5th individually while Rock won the State Meet by 12 strokes. As a senior, Kevin helped the team win Rockhurst’s first three-peat in golf, as the Hawklets edged out Chaminade by one stroke at State. Kevin went on to play at the University of Kansas.

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 156 members, plus the 2024 class of seven inductees, for a total of 163 members.

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. Note that some will overlap between categories.

/Colleges & Univerisites

Accepting Members of the Class of 2024

Arizona State UniversityTempe*

Avila University*

Baylor University*

Bellarmine University*

Belmont University*

Benedictine College

Biola University

Boston College

Bradley University

Central Methodist University*

Chapman University

Clemson University College of Charleston

Saint John’s University

College of the Holy Cross*

Colorado School of Mines*

Colorado State UniversityFort Collins

Columbia College*

Columbia College

Chicago

Columbia University in the City of New York*

Cornell College

Creighton University*

DePaul University*

DePauw University

Dordt University*

Drake University

Drexel University*

Eastern Illinois University

Elon University*

Embry-Riddle

Aeronautical UniversityDaytona Beach

Fairfield University

Flagler College

Florida Atlantic University*

Florida International University

Florida State University

Fordham University

Furman University*

Georgetown University*

Gonzaga University

Hampton University

High Point University

Indiana University

Indianapolis

Indiana UniversityBloomington*

Iowa State University*

Johnson County

Community College*

Kansas City Art Institute*

Kansas City Kansas

Community College*

Kansas State Polytechnic

Kansas State University*

Kent State University at Kent

Lindenwood University

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University

Chicago*

Marquette University*

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City*

Miami University-Oxford

Michigan State University

Michigan Technological University

MidAmerica Nazarene

University*

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Missouri Southern State University

Missouri State University*

Missouri University of Science and Technology*

Missouri Western State University*

Montclair State University

Northern Arizona University

Northern Illinois University*

Northwest Missouri State University*

Oklahoma State

University-Main Campus

Pace University

Park University

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Main Campus

Pittsburg State University*

Purdue University*

Regis University*

Rice University

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rockhurst University*

Rome City InstituteRome, Italy*

Rocky Mountain College

Saint John’s University

Saint Louis University*

Saint Louis UniversityMadrid Campus*

Salve Regina University

Santa Clara University

Savannah College of Art and Design*

Seton Hall University

Southern Illinois

University-Carbondale*

Southern Methodist University

Southwest Baptist University*

Temple University

Texas A & M UniversityCollege Station

Texas A & M UniversityCorpus Christi*

Texas Christian

University*

The George Washington University

The University of Alabama*

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville*

Thomas Jefferson

University

Truman State University

United States Merchant

Marine Academy

University of Arizona*

University of Arkansas*

University of Central Missouri*

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado Boulder*

University of Colorado

Colorado Springs*

University of Colorado Denver*

University of Connecticut

University of Dallas

University of Dayton

University of Denver

University of Florida

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Indianapolis

University of Iowa

University of Kansas*

University of Kentucky

University of MichiganAnn Arbor*

University of MinnesotaTwin Cities

University of Mississippi*

University of MissouriColumbia*

University of MissouriKansas City*

University of NebraskaLincoln

University of New MexicoMain Campus

University of North Dakota

University of Notre Dame*

University of Oklahoma*

University of Oregon

University of Richmond

University of Saint Mary*

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of South Carolina-Columbia

University of St Thomas

University of Stirling

University of the Pacific University of Tulsa

University of Utah*

University of Vermont

University of Virginia*

University of WisconsinMadison*

University of WisconsinMilwaukee*

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Military Institute*

Virginia Tech*

Wake Forest University*

Washburn University*

Washington University in St Louis*

Webster University

Western Michigan University*

Wheaton CollegeMassachusetts*

Wichita State University*

William & Mary*

William Jewell College

Xavier University

*Colleges Attended

COL LEG ES

Counseling

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. Thirteen percent of our 2024 graduates are attending a Jesuit college or university this fall.

/State Championships

The goal of each Rockhurst team is to earn a banner that will be hung and celebrated in either the performance gym (1st Place) or the Loyola Center (2nd and 3rd Place). Since the school’s first State Championship in 1932 (basketball), Rockhurst has placed in the topthree at State 157 times - almost all coming after the 1960s.

Baseball

2004 (2nd)

2010 (3rd)

Basketball

1932 (1st)

1949 (2nd)

1970 (2nd)

1971 (3rd)

1986 (2nd)

1987 (1st)

1989 (1st)

2000 (3rd)

2005 (3rd)

2007 (2nd)

2013 (1st)

Cross Country

2011 (2nd)

2015 (2nd)

2016 (1st)

2018 (1st)

2023 (2nd)

Football

1969 (2nd)

1971 (1st)

1973 (2nd)

1981 (1st)

1982 (2nd)

1983 (1st)

1986 (1st)

1987 (1st)

1989 (2nd)

1999 (2nd)

2000 (1st)

2002 (1st)

2007 (1st)

2010 (1st)

2014 (2nd)

2018 (2nd)

86 41

1st

Place Finishes:

Golf

1974 (1st)

1976 (1st)

1977 (3rd)

1978 (2nd)

1979 (3rd)

1984 (1st)

1991 (1st)

1993 (2nd)

1996 (2nd)

1997 (2nd)

1998 (1st)

1999 (1st)

2000 (1st)

2002 (3rd)

2003 (3rd)

2004 (2nd)

2005 (1st)

2006 (1st)

2007 (3rd)

2008 (1st)

2009 (1st)

2010 (1st)

2011 (2nd)

2012 (1st)

2013 (2nd)

2014 (3rd) 2015 (2nd)

2016 (2nd) 2017 (1st) 2018 (3rd) 2019 (3rd) 2022 (1st) 2023 (2nd)

2nd Place Finishes:

29

3rd

Place Finishes:

STATE championships

Lacrosse

2001 (2nd)

2003 (1st) 2006 (1st)

2007 (2nd) 2008 (1st) 2009 (2nd) 2010 (1st) 2011 (1st) 2014 (1st) 2017 (1st) 2019 (2nd) 2021 (1st) 2022 (1st) 2023 (1st) 2024 (1st)

Soccer 1987 (3rd) 1988 (2nd) 1989 (2nd) 1991 (3rd) 1994 (3rd) 1998 (1st) 1999 (1st) 2001 (3rd) 2002 (2nd)

2003 (3rd) 2004 (2nd) 2005 (3rd) 2006 (3rd) 2007 (1st) 2008 (1st) 2010 (1st) 2013 (1st)

2015 (3rd) 2016 (2nd)

2017 (1st) 2018 (3rd) 2021 (1st)

2022 (1st) 2023 (1st)

Swim & Dive

2005 (1st)

2006 (1st)

2006 (1st)

2007 (1st)

2008 (1st)

2009 (1st)

2010 (1st)

2011 (1st)

2012 (1st)

2013 (1st)

2014 (1st)

2019 (2nd)

2020 (1st)

2021 (1st)

2022 (1st) 2023 (1st)

Tennis 1975 (1st)

1976 (1st)

1982 (3rd)

1983 (1st)

1986 (2nd)

1989 (3rd)

1995 (3rd)

1996 (1st)

1997 (1st)

1998 (1st)

1999 (1st)

2000 (1st)

2001 (1st)

2002 (1st)

2003 (1st)

2004 (1st)

2005 (1st)

2007 (1st)

2008 (2nd)

2009 (1st)

2010 (2nd)

2011 (3rd)

2012 (2nd)

2013 (1st)

2014 (1st)

2015 (1st)

2016 (2nd)

2017 (3rd)

2018 (2nd)

2019 (3rd)

2021 (2nd)

2022 (3rd)

2024 (3rd)

Track & Field

1975 (1st)

1976 (1st)

CROSS COUN TRY

TRAINING TALENT AND TOUGHNESS ONE STEP

AT A TIME

From the start of the season to the final moments at the Missouri State Cross Country Championship, the Hawklets demonstrated a commitment to excellence, teamwork, and passion that has become synonymous with their storied program.

The Hawklets’ season was filled with notable accomplishments, including multiple top-tier team finishes, personal bests, and a state meet that saw four Rockhurst runners earn All-State honors. Yet, despite these triumphs, the ultimate goal of a state championship remained just out of reach. Rockhurst finished second at the state meet, only one runner short of capturing the coveted team title.

State Championship Performance: Four All-State Performers

The 2023 Missouri State Cross Country Championship, held at the Gans Creek XC Course in Columbia, was one of the most competitive in recent memory. Rockhurst entered the meet as a top contender, and they lived up to their billing with a stellar performance. Leading the charge was junior Henry Acorn, who delivered a blazing 15:07.0 finish, earning 4th place overall.

“Watching the state meet and seeing Henry then Kai then Andrew then Justin all earn All-State and compete with such passion was amazing,” said Rockhurst head coach Mike Dierks. “They executed the state race very well. We were just one runner short of bringing home the trophy in an incredibly competitive state race.”

Acorn’s performance set the tone for his teammates, with juniors Kai Somasegaran and Andrew Davis also breaking the 16-minute barrier. Somasegaran finished 8th in 15:25.7, while Davis took 11th in 15:32.4. Close behind was junior Justin Waldron, who placed 21st with a time of 15:40.1. The strong finishes of these four juniors earned them All-State honors and placed Rockhurst in contention for the team title.

Despite these stellar individual performances, the Hawklets finished just shy of the ultimate prize. Rockhurst’s total of 99 points left them in second place, just behind the state champions. It was a bittersweet conclusion to the season, as the team’s effort was exemplary, but the trophy eluded their grasp.

“We have a commitment to racing in packs and trying to support and run for each other,” Dierks

said. “This group of young men raced their hearts out all season, and it was so impressive to have four All-State performers at the state meet.”

A Season of Growth and Success

The road to the state championship was paved with numerous accomplishments for Rockhurst. The team’s season began with a first-place finish at the Aquinas Greg Wilson Invitational, where they bested 12 other teams with 74 points. The Hawklets also secured a second-place finish at the Forest Park XC Festival, competing against elite competition from across the Midwest.

At the highly competitive Gans Creek Classic, Rockhurst placed 3rd out of 43 teams, followed by a 5th-place finish at the prestigious Chile Pepper XC Festival in Arkansas, where they faced over 100 teams. These performances helped solidify Rockhurst’s reputation as one of the top cross country programs in the region.

In the postseason, Rockhurst shined once again, winning the District Championship at Staley High School. Acorn claimed the individual title with a time of 16:01.1, and the Hawklets secured the team championship with 40 points, finishing ahead of 17 other teams. Davis, Somasegaran, Bill Hayes, and Waldron all contributed key performances to help Rockhurst dominate the district field.

Coach Dierks credited the team’s pack-running strategy and dedication to their success throughout the season. “The leadership of Drew McGalliard, Calvin Seithel, Danny Gajewski, and Hudson Tsevis will be remembered for helping the younger runners understand what it means to race as a Hawklet,” Dierks said. “I am so grateful that they allowed some very talented runners to learn from their passion and hard work.”

Individual Standouts and Key Performers

Acorn emerged as one of the top runners in the Kansas City area, consistently leading the team and posting some of the fastest times in the state. His 15:07.0 at the state meet was not only a personal best but also one of the fastest times in Missouri last season.

Somasegaran and Davis also made significant strides throughout the year. As the season progressed, both runners improved their times, culminating in their All-State performances at Gans Creek. Somasegaran’s 15:25.7 and Davis’s 15:32.4 demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level.

Waldron’s 15:40.1 at the state meet capped off an impressive season, as he was forced to the sideline for a majority of the season having to cross train in the pool, on the bike before getting to race near the postseason. Junior Bill Hayes, who ran a season-best 16:18.7 at Gans Creek, and seniors Gajewski and Tsevis, who provided veteran leadership, also played crucial roles in Rockhurst’s success.

“Training for cross country is a long and enduring journey,” Dierks said. “For those guys to stay focused and work hard, and then for them to execute at such a level in the state series of districts and state is a testament to their dedication and faith.”

Looking Ahead to 2024: High Expectations for a Talented Group

As the 2023 season comes to a close, Rockhurst’s prospects for 2024 are as bright as ever. With the core of the team returning, including Acorn, Somasegaran, Davis, Waldron, and Hayes, expectations are sky-high for another deep postseason run. The class of 2025, in particular, is loaded with talent and potential, and the Hawklets will enter next season as one of the top teams in Missouri.

“The cross country program is consistently one of the top in the Kansas City area, and with the talent in the Class of 2025, expectations are incredibly high,” Coach Dierks said. “We need to spend our mental efforts focusing on positivity and the process of getting 1% better every day.” It will be interesting to see if more faces step up the lifestyle of being a Hawklet XC runner as the team boasts some of the largest rosters in the state.

“We are what our habits and thoughts allow us to be so we will focus all of our team members to be their better selves,” Coach Dierks said.

/Cross Country Head Coach

/MikeDierks Coach Dierks ’91 has worn many hats during his 29 year full-time work at Rockhurst: Spanish teacher, Journalism teacher, Prep News adviser, Director of Alumni and most recently as the Athletic Director. Alongside those roles, he has been involved with cross country and track & field and will continue as the head cross country coach after retiring from other duties in 2024. In his 28 years as head coach, the program has qualified for the State Meet 19 seasons (including the past 17 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 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. With more spare time, he enjoys traveling and time with his dog Murphy, while also cheering on his nephew Connor, 27.

COACHES SCHE DULE

VARSITY 2024

Saturday, September 7

Aquinas Invitational :: Shawnee Mission Park

Saturday, September 14

Forest Park XC Festival :: St. Louis, MO

Saturday, September 21

LSN Invitational :: Lee’s Summit North HS

Friday, September 27

Gans Creek Classic :: Columbia, MO

Saturday, October 5

Kansas City Classic :: Raymore, MO

Saturday, October 12

Kearney Invitational :: Jesse James Park

Saturday, November 2

District Championships :: TBA

Friday, November 8

State Championships :: Columbia, MO

Assistant Coaches

/CrossCountry2024 Team Page & Schedule

/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 where he ran collegiately. 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 eighth 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 & English and serves as the Assistant Pastoral Director in addition to his coaching duties in cross country and track. He and his wife Moira have two young children, Beatriz and Patrick.

/Alan Ratermann Coach Ratermann is in his sixth season with the XC team after assisting in 2015 while he was with Rockhurst as part of the Alumni Service Corps. Since his time at the Rock Coach Ratermann teaches 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 was a member of their state championship season. He shares his passion for sport in general and working with anyone committed to excellence.

/Zander Haddad Coach Haddad begins his second season coaching cross country as well as track & field. 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. Between his stint as a student teacher at Rockhurst and coming back, he worked at St. Thomas Aquinas as a teacher and assistant cross country coach. He teaches Spanish and is the Spanish Club moderator and helps with the Pastoral Department.

/Carl Nelson Coach Nelson ‘13 returns to his high school alma mater and the sport of cross country after a successful 4 year stint running at Regis University, CO. He is an accomplished marathon runner and brings that experience to all levels of runners. During the day, Coach Nelson is an accountant. He and his wife Dr. Bridgett Nelson returned to KC for her residency. In his free time he enjoys gardening and raising hens for their fresh eggs.

/Alex Dobens /Ryan McAnany

/Alan Ratermann /Zander Haddad

/Carl Nelson

/Cross Country

All-Time Team

Tim Jantsch 1977

Tom Jantsch 1977

Matt Blake 1985

Jeff Bresette 1986

Stewart Gillin 1987

Patrick Fanning 1991

Hans Van Zanten 1992

Pat Robinson 1993

Hal Marsh 1995

Michael Schaefer 1999

Chris Brown 2000

Rory Donnelly 2000

Sean O’Donnell 2001

Chris Winger 2001

Brennan Metzler 2003

Brian Graham 2003

Patrick Tweedy 2004

Jeff Poskin 2005

Evan Daugherty 2008

Alex Dobens 2008

Michael Neisius 2009

Enrique Mejia 2010

Matt Neisius 2010

Zach Herriott 2012

Ryan McAnany 2012

Tanner Shuey 2012

Van Schloegel 2013

William Thompson 2015

Gray Ryan 2016

Sam Wilkerson 2016

John Luder 2017

Danny Toomey 2017

Peter Campbell 2018

Andrew Connor 2018

Luke Hupke 2019

Will Reboulet 2019

Tom Seitzer 2019

SEA SON RE SULTS 20 23

Aquinas - Greg Wilson Invitational

1st out of 13 teams with 74 points

Forest Park XC Festival

2nd out of 11 teams with 82 points

Lee’s Summit North Invitational

4th out of 14 teams with 131 points

Gans Creek Classic

3rd out of 43 teams with 206 points

Chile Pepper XC Festival

5th out of 110 teams with 330 points

Lee’s Summit West Dual Won, scoring 17 points

District Championship 1st out of 18 teams with 40 points

State Championship 2nd out of 16 teams with 99 points

Season Stats 2023

Top 15 5,000 meter times

SEA SON STATS

District Championship :: Staley High School, KCMO

State Championship :: Gans Creek XC Course, Columbia, MO

$Race

Season Team Awards 2023

All-District

Danny Gajewski ‘24

Hudson Tsevis ‘24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ‘25

Bill Hayes ‘25

Kai Somasegaran ‘25

Justin Waldron ’25

1st Team All-Metro

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ‘25

Kai Somasegaran ‘25

2nd Team All-Metro

Justin Waldron ‘25

All-Metro KCMO Coach of the Year

Mike Dierks

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.

Noah Schloege 2015

Peter Campbell 2016

Luke Hupke 2017

Tom Seitzer 2017

Wes Porter 2018

Golden Spike Award

Joe Seitzer 2019

Brian Humphrey 2020

Brian Humphrey 2021

Henry Acorn 2022

Henry Acorn 2023

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

Brian Armstrong 1988

Rick Grady 1989

Patrick Fanning 1990

Hans Van Zenten 1991

Patrick Robinson 1992

Dustin King 1993

Hal Marsh 1994

Justin Deeken 1995

Vince Roebel 1996

David Wood 1997

Mike Schaefer 1998

Andrew Coughlin 1998

Chris Brown 1999

Chris Winger 2000

John Dollerschell 2001

Brennan Metzler 2002

Patrick Tweedy 2003

Jeff Poskin 2004

Matt Clifford 2004

Gallager Ring 2005

Jack Fletcher 2006

Evan Daugherty 2007

Michael Neisius 2008

Enrique Mejia 2009

Blake Campbell 2010

Ryan McAnany 2011

Zach Herriott 2011

Van Schloegel 2012

All-State

Henry Acorn ‘25

Andrew Davis ‘25

Kai Somasegaran ‘25

Justin Waldron ‘25

SEA SON AWA RDS

Charlie Smith 2013

Carson Bode 2014

Sam Wilkerson 2015

John Luder 2016

Peter Campbell 2017

Tom Seitzer 2018

Wes Porter 2019

Joe Seitzer 2020

Will Wooden 2021

Brian Humphrey 2022

Drew McGalliard 2023

Second

Third

Fourth

Second

Third

Fourth

Fifth

Front row, from left: Brady Goffinet, Jack McGovern, Justin Waldron, Andrew Davis, Jake Bond, Kai Somasegaran, Henry Acorn, Bill Hayes, Ben Wachtel

row: Aidan Fugate, Brody Finigan, Landon Hochstein, Jack Grisolano, Matthew LaSala, Zack Zumwalt, Will Fanning

row: Jack Morrison, Caleb McNamara, Ryne Hallier, George Kennedy, Langston Humphrey

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

Front row, from left: Henry Hodes, Ben Grilliot, Noah Titus, Liam Dennis, Josh Barney, Liam Griffiths, Jack Neely, Cole Cress, Akuei Akuei, Nolan Roeder

row: Parker Finigan, Danny Hodes, Alexander Graziano, Henry Pfeifauf, Caleb Doyle, Jack Bosco, Jack Brackett, Michael Arico, Charlie Porto

row: Sam Reintjes, Connor Deady, Prosper Ott, Henry Bosco, Leo Border, Ethan Heinen, Daniel Colombo, Ben Olschki

row: Owen Walsh, Connor Clune, Will Fanning, Brady Goffinet, Ben Wachtel, Asa Schaaf, Noah Heinen

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

Front row, from left: Bill Hayes, Kai Somasegaran, Andrew Davis, Jake Bond, Justin Waldron, Henry Acorn

Second row: Zack Zumwalt, Jack Grisolano, Landon Hochstein, Brody Finigan, Matthew LaSala, Langston Humphrey

Front row, from left: John Henggeler, Johnas Deeken, Guy Jacobs, Robert Milligan, William Lueke, Ben Walsh, JT Finlason, Brien Farrell

Second row: Charlie Tietjen, Maddox Hillmer, Wyatt Baughman, Harvest Ott, Collin Murphy, George Blasdell, Luke Rando

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

Fourth row: Ethan Wohletz, Sam Schibig, Will Fanning, Brady Goffinet, Ben Wachtel, Finnigan Fuhrman, Konsta Myrick, Jr.

/CaptainsCrossCountry

/ManagersCrossCountry

Front row, from left: Kai Somasegaran, Andrew Davis, Jake Bond

Second row: Bill Hayes, Caleb McNamara, Henry Acorn

Front row, from left: Will Fanning, Brady Goffinet, Ben Wachtel

FOOT BALL

ROCKHURST FOOTBALL: A SEASON TO REMEMBER

The 2023 Rockhurst High School football season was a thrilling journey marked by unforgettable moments, individual achievements, and a collective spirit that brought them within inches of a state championship. Finishing with an impressive 11-2 record and placing in the top four in Missouri, the Hawklets proved once again why their program is a perennial contender. The season ended in heartbreak, with a narrow overtime loss to Liberty North in the state semifinals, but the team’s resilience, determination, and fight throughout the year left a lasting mark on Rockhurst football history.

An Unforgettable Senior Class

Coach Kelly Donohoe, a seasoned leader of the program, reflected on the 2023 season with great pride. “The biggest highlight was a great group of seniors that invested so much into the program during their time at Rockhurst and were rewarded with a great senior season,” he said. “The walk-off field goal win at Bentonville was a great moment. The unlikely comeback at Aquinas was so incredible. Beating an undefeated Lee’s Summit North team to win the District Title just topped off what was an incredible 2023 season.”

Indeed, those moments defined a season that tested the team’s toughness and showcased their heart. Whether it was grinding out a 24-21 victory against Bentonville with a last-second field goal, or overcoming a significant deficit to beat St. Thomas Aquinas 45-44 in overtime, the Hawklets always found ways to persevere.

A Season Defined by Grit and Determination

The 2023 campaign was full of close contests that required the Hawklets to dig deep. From their 31-0 opening shutout against Raymore-Peculiar to the tough battles in their district and state playoff runs, Rockhurst proved time and again that they were capable of handling high-pressure situations.

Their only regular-season defeat came against Liberty North, a powerhouse program, where the Hawklets fell 35-7. But the lessons learned from that loss, combined with the resilience shown in their victories, fueled them through the rest

of the season. “I am so proud of our team last year because of their resilience and toughness,” Coach Donohoe said. The defining moment of their season, according to him, came when they knocked off undefeated Lee’s Summit North in the district championship game, winning 24-21. That victory solidified their place among the top teams in the state and earned them a spot in the state semifinals.

Key Contributors and Impressive Performances

Rockhurst’s success in 2023 was due to contributions from multiple players, led by the standout performances of seniors and a few emerging underclassmen. On the ground, Aidan Ryan was a workhorse, rushing for 1,103 yards on 221 carries, averaging 4.99 yards per carry, and scoring 18 touchdowns. Ethan Hansen added 297 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, while Thomas Coppinger and Pierce Fisher chipped in with solid performances as well.

In the passing game, quarterback Ethan Hansen led the air attack with 2,150 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, showing his ability to distribute the ball effectively. His favorite target was Jack Bickelmeyer, who hauled in 38 receptions for 670 yards and 7 touchdowns, followed by Myles Carson (30 catches, 453 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Maeson Tunley (30 catches, 410 yards, 6 touchdowns). These receivers provided Hansen with reliable options and big-play potential throughout the season. But such strong offense would not have been possible without such

outstanding linemen like Andrew Spraque, Trey Gunnoe, Jack Manning and Mitch Forbes. Many played both ways to boot.

On defense, Rockhurst was anchored by players like linebacker Thomas Coppinger, who led the team with 111 total tackles and 9 tackles for loss, and linebacker Jeb Koetting, who added 92 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. Their tenacity in the middle of the field helped keep opponents in check, while defensive back Vince White contributed 56 tackles and a key fumble recovery during the playoffs. The defense was opportunistic and tough, playing a significant role in their success.

Looking Ahead to 2024

With the 2023 season now a part of Rockhurst’s proud football history, all eyes turn to 2024 and the promise of new beginnings. Despite losing several key seniors, Coach Donohoe is optimistic about the team’s future. “We will field a lot of new starters this year. Though we are inexperienced to start the season, we really like this team because of the commitment they’ve made. We are confident this could become a really good football team,” he shared.

One of the exciting developments heading into the 2024 season is the addition of new defensive coordinator Vinny Careswell. He, along with several new faces on the coaching staff, will help guide the team through this transitional period after long-time coaches like John Morris, Mike Sullivan, and Greg Oder stepped down.

Among the returnees expected to lead the Hawklets in 2024 are Jack Manning, Jeb Koetting, Beau Neuburger, and Drew Mozena. These players all played significant roles during the 2023 season, and their leadership will be crucial as Rockhurst looks to build on its recent success. Manning, a defensive lineman, will be tasked with anchoring the front, while Koetting returns as one of the team’s top tacklers at linebacker. Neuburger and Mozena will both provide leadership and experience in their respective positions, with Neuburger contributing in the ground game and Mozena expected to step up defensively.

Though Rockhurst will have many new faces in the starting lineup, the quality of the coaching staff, combined with the culture of

the program, ensures that expectations remain high. “Our coaching staff is made up of a lot of strong character men that truly understand the value of every kid in our program,” Coach Donohoe explained. “It is a very knowledgeable, competitive group of guys that will work extremely hard to put our boys in a position to be successful this fall.”

A Bright Future Awaits

The 2024 season holds plenty of intrigue for Rockhurst. The team may be young, but the foundation of commitment and discipline is strong. While the Hawklets may begin the season as an inexperienced squad, Coach Donohoe’s belief in their potential speaks volumes. If they can replicate the resilience and toughness that defined their 2023 season, there’s no reason to believe they won’t be contenders once again.

“I am so proud of our team last year because of their resilience and toughness”

Coach Donohoe

Head Coach

/Kelly Donohoe Coach Donohoe enters his fifth 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

Assistant Coaches

/Tom Kruse Coach Kruse begins his fifth year at the Rock but his 33rd year patrolling a sideline, bringing years of football experience as our Hawklets’ Offensive Coordinator. With stops at Harrisonville, Park Hill, Park Hill South, at Raymore-Peculiar he was the head coach for 20 years and won State Titles in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Coach Kruse 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 and was named Rockhurst Athletic Director this year. Coach Kruse and his wife, Kim, have two children: Cole (wife, Darby) and Cassie.

/Vinny Careswell Coach Careswell joins a veteran Rockhurst staff as the Defensive Coordinator after successfully coaching in the public system for 29 years. This included a stop at Excelsior Springs before joining the Lee’s Summit West staff where he retired as the head coach. Graduating from Missouri Western University he played in 42 games. Coach Careswell loves the way football teaches life lessons and toughness. During the day he is a Technology teacher at Visitation. He and his wife Dr. Holli Careswell have two adult children, Cam and Boston.

/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. All-inall he is bringing 32 years of experience to the staff. He is a Theology teacher, as well as the Theology Department Chair. Coach Charbonneau is married to Joan and they have two children: Cecil ’23 and Nila.

COACHES

/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 coached the track & field throws for the Hawklets. Coach Schmelzle has a adult daughter, Alexandra.

/Tom Kruse /Vinny Careswell

/Stephen Charbonneau /Shawn Schmelzle

Assistant Coaches

/Mike Garrett Coach Garrett begins his seventh 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, He 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 seventh year with the Rockhurst community as a Theology teacher and 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 Coach 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 and assistant varsity football 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. Coach Marshall joined the track & field staff last year and will continue as the throwers coach.

/Braxton Jones Coach Jones joined the football staff in 2023. He hails from Asheboro, NC and went on to play both football and to wrestle at UNC-Pembroke before transferring to Western Carolina University to earn 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. Coaching at Texas A&M and William Jewell before getting back into high school coaching in 2022 at Lee’s Summit West and beginning his sixth year in coaching. He works in supply chain management. In his free time, Coach Jones loves traveling - he has been to 48 states and 15 countries.

/Mike Garrett

/Jim Gillcrist

/Van Marshall /Braxton Jones

Assistant Coaches

/Jeff Crowe A former Rockhurst football letterman himself, Coach Crowe ’86 returned to coach in the program in 1999 and has been coaching ever since, most notably as the head 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 standout 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.

/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.

/Jim Monteil Coach Monteil enters his eighth 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.

/Jeff Crowe

/Chris Doyle

/Nick Vaughn

/Jim Monteil

/Football

Assistant Coaches

/Troy Harding Coach Troy Harding begins his eighth year as the head track & field coach since joining the program in 2018. New for 2024 he will also return to the sidelines with freshman football but is no stranger to it having coached it previously. For the prior 25 years, Coach Harding taught Math and coached track & field and football at Blue Springs South High School - 19 years as head track & field coach. He has a strong background in hurdles but truly knows all events and is an excellent multi-event coach. Coaching 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 All-State 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.

/Andrew Kayhill Coach Kayhill joins the Hawklets staff this year after a four-year career playing football for the Emporia State University as a defensive back. He will be working with the sophomore team and aims to help players take that next step. Outside of coaching for the Hawklets, Coach Kayhill is an EXOS trainer.

/Jordan Chrisman Coach Chrisman joins the Hawklets staff after having coached at both Winnetonka and Staley for nine seasons. He had a stellar high school career at Blue Springs earning All Metro 1st Team and the prestigious Buck Buchanan awards in 2009. He went on to Northwest Missouri State to be a member of their 2013 D2 National Championship team. Currently a high school ELA educator, Coach Chrisman is engaged to Jadyn Schaal.

/Nick Janes Coach Janes is new to the Rock but not to Coach Donohoe and Coach Kruse. He was a former Blue Springs Wildcat in football and basketball and was a coach at both William Chrisman and RaymorePeculiar. This will be his 13th year coaching football as he is welcomed to the Rock. He and his wife Aubri have two children, David and newborn daughter, Brynlee Mae.

/Kellen Bartlett Coach Bartlett joins the football staff and brings along a successful high school and college playing resume. He was a Blue Springs South graduate of 2008 and member of their 2007 state championship team. Coach Bartlett was twice all-state, all-district, allmetro and earned a college scholarship. He went on to play at Utah State and even tried out for the NFL. Coach Bartlett and his wife Kelsey have a boy named Cub.

/Troy Harding /Andrew Kayhill

/Jordan Chrisman /Nick Janes

/Kellen Bartlett

/Football

Varsity Football 2024 Schedule

Friday, August 30 St. Pius X Home 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 6 Raymore-Peculiar Away 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 13 Olathe North Home 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 20 Lee’s Summit West Home 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 27 Bishop Miege Away 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 4 Blue Springs Away 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 11 Saint Thomas Aquinas Home 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 18 Liberty North Home 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 25 St. Louis University High School Away 6:00 p.m.

Friday, November 1 District Quarterfinals TBD 7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 8 District Semifinals TBD 7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 15 District Championship TBD 7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 22 State Semifinals TBD 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 29 TBD TBD

SEA SON RE SULTS

20 23

OVERALL RECORD: 11-2

Raymore-Peculiar Won 31-0

@ Blue Springs South Won 47-10

Liberty North Lost 35-7

@ Bentonville (Ark.) Won 24-21

Bishop Miege Won 21-14

@ St. Thomas Aquinas Won 45-44 (OT)

@ Blue Springs Won 14-10

/Football 2024 Team Page & Schedule

St. Louis University High School Won 40-22

@ Oklahoma City Patriots Homeschool Forfeit Win (13-0)

District Semifinals: Lee’s Summit West Won 31-9

@ District Championships: Lee’s Summit North Won 24-21

State Quarterfinals: Nixa Won 38-14

State Semifinals: Liberty North Lost 28-27 (OT)

/Football

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

Shad Garnett 1947

Bob Williams 1948

Jack Reichmeier 1949

John A. Williams 1950

Arlen Staab 1951

Joe Bukaty 1953

Alonzo Robinson 1953

Joseph Teasdale 1953

Alex George 1955

Joe Moore 1955

Jerry Overton 1955

Tom Raimo 1955

Pat Keating 1956

Mike Lillis 1956

Ed Mehrer 1956

Tim Gardner 1960

Don Schilling 1961

John McCambridge 1963

Jim Whitaker 1963

Charlie Elmer 1964

Joe Groner 1964

Thomas Muehlebach 1964

Kenneth Mayer 1965

Joe Spinello 1965

Pat Tierney 1966

Kerry Reardon 1967

Virgil Staponski 1967

Pete Santoro 1968

Mike Meyers 1969

Vince Nowak 1969

Jerry Reardon 1969

Phil Poppa 1970

Mike Fagan 1971

Chris Cummings 1972

Brian Meyers 1972

Sean Mulcahy 1972

Kevin Hart 1974

Chris Garlich 1975

Mark Goodspeed 1975

Brad Budde 1976

Jeff Crippen 1976

Bill Lillis 1976

Cecil Stockdale 1976

Mike Lombardo 1977

Bill Whitaker 1977

John Hiatt 1979

Tim Johnson 1980

David Cone 1981

Wayne Evans 1982

Tony Fritz 1982

Jim Houston 1982

Paul Migliazzo 1982

Brad Tyrer 1982

Kevin Wyatt 1982

Tom Freeman 1983

Jim Davis 1983

Mike Long 1984

Mark VanKeirsbilck 1985

Dan Baker 1987

Merle Gardner 1987

Chris Russell 1987

Tim Ryan 1987

Jim Dorlac 1988

Kenyon Rasheed 1988

Pat Ryan 1988

Shawn Schmelzle 1988

Jason Tyrer 1988

Robert Gamble 1989

Chris Holmes 1989

Vince Hodes 1990

Mike McGlinn 1990

Chris Powell 1990

Travis Huenfeld 1991

Tony Blevins 1993

Kevin Kopp 1993

ALL TIME TEAM

Ted Brooks 1993

Kerry Scanlon 1994

Jim Tuso 1994

Matt Krull 1994

Shalom Tolefree 1994

Wes Kuechler 1995

Dan Adams 1996

Ryan Cummings 1996

Justin Dro 1996

Jeff Severino 1996

Sean Doyle 1999

T.J. Mandl 1999

Brandon Severino 1999

Brandon Shelby 2000

Mike Frey 2000

Nick Boyd 2001

Jason Dunsworth 2001

Scott Edmonds 2001

Geoff Brown 2001

Kevin Kane 2002

Dan Boyd 2003

James Griffin 2003

Andrew Paterini 2003

Kevin Sears 2003

Kyle Teahan 2003

Jeff Koons 2004

Bryan Murphy 2004

Tony Temple 2004

DJ Hord 2005

Allan Smith 2005

Mike Walczuk 2005

David Belfonte 2006

Andrew Brooks 2006

Sal Capra 2006

Derek Hall 2006

Phillip Strozier 2006

Joey Camarata 2007

Conner Teahan 2007

Ivan Charbonneau 2008

Drew Temple 2008

Jack Euston 2008

Van Marshall 2008

Matt Mavec 2008

Nathan Scheelhaase 2009

Keith Langtry 2009

Joe Geha 2009

Chris Castelluccio 2009

Sal Belfonte 2010

Dexter McDonald 2010

Jalen Montgomery 2010

Shane Lillis 2010

Mark Boushka 2011

Cooper Kerns 2011

Noah Pearl 2011

Dan Tapko 2011

Michael Rose 2012

Christian Eatherly 2012

Trey Randle 2012

Kevin Berg 2012

Alex Bales 2012

Jordan Walker 2012

Griffin Bins 2013

Joe Gibson 2013

Zach Hannon 2013

Jordan Willis 2013

Luke Arbanas 2014

Will Bazzle 2015

Lance Boehm 2015

TJ Green 2015

Jacob Kerns 2015

Luke Ritter 2015

AJ Taylor 2016

Ross Elder 2017

Chance May 2017

Cameron Reller 2017

Brady McCanles 2018

Jacob Sykes 2018

Luke Boehm 2019

Sawyer Crawford 2019

Danielson Ike 2019

Michael Johnson 2019

Cooper Krezek 2019

Andrew Stafford 2019

Football 2023 Season Stats

Rushing (Top Rushers)

Receiving

Kick-Off Returns

Punt Returns

Punting

/Football 2023 Season Team Awards

All-District

Jack Bichelmeyer ‘24 (WR)

Myles Carson ‘24 (WR)

Thomas Coppinger ‘24 (LB)

Mitch Forbes ‘24 (DL)

Trey Gunnoe ‘24 (OL)

Ethan Hansen ‘24 (QB)

Vince Jacoby ‘24 (DB)

Logan Kuechler ‘24 (K)

Micah Oder ‘24 (DB)

Aidan Ryan ‘24 (RB)

Andrew Sprague ‘24 (OL)

Vince White ‘24 (DL)

Jeb Koetting ‘25 (LB)

Jack Manning ‘25 (OL)

Mike Lillis Award

All-State

Andrew Sprague ’24 (OL - 1st Team)

Thomas Coppinger ‘24 (LB - 1st Team)

Jack Bickelmeyer ‘24 (WR - 3rd Team)

Mitch Forbes ‘24 (DL - 3rd Team)

Ethan Hansen ‘24 (QB - 3rd Team)

Adidas All-American

Andrew Sprague ‘24 (OL)

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 1999

Nick Boyd 2000

Eric Vossman 2001

Dan Boyd 2002

Bryan Murphy 2003

Mike Walzcuk 2004

Sean Kitts 2005

Blaine Balderston 2006

Scholar-Athlete Award

Doug McFarland 2007

Clarke O’Dowd 2008

Jalen Montgomery 2009

Cooper Kerns 2010

Kyle Murphy 2011

Joseph Gibson 2012

Tommy Sciara 2013

Andrew Grindstaff 2014

Claudio Martin 2015

Kevin Crawford 2016

Joe Glaser 2017

Joe Kelly 2018

Michael Kuklenski 2019

Johnny Pascuzzi 2020

Ben Drouin 2021

Andrew Sprague 2022

Andrew Sprague 2023

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 1999

Mike Day 2000

Rich Whitney 2001

Mark Munninghoff 2002

Jeff Koons 2003

Josh Karlin 2004

Sean Kitts 2005

Joe Camarata 2006

Alex Schoeck 2007

Chris Castelluccio 2008

Kyle Smith 2009

Ryan Karlin 2010

Alex Bales 2011

Tom Keller 2012

Andrew Krieger 2013

Jimmy Dixon 2014

Ivor Vinsant 2015

Carter Selzer 2016

The Coach Eric Berg and Coach John Morris Leadership Award

Brady McCanles 2017

Joe Kelly 2018

Nick Carollo 2019

AJ Frazier 2020

Luke Bailey 2021

Simon Connor 2022

Trey Gunnoe 2023

Grant Haake 2023

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.

Tim Glaser 2019

Jack Scanlon 2020

Will Gormsen 2021

Tate Scanlon 2022

Mitch Forbes 2023

Micah Oder 2023

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.

Joseph Bukaty 1952

Peter Dougherty 1953

Joseph Moore 1954

Edward Mehrer 1955

Michael Messina 1956

Richard Corrigan 1957

Frank Duke 1958

Thomas Browne 1959

Don Schilling 1960

Howell Fancher 1961

Richard Brewster 1962

Charles Elmer 1963

Kenneth Mayer 1964

Patrick Tierney 1965

Tom Stephenson 1966

Patrick McMahon 1967

William Schoonover 1968

Phillip Poppa 1969

Mike Fagan 1970

Fred Nachbar 1971

Paul Kies 1972

Michael Park 1973

Chris Garlich 1974

Michael Orscheln 1975

Severino Find a Way Award

John Welsh 1976

Pat Sanders 1977

Michael Raimo 1978

Timothy Johnson 1979

Carlton Miller 1980

Brad Tyrer 1981

Patrick Coppinger 1982

Mark Reintjes 1983

David Lewis 1984

Anthony Hodes 1985

Chris Russell 1986

Pat Ryan 1987

Chris Holmes 1988

Tim Mauck 1989

Chris Sexton 1990

Mike Sonnenberg 1991

Tony Blevins 1992

Greg Bauer 1993

Brad Batz 1994

Michael Reardon 1995

Justin Dro 1996

Ben Capoccia 1997

T.J. Mandl 1998

Mike Frey 1999

Ryan Anderson 2000

Kevin Kane 2001

Marcus Perry 2002

Jeff Koons 2003

Terry McMahon 2004

David Belfonte 2005

Steve Jones 2006

Ivan Charbonneau 2007

Nathan Scheelhaase 2008

Sal Belfonte 2009

Mark Boushka 2010

Alex Bales 2011

Henry Mascaux 2012

Luke Arbanas 2013

TJ Green 2014

AJ Taylor 2015

Chance May 2016

Jacob Sykes 2017

Luke Boehm 2018

Tommy Eckels 2019

Wilson Selzer 2020

Isaac Koch 2021

Conor Sexton 2022

Thomas Coppinger 2023

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

Will Eckels 2021

Colton Wemhoff 2022

Anselmo Special Teams Award

Ethan Hansen 2023

Aidan Ryan 2023

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.

Luke Arbanas 2011

Austin Ritter 2012

Nick Romano 2013

Luke Ritter 2014

Martin Radosevic 2015

Ross Elder 2016

Eric Angrisano 2017

Jaxson Wentworth 2018

Owen Lawson 2019

Jack Kelly 2020

Ryan Dierks 2021

George Donnelly 2022

Logan Kuechler 2023

Robert Purcell 2023

Front row, from left: Brendan Bowen, Michael Tafoya, Jackson Igoe, Blake Thomas, Riley Sullivan, Liam Conway, Jaden Tynes, Charlie Bernstein, Colin Powell, Caden Flores, Hunter Smith, Pierce Fisher; Second row: Charlie Loose, Evan Murray, John Reib, Bud Fallon, Cash Lewandowski, Josh Story, Cooper Frey, Sean Swinney, Garret Miller, Chase Hammerschmidt, Joe Pitzl; Third row: Nick Pizzichino, Peter Nickson, Jack Creger, Van Pham, Tommy Reardon, Nolan Dingley, Pierce Williams, Selvin Braddock, Joe Teasdale, Sheldon Kight, Beau Neuburger; Fourth row: Luca Sano, Liam Daly, Quinn Walsh, Cooper Clemons, Max Moylan, Auggie Johnson, Campbell Luzar, Henry Coppinger, Jeb Koetting, Gage Nelson, Gavin Scott-Hying; Fifth row: Matt Monroe, Brennan Murphy, Henry Hahn, Stephen Schoenfeld, John O’Farrell, Brody Gordanier, Matt Bowling, Zach Novotny, Jack Manning, Drew Mozena, Jack Sprague, Xavier Schnetzler; Sixth row: Manuel Mascote, Declan Sullivan, Gabriel Moore, James O’Farrell, Darius Long, Jackson Sallee, Trenton Floodberg, Warren Robertson, Owen Hughes, Xavier Clemons;

Seventh row: Brady Batz, Tyler George, Jackson Price, Ben Mergherio, Owen Hokanson, Kevin Sullivan, Oliver Priestland, Theo Bras, Trenton Floodberg;

Eight row: Mr. Paul McGannon, Coach Stephen Charbonneau, Coach Jordan Chrisman, Coach Kellen Bartlett, Coach Chance May, Coach Tom Kruse, Coach Kelly Donohoe, Coach Vinny Careswell, Coach Van Marshall, Coach Jim Gillcrist, Coach Braxton Jones, Coach Shawn Schmelzle, Coach Michael Garrett

Front row, from left: Riley Sullivan, Pierce Fisher, Charlie Loose, Bud Fallon, Chase Hammerschmidt, Van Pham

Second row: Beau Neuburger, Jeb Koetting, Gage Nelson, Jack Manning, Drew Mozena

Front row, from left: Jaden Tynes, Pierce Fisher, Charlie Loose, Cash Lewandoswki, Sean Swinney, Garret Miller, Joe Pitzl Second row: Van Pham, Selvin Braddock, Beau Neuburger, Luca Sano, Quinn Walsh, Cooper Clemons

Third row: Campbell Luzar, Henry Coppinger, Gavin Scott-Hying, Matt Monroe, Oliver Priestland

Second

Third

Front row, from left: Gage Nelson, Brennan Murphy, Henry Hahn, Stephen Schoenfeld, John O’Farrell, Brody Gordanier, Matt Bowling, Zach Novotny

row: Declan Sullivan, Manuel Mascote, Xavier Schnetzler, Jack Sprague, Drew Mozena, Jack Manning, Gabriel Moore

row: James O’Farrell, Darius Long, Jackson Sallee, Warren Robertson, Xavier Clemons, Jackson Price, Owen Hokanson, Kevin Sullivan

Front row, from left: Bud Fallon, Cash Lewandowski, Beau Neuburger, Luca Sano, Liam Daly, Quinn Walsh, Cooper Clemons Second row: Auggie Johnson, Campbell Luzar, Henry Coppinger, Jeb Koetting, Brennan Murphy, Ben Mergherio

Second row: Pierce Fisher, Evan Murray, John Reib, Josh Story, Cooper Frey, Chase Hammerschmidt, Nick Pizzichino, Jack Creger

Third row: Tommy Reardon, Pierce Williams, Joe Teasdale, Sheldon Kight, Max Moylan, Matt Monroe, Owen Hughes, Ben Mergherio

Front row, from left: Brendan Bowen, Michael Tafoya, Jackson Igoe, Blake Thomas, Riley Sullivan, Liam Conway, Charlie Bernstein, Colin Powell, Caden Flores, Hunter Smith

Front row, from left: Thedore Brown, Cole White, Brock Hoban, Quinn Scanlon, Charles Mohn, Joseph Durkin, Kyle Maher, Tyson Nguyen, Mateo Reynolds-Andrews;

second row: Griffin Swoboda, Jaden Johnson, John Paul Stegall, Vincent Sorenson, Samuel Volker, Jack Korentager, Luke Connell, Noah Bartling; third row: Thomas Hendricks, Oliver Arnold, Andrew Hoolehan, Chase Quinn, John O’Connor, Jack Schultz; fourth row: Ethan Erwin, Connor Cowan, Darryl Major, Oscar Lopez, Luke Bolch, Braedon Tunley, Theo Martin, Langston LaFond, Benjamin Nigro; fifth row: Coach Andrew Kayhill, Coach Chris Doyle, Coach Jeff Crowe

Front row, from left: Carter Mullen, Leighton Effertz, Darian Asaeli, Elijah Curtis, Ryan Kamphoefner, Mariaun Peterson, Tristan Johnson, Will Sampler, Zach French, Adam Balde, Charlie Mandl; second row: Adam Hartman, Cade McDonough, Henry Switzer, Liam Matt, Mikey Coleman, Robbie Teasdale, Max Murphy, Caden Darby, Chip Renz III, Luke Brewster; third row: Roman Walker, Will Reyna, Gabe Lanter, Ben Hayes, Teddy Saxe, Logan Mason, Trey Boling, Beau Ketchum, Jack Berghoff, Jack Myre, Thomas Nickson, Johnny Meiners; fourth row: Connor O’Brien, Gavin Fahey, Johnny Reardon, James Schoenfeld, Dargin Gunnoe, Jack Novak, Burke Gassen, Archer Hughes, Benjamin Freeman, Danny Fitzgerald, Max Baker, Anderson Wilson; fifth row: Anton Kotar, Liam Winslow, Jamison Murphy, Jackson Harris, Sullivan Juhnke, Charlie Meiners, Paul McLiney, Tommy Brackett, Enzo Montalto, Lincoln Voepel, Harry Kennedy; sixth row: Samuel Martinez, Tom Koetting, Liam Still, Graham Darby, Reece Fisher, Walter Holland, Hank Bradley, Joseph Jeppson, Luke Clemons, Anderson Hawley; seventh row: Henry Creal, Alex Clarke, Samson Braddock, Greg Egan, Hank Judy, George Nessinger, Aiden Lawler, Max Murray, Enzo Riccardi; eighth row: Sam Gregory, Grant Henderson, Will Frisch, Beau Scanlon, Johnny Durkin, Owen Ismert, Connor Roth, Ty Williams, Camden Lemon, Patrick Scheiderer; ninth row: Coach Jim Monteil, Luke Barnes, Carson Kress, Brogan Dro, Will Duke, Henry Hagenhoff, Mason Vande Krol, Jack Adler, Scotty Vogt, Coach Nick Vauhn, Coach Troy Harding.

/Football

Varsity Football Series Record

*Blue Springs 1981-2023 34-24-0

De LaSalle 1918-1970 32-13-5

Jefferson City 1976-2019 28-15-0

Lee’s Summit 1919-2019 26-1-0

Southwest 1925-1995 26-3-5

KCKS Catholic/Ward 1916-1978 26-18-3

*St. Agnes/Bishop Miege 1957-2023 25-8-1

Blue Springs South 1995-2023 23-6-0

Paseo 1926-1963 23-11-2

Columbia Hickman 1971-2015 22-9-0

Liberty 1917-2013 18-7-0

Lee’s Summit North 1996-2023 17-0-0

Pem Day 1916-1959 16-1-1

North Kansas City 1941-2001 16-6-0

Hogan 1943-1963 13-0-0

Southeast 1938-2001 13-2-0

Raytown South 1966-1993 13-6-0

Raytown 1955-1999 13-7-1

Oak Park 1973-2005 12-1-0

Columbia Rock Bridge 1981-2019 12-3-0

Northeast 1930-1952 12-3-0

*St. Thomas Aquinas, KS 1991-2023 11-0-0

Glennon 1943-1954 11-1-0

St. Benedict/Maur Hill 1927-1960 11-2-1

Joplin 2002-2011 10-0-0

Redemptorist 1943-1954 10-1-0

SM East, KS 1963-2017 10-3-0

Grandview 1979-1993 9-0-0

Lillis 1943-1954 9-0-3

Westport 1929-1972 9-1-0

Maur Hill 1939-1961 9-1-1

O’Hara 1971-1981 9-1-1

SM West, KS 1974-1990 9-6-0

Immaculata 1933-1941 8-1-0

*Raymore-Peculiar 2010-2023 8-4-0

St. Jos Cath/Christ. Bro. 1916-1949 8-5-3

KC Central 1924-1997 8-7-1

SM Northwest, KS 1981-1988 7-0-0

Kapaun/Mt. Carmel, KS 1957-1986 7-2-0

Park Hill 1983-2022 7-3-0

Ruskin 1964-1978 7-3-0

Truman 1966-1995 6-0-0

Van Horn 1969-1990 6-0-0

St. Peter/Helias 1942-2015 6-0-0

St. Louis Sumner 1973-2001 6-2-0

Hazelwood Central 1981-2010 5-0-0

Kickapoo 1989-2016 5-0-0

Springfield Kickapoo 1989-2000 5-0-0

Garden City, KS 1996-2001 5-1-0

Hutchinson, Ks. 2008-2013 5-1-0

*Lee’s Summit West 2016-2023 5-1-0

*St. Pius X 1962-1974 5-1-0

SM North, KS 1946-1980 5-2-0

William Chrisman 1921-1993 5-6-0

Topeka Cath./Hayden 1923-1960 4-0-0

Wyandotte 1973-1986 4-0-0

St. Mary’s, KS 1922-1930 4-1-0

KC East 1930-1982 4-1-1

*Olathe North, KS 1919-1999 4-3-1

Argentine 1916-1941 4-4-0

Bentonville, AR 2012-2023 4-6-0

Ft. Smith Northside, AR 1987-1997 4-6-1

St. Joseph Central 1983-1989 3-0-0

*St. Louis University High 1983-2023 3-0-0

Winnetonka 1981-1989 3-0-0

Carrollton 1919-1926 3-4-0

Battle - Columbia 2018-2019 2-0-0

Central AC 1917-1918 2-0-0

Dallas Jesuit, TX 2002-2003 2-0-0

Fayetteville, AR 1989-1990 2-0-0

Gulf Shores Acad., TX 2002-2003 2-0-0

Hickman Mills 1987-1989 2-0-0

KC Lincoln 1955-1956 2-0-0

Lincoln East, NE 1983-1984 2-0-0

Minnetonka 2007-2008 2-0-0

Park Hill South 2000-2001 2-0-0

Rosemount, MN 1994-1995 2-0-0

SM South, KS 1987-1988 2-0-0

Warrensburg 1923-1924 2-0-0

Wichita Northwest, KS 1994-1995 2-0-0

Lincoln Southeast, NE 1991-1993 2-1-0

E. St. Louis Lincoln, IL 1987-2013 2-1-0

Rosedale 1922-1927 2-1-1

St. James Academy 2020-2020 1-0-0

Edmond Santa Fe, OK 2007-2007

Edina, MN 2002-2002

Blue Valley 2018-2018 1-1-0

Ctry. Club Dist. AC 1916-1917

Higginsville 1920-1922

Mehlville 1999-2007 1-1-0

Mullen, Colo. 2008-2009 1-1-0

Springdale Har-Ber 2014-2015 1-1-0

De Smet Jesuit 2005-2021 1-2-0

Springdale, AR 1984-1988 1-2-0

CBC 2014-2021 1-6-0

KCKU Prep 1919-1919

Norborne 1922-1922

Odessa 1923-1923 0-0-1

Abilene, TX 2005-2005 0-1-0

Excelsior Springs 1917-1917 0-1-0

Evangel Christian, LA 2003-2003 0-1-0

Gardner 1917-1917 0-1-0

Hazelwood East 1989-1989 0-1-0

Joplin Parkwood 1975-1975 0-1-0

Kirkwood 2016-2016 0-1-0

Marshall 1925-1925 0-1-0

McCluer 1969-1969 0-1-0

McLouth 1922-1922 0-1-0

Overland Aurora, CO 1995-1995 0-1-0

Richmond 1932-1932 0-1-0

Webb City 2014-2015 0-2-0

*Liberty North 2019-2023 0-4-0

* denotes 2024 opponent

Varsity Football Season by Season

Gainey

/Football

1953

- 13

- 19

- 13

- 16

- 6

- 41 Jerry Culver - 7 yrs. 63-16-0

/Football

2012

9-3

East St. Louis 20-12

Bentonville, Ark. 7-24

Blue Springs 24-38

Hutchinson, Kans. 35-31

Blue Springs South 28-0

Liberty 30-0

Col. Rock Bridge 38-21

Jefferson City 16-6

Col. Hickman 34-7

First Round Playoff

Lee’s Summit 37-7

Second Round Playoff

Raymore-Peculiar 38-7

District Championship

Blue Springs 11-14

2013 6-4

East St. Louis 19-14

Bentonville, Ark. 21-24

Blue Springs 7-22

Hutchinson, Kans. 41-7

Blue Springs South 27-6

Liberty 24-34

Col. Rock Bridge 47-28

Jefferson City 20-16

Col. Hickman 21-6

First Round Playoff

Blue Springs South 8-11

2014 12-2

Columbia Rock Bridge 49-14

Webb City 14-40

Bentonville, AR 17-16

Springdale Har-Ber 46-22

Blue Springs South 42-0

Blue Springs 14-13

Columbia Hickman 42-6

Helias 40-10

Jeff City 34-17

First Round Playoff

Lee’s Summit North 43-14

Second Round Playoff

Kickapoo 41-0

District Championship

Blue Springs 34-29

State Semifinal

Francis Howell 25-20

State Championship

CBC 24-31

2015 4-6

Columbia Rock Bridge 26-7

Webb City 20-49

Bentonville, Ark. 13-24

Springdale Har-Ber 21-49

Blue Springs South 27-37

Blue Springs 39-21

Columbia Hickman 50-0

Helias 35-25

Jefferson City 20-55

First Round Playoff

Raymore-Peculiar 21-24

2016 9-3

Columbia Rock Bridge 41-6

Blue Springs South 14-7

Bentonville, Ark. 24-21

Raymore-Peculiar 21-0

SM East 26-20

Blue Springs 7-24

CBC 3-10

Jefferson City 49-6

First Round Playoff

Park Hill 21-14

Second Round Playoff

Kickapoo 26-3

District Championship

LS West 27-17

State Semifinal

Kirkwood 17-24

2017 8-4

Columbia Rock Bridge 14-17

Blue Springs South 27-7

Bentonville, Ark. 35-8

Raymore-Peculiar 41-14

SM East 21-17

Blue Springs 14-21

Pomona 40-28

CBC 3-28

Jefferson City 30-12

First Round Playoff

LS North 7-0

Second Round Playoff

LS West 20-17

District Championship

Park Hill 14-28

2018 11-3

Columbia Rock Bridge 21-33

Blue Springs 17-0

Raymore-Peculiar 31-10

Blue

SOC CER

CELEBRATING A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2023 Rockhurst High School soccer season was one for the history books, cementing the school’s legacy as a powerhouse in Missouri soccer. Under the guidance of head coach Matt Darby, Rockhurst soared through the season, earning accolades, breaking records, and delivering highintensity performances that kept fans and rivals on their toes.

Preseason Expectations and Team Composition

The Hawklets entered the 2023 season with high expectations. Returning several standout players from the previous season, the team was loaded with experience and talent. Seniors like Baka Kante, Teddy Franke, Henry Mullen, and Brooks Barrett were expected to lead both on and off the field. Their leadership and skills would blend with younger talents like Uchan Kohring and Asende Welongo, creating a balanced and dynamic team.

Coach Matt Darby, who was named the Class 4 Private School Coach of the Year, knew the potential his team had from the start. “This group has the mentality and drive to do something special,” Darby said in a preseason interview. “With the combination of experience and the work ethic they bring, we knew it was going to be a memorable season.”

Key Matches and Results

Throughout the season, Rockhurst delivered one dominating performance after another. In several pivotal matchups against top-ranked teams, the Hawklets demonstrated their ability to score early and often and forced teams to change tactics and pack it in so that Hawklets couldn’t run free.

In the first half of the season, they go through a stretch of Aquinas, Lee’s Summit schools and the SM East tournament testing themselves against some of KC’s finest.

The Jesuit Classic is always a great test and the Hawklets emerged undefeated. Rockhurst plays one of the most challenging schedules in the Kansas City area. Going through a gauntlet undefeated was impressive given the weight of the expectations.

Defensive Dominance

Rockhurst’s defensive unit was anchored by senior Henry Mullen, who was named the Class 4 Defensive Player of the Year. Mullen’s leadership at the back was pivotal in keeping opposing offenses at bay. Known for his tough tackling and incredible game awareness, Mullen marshaled the backline and kept the team’s defense organized throughout the season.

Mullen’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed, Brooks Barrett earned All-State Honorable Mention honors as well. But it was truly a wall of skilled and physical defenders like Frank Robinson, Tanner Hollenback and Will Hunter along with phenom goalie Luke Strueby that only gave up 12 goals the entire season.

The Baka Factor

Perhaps the most talked-about player of the season was Baka Kante, who emerged as not only the star of Rockhurst but also one of the top players in the country. Kante’s combination of speed, technical ability, and vision made him a nightmare for opposing defenses. His offensive contributions were crucial in leading Rockhurst to key victories.

Kante’s stellar season earned him a slew of individual honors, including being named the Gatorade Missouri Soccer Player of the Year, the Class 4 Player of the Year, and an All-State 1st Team selection. His dominance on the field also garnered national recognition, as he was named

to the United Soccer Coaches All-American Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Team. Kante’s achievements placed him among the elite players in the country, with a spot on the SB Live Top 20 Players in the Nation list.

When asked about his performance, Kante remained humble, crediting his teammates and coaches for his success. “It’s a team game, and I couldn’t do what I do without the support of my teammates,” Kante said. “Coach Darby has pushed me to be the best version of myself, and I’m just grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.”

Midfield and Attacking Strength

Alongside Kante, Teddy Franke and Uchan Kohring were vital contributors in the midfield. Franke, a senior leader, was a maestro in the center of the pitch, controlling the tempo of the game and distributing the ball with precision. His efforts earned him All-State 1st Team honors and a spot on the SB Live Top 20 Players in the Nation list. Franke’s ability to read the game and break down opposing defenses made him one of the top players not only in Missouri but in the country.

Kohring, a junior standout, also made his mark on the season. His tireless work ethic and technical skills in the midfield provided balance to Rockhurst’s play. Kohring’s performance was recognized with All-State 1st Team honors and a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Team. His versatility and ability to impact both ends of the field made him a crucial component of Rockhurst’s success.

Asende Welongo and Uchan Kohring while perhaps not receiving the same national spotlight as Kante or Franke, were essential

pieces to the puzzle. Kohring was 1st Team and All Region while Welongo was named to the AllState 2nd Team. Both players brought energy, tactical awareness, and consistency to the squad, rounding out one of the strongest rosters Rockhurst has ever fielded. All that firepower scored 104 goals in the season.

Timely Poise and Big Plays

One of the season’s scariest moments but equally showed that this team didn’t wilt was the district finals. In control most of the game versus Raymore-Peculiar as the opponent employed a familiar tactic of packing in their defense with limited attack - an error that led to a Panter goal slightly shifted the game’s dynamic. It wasn’t until a breakaway goal to tie it towards the end of regulation that you could see a somewhat stunned Hawklet sideline. They did not shrink to the moment and put the ball back into the net within minutes of the overtime.

Moments like this are what prepared the Hawklets for the state finals game. They entered the game with the pressure of knowing that if they win, they will earn the #1 ranking in the nation. But they scouted Park Hill South and saw a cohesive team playing great team soccer. It was an inspired game that went back and forth all the way to what was presumed to be an overtime period. Except the Rock DID NOT QUIT and with seconds left on the clock, Teddy Franke gets a shot off to score the winning goal.

Reflecting on the championship win, Coach Darby said, “These boys have worked so hard for this moment. They’ve faced adversity, they’ve put in the hours, and today, they’ve earned everything. I couldn’t be prouder of this group.”

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Jeremy McElduff

/Jon Feder

/Matt Darby Entering his 21st year at Rockhurst, Matt Darby ’00 is also in his sixth season as head coach of the soccer team. Coach Darby continued to set the bar higher by leading the 2023 squad to not only a state championship (third in a row: 2023-2022-2021) but also an undefeated season and National Championships. This is the first sport at Rockhurst that has earned such distinction but it is not a surprise if you walked through the locker room to see the motivational reminders or watched all the practice plans and film review. 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 ‘28, Cole, and Ryan.

COACHES

/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 twoyear break, he returned to The Rock as a coach in 2019 so he is beginning his 25th year coaching at the Rock. 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 reading fantasy and mystery novels, 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 seventh year on the faculty at Rockhurst and his sixth 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.

/Soccer

Assistant Coaches

/Dan Shaver Starting his tenth 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 sons, James and William. Coach Shaver is also moderator of the Yell Leaders and serves as an assistant varsity soccer coach at St. Teresa’s Academy.

/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 All-Time 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 ninth 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. During the day Coach Martel works at Kansas City Life Insurance as an actuarial analyst.

/Bryan Jantsch Coach Jantsch ‘10 begins his second stint coaching for Hawklets soccer. This is his seventh season in coaching soccer for the Rock and St. Teresa’s. During the day, Coach Jantsch works in commercial real estate. He, along with his brother, Kevin ‘12 and his dad, Tom ‘77 were stellar Rockhurst athletes, and state champions in their careers.

/Dan Shaver /Dan Calderon

/Scott Huber /Matthew Martel

/Bryan Jantsch

Tuesday, September 3 Lee’s Summit West Home 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 5 St. Thomas Aquinas Away 6:30 p.m.

September 10-14

Shawnee Mission Tour. Away

September 20-21 Jesuit Classic in Milwaukee Away

Tuesday, September 24 Lincoln College Prep Acad Away 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 26 Lee’s Summit Away 6:30 p.m.

SCHE DULE VARSITY 2024

Saturday, September 28 Park Hill South Away 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 1 KC East Christian Acad Home 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 8 Pembroke Hill Home 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 9 Lee’s Summit North Away 6:30 p.m.

Monday, October 14 KC East High School Home 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 17 Kickapoo Away 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 18 Ozark Away 5:00 p.m.

Monday, October 21 Blue Springs South Home 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 24 St. James Academy Home 6:30 p.m.

2024 Team Page & Schedule

Varsity Soccer 2023 Results

@ Lee’s Summit West Won 2-0

St. Thomas Aquinas Won 2-1

SM East Tourney vs. Blue Valley Won 5-3

SM East Tourney vs. Blue Valley Won 3-1

SM East Tourney vs. SM East Won 1-0 (3-2 in PKs)

Lee’s Summit North Won 2-0

Lee’s Summit Won 4-0

Kickapoo Won 8-0

Lincoln Prep Won 9-1

Jesuit Classic vs. Marquette (WI) Won 3-0

Jesuit Classic vs. Gonzaga (D.C.) Won 3-0

Blue Valley Won 8-0

@ Pembroke Hill Won 3-0

810 Varsity Showcase vs. Bishop Miege Won 5-1

Chaminade Won 3-0

@ Blue Springs South Won 6-0

Soccer 2023 Season Team Awards

All-Region (Districts 5 & 6)

Teddy Franke ’24

Baka Kante ’24

Henry Mullen ‘24

Uchan Kohring ’25

Asende Welongo ’26

Region 3 Defensive Player of the Year

Henry Mullen ‘24

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 (1st Team)

Teddy Franke 24 (2nd Team)

Henry Mullen ‘24 (2nd Team)

Asende Welongo ’26 (Hon Men)

All-State

Teddy Franke ’24 (1st Team)

Baka Kante ’24 (1st Team)

Henry Mullen ‘24 (1st Team)

Uchan Kohring (1st Team)

Asende Welongo (2nd Team)

Brooks Barrett ‘24 (Hon Men)

Class 4 Defensive Player of the Year

Henry Mulen ‘24

Class 4 Player of the Year

Baka Kante ’24

OVERALL RECORD: 24-0-0

@ St. James Academy Won 3-0

Carthage Won 7-1

Districts vs. Ruskin Won 14-0

Districts vs. Lee’s Summit West Won 3-0

Districts vs. Raymore-Peculiar Won 3-2 (OT)

State Quarterfinals vs. Ozark Won 2-1

State Semifinals vs. John Burroughs Won 6-0

State Championship vs. Park Hill South Won 2-1

Class 4 Private School Coach of the Year

Matt Darby

Gatorade Missouri Soccer Player of the Year

Baka Kante ‘24

United Soccer Coaches

All-Central Region

Baka Kante ’24

Uchan Kohring ‘25

United Soccer Coaches

All-American

Baka Kante ’24

SB Live Top 20 Players in the Nation

Teddy Franke ’24

Varsity Soccer 2023 Awards

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

Golden Boot Award

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

Brendan Matthews 2000

Charlie Peters 2001

William John 2002

Robby Borchardt 2003

Eric Sweetin 2004

Jordan Raybould 2005

Peter O’Neill 2006

Justin Koehler 2006

Peter O’Neill 2007

The Solid As A Rock Award

Alex Sweetin 2008

Bryan Jantsch 2009

Doug Stevenson 2010

Derek Schrick 2011

Jim Brazeal 2012

Kyle Mclagen 2013

Robert Dewitt 2014

Jordan Evans 2014

C. McLagan 2015

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

Jarrett Devereaux 2000

Matt Ferguson 2001

Mike Comiskey 2002

Seamus McLaughlin 2003

Cole Mayer 2004

Dan Kovac 2005

Drew Pavlovich 2005

Kelly Mercer 2006

Justin Koehler 2007

Alex DeZeeuw 2007

Austin Trees 2008

Felipe Navarro 2008

Bryan R. Bolden Award

Danny Cunningham 2008

Bret Raybould 2009

Kyle Huber 2009

Jon Feder 2009

Grant Wilson 2010

John Mehl 2011

Brendan Marquart 2012

Robert Kelly 2013

Ben Seitzer 2013

Ryan Lewis 2014

W. Boatman 2015

Michael Rall 2016

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

Nick Taylor 2000

John Molle 2001

Kyle Fitzgerald 2001

Scott Ferguson 2002

Michael Wiggins 2003

Miguel Mejia 2003

Matt Betterman 2004

Joe Madden 2004

Nick Simcox 2005

Alex Higbie 2005

Conor Lewis 2006

Danny Riesmeyer 2007

Michael Murphy 2008

Garret Carman 2008

Paul Pisani 2009

Adam Stingo 2010

Brad Miller 2010

Brandan Krueger 2010

Andy VanBuskirk 2011

Sam Joseph 2012

Alex Caffrey 2013

Sam Joseph 2013

Lukas Kenney 2013

Jack Saladino 2014

Leadership Award Started in 2020.

Rocco Deppe 2020

Ryan Thompson 2020

Ryan Thompson 2021

Connor Gaarder 2022

Teddy Franke 2023

K. Schieffer 2015

Gianni Catenacci 2016

Kyle Ruark 2017

Thomas Gansner 2018

Thomas Gansner 2019

Grant Peters 2020

Ryder Barrett 2021

Baka Kante 2022

Baka Kante 2023

Camden Schieffer 2017

George Marty 2017

Jake Hiss 2018

Kyle Ziegler 2018

Max Goodwin 2019

Ryder Barrett 2020

Josh Pileggi 2021

Grant Anielak 2022

Dylan Grojean 2022

Henry Mullen 2023

Eric Smith 2014

Donovan Siro 2015

Alex Siro 2015

Mitchell Roberts 2016

Ben Tranberger 2017

Jackson Merckens 2017

Andrew Valdivia 2018

Liam Bailey 2019

Braydon Tomasic 2020

Noah Higbie 2021

Andrew Maldonado 2022

Liam VerMeer 2023

Rick Pribyl 1966

Joe Hilboldt 1974

Chip Corrigan 1983

Tom McKay 1984

Jim Mosqueda 1986

Jeff Johnson 1987

Mike Chonko 1988

Tom Knox 1988

Todd Riley 1988

Chris D’Amico 1989

Keith Jarmusch 1989

Chuck Reid 1989

Todd Schieffer 1990

Brett Darby 1994

Scott Siegel 1995

Kevin Charcut 1995

Nick Finn 1996

Matt Benben 1997

Bryan Charcut 1997

Sean Walker 1998

Jason Cole 1999

Michael Robards 1999

Dan Watson 1999

Matt Herald 1999

Brian Siegel 2000

Matt Jewett 2000

Joe Burns 2000

Jason Woods 2000

Matt Darby 2000

Jim Davey 2000

Brett Coppage 2000

Lance Snodgrass 2000

Brendan Matthews 2001

Ryan Raybould 2001

Jarrett Devereaux 2001

Charlie Peters 2002

Will John 2003

Mike Comiskey 2003

Robbie Borchardt 2004

Daneil Kerley 2005

Cole Mayer 2005

Seth Sinovic 2005

Eric Sweetin 2005

Drew Pavlovich 2006

Jordan Raybould 2006

Alex DeZeeuw 2008

Justin Koehler 2008

Peter O’Neill 2008

Tom Sorrentino 2008

Alex Sweetin 2009

Christian Krueger 2009

Austin Trees 2009

Luke Snyder 2009

Alex Male 2009

Tj Lawless 2009

Felipe Navarro 2009

Bryan Jantsch 2010

Dustin Abnos 2011

Nick Lewis 2011

Doug Stevenson 2011

Adam Stingo 2011

Grant Wilson 2011

Derek Schrick 2012

John Mehl 2012

Brendan Marquart 2013

Jim Brazeal 2013

Sam Joseph 2014

Robert Kelly 2014

Kyle McLagan 2014

Ben Seitzer 2014

Robert DeWitt, III 2015

Matthew Martel 2015

Keaton Schieffer 2016

Cole McLagan 2016 Will Boatman 2016

Gianni Catenacci 2017

Nick Moyer 2017

Frank Barry 2018 Kyle Ruark 2018

Camden Schieffer 2018 Jake Hiss 2019

Kyle Ziegler 2019

COACHING RECORDS

Soccer 2023 Season Stats

*All-Region

^All-Metro

#All-State

%All-Midwest

!All-American Blue indicates returnee

SEASON STATS

Front row, from left: Liam Dean, Thomas Deppe, Aidan Poynter, Uchan Kohring, Carter Middleton, Luke Strueby, Max Hafner, Ari Hertenstein, Asende Welongo, Ethan Guenther

Second row: Connor Williams, Mr. Paul McGannon, Coach Jon Feder, Thomas Bowen, Rex Olivas, Simon Mazzarese, Coach Matt Darby, Coach Jeremy McElduff, Wyatt Hawkinson

Third row: Joey Dunn, Blake Helvey, Charlie Heineman, Will Hunter, Charlie Finn Barrett, Calvin Schieffer, Michael Gary, Peyton Hodes, Tanner Hollenbeck, Collin Leary /Varsity

/Forwards

Front row, from left: Charlie Finn Barrett, Thomas Deppe, Aidan Poynter, Uchan Kohring, Max Hafner

Second row: Liam Dean, Carter Middleton, Luke Strueby, Wyatt Hawkinson

Third row: Will Hunter, Tanner Hollenbeck, Asende Welongo, Michael Gary, Calvin Schieffer

Front row, from left: Asende Welongo, Aidan Poynter, Michael Gary

Second row: Ari Hertenstein, Blake Helvey, Uchan Kohring

/Midfielders

/Defenders

Front row, from left: Thoma Deppe, Connor Williams, Wyatt Hawkinson, Collin Leary

Second row: Will Hunter, Charlie Finn Barrett, Charlie Heineman, Tanner Hollenbeck

Front row, from left: Liam Dean, Max Hafner, Ethan Guenther

Second row: Joey Dunn, Calvin Schieffer, Peyton Hodes

/Soccer

/Goalies

/JuniorVarsityTeam /Managers

From left: Carter Middleton, Luke Strueby.

From left: Tommy Bowen, Simon Mazzarese, Rex Olivas.

Front row, from left: Talyn Gates, Ian Kabianga, Axel Marquez, Cruz Garcia, Luke Wachtel, Connor Dierks, Owen Thomas, Brendan Ortbals, Cooper Clift

Second row: Jack Meyer, Isaiah Ford, ???, Cole Farinelli, Quinn Condon, Bahar Ahmed, Henry Tsevis, Jack Hoban

Third row: Coach Dan Shaver, TJ Schieffer, Mo Abdalla, Aiden Comeau, Coach Bryan Jantsch

/Soccer

/FreshmanTeam

Front row, from left: Ben Rybowicz, Connor Devereux, Ronan Will, Charlie Brady, Lucas Olivas, Eli Janssen, Paul Malone, Finn Darby, Caden Kelly

Second row: Pierce Henry, Preston Williams, Alex Haessig-Aycock, Charlie Villanueva, Jackson Reed, Abram Bland, Pete Frerker, Ronan Ursick

Third row: Coach Matthew Martel, Gavin Spitz, Elliott Williamson, Cohl Meraz, Coach Scott Huber

Front row, from left: Jackson Raney, David Ramirez, Nicolas Bautista, Brandon Lonesk, Hays Konicek, Miles Boomer, Kristian Vipond, Luca Vricella, Finnigan Moran

Second row: Vincent Gronberg, Carter Dawson, Topher Underwood, Oscar Alverson, Ellias Lauderdale, Ryland Sebus, Angel Robles, Jude Bailey

Third row: Coach Dan Calderon, Jackson Staszak, Connor Francis, John Paul McPherson, Oliver Ciminieri, Azra Koko, Parker Gomez

SWIM & DIVE

AQUAHAWKS STREAK CONTINUES WITH NEW FACES BUT CONSISTENT FORMULA

The 2023 Rockhurst High School Swim and Dive team, affectionately known as the Aquahawks, proved once again that they are a force to be reckoned with. In a season defined by hard work, poise, and leadership, the Aquahawks secured their fourth consecutive state championship. This feat, achieved despite the departure of a legendary class of alumni, was a testament to the team’s depth, determination, and the guiding hand of their coach, Paul Winkeler.

“Watching the 2023 team come together as a senior class and a program so beautifully, as they forged a team that had a giant hole due to the departure of one of the greatest classes of alumni ever, was remarkable,” Coach Winkeler reflected. “They filled that void and proved our team slogan correct, ‘this is our time.’”

The Journey to State Glory

Before the 2023 season started there might have been uncertainty but the Aquahawks evolved into triumph. The Aquahawks faced challenges throughout the season, but their unwavering belief in their training and in each other saw them through. The team’s chemistry,

especially among the seniors, was palpable, and their collective leadership was the cornerstone of their success.

“Sending a ‘full house’ to state is so rare, something only this program has done,” Coach Winkeler said. “We did it twice now, including this past season. It was not expected, but it was an opportunity created by hard work, dedication, and leadership.”

From the very first meet, the Aquahawks set the tone for what would be a dominant season. They claimed victory at the SouthRock Invitational, finishing first out of 12 teams with 538 points, a dominant showing that solidified their position as the team to beat. Their performance in dual meets, including wins over Park Hill South and Blue Springs, showcased their versatility and depth. The team also shined at major invitational events like the Ozark Invitational, where they finished first out of 20 teams with 555 points.

However, their season wasn’t without its challenges. At the North Kansas City Invitational, the Aquahawks placed 4th out of 25 teams, and

at the COMO Invitational, they finished 5th out of 38. These results tested the team’s resolve but also provided crucial learning experiences.

“Our program fosters personal growth in reflection, daily self-improvement, obligation, dedication, compassion, and character,” said Winkeler. “These qualities carried us through the tough times, and in the end, our poise led to hope in every meet, every dive, every race.”

State Championship Dominance

The culmination of their hard work came at the Missouri State High School Swim and Dive Championships. The Aquahawks entered the state meet with confidence but also understood the weight of expectation. Facing off against 22 teams, Rockhurst excelled with 280 points edging out St. Louis University High School by outdueling them in the last relay.

The team’s relay performances were nothing short of spectacular, with all three relays claiming state championships. The 200 Medley Relay team, composed of Andy Baklanov, Logan Frank, Evan Crim, and Blake Francois, set the tone with a blistering time of 1:33.61, earning them the top spot. The 200 Freestyle Relay, featuring Charlie Huber, Charlie Penner, Peter Claxton, and Jude Sojka, followed suit with a time of 1:28.20, while the 400 Freestyle Relay team of Baklanov, Sojka, Crim, and Francois capped off the meet with a time of 3:06.48.

Individually, Crim, Francois and Baklanov (who led the Hawklets with 37 state points) shined at the state meet.

“Andy is a phenomenal swimmer, but beyond that, he’s an incredible leader,” Winkeler said. “His ability to perform under pressure and bring the team together was invaluable.”

Baklanov wasn’t the only swimmer to shine. Junior Josh Battison delivered outstanding performances in the distance events, finishing 4th in both the 200 Freestyle (1:42.98) and the 500 Freestyle (4:39.56). Sophomore diver Joseph Douglas placed 5th at state with a score of 383.45, while fellow diver Donnie Evangelidis, a sophomore, placed 12th with a score of 333.20, showing the strength of the team’s future.

The team’s depth was evident across the board. In the 100 Backstroke, Rockhurst claimed the top

three spots, with Baklanov’s state title followed by Crim in second (49.92) and Francois in third (49.94). In the 100 Butterfly, Crim took second place with a time of 48.90, securing All-State honors.

“These boys never gave up,” Winkeler emphasized. “We always talk about ‘Day 2’—what you have left to give once you feel like you’ve given everything. This season, they lived that philosophy every day.”

The Heart of the Aquahawks: Leadership and Servant Leadership Coach Winkeler attributes much of the team’s success to their leadership, especially from the seniors. “Our senior class is completely loaded with outstanding leaders,” he said. “We want our program to capitalize on that.”

Leadership is not just about performance in the pool but about fostering a culture of compassion and service. “Our season is also about ‘compassion’ and especially ‘servant leadership,’” Winkeler explained. “These seniors lead with their hearts, always putting the team first and making sure every member felt valued and supported.”

“Our program fosters personal growth in reflection, daily selfimprovement, obligation, dedication, compassion, and character.”

Coach Winkeler

Head Coach

/Paul Winkeler A 15-time Coach of the Year, Coach Winkeler is in his seventh 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, Assistant Coach for Player Personnel, 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 four times and has coached numerous individual State Champions and All-Americans. 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 ‘28.

COACHES

/Swim & Dive

Assistant Coaches

/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. Overall this is his 45th year coaching dive. 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. He and his wife Ann Willoughby who have recently adopted two Hava-poo puppies, Lizzie and Wink!

/Delaney O’Rourke Coach O’Rourke is the Head Coach of hockey and is in his 11th year of coaching the sport and has helped with the AquaHawks as an assistant coach since 2019. An alumni of the RHS Class of 2008 and member of the hockey team, 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 currently works as an IT administrator at Bishop Ward High School in KCK.

/Matthew Margritier Coach Margritier ’11 is in his eighth 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.

/Andra K Bessenbacher Coach Bessenbacher joins the Aquahawks this year but is no stranger to the program having married into the community (Steve ‘86) and sent three boys through the school (Patrick ‘16,, Michael ‘20 &, Brian ‘23). Her swim experience is varied with high school competitive swimming experience in Virginia and summer clubs. She is also a triathlete. Coach Bessenbacher teaches middle school math and science at Prince of Peace in Lee’s Summit.

/Sayf Nabulsi Coach Nabulsi will return to help coach the Aquahawks in his first year as a volunteer coach. He swam for them from 2018-2020 before going abroad his senior year. His philosophy in the sport and coaching is that it can help develop boys into men due to the discipline required and how the individual sport has a team component.

/Steve Robbins /Delaney O’Rourke

/Matthew Margritier /Andra K Bessenbacher

/Sayf Nabulsi

Varsity Swim & Dive 2024 Schedule

Saturday, August 31

SouthRock Invitational

Blue Springs Pool Plex

TBA

Friday, September 6

Glendale Quad

John H. Foster Natatorium 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 7

Ozark Invitational

John H. Foster Natatorium

TBA

September 13-14

Belton Invitational

Belton High School

TBA

Tuesday, September 17

Blue Springs South Dual

Blue Springs Pool Plex 4:00 p.m.

Swim & Dive All-Time Team

September 20-21

North Kansas City Invitational

Gladstone Comm. Center

TBA

Tuesday, September 24

Park Hill South Dual Park Hill Aquatic Center 4:00 p.m.

September 27-28

COMO Invitational

Mizzou Aquatic Center

TBA

Wednesday, October 2

Belton Dual

Belton High School 4:00 p.m.

September 19-20

BlueMO Invite

Blue Springs South

TBA

Friday, October 25

Glendale Quad

John H. Foster Natatorium 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 26

Springfield Invitational

John H. Foster Natatorium

TBA

November 14-15

State Championships

St. Peters Rec-Plex

TBA

/Swim &Dive 2024 Team Page & Schedule

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.

Matt Reintjes 1993

Trey Bowen 1995

Michael Reardon 1996

Michael Hess 1997

Charles Rhoades 1998

Kevin Teasdale 1998

Chris Clement 1999

Matt Neenan 2002

Jason Benson 2006

Matt Jones 2006

Chris Kearney 2006

Thomas Robinson 2006

Kevin Webster 2007

Drew Arensberg 2008

Steve Nelson 2009

Jonathon Benson 2010

Matthew Benson 2010

Mick White 2010

Jacob Gansert 2010

Jack Rund 2010

Matthew Margritier 2011

Ford McLiney 2011

Neil White 2011

William Bredar 2012

Jacob Fisher 2012

Nick Foster 2012

Kevin Nelson 2012

Zach Pierce 2012

Matt Rusgis 2012

Andrew Swetnam 2012

Collin Thompson 2012

Louis Behnen 2013

Alex Lombardo 2013

Tim Richards 2013

Jake Scovell 2013

Grant Byers 2014

Drew Hagedorn 2014

Pete Stanley 2014

Alex Albracht 2015

Zach Cook 2015

Trevor Weinrich 2015

AJ Iseman 2016

David Knopke 2016

Collin Nill 2017

Joey Pennington 2017

Henry Kasyjanski 2019

Jack Murphy 2019

Swim & Dive 2024 Season Stats

Relays

*%!#200 Medley Relay - 1:33.61

Andy Baklanov

Logan Frank

Evan Crim

Blake Francois (State Champions)

*200 Freestyle Relay - 1:28.20

Charlie Huber

Charlie Penner

Peter Claxton

Jude Sojka (State Champions)

*!#400 Freestyle Relay - 3:06.48

Andy Baklanov

Jude Sojka

Evan Crim

Blake Francois (State Champions)

Diving

*Joseph Douglas (4th at State) - 383.45

*Donnie Evangelidis (12th at State) - 333.20

Individual Events

50 Freestyle

*Peter Claxton (13th at State) - 21.92

*Jude Sojka (15th at State) - 21.98

100 Backstroke

*!#Andy Baklanov (State Champion) - 48.97

*#Evan Crim ( 2nd at State) - 49.92

*#Blake Francois (3rd at State) - 49.94

100 Breaststroke

Aaden Lutman - 1:01.09

Kemper Roberts - 1:02.09

100 Butterfly

*%#Evan Crim (2nd at State) - 48.90

Charlie Huber - 54.25

100 Freestyle

*Jude Sojka (10th at State) - 48.11

*Timothy “Beau” YeHarmon (14th at State) - 48.92

200 Freestyle

*Blake Francois (2nd at State) - 1:40.54

*Josh Battison (4th at State) - 1:42.98

200 IM

*%#Andy Baklanov (2nd at State) - 1:50.81

Aaden Lutman - 2:01.08

500 Freestyle

*Josh Battison (4th at State) - 4:39.56

*Soren Ursick (16th at State) - 4:54.62

*All-State !State Champion

%School Record

#All-American Blue indicates returnee

20 23

SEA SON

RESULTS

SouthRock Invitational 1st out of 12 teams with 538 points

Park Hill South Dual Won 98-88

Glendale Invitational 1st out of 7 teams with 392 points

Ozark Invitational 1st out 20 teams with 555 points

North Kansas City Invitational 4th of of 25 teams with 209 points

Blue Springs Dual Won 227-77

COMO Invitational 5th out of 38 teams with 174 points

Belton Dual Won 785-409

Grand Prix No team scores

Glendale Invitational 1st out of 11 teams with 471 points

Springfield Invitational 1st out of 24 teams with 559 points

State Championship 1st out of 22 teams with 280 points

Swim & Dive 2023 Season Team Awards

All-State Individuals

Evan Crim ‘24

Blake Francois ‘24

Andy Baklanov ‘25

Joseph Douglas ‘25

Josh Battison ‘26

All-State Relay Members

Evan Crim ’24

Blake Francois ‘24

Charlie Penner ‘24

Jude Sojka ‘24

Andy Baklanov ‘25

Peter Claxton ‘25

Logan Frank ‘25

Charlie Huber ‘25

Honorable Mention

All-State Individuals

Jude Sojka ‘24

Peter Claxton ‘25

Soren Ursick ‘25

Beau Harmon ‘26

Donnie Evangelidis ‘27

All-American Individuals

Evan Crim ‘24

Blake Francois ‘24

Andy Baklanov ‘25

All-American Relay Members

Evan Crim ’24

Blake Francois ’24

Jude Sojka ‘24

Andy Baklanov ‘25

Logan Frank ‘25

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.

MVP

Thomas Robinson

2004 - 06

Kevin Webster 2006

Matthew Margritier 2007 - 08, 10

Mick White 2008 - 09

Nick Foster 2011

Louis Behnan 2012

Rookie of the Year

Andrew Robinson 2004

Keaton Knott 2005

Vito Cammisano 2006

Jon Benson 2006

Griffin Peavey 2007

Ford McLiney 2007

Brian Tucci 2008

Alex Lombardo 2009

Pete Stanley 2010

Alex Albracht 2011

JV Swimmer of the Year

John Fritzlen 2006

Patrick McGannon 2007

Clay Stanley 2008

Tyler Stanley 2009

Eric Jurgeson 2010

Jordan Pierce 2011 - 13

David Knopke

2012 - 13

Alex Albracht 2013 - 14

AJ Iseman 2015

Collin Nill 2016

Dylan Nill 2017 - 19

Caden Francois 2020 - 22

Andy Baklanov 2023

Louis Behnen 2011

Zach Cook 2011

AJ Iseman 2012

David Knopke 2012

Collin Nill 2013

Bobby Freeman 2014

Paul Homuth 2015

Dylan Nill 2016

Tommy Tietjen 2017

Reece Manning 2017

Sayf Nabulsi 2018

Trevor Weinrich 2012

Joe Green 2013

Danny Thompson 2014

Brian Hennessey 2015

AJ Nardella 2015

Mark Holewinski 2016

Andrew Murphy 2017

Adam Hawn 2018

Caden Francois 2019

John Tietjen 2019

Blake Francois 2020

Andy Baklanov 2021

Joseph Douglas 2021

Josh Battison 2022

Peter Claxton 2023

Donnie Evangelidis 2023

Tyler Wolf 2018

Gus Brandmeyer 2019

Tate Slaymaker 2020

Taumr Sutton 2021

Ian Kennedy 2022

Micah Moncrieffe 2023

Top Diver

Drew Arensberg 2006 - 07

Ford McLiney 2008 - 10

Willy Bredar 2011

Matt Rusgis 2011

Zach Pierce 2011

David Knopke 2012 - 15

Aquahawk Award of Excellence

Pat Laughlin 2004

Ben Morrison 2004

Phil Linville 2005

Thomas Robinson 2006

Andrew Robinson 2006

Michael Wytock 2007

Stephen Nelson 2008

Team Spirit

Phil Linville 2004

Chris Crawford 2005

Justin Brown 2006

Joe Roh 2006

John Fritzlen 2007

Chris Jury 2008

Joe Fritzlen 2009

Trevor Weinrich Leadership

Thomas Wytock 2004

Phil Linville 2005

Jason Benson 2006

Kevin Webster 2006

Joe Vandenboom 2007

Steve Sharp 2008

Mick White 2009

Matthew Margritier 2010

Ironman

Joey Martin 2006

Mick White 2007

Richie Enright 2007

Stephen Nelson 2008

Cal Bayer 2009 - 10

Jake Scovell 2011 - 12

Most Improved

Chris Crawford 2004

Nick Vignatelli 2004

Kevin Webster 2005 - 06

Drew Arrensberg 2006

Patrick Dyer 2006

Stephen Nelson 2007

Jack Rund 2008

Neil White 2009

Joey Pennington 2016

Jack Murphy 2017 - 18

Michael Douglas 2019

PJ Axtell 2020

Owen Stuckey 2021 - 22

Joseph Douglas 2023

Matt Benson 2009

Matthew Margritier 2010

Jacob Fisher 2011

Alex Lombardo 2012

Pete Stanley 2013

Alex Albracht 2014

David Knopke 2015

Cullen O’Dear 2015

Bobby Freeman 2016

Eric Jurgeson 2009

Neil White 2010

Tyler Stanley 2011

Mitch Morrison 2012 - 13

Noah Ries 2014

Joe Green 2015

Mitch Orf 2016

Danny Thompson 2017

Eric Jurgeson 2011

Tim Richards 2012

Alex Daly 2012

Grant Byers 2013

Zach Cook 2013

Sam Daly 2014

Trevor Weinrich 2014

Tommy Vopat 2015

Kyle Kidder 2016

Levi Banes 2017

Noah Steilen 2013

Jordan Pierce 2014

Collin Nill 2015

Joe Green 2016

Colin McCann 2018

Dylan Nill 2019

Caden Francois 2019

Collin Thompson 2010 - 11

Tim Richards 2012

Max Allen 2013

Alex Hawn 2014

Joey Pennington 2014

Caden Gabel 2015 - 16

Jack Murphy 2016

Chase Auman 2017

Ryan Mackey 2018

Levi Banes 2017

Henry Kasyjanski 2018

Dylan Nill 2019

Tommy Tietjen 2020

Joey DeVreugd 2021

John Tietjen 2022

Evan Crim 2023

Kevin Marshall 2018

Ryan Mackey 2019

Reece Manning 2020

Jacob Metzner 2021

Brian Bessenbacher 2022

Jude Sojka 2023

Nicholas Metzner 2023

Chris Angles 2018

Tabor Hunt 2019

Jack January 2020

PJ Axtell 2021

Nicholas Salido 2021

Brendan Lillis 2022

Carson Smith 2022

Blake Francois 2023

Jake Walker 2019

John Tietjen 2019

Reece Manning 2019

Jack McAnany 2020

John Tietjen 2021

George Rebman 2022

Charlie Penner 2023

Sammy Brisch 2019

Nicholas Salido 2020

George Rebman 2021

John Switzer 2022

Charlie Penner 2022

Andy Baklanov 2022

Timothy “Beau” Harmon2023

Front row, from left: John Winkeler, Robby Evangelidis, Logan Frank, Jack Huber, Ian Kennedy, Reilly Eagan, Rawley Anderson, Declan Griggs, Jimmy Bahr, Drew Krull; second row: Charles Klumpp, Luke Creger, Matthew Warren, Ben Holewinski, Taumr Sutton, John Salido, JJ Frank, Henry Huber, Charlie Huber, Josh Battison; third row: Noah Johnson, Gavin Delzer, Bobby Buckley, Bobby Hendricks, Zach Brown, Joseph Douglas, Owen Bland, Miles Tomsic, Jack Messick, Will Townsend; fourth row: Grant Goforth, Leo Claxton, Beau Harmon, Gunnar Zinn, Jacob Kendall, Nick Metzner, Thomas Misemer, Andy Baklanov, Noah Plunkett; fifth row: William Bell, CJ Anderson, Aaden Lutman, Peter Claxton, Micah Moncriefe, Kemper Roberts, Soren Ursick, Jonah DeWilde; six row: Coach Delaney O’Rourke, Coach Steve Robbins, Coach Paul Winkeler, Coach Matthew Margritier, Coach Sayf Nabulski

Front row, from left: Zach Brown, Declan Griggs, Rawley Anderson, Charlie Klumpp Second row: Thomas Misemer, Luke Creger, Joseph Douglas

/Swim & Dive Team

/Divers

Second row: JJ Frank, John Salido, Nick Metzner, Josh Battison, Beau Harmon, Thomas Misemer,

Third row: Ben Holewinski, Matthew Warren, Taumr Sutton, Charlie Huber, Joseph Douglas, Leo Claxton, Will Townsend

Fourth row: Grant Goforth, Micah Moncrieffe, Kemper Roberts, Aaden Lutman, Soren Ursick, Peter Claxton, Andy Baklanov

Front row, from left: Noah Plunkett, Robby Evangelidis, Ian Kennedy, Jack Huber, Logan Frank, Declan Griggs, Charlie Klumpp

Henry Huber

Front row, from left: Miles Tomsic, Jimmy Bahr, John Winkeler, Rawley Anderson, William Bell, Jack Messick

Second row: Drew Krull, Gunnar Zinn, Owen Bland, Noah Johnson, Jonah DeWilde

/Swim&DiveCaptains

/Swim&DiveManagers

From left: Charlie Huber, Andy Baklanov, Taumr Sutton

Front row, from left: Jimmy Bahr, John Winkeler, Jack Huber

Second row: Robby Evangelidis, CJ Anderson, Noah Johnson.

BASKET BALL

PROGRESS AND PROMISE: BASKETBALL

BRINGS HOME DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2023-2024 Rockhurst High School basketball season demonstrated trust in the process as they reach the state quarterfinals. Under the leadership of Coach Billy Thomas, the Hawklets finished the season with an impressive 20-8 record, navigating a challenging schedule and securing their place as one of the top high school basketball programs in Missouri.

Early Season Struggles and Tournament Success

Rockhurst opened the season with a dominant 73-49 win over Ruskin, showcasing their potential with a balanced offensive attack and solid defense. However, the team hit some early road bumps, suffering back-to-back losses to Liberty North (46-32) and Olathe West (56-43). These games were tough, as Rockhurst struggled offensively, particularly from beyond the arc, and had difficulty containing their opponents’ aggressive play.

Despite these early setbacks, Rockhurst rebounded impressively during the Blue Springs Tournament. They kicked off the tournament with a commanding 61-34 victory over Bentonville (AR), followed by a hard-fought 51-46 win against Blue Springs South. Although the team fell to Staley

49-41 in the tournament final, the Hawklets had shown their resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity.

Reflecting on the early tournaments, Coach Thomas noted, “We played for the championship in each of the three tournaments we played in, and that showed that we are on the right path with our growth and development.”

Midseason Ups and Downs

The midseason was marked by ups and downs for Rockhurst. The team’s defense shone brightly in wins against Blue Springs (61-29) and Belton (7137), while they faced narrow losses against tough competition, including Raytown (54-49) and Lee’s Summit West (61-56). One of the season’s turning points came in the William Jewell Tournament, where Rockhurst dominated Blue Springs (53-40) and Belton but struggled in a lopsided 71-43 loss to Staley, one of the top teams in the state.

The midseason wasn’t without adversity, as games against Grandview and Hazelwood Central were canceled, and the team faced challenging road tests. The loss at Lee’s Summit North (67-61)

seemed to reset the Hawklets as they then went on a 13 winning streak all despite losing one of its key big men, Andrew Sprague to injury.

Key contributors such as Kevin Sullivan and Cohen Robinson began to find their rhythm. Sullivan, the team’s leading scorer, averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and a remarkable 43.8% from three-point range. Robinson also emerged as a crucial playmaker, contributing 6.7 points and 2.8 assists per game, while showing impressive maturity in key moments.

Defensive Prowess and Key Wins

Rockhurst found their identity as a defensively strong and well-rounded team. One of their standout performances came in a 62-52 road win against St. Louis University High (SLUH), where their defense suffocated SLUH’s offense, forcing turnovers and converting them into transition points. This win marked a critical point in their season, as it gave the team confidence heading into the final stretch.

District Play and Overtime Drama

Rockhurst carried their momentum into the district playoffs, where they played their best basketball of the season. In the District Quarterfinals, the team dominated Truman 79-59, with contributions from all areas of the floor. Sullivan and Brady Maher played particularly well, with Maher scoring 10.2 points per game over the season and being a key force on both ends of the court.

The District Semifinals were a thriller against Lee’s Summit North, with Rockhurst securing a narrow 52-50 victory. It was a game that showcased the team’s resilience and ability to win close contests, even when the pressure was at its peak.

In the District Championship against Lee’s Summit West, Rockhurst delivered one of their most dramatic performances of the season. The game went into double overtime, with

“Just

keep pushing.”

Coach Thomas

both teams battling back and forth. In the end, Rockhurst emerged victorious, 61-51, thanks to key baskets from Sullivan and Maher, as well as crucial defensive stops by Johnson and Moylan. This win secured the Hawklets a spot in the State Quarterfinals.

Coach Thomas reflected on the district championship, saying, “The win at SM East and winning the district championship vs. Lee’s Summit West were highlights as well.” He also emphasized the importance of playing for each other: “We stress that they play for the guy next to them, and not just for themselves. We also have a gesture of ‘acknowledging/thanking the passer.’”

State Quarterfinal Loss and Looking Ahead

Unfortunately, Rockhurst’s season came to an end in the State Quarterfinals with a 58-48 loss to Central (Springfield). Despite a valiant effort, the team struggled offensively and couldn’t overcome a tough Central defense. Sullivan, Moylan, and Maher played well, but the team couldn’t find enough scoring to advance further.

Coach Thomas remained optimistic despite the loss, praising the team’s growth and leadership, particularly from seniors like Thomas Coppinger and Ethan Hansen. “The leadership and toughness that Coppinger and Hansen brought to our team was invaluable! They both were extremely selfless and team-first guys,” said Coach Thomas.

Looking ahead, Rockhurst will return a key contributors, including Sullivan, Robinson, and Moylan. With an eye on continued growth, Coach Thomas is excited about the future, noting that the team will participate in the prestigious all-Jesuit tournament in New Orleans over Christmas and the Blue Valley Tournament, further challenging themselves with a tough schedule.

As Coach Thomas often reminds his players, the goal is simple: “Just keep pushing.”

/Basketball

Varsity Basketball 2023-24 Results

Ruskin Won 73-49

@ Liberty North Lost 46-32

Olathe West Lost 56-43

Blue Springs Tourney: Bentonville (AR) Won 61-34

Blue Springs Tourney: Blue Springs South Won 51-46

Blue Springs Tourney: Staley Lost 49-41

Blue Springs Won 61-29

Raytown Lost 54-49

@ Lee’s Summit West Lost 61-56

William Jewell Tourney: Belton Won 71-37

William Jewell Tourney: Blue Springs Won 53-40

William Jewell Tourney: Staley Lost 71-43

@ Lee’s Summit Won 69-62

Grandview Canceled

@ Lee’s Summit North Lost 67-61

Pembroke Hill Won 68-53

@ St. Pius X Won 72-40

@ Hazelwood Central Canceled

@ SLUH Won 62-52

@ Shawnee Mission East Won 66-54

OVERALL RECORD: 20-8

@ St. James Academy Won 71-34

St. Thomas Aquinas Won 52-38

Creighton Prep Won 61-49

@ Bishop Miege Won 50-25

@ Lincoln College Prep Won 60-56

Center Won 59-41

District Quarterfinals: Truman Won 79-59

District Semifinals: Lee’s Summit North Won 52-50

District Championship: Lee’s Summit West Won 61-51 (2OT)

State Quarterfinals: Central (Springfield) Lost 58-48

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Billy Thomas Coach Thomas begins in his fourth 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 (Class of 2027) and Leyland.

COACHES

/Matt Gore Coach Gore enters his fourth 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. Retiring last year as the offensive line coach, Coach Mo continues into his 41st year as a basketball coach. Coach Mo 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 LoyolaNew 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.

/Matt Gore

/John Morris

/Basketball

Assistant Coaches

/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. Coach Reilly and his wife, Teresa have four adult children.

/Lawrence Brown Coach Brown joined the staff last season after a four year career in Division I basketball at Mercer University (Ga.). In high school he was an All-district and Honorable Mention All-State player. He takes what he learned as a player and tries to model accountability and trust in building up these Hawklets. Outside of basketball he works in Technical Communications.

/Jeff Crowe Coach Crowe ’86 begins his third 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.

/Sean Adams Coach Adams returns for his third 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.

/Josh House Coach House joined the staff to coach the freshmen team after taking a hiatus from coaching. He coached previously with Coach Thomas at Barstow for 8 years. Coach House played at William Jewell and Barstow and is an Art Teacher at Maplewood Elementary in the North Kansas City School District. He and his wife Alex have two young children, Bradley and Lena.

/Sean Reilly /Lawrence Brown

/Jeff Crowe

/Sean Adams

/Josh House

Coaching Records

*Missing 1922

Basketball All-TimeTeam

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

Karl 1983

McGlintock 2019 Tyler Nelson 2019

Basketball 2023-24 Season Team Awards

All-District Kevin Sullivan ‘26

Hold The Rope Award

All-District Co-Coach of the Year Coach Thomas

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 “energy-giver” 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

SEA SON AWA RDS

/Basketball 2024-25 Team Page & Schedule

Basketball 2023-24 Season Stats

* All-District Blue indicates returnee

WRES TLING

A SEASON OF GROWTH AND PROMISEHAWKLETS RETURN TO STATE MEET

The 2023-2024 wrestling season at Rockhurst High School was one marked by significant progress and determination. Under the veteran leadership of Coach Rich Wikiera, the Hawklets saw a resurgence in competitiveness and individual success, culminating in two wrestlers, Robert Purcell and Anthony Totta, qualifying for the state championships. This feat, the first time in five years that Rockhurst had state qualifiers, set the stage for what many hope will be a breakthrough season in 2024-2025.

Coach Wikiera, who has been with the program since the 1980s, is confident that the upcoming season will be even stronger. “Attitude is everything,” he emphasizes. “As a team, we are hoping to place in the top five in several tournaments. Last year we advanced two individuals to the state championship, and we are hoping to at least double that this year.”

Leadership from the Seniors

The 2023-2024 season’s success would not have been possible without the leadership of the seniors, particularly Robert Purcell and Bobby Clemons. Purcell, who had the second-best record on the team, was instrumental in guiding his teammates both on and off the mat. His season ended with a 31-15 record, 18 pins, and a hardfought trip to the state championships. His ability to motivate the younger wrestlers and lead by example was crucial to the team’s overall morale and success.

“Bobby Clemons was just as important, even though his season was hampered by an injury,” says Coach Wikiera. Clemons, a dual-sport athlete, suffered a football injury that kept him out for the first half of the wrestling season. Despite missing valuable time on the mat, Clemons managed to come back and nearly qualify for state, missing out by just a few points. “Bobby’s resilience and work ethic were inspiring,” Wikiera continues. “Even though he wasn’t able to compete at state, he left a lasting impact on the younger guys.”

Rising Stars and Returning Talent

As Rockhurst prepares for the 2024-2025 season, the team is fortunate to have a strong core of wrestlers returning. Leading the way is Anthony Totta, who qualified for state with a standout 39-13 record, including 16 pins and 84 takedowns. Totta was a dominant force on the mat and will be expected to take on an even larger leadership role in the coming season. “Anthony was our top performer last year, and we’re looking for him to lead the team in both performance and attitude this season,” Coach Wikiera notes.

In addition to Totta, Rockhurst boasts a promising group of young wrestlers who gained valuable experience last year. One of the most notable upand-coming athletes is Chase Quinn, who, despite being just a freshman, took on the challenge of moving up a weight class to fill a vacant spot. Quinn had a successful season, finishing despite a 12-20 record and just narrowly missing out on a trip to the state championships after losing a close decision in the final round of district competition. “Chase’s willingness to step up and wrestle against bigger and stronger opponents shows his toughness and dedication,” Wikiera says. “We expect big things from him as he continues to develop.”

Another key returnee is Xavier Clemons, who stepped into a starting role in the second half of the season. Clemons, who is known for his versatility and tenacity, came close to qualifying for state but fell just short in the final rounds of the district tournament. His experience and skill will be critical to Rockhurst’s success this year. “Xavier is one of those guys who will do whatever it takes to help the team,” says Wikiera. “He’s got

a great motor and never backs down from a challenge.”

Reflecting on 2023-2024: Lessons Learned

While the team showed significant growth in 2023-2024, it wasn’t without its challenges. The Hawklets had a mixed record, with several high points and low points throughout the season. Rockhurst secured notable wins against schools like Raytown (51-30), Ruskin (57-24), St. Joe Central (47-32), and Bishop Miege (66-15), demonstrating their potential when firing on all cylinders.

However, the season also had its share of tough losses. Rockhurst fell to strong opponents such as Lee’s Summit West (5227), St. Pius X (74-3), and Fort Osage (60-9), showing that while the team is improving, there’s still work to be done to compete with the top programs in the region.

The team’s performance in tournaments was also a mixed bag. They placed 7th out of 15 teams at the Shawnee Mission South Invitational, but struggled in other tournaments, finishing 19th out of 24 teams at the Blue Valley Northwest Invitational and 9th out of 11 at the Blue Springs South Invitational. At the district level, Rockhurst finished 12th out of 16 teams, scoring 26 points.

Despite the ups and downs, the season culminated in two state qualifiers, which was a significant achievement for the program. The fact that it had been five years since the last Rockhurst wrestler qualified for state makes Purcell and Totta’s accomplishment even more impressive.

Looking Ahead: The 2024-2025 Season

As Rockhurst heads into the 2024-2025 season, expectations are high. With most of the team returning, including key wrestlers like Totta, Quinn, and Clemons, Coach Wikiera believes this could be a breakthrough year for the program. “We’ve got a solid group of guys who are committed to working hard and improving every day,” he says. “If we stay focused and keep the right attitude, I think we can surprise a lot of people.”

The goal for this season is clear: to build on the momentum of last year and send more wrestlers to the state championships. “Last year we had two qualifiers, and we’re hoping to at least double that this year,” Wikiera says. “It’s not going to be easy, but with the talent we have coming back, it’s definitely within reach.”

In addition to individual success, the team is also focused on improving its performance in tournaments. “We want to place in the top five in several tournaments this year,” Wikiera says. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and commitment, but I believe in this group of guys.”

With a solid foundation of returning talent, strong leadership from Coach Wikiera, and a renewed sense of purpose, the future looks bright for Rockhurst wrestling. The 20242025 season promises to be one of growth, challenge, and, most importantly, opportunity for a team ready to take the next step in its journey.

Wrestling 2023-24 Season Team Awards

Beach Tuckness Award

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

Kevin Barth 2002

Brady Poskin 2003

Chris Mueller 2004

Steven Yanda 2005

Robert Tait 2006

Lou Groff 2007

Doug McFarland 2008

Alex Wurtz 2009

Workhorse Award

A.J. Gassman 2010

Chandler Smith 2011

Luke Tripp 2011

Evan Rainen 2012

Drew Daniels 2013

Thomas Peterson 2014

Ben McCausland 2015

Cameron Valdiviez 2016

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.

Andrew Shipman 2022

Bobby Clemons 2023

Wrestling All-Time Team

Chris Garlich 1975

David Poskin 1978

Jim Paolozzi 1984

Mark Hickey 1987

Scott Johnson 1989

Travis Huenfeld 1991

Justin Rogers 1996

Greg Ford 2004

Zach Anderson-Boland 2005

Tyler Reed 2005

Doug McFarland 2008

Alex Wurtz 2009

Colin Valdiviez 2016

Travis Triplett 2017

Judson Dull 2018

Judson Dull 2019

Luke Tyrer 2020

Eli Franklin 2021

Robert Purcell 2022

Robert Purcell 2023

SEA SON

AWA RDS

Chandler Smith 2011

Luke Tripp 2011

Ben Boyd 2012

Drew Daniels 2013

Charlie Lipford 2014

Thomas Peterson 2014

Vince Spalitto 2016

Cameron Valdiviez 2017

Colin Valdiviez 2017

/Rich Wikiera Coach Wikiera returned to the Rockhurst Wrestling program in 2022 for his third stint as head coach for the Hawklets. With 42 years of experience as a wrestling coach, mostly at Rockhurst but with St. Mary’s and Center early on his career. As such a scion of the program, he holds a favorite memory of coaching Chandler Smith to Rockhurst first individual state champion. 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. Born in Poland, he is proud of his heritage and makes it a priority to return to his homeland when he can. Coach Wikiera and his wife, Denise, have four sons (Rich ’98, Drew ’02, Dan ’07, Matt ’14) and one daughter (Lara). He also has the privilege of having coached his grandson last year, Zach Novotny ‘27.

COACHES

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Zach Anderson-Boland Coach Anderson-Boland ’05 has been a constant 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 AndersonBoland and Juliane have a son, Benjamin, and daughter, Emery.

/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.

/Seamus O’Malley Coach O’Malley begins his second year coaching in the wrestling program. He was an accomplished high school wrestler at St. Edwards. He placed as an all-state finisher twice before continuing his academic and athletic career at Stanford University where he was a four-year wrestler and earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Coach O’Malley works at Burns & McDonnell.

/Zach Anderson-Boland

/John Reyna

/Adrian Rinas /Seamus O’Malley

Wrestling 2023-24 Results

Lee’s Summit West Lost 52-27

Raytown Won 51-30

Lee’s Summit North Inv. 10th of out 14 teams

Lee’s Summit Inv. 22nd out of 24 teams

St. Pius X Lost 74-3

Shawnee Mission South Inv. 7th out of 15 teams

@ Fort Osage Lost 60-9

@ Ruskin Won 57-24

@ St. Joe Central Won 47-32

Blue Valley Northwest Inv. 19th out of 24 teams

@ Bishop Miege Won 66-15

Blue Springs South Inv. 9th out of 11 teams

@ Lee’s Summit North Lost 52-24

@ North Kansas City Won 48-14

Districts 12th out of 16 teams with 26 points

State Championships Tied 42nd out of 56 teams

/Wrestling 2024-25 Team Page & Schedule

HOC KEY

HOCKEY LOOKS TO RECREATE ITS CULTURE AFTER MIXED SEASON; ADD ALUMNI TO COACHING STAFF

The Rockhurst High School hockey team’s 202324 season was a rollercoaster of ups and downs, filled with moments of triumph, struggle, and character-building experiences. Under the leadership of Coach Delaney O’Rourke, the team finished with an 8-13-1 record, yet it was a season that showcased the Hawklets’ resilience and growth. The year was highlighted by individual standout performances and unforgettable team moments, particularly a thrilling senior night victory against Northwest Arkansas, a game Coach O’Rourke called one of the best in the program’s history.

Overcoming Adversity and Building Character

Reflecting on the season, Coach O’Rourke expressed pride in the team’s perseverance through constant challenges. “I am so proud of our team last year because they faced constant adversity, both team and personal, and continued to develop their attitudes and leadership that will carry their lives in the future,” he said. The team faced a tough schedule and multiple setbacks, but those obstacles only strengthened their bond and resolve.

One of the biggest highlights of the season was the senior game against Northwest Arkansas. The atmosphere was electric, and the stakes were high as Rockhurst took on one of the top teams in the region. “Definitely the senior game against Northwest Arkansas. The fans in the stands, Paul

McGannon being there and handing out towels to the boys on the bench, the fact that we beat an incredibly good team. It was the top 3 of the best games of hockey this program has ever played,” Coach O’Rourke recalled. Rockhurst won the game 4-2, a victory that became a defining moment in a season marked by growth and resilience.

The Stars of the 2023-24 Season

While the team’s record may not have reflected dominance, several players had standout seasons. Leading the charge was defenseman Michael Torlina, who made history by becoming the top-scoring defenseman in Rockhurst’s history. Torlina’s 13 goals and 14 assists for a total of 27 points in 22 games showcased his two-way ability and leadership on the ice. “Michael Torlina ended up being the top-scoring defenseman in our team’s history,” said Coach O’Rourke, praising the senior’s efforts. His four power-play goals were crucial in keeping Rockhurst competitive throughout the season.

Forward Hayden Holmes was another key player, leading the team with 23 goals in 20 games, making him the team’s top scorer. Holmes displayed an aggressive offensive presence, contributing not only with his goal-scoring but also as a playmaker. His two shorthanded goals underscored his versatility and ability to make an impact on both ends of the ice.

Center Tracey Jarvis was the team’s engine, playing a crucial role in both the offensive and defensive zones. His 19 assists were the most on the team, and he tallied 23 points in total. Jarvis’s ability to control the pace of the game and set up his teammates was vital to Rockhurst’s offensive strategy. “Tracey, along with Mike, Hayes Holmes, and John Holewinski, pushed this team to play at a faster, more aggressive level than we’ve ever played before,” Coach O’Rourke said, emphasizing their leadership.

Other notable contributors included Ben Holewinski, who had 6 goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 19 games, and Fin Arthur, who recorded 5 goals and 6 assists. These players added depth to the lineup and were essential in keeping the team competitive in key matchups.

Goaltending and Defensive Efforts

In net, goalie Roy Postlehwait was a cornerstone for the Hawklets, playing in 20 games with an 8-11-1 record. His .870 save percentage and two shutouts were bright spots in an otherwise challenging season. Postlehwait faced intense pressure in several games, including a 1-0 shutout victory against the KC Stars and a 3-0 win over Oklahoma City. His ability to rise to the occasion in these close games kept Rockhurst in contention, even when the offense struggled.

Backing up Postlehwait was sophomore goaltender Edward Houlehan, who played in three games and recorded a .740 save percentage. Though limited in appearances, Houlehan gained valuable experience that will serve him well in future seasons.

Notable Games and Moments

The 2023-24 season was packed with memorable moments. While the team had its struggles early in the season, enduring a six-game losing streak that included tough losses to Mid-Missouri and Wichita, they bounced back with resilience.

One of their most significant wins came in a 9-1 blowout against St. Joseph, which gave the team much-needed momentum.

Another highlight was their back-to-back matchups against the KC Stars. After a tough 4-1 loss, Rockhurst rebounded with a 1-0 win in their next encounter, showcasing their ability to adapt and fight through adversity. The two teams tied 2-2 in their final regular-season meeting, a result that further demonstrated Rockhurst’s progress and determination.

The 4-2 win over Northwest Arkansas in the senior game was perhaps the most special moment of the season, but their victories over Oklahoma City (3-2, 6-2) and Springfield (96) were also high points. These wins not only improved their record but boosted team morale and confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

Looking Ahead to 2024-25

As Rockhurst looks toward the future, Coach O’Rourke knows the road ahead will require hard work and perseverance, especially with the loss of 12 seniors. “With the loss of 12 seniors, we plan to forge a new path for ourselves and recreate a culture of hard work, patience, and more hard work,” he said. This rebuilding phase presents an opportunity for younger players to step up and establish themselves as leaders.

Key returnees like forward Ben Holewinski, defenseman Fin Arthur, and goaltender Roy Postlehwait will be crucial in the team’s development. Holewinski, who contributed 17 points this past season, will be expected to carry more of the offensive load. Arthur’s two-way play and Postlehwait’s experience between the pipes will anchor the defense as Rockhurst looks to improve on their 2023-24 record.

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Delaney O’Rourke Coach O’Rourke is the Head Coach of hockey and is in his 11th year of coaching the sport and has helped with the AquaHawks as an assistant coach since 2019. An alumni of the RHS Class of 2008 and member of the hockey team, 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 currently works as an IT administrator at Bishop Ward High School in KCK.

/Paul Winkeler A 15-time Coach of the Year in Swim & Dive, Coach Winkeler has also dedicated a long tenure to the hockey program. He now serves as an Assistant Coach in Player Personnel. 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 also Kairos Director, Baseball Coach, and Moderator of the Conservation Club and Zoo. In 2017 he was inducted into the Rockhurst Hall of Fame. Coach Wink is married to Margaret and they have three children: Mary Ellen, Amelia, and John ‘28.

/Henry Nelson Coach Nelson joins the hockey staff no stranger to the program. As a 2012 graduate of the Rock he was a 4-year team member that included being voted as captain his senior year. The team won the league championship when he was a freshman. Coach Nelson has coached youth hockey for 10 years.

/Samuel C. Nicholson

Coach Nicholson ‘10 is another new addition to the staff with lots of familiarity with the program. A four year player and member of a league championship team he has been playing hockey since he was about seven years old. Working in the customer service industry Coach Nicholson graduated from Rockhurst University in 2019.

COACHES

/Paul Winkeler

/Henry Nelson

/Samuel C. Nicholson

/Hockey

Hockey 2023-24 Results

OVERALL RECORD: 8-13-1

SEA SON

Mid-Missouri Lost 4-3

Mid-Missouri Lost 6-1

@ KC Stars Lost 4-3

KC Stars Lost 4-1

@ Wichita Lost 6-0

@ Wichita Lost 5-1

St. Joseph Won 9-1

@ KC Stars Won 1-0

@ KC Stars Tied 2-2

@ Springfield Won 9-6

Lost 4-1 @ OKC Won 3-0

KC Saints Lost 4-1

KC Saints Lost 6-2 OKC Won 6-2

@ Springfield Lost 5-0 St. Joseph Won 9-1 @ OKC Won 3-2

Northwest Arkansas Won 4-2

Northwest Arkansas Lost 5-3

KC Knights Lost 4-5 @ KC Knights Lost 6-5

/Hockey 2024-25 Team Page & Schedule

Hockey 2023-24 Season Team Awards

All-Conference

Michael Torlina ‘24 (1st Team)

Hayden Holmes ‘24 (1st Team)

Tracey Jarvis ‘24 (1st Team)

Brooks Rohlf ‘24 (2nd Team),

Hockey All-Time Team

David

Mitch

Ryan

SEA SON AWA RDS

Hockey 2023-24 Season Stats

SEASONSTATS

Goaltending Stats

BASE BALL

COACH DEGRAW RETIRES; PROGRAM LOOKS TO FAMILIAR

FACE TO LEAD & ENERGIZE BASEBALL PROGRAM

The 2024 season for the Rockhurst High School baseball team was one of transition and reflection. Under the long and storied tenure of Head Coach Jim DeGraw, the team faced significant challenges on the field while preparing for a future led by a new coach. With a final season record of 10-23, the team was unable to find consistent success, but glimpses of potential promise a brighter future for Rockhurst baseball.

Coach Jim DeGraw’s Legacy

Coach Jim DeGraw’s retirement in 2024 marks the end of a legendary 28-year coaching career at Rockhurst. Under his leadership, the varsity baseball team averaged an impressive 17 wins per season and secured 23 winning seasons over 27 campaigns (2020 being canceled due to the pandemic). His overall record of 460-283 through April 2024 places him among the most accomplished high school baseball coaches in Missouri history.

Coach DeGraw led Rockhurst to 10 district championships, nearly 70% of the school’s total 15 titles. He also developed 32 players who advanced to Division I college baseball and mentored eight players who went on to play professionally. DeGraw was recognized for his contributions to the sport with his induction into the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2020.

Reflecting on his retirement, Coach DeGraw stated, “When I made the decision in earlyFebruary to retire from coaching, I began to reflect on the relationships over 28 years that were developed and how much coaching and teaching can consume your life. I’m looking forward to having more time to spend with my family in this next chapter.”

2024 Season: A Year of Struggles

The 2024 season was a difficult one for Rockhurst, as the team posted a 10-23 overall record. The campaign got off to a rough start, with losses in the KC Metro Leadoff Tournament to Lee’s Summit North (10-2), Grain Valley (5-0), and Liberty (9-0), before securing their first win over Life Prep Academy, 8-7.

The team’s hitting was led by senior standout Lucas Redd, who batted .309 with 29 hits, including 5 home runs and 5 doubles, while driving in 25 runs. Redd, who earned All-District

honors, was a key offensive weapon throughout the season. Evan Demario, a junior, also provided a solid contribution with a .292 average and 31 hits, including 5 doubles and a home run.

Despite these individual efforts, Rockhurst struggled to find consistent run production, scoring fewer than three runs in 17 games. Their inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities left them with several close losses, including a 4-3 loss to Olathe North and a 2-1 loss to Olathe South.

On the pitching side, Evan Hartner emerged as the team’s most reliable arm, posting a 2.98 ERA over 49.1 innings with 53 strikeouts. His performances kept Rockhurst in several games, but the team often failed to provide him with the run support needed to secure victories. Cooper Westra also contributed with 43 strikeouts over 40.2 innings, though his 3-4 record highlighted the difficulties the pitching staff faced throughout the season.

The team managed to win some key matchups, including a 9-2 victory over Lee’s Summit North

and an 11-4 win over Nixa, but those were offset by heavy defeats, such as an 18-0 loss to Liberty North and a 14-4 defeat at the hands of Raymore Peculiar. Despite the rocky season, Rockhurst managed to win their District Quarterfinal against Truman (4-0) but fell to Lee’s Summit West 7-3 in the District Semifinals, ending their season.

Looking Forward: Coach Will Gorden’s Vision for 2025

With Coach DeGraw’s departure, Rockhurst has turned to Coach Will Gorden, a former assistant coach and social studies teacher at the school, to lead the program into a new era. Gorden, who arrives from Shawnee Mission East, will bring a fresh perspective and energy to the Rockhurst baseball program. He will also take on the role of Physical Education teacher this year, allowing him to connect with his players both on and off the field.

Coach Gorden’s philosophy is rooted in leadership and service, as he emphasized: “Small acts of daily service led by the seniors will be the hallmark of the baseball program. Teaching young men to serve others from positions of leadership in order to help create a competitive team atmosphere where talent can be developed at all levels.”

He also outlined his expectations for the 2025 season, noting that he plans to bring “new energy” to the coaching staff and implement a

fast-paced, aggressive style of play. His focus will be on execution in every aspect of the game, regardless of the score or opponent. “Playing fast, playing hard, and playing against the ball,” he explained, means that each player will be responsible for executing their role, whether it’s making a pitch, fielding a ball, or hitting at the plate.

2025 Season Outlook

Coach Gorden will have a strong core of returning players to build around, including juniors Evan Demario and Charlie Loose, as well as key senior leaders like Nic Cipolla and Beau Neuburger. With the added experience of players like Evan Hartner on the mound, Rockhurst will have the potential to improve on their 2024 performance.

The challenges of rebuilding after a difficult season are evident, but with Gorden’s vision, the future looks promising for the Rockhurst Hawklets. Expectations will be high for the incoming seniors to lead by example, and Gorden’s emphasis on leadership and accountability will be critical in shaping the team’s identity.

While the 2024 season ended in disappointment, the lessons learned under Coach DeGraw’s leadership, combined with the new direction under Coach Gorden, set the stage for a brighter 2025 season for Rockhurst High School baseball.

Varsity Baseball 2024 Results

OVERALL RECORD: 10-23

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Lee’s Summit North Lost 10-2

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Grain Valley Lost 5-0

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Liberty Lost 9-0

KC Metro Leadoff Tournament: Life Prep Academy Won 8-7

@ Olathe North Lost 4-3

@ Olathe South Lost 2-1

Raymore Peculiar Lost 14-4

Liberty North Lost 18-0

@ Lee’s Summit Lost 3-0

Olathe East Lost 4-0

Creighton Prep Lost 10-4

@ Staley Lost 16-6

Hickman Won 11-0

@ Vianney Lost 5-2

Mill Valley Won 9-1

@ Blue Valley Won 5-4

@ Lee’s Summit West Lost 11-1

@ St. James Academy Won 7-2

Pembroke Hill Won 11-7

Shawnee Mission West Canceled

Olathe East Lost 4-0

Shawnee Mission South Lost 7-0

Shawnee Mission East Lost 9-3

Park Hill South Canceled

/Baseball 2025 Team Page & Schedule

@ Lee’s Summit North Won 9-2

Nixa Won 11-4

St. Thomas Aquinas Lost 13-3

Olathe Northwest Lost 3-0

Blue Valley North Lost 10-1

@ Kearney Lost 3-1

@ Blue Springs South Lost 3-2

@ Blue Springs Lost 7-0

Olathe West Lost 3-1

District Quarterfinals: Truman Won 4-0

District Semifinals: Lee’s Summit West Lost 7-3

/Baseball

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Ben Calvano

/Nick Vaughn

/Will Gorden Coach Gorden returns to the Rock as the head baseball coach after stints at SM East and Bishop Miege locally and teaching the game in China, Taiwan and India. He was a varsity assistant coach for Rockhurst (including the highest finishing team in program history) to start off his career in education. He brings with him not only 22 years of coaching but an strong understanding of being a Ignatian educator. He played for Rockhurst University and graduated with a teaching degree in 2006. He will teach PE for Rockhurst. Coach and his wife Ashley have two children (Fox and Poppy).

COACHES

/Ben Calvano Coach Calvano joins both the baseball staff and the Math department this year. As a Bishop Miege graduate of 2013, he went on to play at Johnson County Community College earning conference and regional recognition finishing up his playing career at Campbell University. Along the way to the Rock, he has coached at University of St. Mary’s and most recently at SM East for a total of 6 years. He is married to Krista.

/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.

Assistant Coaches

/Mike Holmes Coach Holmes enters his ninth baseball season at Rockhurst with the same enthusiasm he had for more than 50 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 English at Rockhurst and is also the Bowling Club moderator. Coach Holmes is married to Jill, a life-long teacher.

/Martin J Radosevic Coach Radosevic will coach the Baseball C Team for the third 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. From 1999-2018 he was a KC Royals statistician. 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 ninth 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 15 State Titles, including a current streak of five. 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 including John who is a member of the Class of 2028.

/Matt Nickson Coach Nickson returns for his second season as a C team coach. He serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministry/Theology instructor and has coached football and tennis in the past as well. As an alum of DeSmet and Rockhurst University, Coach Nickson espouses many Ignatian ideals into his coaching philosophy. He and his wife Joanna have six children, two of which are current Hawklets (Peter ‘27 & Thomas ‘26).

/Mike Holmes /Martin J Radosevic

/Paul Winkeler /Matt Nickson

Baseball 2024 Season Stats

Hitting Stats

Pitching Stats

* All-District Blue indicates returnee

Fielding Stats

Baseball Season Team Awards

All District

Evan Hartner ‘24

Lucas Redd ‘24

Baseball All-Time Team

Alex George 1955

Steve Mingori 1962

Joe Groner 1964

Joe Spinello 1965

Joe Fahey 1965

Pat Tierney 1966

Rex Hein 1966

Doug Bruce 1967

David O’Keefe 1989

Travis Huenfeld 1991

Derek Wathan 1995

Mark Alexander 1999

David Manning 2001

Raymond Chang 2001

Ryan Anderson 2001

Steve Murphy 2002

John Mayberry Jr. 2002

Adam Pummill 2002

John Sweeney 2002

Kevin Sears 2003

Brandon Doherty 2004

Jeff Koons 2004

Ryan Bennett 2004

Derrick McKinney 2004

Kelly Quirk 2005

Mike Walczuk 2005

David Belfonte 2006

Aaron Meade 2007

Jerry Mancuso 2008

Jake Doller 2009

Sal Belfonte 2010

Nate Goodwin 2010

Joey Mancuso 2011

David Wiedeman 2011

SEA SON AWA RDS

Andy Cheray 2012

Mitch Degraw 2012

Henry Weiler 2012

Todd Czinege 2013

Logan Grey 2013

Jack Benninghoff 2014

Trey Vickers 2014

Luke Ritter 2015

Ben Whetstone 2015

Tyler Benninghoff 2016

Dalton Lanpher 2016

Christian Franklin 2018

Luke Schafer 2019

Jaxson Wentworth 2019

GOLF

ROCK DON’T QUIT RESONATES WITH GOLFERS; FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

The 2024 Rockhurst High School golf team once again demonstrated why it is considered one of the most dominant programs in Missouri. Under the leadership of Head Coach Mark Nusbaum, the team faced a season filled with competitive tournaments, personal growth, and a dramatic comeback at the state championship. The team’s dedication, mental toughness, and commitment to the mantra “Rock don’t quit!” were on full display throughout the year.

A Challenging Start and a Resilient Finish at State

The highlight of the season came at the state championship, where Rockhurst’s performance perfectly encapsulated the essence of this year’s team. After a subpar showing on the first day, many teams might have faltered, but not Rockhurst. They showed tremendous resilience, rallying on the second day to claw their way back into trophy contention. The team finished fourth out of nine teams, securing a state trophy and making a statement about their resolve.

“They grew as a team, cheered each other on, and lived up to the mantra, ‘Rock don’t quit!’” Coach Nusbaum said proudly. “This group showed that when adversity strikes, they don’t back down. They fight.”

Key Players and Standout Performances

Much of Rockhurst’s success this season was driven by the leadership of its seniors and the emergence of its younger players. Chief among them was senior Alex Hogan, who capped off an impressive high school career by earning All-State honors. Hogan’s journey was one of perseverance. “Alex was a great example of how hard work changes your opportunities,” Coach Nusbaum reflected. “As a freshman, he was one of the last players kept. Now, he’s finishing as an All-State player with a scholarship to play at Kansas.”

Hogan’s scoring average of 74.86 was the best on the team, a testament to his consistency and skill.

He was the All-State finisher and will carry on his talents to play at the University of Kansas

Senior Nick Hartman was another standout, showing significant growth in his final two years. “Nick’s work ethic and personal growth were impressive during his junior and senior seasons,” Coach Nusbaum said. Hartman’s scoring average of 78 was solid, helping the team in critical moments throughout the season. He fought through back issues to help guide the Hawklets.

Returning state competitors were Blake Hartner, Henry Mayor and Conner Vickers. Homsey as a freshman showed consistency over the season with a 75.82 average. Hartner finished top 20 at state reaffirming his skill and talent. Outside those state players, the roster is full of great depth with George Besch ‘26 (75.2 season average is joined by a slew of members of the class of 2027 with Cole White (75.7average) alongside Hank Homsey (75.8 average) and Connor Dierks (76.56 average) to name a few. The contributions of these young players were pivotal in Rockhurst’s strong performances in various tournaments, and their growth signals a bright future for the program.

A Season Full of Competitive Battles

The team’s journey through the 2024 season was marked by both victories and lessons learned from tough competition. The Shawnee Mission East Invitational was an early test, with Rockhurst finishing 12th out of 28 teams, shooting a 321. While this wasn’t the start they hoped for, it set the stage for improvement as the season went on. Their first major victory came at the Rock Bridge

/Golf

Invitational, where they finished first out of eight teams with an impressive score of 292. This win gave the team the confidence boost they needed as they entered the heart of their schedule.

At the Park Hill South Quad, Rockhurst took another first-place finish, shooting 160 over nine holes. However, the season wasn’t without its challenges. The Champions Invitational in California proved to be a tough test, with Rockhurst finishing 26th out of 42 teams, shooting 921 over three rounds. Competing against some of the nation’s top high school programs, Rockhurst gained valuable experience that would serve them well later in the season.

Back in Missouri, the Helias Invitational was another competitive outing, where the team tied for fourth out of 23 teams with a score of 307. The Jefferson City Invitational saw them finish fifth out of 16 teams with a 314, showing the depth of talent within the squad. Rockhurst’s dual match against Shawnee Mission East ended in a 6-6 tie, a fitting result for two well-matched programs.

As the season progressed, Rockhurst found their stride. They won the Liberty Invitational with a 289, finished first at the Blue Springs Quad with a 303, and capped off the regular season by winning the District Championship with a score of 302. These results underscored Rockhurst’s ability to win under pressure and in diverse conditions, a testament to their preparation and mental toughness.

A Program Built on Mental Toughness and a Strong Work Ethic Coach Nusbaum has always emphasized the importance of mental toughness and a strong work ethic in his program. “We want our athletes to exhibit mental toughness. This is built over many rounds of golf. Rockhurst golfers must have a strong work ethic to develop their craft,” Nusbaum said. This mindset was evident throughout the season, especially in how the team handled adversity at the state championships.

The program’s high standards were also reflected in the competitive nature of its tryouts and the rigor of its schedule. “Tryouts will be as competitive as they have ever been. For players

who survive the first two weeks, the season will present some great challenges every week. I strongly believe our schedule is the toughest one in Missouri,” Nusbaum stated. Competing in events like the Champions Invitational in California and regularly facing top teams from Missouri and beyond ensured that Rockhurst’s golfers were constantly tested, preparing them for the pressures of postseason play.

Looking Ahead

As the 2024 season comes to a close, the future of Rockhurst golf looks incredibly promising. While the team will lose key seniors like Alex Hogan and Nick Hartman, the emergence of underclassmen like Besch, White, Mayor, Homsey and Dierks means that Rockhurst’s winning tradition is likely to continue.

The 2024 season may be remembered for its dramatic comeback at the state championship, but it was also a year of growth, grit, and mental toughness. The lessons learned this year, combined with the program’s strong foundation, ensure that Rockhurst High School golf will remain a force to be reckoned with in Missouri for years to come.

don’t quit!

Head Coach

/Mark Nusbaum Coach Mark Nusbaum will be back for his 11th 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 foursport, 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.

COACHES

Assistant Coaches

/Theresa Fessler Coach Fessler is in her sixth season as an assistant golf coach. 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 18th year at The Rock, Coach McGill is in his eighth year as an assistant golf coach and also serves the school as the 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.

/Theresa Fessler

/Kevin McGill

/Golf

Golf 2024 Results

SEA SON

RESULTS 2024

Shawnee Mission East Invitational

12th out of 28 teams, shooting 321

Rock Bridge Invitational 1st out of 8 team shooting 292

Park Hill South Quad 1st out of 4 teams shooting 160 (9 holes)

Champions Invitational (CA)

26th out of 42 teams, shooting 921 (3 rounds)

Helias Invitational Tied 4th out of 23 teams, shooting 307

Shawnee Mission East Dual Tied 6-6

Jefferson City Invitational 5th out of 16 teams, shooting 314

Liberty Invitational 1st out of 6 teams, shooting 289

Blue Springs Quad 1st out of 4 teams, shooting 303

District Championship 1st out of 16 teams, shooting 302

State Championship 4th out of 9 teams, shooting 600 (2 rounds)

/Golf2025 Team Page & Schedule

Golf 2024 Season Team Awards

All-District

Nick Hartman ’24

Alex Hogan ’24

Blake Hartner ‘25

Henry Mayor ‘27

All-State

Alex Hogan ‘24

Golf All-Time Team

Bud McGovern 1941

James Haake 1943

Robert Goulet 1954

Wayne Pence 1955

Jerry Krause 1956

Mark Hanrahan 1976

John Howell 1978

Robert “Chip” Toth 1979

Pat Hanrahan 1984

Matt Holmes 1984

Gary Riani 1984

John Sinovic 1984

Bert Roney 1991

Matt Roney 1993

Michael Hoehn 1994

Jim Gates 1996

Doug Albers 1997

Jason Hobick 1999

Fred Loeb 1999

Brent Kriegshauser 2000

Josh Polsinelli 2000

Kevin Ward 2000

Kirk Wood 2000

Mitch Kelly 2001

Ryan Davis 2002

Alex Nordholm 2003

Patrick Roth 2005

SEA SON AWA RDS

Tyler Trout 2005 Jason Schulte 2006 Matt Ledom 2009

Michael McGee 2009 Jason Huska 2012

Patrick Byrne 2013

Peter Dierks 2015

Rob Enright 2017

Ethan Packel 2017

Jack Dwyer 2019

Golf 2024 Season Stats

Best Rounds

Besch

Hogan (2x), Nick Hartman, Blake Hartner, Cole White

George Besch, Henry Mayor

George Besch, Hank Homsey, Conner Vickers

George Besch (2x), John Giocondo, Henry Mayor, Conner Vickers

Alex Hogan (2x), William Fitzgerald, Blake Hartner, J.P. Hepler, Hank Homsey, Conner Vickers, Cole White

Competition Averages Per 18 Holes

LA CROS SE

HISTORY REWRITTEN AS LACROSSE TEAM DOMINATES FOES

AND RECORD BOOKS

The 2024 Rockhurst High School lacrosse season was one for the history books, filled with thrilling victories, record-breaking performances, and an unforgettable senior class. Under the leadership of Coach Tim Reidy, the Hawklets finished the season with a stellar 17-2 record, capped off by their fourth consecutive LAKC (Lacrosse Association of Kansas City) championship. This remarkable season was a testament to the dedication, teamwork, and relentless spirit of the players, coaches, and supporters.

A Season of Triumphs

From the very beginning, Rockhurst set the tone for a dominant season. They kicked off their campaign with decisive wins over Blue Valley (16-3) and Mill Valley (20-4), showcasing their offensive firepower and defensive prowess. The team’s first major test came during a trip to Washington, D.C., where they faced some of the top programs in the country. While they suffered a tough loss to Our Lady of Good Counsel (18-9), the Hawklets bounced back in spectacular fashion with a come-from-behind victory over perennial powerhouse St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes in a rain-soaked thriller, winning 18-15.

Reflecting on the trip, Coach Reidy said, “That win against St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes in the pouring rain was a defining moment for our team. The resilience and grit the boys showed was incredible. It set the tone for the rest of the season.”

After a hard-fought loss to Georgetown Prep (14-6), the Hawklets returned home and rattled off a series of commanding victories, including a 22-7 win over Northland and a 21-3 victory against Lafayette. As the season progressed, the team continued to dominate both sides of the field, with standout performances from several key players.

The Stars of the Team

Leading the charge was Luke McNamara, who made history by becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in Missouri lacrosse history. McNamara’s incredible season saw him score 106 goals and rack up 130 points, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Rockhurst jersey. “Luke’s talent and work ethic are unmatched,” Coach Reidy said. “He has been the heart and soul of this team, and to see him break the all-time goalscoring record was something special.”

But McNamara wasn’t the only standout. Jack Bickelmeyer had an equally impressive

season, finishing with 54 goals and 94 points. Bickelmeyer’s leadership on and off the field was crucial, particularly in the Hawklets’ 13-8 comeback victory over MICDS. His performance in that game, where he scored multiple key goals, was a defining moment of the season. Reid Moshier, another senior star, contributed significantly with 29 goals and an impressive 44 assists, showcasing his versatility and playmaking ability.

In the midfield, players like Colin Komenda and Billy Eckels kept both the offense and defense clicking. Komenda, with 48 ground balls and 23 assists, played a pivotal role in transitioning the ball from defense to attack, while Eckels provided stability with his physical presence and smart decision-making.

Defensively, they were very stout and physical with play from Charlie Gormsen and sharp goaltending of Michael Torlina anchored a backline that allowed just 110 goals over the course of the season. Gentry Curtis also allowed for the Hawklets to gain an advantage in ball possession with his face-off prowess.

Senior Class Legacy

The 2024 senior class was a special group, with many of them having played together for four years. This unity and experience were key to the team’s success. In addition to McNamara, Bickelmeyer, and Moshier, seniors like Chris Kelley, Jackson Effertz, and Teddy Brewster were integral parts of the team’s core. Their leadership extended beyond the stat sheet, as they set the tone in practice, encouraged younger players, and embodied the values of Rockhurst lacrosse.

“This group of seniors finished what they started four years ago,” Coach Reidy said proudly. “They’ve worked hard, sacrificed for each other, and have been incredible role models for our underclassmen. To win four straight championships is a testament to their dedication and perseverance.”

Brewster, in particular, had a breakout season, finishing with 24 goals and 38 points. His ability to find the back of the net at critical moments made him a key contributor in several tight games. Effertz, with his steady play and 16 points, was another senior who consistently made an impact.

Championship Glory

The Hawklets entered the LAKC playoffs as the top seed and left little doubt about their championship ambitions. They cruised past Lee’s Summit West in the quarterfinals with a 22-3 victory and followed it up with a dominant 20-5 win over Olathe in the semifinals.

In the LAKC Finals, Rockhurst faced off against Lancers Lacrosse, a familiar rival. The Hawklets once again proved their superiority, claiming their fourth straight title with a 20-12 victory. McNamara led the way with another stellar performance, while Moshier and Bickelmeyer provided crucial support. It was a fitting end to a remarkable season and a crowning achievement for the senior class.

Looking Ahead

As the 2024 season comes to a close, Coach Reidy is already looking forward to the future. While the departure of the senior class will leave big shoes to fill, the Rockhurst lacrosse program is known for its ability to “reload” rather than rebuild. Several talented underclassmen, including players like Teddy Brewster, Mack Renko, and Fletcher Anderson, are poised to take on larger roles in the coming seasons.

“This is Rockhurst, and we don’t rebuild, we reload,” Coach Reidy said confidently. “I’m excited to see what the next group of players will do on and off the lacrosse field. The future is bright for Rockhurst lacrosse.”

Final Thoughts

The 2024 Rockhurst High School lacrosse season will be remembered as one of the greatest in the program’s history. From thrilling victories over national powerhouses to a record-breaking season for Luke McNamara, the Hawklets demonstrated what makes Rockhurst lacrosse so special: hard work, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.

As Coach Reidy often says, “The mantra I always preach to the players is to have fun, play hard, focus on getting better each day, and to always enjoy the moment.” This team embodied that philosophy, and their success on the field will be remembered for years to come.

/Lacrosse

Assistant Coaches

/Tim Reidy Coach Tim Reidy ’02 is in his 14th season at his alma mater. As a Hawklet, he was a defender and was named the first lacrosse All-American 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 AP Human Geography, AP World History, and Kansas City 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 (2014, 2017, 2023) and is a 2021 inductee into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame. He has also coached football, basketball, track & field and volleyball at Rockhurst, Resurrection Catholic (Miss) and St. Peter’s & Paul (Okla.). Coach Reidy and his wife Heather have twin sons (Ryan and Padraig) and a daughter (Frances Grace).

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 and has been coaching lacrosse ever since. 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 also coached freshman football and cross country over his tenure at Rockhurst. 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.

Head Coach

/Mark Bayhylle

/Tim Hannon

Assistant Coaches

/Luke McLellan Coach McLellan ’00 enters his 12th season coaching lacrosse in the spring. 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 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 seventh 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. He and his wife Pennie have a son, Mason ‘20 who played for the program.

/Matt Ruemker Coach Ruemker enters his sixth 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.

/Luke McLellan /Clayton Melrose

/Joe Vasta /Matt Ruemker

Lacrosse2024 Season Team Awards

1st Team All-Metro

Luke McNamara ’24

Jack Bichelmeyer ‘24

Colin Komenda ‘24

Charlie Gormsen ‘24

Gentry Curtis ‘26

2nd Team All-Metro

Reid Moshier ‘24

Mack Renko ‘24

Billy Eckles ‘24

Michael Torlina ‘24

All-Metro Honorable Mention

Hayden Holmes ‘24

Thomas Homant ‘24

USA Lacrosse All-American

Luke McNamara ‘24

USA Lacrosse Academic

All-American

Reid Moshier ‘24

Connelly Award

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

Mark Olshefski 2007

Joe Ferber 2008

Michael Reintjes 2009

Greg Meyer 2010

Crawford Collins 2011

John Schmidtlein 2012

Brooks Elder 2013

Andrew Dakan 2014

Charlie Naylor 2015

Jake Enenbach 2016

John Riley 2017

Jake Sullivan 2017

Thomas Finn 2018

Danny Thompson 2018

Tommy Eckels 2019

Michael Kuklenski 2019

Josh Pickett 2021

Zach Giangreco 2022

Charlie Gormsen 2023

Charlie Gormsen 2024

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.

Phil Duncan 1999

Collin Koranda 2000

Cole Dimond 2000

Mike Euston 2001

Pete Jokisch 2002

Cory Vandyke 2003

Peter Hannapel 2004

Peter Hannapel 2005

Carl Novick 2005

Jason Coleman 2006

Reilly Hannapel 2007

Chad Maple 2008

David Herring 2009

Connor Flanagin 2010

Peter Muehlebach 2011

Daniel Connor 2011

Emerson Hodes 2012

Alex Lackey 2013

Connor Prochnow 2014

Henry Bins 2015

Connor Law 2016

Cole Smith 2017

Jack Eckels 2018

William Muehlebach 2019

Jack Scanlon 2021

Will Gormsen 2022

Brock Narciso 2023

Colin Komenda 2024

/Lacrosse2025

Team Page & Schedule

Hannon Award

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

Addison Degen 2013

Joe Faerber 2014

Kevin Mcliney 2015

Reed Slaymaker 2016

Harrison Donnelly 2017

Reed Slaymake 2017

Brady Guck 2018

Michael Nulton 2019

Fisher Roy 2021

Luke McNamara 2022

Luke McNamara 2023

Luke McNamara 2024

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.

Reid Moshier 2021

Connor John 2021

Burke Hakes 2022

Finn Roy 2022

Tom Fimmen 2023

Burke Hakes 2023

Lacrosse All-Time Team

Michael Mason 2024

Levi Mason 2024

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.

Matt McGilley 1995

Patrick McGilley 1997

Sean Connelly 1998

Peter McGilley 1998

Ryan McLaughlin 1998

Aaron Clevinger 2000

Pat Connelly 2000

Jon Lecuyer 2001

Tim Reidy 2002

Pete Jokisch 2002

Andrew Elmer 2003

Cory Van Dyke 2003

Brendan Arthur 2003

Michael Adkins 2004

Matt Gotschall 2004

Peter Hannapel 2005

Carl Novick 2005

Chris Rhoades 2005

Jason Coleman 2006

Schaffer Degen 2006

Brent Sear 2006

Spencer Walsh 2006

Colin Looby 2007

Kevin Looby 2007

Paul Reintjes 2007

Terry Smith 2008

Joe Faerber 2008

Chad Maple 2008

Evan O’Brien 2008

David Herring 2009

Brendan Surface 2009

William Tilson 2009

Connor Flanagin 2010

Scott Brown 2010

Crawford Collins 2011

Peter Muehlebach 2011

Emerson Hodes 2012

Addison Degen 2013

Robbie Healy 2014

Connor Prochnow 2014

Andrew Dakan 2014

Joe Faerber 2014

Jake Enenbach 2015

Kevin McLiney 2015

Liam Ryan 2015

Harrison Donnelly 2017

Sam Mohajir 2017

John Riley 2017

Jake Sullivan 2017

Reed Slaymaker 2017

Brady Guck 2018

William Muehlebach 2019

/Lacrosse

Lacrosse 2024 Season Results

SEA SON

RESULTS 2024

OVERALL RECORD: 17-2

Blue Valley Won 16-3

Mill Valley Won 20-4

@ Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD) Lost 18-9

@ St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School (VA) Won 18-15

@ Georgetown Prep Lost 14-6

Northland Won 22-7

Lafayette (Wildwood) Won 21-3

@ St. Thomas Aquinas Won 22-1

Chaminade Won 20-5

Lee’s Summit West Won 20-0

@ Lancers Lacrosse Won 20-10

@ St. Louis University High School Won 16-3

Pembroke Hill Won 16-4

Lee’s Summit United Won 20-5

@ MICDS Won 13-8

@ Olathe Won 16-4

LAKC Quarterfinals: Lee’s Summit West Won 22-3

LAKC Semifinals: Olathe Won 20-5

LAKC Finals: Lancers Lacrosse Won 20-12

Lacrosse 2024 Season Stats

Goaltending

Blue Indicates Returnee

Lacrosse 2024 Season Stats

Scoring and Defense

TENNIS

A RETURN TO STATE: KING COMES HOME KING OF SINGLES AND TEAM BRINGS THIRD PLACE BANNER

The 2024 tennis season for Rockhurst High School was marked by triumphs, growth, and milestones, including the school’s first individual state champion since 2014, senior Bobby King. Under the leadership of first-year head coach Rich Sullivan, the team rallied through a challenging season to finish with an impressive 10-4 overall record, securing a third-place finish in the state tournament. As the team looks forward to the 2025 season, expectations are high, with the return of all but one of its top players.

2024 Season Highlights

The season began on a strong note with Rockhurst winning five of its first six matches. The team displayed grit and resilience in tight contests, including a narrow 5-4 victory over Blue Valley and another 5-4 win against Blue Valley Northwest. Though the team encountered setbacks, such as an 8-1 loss to powerhouse Blue Valley West and a tough 6-3 loss to Shawnee Mission East, they bounced back with commanding victories, including a 9-0 sweep of St. Joe Central.

The postseason brought out the best in Rockhurst, with a 5-0 victory over Lee’s Summit in the district semifinals and a 5-2 triumph over Barstow in the district championship. A dominant 5-0 win over Joplin in the state quarterfinals propelled the team to the state semifinals. Although they fell to a formidable Pembroke Hill team in a 5-0 loss, Rockhurst rebounded in the third-place match, defeating Francis Howell 5-2.

At the individual level, Bobby King emerged as a breakout star, winning the state singles championship with an 18-3 record. His remarkable performance, which earned him All-State honors, marks the first time a Rockhurst player has claimed the individual state title since 2014.

“Winning the state title was a dream come true for me,” King said. “But more importantly, I was proud of how our team pushed each other and fought through every challenge together.”

Coach Sullivan emphasized how the team came together and improved throughout the season. “I am so proud of our team last year because they came together as a team and pushed each other daily in practice,” Sullivan said. “Tennis can be an individual sport, but our boys showed how powerful a unified team can be.”

Returning to the Tournament of Champions hosted by MICDS in St. Louis was one of the highlights of the season.

In the team tournament, the squad moved through the state series with convincing victories only losing 2 matches versus Lee’s Summit North, Barstow and Joplin (5-0, 5-2, 5-0 respectively) until running into Pembroke in the state semifinals. They rebounded to show their resilience winning the third place round versus Francis Howell (5-2).

Coaching Staff’s Impact Sullivan, in his first year as head coach, was instrumental in the team’s development, aided by assistant coaches Max Dunmire and Jack Evans. Their hands-on approach helped elevate the players’ games, both mentally and physically.

/Tennis

“I have two of the best assistant coaches in the game. Max brings passion and enthusiasm every day, while Jack provides a steady hand,” Sullivan said. “The boys are better tennis players because of those two.”

Sullivan also stressed the life lessons that tennis teaches. “As Roger Federer pointed out, he won 80% of his matches; but he only won 54% of the points in those matches. Losing points and matches teaches perseverance, grit, and determination,” he said. “Tennis players have to learn how to control their emotions. Every player will find themselves down at some point. They have to be able to reset and move forward.”

2025 Season Outlook

As Rockhurst heads into the 2025 season, expectations are high. The team will return nearly all of its top players, including Bobby King, Leo Menghini, Luke Johnson, William Volker, and Henry Stevens. The only significant loss is Nate Dierks, who provided depth in both singles and doubles.

“I really believe we can compete for the state championship in 2025,” Coach Sullivan said. “Bobby could also repeat as state champion, but it won’t be easy. The competition will be fierce, and everyone will be gunning for him.”

With King leading the charge and the team benefiting from a year of growth and experience under Coach Sullivan, Rockhurst is poised to be a top contender in the state. King, who will enter his senior year, is expected to face stiff competition but remains focused on the challenge.

“I’m excited for next season,” King said. “There’s definitely pressure to repeat, but I’m just going to take it one match at a time and focus on improving.”

Keys to Success in 2025

For Rockhurst to achieve its goal of winning the state championship, maintaining mental toughness will be crucial. “Tennis players have to learn how to control their emotions,” Sullivan said. “Every player will find themselves in difficult situations. The ability to reset and move forward is key.”

Another critical component will be the continued development of the team’s depth. Players like Menghini, Johnson, and Volker have shown flashes of brilliance but will need to build consistency throughout the season. The doubles teams, in particular, will need to step up, as Rockhurst struggled at times in doubles play, with mixed records across the board.

Sullivan’s confidence in his players and coaching staff is evident. “I believe in these boys,” he said. “We have the talent, we have the work ethic, and we have the drive. Now, it’s about putting it all together on the court.”

“Next year is going to be special,” Sullivan said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what this team can accomplish.”

“Winning the state title was a dream come true for me.”

Bobby King

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Max Dunmire

/Jack Evans

/Rich Sullivan Coach Sullivan put back on the whistle after taking a break from coaching. Previously he was a long-time cross country coach, but he picked up the game of tennis and immediately became enthralled with what the game can teach you about character formation and managing the emotions. Entering his second year as the head coach, he was able to celebrate his debut season with the individual state champion in Bobby King. In the classroom, Coach Sullivan has taught history for the past 26 years and is also the Ignatian Identity Director, helping adult faculty/staff in their spiritual journeys. Coach Sullivan and his wife, Barb have three adult children, Katie, Jamie ‘18 and Nate ‘22. He is an avid college football fan as well.

COACHES

/Max Dunmire Coach Dunmire ’18 begins his third season returning to his alma mater to coach tennis. He was a threeyear 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 144. 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.

/Jack Evans Coach Evans ‘15 returns to his alma mater after a storied high school career where he was part of three State Championship teams. He works as a Wealth Advisor for Pegasus Capital Management. As he has grown up he recognizes the value of having healthy routines. He is a member of the All-Time tennis team and relishes in how Rockhurst tennis brings a strong team focus to a sport that traditionally is about individual play.

Tennis 2024 Season Stats

Singles Record Match Play

Doubles Records

*All-District #All-State ! State Champion Blue indicates returnee

SEA SON RE SULTS

OVERALL RECORD: 10-4

Blue Valley Won 5-4

Liberty Won 6-3

@ Blue Valley West Lost 8-1

Lee’s Summit West Won 7-2

@ Shawnee Mission East Lost 6-3

Blue Valley Northwest Won 5-4

@ Barstow Won 5-4

@ MICDS Canceled

Tournament of Champions @ MICDS 4th out 8 teams

KC Invitational 5th out of 16 teams

@ St. Joe Central Won 9-0 Pembroke Hill Lost 8-1

District Semifinals vs. Lee’s Summit Won 5-0

District Championship vs. Barstow Won 5-2

State Quarterfinals vs. Joplin Won 5-0

State Semifinals vs. Pembroke Lost 5-0

State 3rd Place Match vs. Francis Howell Won 5-2

Tennis 2024 Awards

All-District

Bobby King ‘25

All-State

Bobby King ‘25

State Champion (Individual)

Bobby King ‘25

“Rock Award” (new in 2021)

Charlie Duethman 2021

Nick Koca 2022

Caleb Bridges 2023

Bobby King 2024

/Tennis 2025 Team Page & Schedule

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

Fred Azar 1983

Jim McPhilliamy 1983

Mark McLiney 1983

Pat Looney 1986

Warren McDonald 1986

Grant Ramsey 1996

Ryan Smith 1996

Jon Osgood 1997

Casey Smith 1998

Scott Martin 1999

Andy Metzler 2000

Ryan Osgood 2000

Sam Davidson 2001

Brad Martin 2002

Ryan Reid 2003

Zach Frisch 2005

Jose Guerra 2005

Reid Martin 2005

Guerin Smith 2005

Patrick Tooey 2007

Jack O’Flaherty 2008

Andrew Edmonds 2010

Sam Crawford 2012

Alex Koca 2014

Jacob Moore 2014

John Nogalski 2014

Joe Ibarra 2015

Jack Evans 2015

Joe O’Connor 2015

Justin Nogalski 2016

Sinjin Nair 2016

Donovan Walsh 2019

TRACK &FIELD

HISTORY IN THE MAKING AND RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN

The 2024 Rockhurst High School Track & Field season will be remembered as one of the greatest in the program’s long history. With a team that exemplified hard work, dedication, and a relentless desire to improve, the squad managed to achieve new heights, setting multiple school records and leaving an indelible mark on the state championship.

Coach Troy Harding, who has guided the Rockhurst team with a philosophy centered on long-term growth, couldn’t have been prouder of his athletes. Reflecting on the historic season, Coach Harding said, “Our 4th place finish at the state meet was the highest a Rockhurst team has finished in nearly 50 years. We also set 8 school records, had 4 state champions, and set 2 state records.” It was a monumental season that showcased the depth of talent and the dedication of the coaching staff and athletes.

The philosophy of the program, according to Coach Harding, emphasizes consistent development over immediate results. “I think our coaches focus on the process of development more than winning. We want our athletes to understand that hard work repeated over time leads to growth and improvement, which will ultimately lead to success,” he said. This approach yielded tremendous results as the team performed better as the stakes got higher, culminating in a 4th place finish at the Missouri State Championship, competing against 62 of the state’s best teams.

Road to the State Meet: Rising Above the Competition

Entering the post-season with a 4th place finish in the District Championship with 94.33 points. As the season progressed, the team grew stronger

and more cohesive, eventually placing 4th again in the Sectional Championship, this time out of 18 teams, with a total of 70 points.

By the time they arrived at the State Championship, Rockhurst was ready to challenge for a trophy. The team’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, finishing 4th overall in the state with 49 points—an incredible achievement in a highly competitive field of 62 teams.

What was even more remarkable were the number of Hawklets who walked away as State Champions - a rare feat. They entered the meet as one of the favorite in the 4x800m relay of Bill Hayes, Jake Bond, Henry Acorn and Andrew Davis but were challenged all the way to the last 100m to win in the second fastest time in state history of 7:42.06. It was an electric race that inspired the squad.

On Day 2 for only the second time in Missouri state history Rockhurst won the 1600m, 400m and 800m races by three different Hawklets. Acorn destroyed the field the last 300m to a 4:06.3 win and breaking the Class 5 state record time becoming the second fastest individual in the history of Missouri state meets in that event. Leo Faulkner displayed poise and strength as he dominated the field with a half second win and

/Track&Field

breaking the 48 barrier, setting the school record of 47.51. The last of the trio was Andrew Davis who again displayed a tremendous confidence in his kick to run 1:52.38 to break his own school record and stand atop the fastest in Class 5 Missouri history.

“Our team showed a competitive fire that strengthened when the opposition got tougher. The higher the stakes, the better we performed. As a coach, nothing makes you prouder,” said Coach Harding, reflecting on his athletes’ ability to rise to the occasion.

Faulkner was one of the breakout stars of the season, stunning everyone with his meteoric rise. “Leo Faulkner was clearly our top sprinter. His rise from anonymity before the season began to state champion in just a few weeks shows all of our athletes what can be accomplished in a short amount of time with hard work,” Coach

In the distance events, the trio of Acorn, Davis, and Hayes helped elevate the Rockhurst distance program to new heights. Acorn also setting the 3200-meter run school record of 9:12.62 while Hayes placed fifth in the 800 with a 1:53.7 time.

“Henry Acorn, Andrew Davis, and Bill Hayes helped lead our outstanding distance program to an unprecedented level. Their work ethic, leadership, and support of their teammates have raised the standard and expectations for all athletes in our program,” Coach Harding remarked.

In the field events, Luke Lewellen emerged as the team’s top thrower, excelling in both the discus and shot put. He set a personal best of 47.19 meters in the discus, qualifying for the state meet. “Luke Lewellen was our top thrower and the leader of that group. His success the past two

seasons will hopefully help return our throwers to a more prominent role in the Kansas City area,” Coach Harding stated.

Team Success: Relay Teams and Overall Growth

The team also enjoyed remarkable success in the relays, particularly in the 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams. The 4x400m relay team, comprised of Bill Hayes, Andrew Davis, William Hemphill, and Leo Faulkner, recorded a season-best time of 3:18.77, securing an All-State performance.

The 4x1600m school record also fell despite it not being a state event with 18:05.4 1st place result manned by Acorn, Hayes, Hudson Tsevis and Davis.

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future

As Rockhurst celebrates its historic 2024 season, the future looks incredibly bright. Many of the top performers are expected to return next year, giving the team a strong foundation to build upon. “My expectations for next season are for our squad to make another run at a trophy at the state meet,” said Coach Harding. With the leadership of seniors like Faulkner, Acorn, Davis, and Hayes, along with the continued development of younger athletes, Rockhurst is poised for continued success.

Reflecting on the year, Coach Harding summed it up perfectly: “Our athletes showed what can be accomplished when you stay focused on the process of improvement. They worked hard, supported each other, and left a legacy that will inspire future teams.”

The 2024 season was not just a collection of victories, records, and medals; it was a testament to the power of persistence, teamwork, and belief. And for Rockhurst High School Track & Field, the best may still be yet to come.

/Track&Field

Track & Field Season 2024 Results

Ron Ives Invitational

8th out of 17 teams with 41 points

Shawnee Mission South Relays

11th out of 21 teams with 24 points

Bill Summa Invitational

5th out of 19 teams with 61 points

Fort Osage Invitational

4th out of 7 teams with 88 points

Ken Peek Invitational

5th out of 19 teams with 60 points

KU Relays

No team scores

Al Davis, Jr./Mike Lillis Invitational Canceled

Shawnee Mission North Relays

No team scores

District Championship 4th out of 10 teams with 94.33 points

Sectional Championship 4th out of 18 teams with 70 points

State Championship

4th out of 62 teams with 49 points

Track & Field All-Time Team

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.

Don Schilling 1961

Jim Mayer 1961

Thomas Muehlebach 1964

Chris Muehlbach 1973

Mark Goodspeed 1975

Chris Garlich 1975

Jay Reardon 1976

Cecil Stockdale 1976

Thomas Franke 1977

Tim Jantsch 1977

Tom Jantsch 1977

Lester Ratcliff 1984

Tim Ryan 1987

Rob Haake 1988

Pat Murphy 1988

Chris Holmes 1989

Tim Mozee 1990

Mark Nuebauer 1990

Michael Dierks 1991

Jonathan Macklin 1994

Justin Dro 1997

Rob Reiter 1997

Rory Donnelly 2000

Sean O’Donnell 2001

Dan McDonough 2002

Jack Jones 2003

Jed Burey 2004

Patrick Tweedy 2004

D.J Hord 2005

Connor McDonough 2005

Michael Duschen 2006

Ivan Charbonneau 2008

Robbie Haden 2009

Nathan Scheelhaase 2009

Jack Shuss 2009

Jamal Jones 2011

Noah Pearl 2011

Zach Herriott 2012

Tanner Shuey 2012

Sam Maassen 2012

Kevin Jantsch 2012

Alex Lombardo 2013

Chaz Trujillo 2013

Max Linscott 2013

Dylan Stoetzer 2013

Tommy Seitz 2013

Curtis Goldman 2014

Montae Spiller 2015

Carson Bode 2015

William Thompson 2015

Matt Schell 2015

Jimmy Dixon 2015

Patrick Bowen 2016

John Luder 2017

Danny Toomey 2017

Tom Seitzer 2019

Micah Nelson 2019

/Track&Field

Head Coach

/Troy Harding Coach Troy Harding begins his eighth year as the head track & field coach since joining the program in 2018. New for 2024 he will also return to the sidelines with freshman football but is no stranger to it having coached it previously. For the prior 25 years, Coach Harding taught Math and coached track & field and football at Blue Springs South High School - 19 years as head track & field coach. He has a strong background in hurdles but truly knows all events and is an excellent multi-event coach. Coaching 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 All-State 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.

COACHES

/Jim Monteil Coach Monteil enters his eighth 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 where he ran collegiately. 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.

Assistant Coaches

/Jim Monteil

/Alex Dobens

Assistant Coaches

/Ryan McAnany /Christopher Melton

/Zander Haddad

/Track&Field 2025 Team Page & Schedule

/Ryan McAnany Coach McAnany ’12 enters his eighth 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 & English and serves as the Assistant Pastoral Director in addition to his coaching duties in cross country and track. He and his wife Moira have two young children, Beatriz and Patrick.

/Christopher Melton Coach Melton enters his third season coaching jumpers for the Track & Field Hawklets and his first year as a full-time employee as the Principal’s Assistant. He was a State-qualifying jumper in high school and also has experience in doing private coaching and served 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.

/Zander Haddad Coach Haddad begins his second season coaching cross country as well as track & field.. 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. Between his stint as a student teacher at Rockhurst and coming back, he worked at St. Thomas Aquinas as a teacher and assistant cross country coach.. He teaches Spanish and is the Spanish Club moderator and helps with the Pastoral Department.

/Van Marshall Coach Marshall ’08 was a 1st Team AllState 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 and assistant varsity football 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. Coach Marshall joined the track & field staff last year and will continue as the throwers coach.

/Van Marshall

/Track&Field

Track & Field 2024 Season Team Awards

All-District

Leo Faulkner ’24

Luke Lewellen ’24

Hudson Tsevis ‘24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ’25

Bill Hayes ’25

Wyatt Hemphill ‘25

Brayden Worstell ’25

Jake Bond ‘26

Jamal Johnson ‘27

Leadership Award

Brian Humphrey 2023

Bill Hayes 2024

All-State

Leo Faulkner ‘24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ’25

Bill Hayes ’25

Wyatt Hemphill ‘25

Jake Bond ‘26,

State Champions

Leo Faulkner ‘24 (400)

Henry Acorn ‘25 (1600)

Andrew Davis ‘25 (800)

4x800 Relay

Bill Hayes ‘25, Jake Bond ‘26,

Henry Acorn ‘25

Andrew Davis ‘25

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.”

Adam Flack 2000

Sean O’Donnell 2001

Dan McDonough 2002

Dan Cooper 2003

Jack Jones 2003

Brennan Metzler 2003

Jed Burey 2004

Chris Fencl 2004

D.J. Hord 2005

Michael Duschen 2006

Andrew Bush 2007

Ivan Charbonneau 2008

Robbie Haden 2009

Michael Williams 2010

Zach Herriott 2011

Zach Herriott 2012

Alex Lombardo 2013

Mitch Koeppen 2014

Carson Bode 2015

Patrick Bowen 2016

John Luder 2016

Austin Wike 2016

John Luder 2017

Ross Elder 2017

Tom Seitzer 2018

Tom Seitzer 2019

Wes Porter 2019

Max Hill 2021

Jordan Campbell 2022

Kene Okpareke 2023

Andrew Davis 2024

Track & Field 2024 Season Stats

Track Events (season bests)

100 Meter Dash Time B. Worstell 11.23 J. Johnson 11.25

200 Meter Dash Time

400 Meter Dash Time *#!$ L. Faulkner 47.59 W. Hemphill 50.79

800 Meter Run Time

*#!$ A. Davis 1:52.38

*# B. Hayes 1:53.70

1600 Meter Run Time

*#!$ H. Acorn 4:06.31 A. Davis 4:15.37

3200 Meter Run Time

*$ H. Acorn 9:12.62 A. Davis 9:37.02

110m High Hurdles Time

300m Int. Hurdles Time

Kane

4x100m Relay Time

J. Johnson, J, Seitter, 43.86 Z. Collins, B. Worstell

4x200m Relay Time

J. Johnson, B. Worstell, 1:29.77 W. Hemphill, L. Faulker

*# 4x400m Relay Time

B. Hayes, W. Hemphill 3:18.77 A. Davis, L. Faulkner

*#!$ 4x800m Relay Time

B. Hayes, J. Bond, 7:42.06

Field Events (season bests)

H. Acorn, A. Davis Discus

Shot Put Distance

L. Lewellen

Mozena

(48-0)

(45-4.75)

(130-7.25)

Long Jump Distance

P. Fisher 6.15 (20-2)

D. Stewart 6.12m (19-11.75)

Triple Jump Distance

G. Larson 12.42m (40-9)

P. Fisher 12.41m (40-8.5)

High Jump Height

J. Meyer 1.85m (6-1)

H. Thurman 1.62m (5-3.75)

Pole Vault Height

J. Bassin 3.50m (8-0)

*Denotes State qualifier #Denotes All-State performance ! Denotes State Champion

$ Denotes school record Blue indicates returnee

VOLLEY BALL

NEW FACES, NEW LEAGUE, GROWING SPORT CONTINUES TO BE

ONE OF TOPS IN

KC

The Rockhurst High School volleyball team entered a new era as a fully sanctioned MSHSAA sport. It wrapped up a successful 2024 season with a record of 22-6, showing resilience and growth as a relatively young team with limited varsity experience. The Hawklets displayed tenacity and teamwork, securing notable victories and competing fiercely in every match.

Reflecting on the season, Coach Sullivan expressed pride in his team’s performance: “We finished the season with only two losses in KC and six total while losing four in St. Louis. I am proud of my team with how young they were in terms of varsity experience and how they competed. They battled!”

One of the highlights of the season was hosting and winning Rockhurst’s first-ever volleyball tournament, a testament to the team’s growth and determination. Coach Sullivan remarked on the significance of this achievement, noting, “It was a big moment for us as a program to host a tournament and come out on top. It shows the progress we’ve made and the potential we have for the future.”

A Young Team with Promise

The 2024 Rockhurst volleyball squad featured a mix of emerging talent and strong leadership from key players. Despite their youth and inexperience, the team performed admirably

against tough competition, particularly in local and regional matches. Coach Sullivan credited much of the team’s success to the chemistry among the players and the guidance of his coaching staff.

“The great thing about my staff is the excitement that they have for the sport of volleyball and the chemistry they have when working together,” Sullivan shared. “It is a great mix of coaches that interact from the freshmen level through the varsity, and that consistency is crucial for the development of our players.”

Among the standouts this season was Gabe Moore, a rising star in the middle who made significant improvements throughout the year. “Gabe was our most improved player at middle,” said Sullivan. “His game just keeps getting better the more he is around it.”

Other key players included setter Will Campbell, who was instrumental in orchestrating the offense with 760 assists, and Mason Kastel, the team’s strongest hitter with 311 kills and a hitting percentage of .258. Kastel also made a significant impact on defense, recording 21 blocks and 182 digs, while leading the team in aces with 84.

Sullivan praised Campbell’s ability to control the tempo of the game, saying, “Will is great at starting the offense, and his leadership on the

/Volleyball

court helped us in tight situations.” Campbell’s ability to stay calm under pressure was evident in close matches, such as the district semifinals against Lee’s Summit North, where Rockhurst pulled off a dramatic 5-set victory to advance to the district championship.

Henry Olson also played a vital role, particularly in defense, recording a team-high 204 digs while contributing 198 kills and a team-best serve-receive rating of 2.26. Olson’s consistency and versatility made him an essential part of Rockhurst’s success, as he consistently delivered in both offensive and defensive scenarios.

The team’s defensive efforts were also bolstered by Cooper Nickle and Brady Batz, who were strong contributors in the back row. Their ability to keep rallies alive and transition into offense gave Rockhurst an edge in matches, especially during the long rallies that often defined close contests.

Season Results

Rockhurst’s season got off to a strong start, winning their first seven matches, including a dominant performance at the Rockhurst Invitational, where they went 5-0 to claim the title. Notable victories included wins over Lee’s Summit, Lee’s Summit West, and Northland Christian, where the Hawklets showcased their offensive firepower and defensive grit.

However, the team faced some challenges on the road, particularly in St. Louis, where they encountered tougher competition and suffered four losses during the Rockwood Invitational. Despite these setbacks, the team learned valuable lessons that would serve them well in the postseason.

Back in Kansas City, Rockhurst continued to dominate, winning matches against teams like St. Joe Central, North Kansas City, and Oak Park. The team’s ability to bounce back from their losses in St. Louis demonstrated their resilience and determination to improve.

The district tournament saw Rockhurst in fine form, with wins over Belton in the quarterfinals and a thrilling five-set victory over Lee’s Summit North in the semifinals. In the district championship match, Rockhurst faced a familiar foe in St. Michael the Archangel, a team they had lost to earlier in the season.

In a hard-fought match, Rockhurst came up just short, losing in five sets (26-19, 22-25, 17-25, 25-19, 12-15). Despite the loss, Coach Sullivan remained optimistic about the future, saying, “We fought hard and left everything on the court. This group has shown so much heart, and I’m excited to see what they can accomplish moving forward.”

Looking Ahead

With the 2024 season in the books, Coach Sullivan and his staff are already looking ahead to next year. Several key players will return, including Kastel, Moore, and Campbell, giving Rockhurst a strong foundation to build upon.

“Mason, Gabe, and Will are all coming back next year, and I’m excited about what they can bring to the table,” said Sullivan. “They’ve gained so much experience this season, and I expect them to take on even bigger leadership roles next year.”

In addition to the returning stars, Rockhurst’s younger players will have the opportunity to step up and make an impact. Sullivan is confident that the program is headed in the right direction, thanks in large part to the commitment and enthusiasm of his coaching staff.

“The future is bright for Rockhurst volleyball,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got a great group of coaches who are passionate about the game and dedicated to developing our players. I’m looking forward to seeing how far we can go next season.”

As the team prepares for the offseason, one thing is clear: Rockhurst volleyball is on the rise, and with the talent and determination they’ve shown in 2024, the Hawklets have the potential to make an even deeper run in the postseason next year.

Volleyball 2024 Season Team Awards

All-District

Will Campbell ‘25 (1st Team)

Mason Kastel ‘25 (1st Team)

Henry Olson ‘25 (2nd Team)

Gabe Moore ‘26 (2nd Team)

Joey Bonino ‘25 (Hon Men)

Cooper Nickle ‘26 (Hon Men)

Volleyball All-Time Team

Topper Award

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

Joe Leggio 2022

Barrett Brewer 2023

Will Campbell 2024

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.

Topper Meyer 2019

/Volleyball

/Mike Sullivan Coach Sullivan ’84 now spends his springs inside coaching the volleyball team after retiring from football this past year. 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 runners-up 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 24th year at The Rock coaching and teaching AP, Honors, and Concepts of Chemistry. Over the years he has also coached track & field and golf. He married his wife Beth in 2008 and has two step-daughters: Sarah and Mary Kate along with two labs.

COACHES

/Volleyball2025

Team Page & Schedule

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

/Pete Campbell Coach Campbell ’89 begins his fourth 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 28 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 ’25. He also serves as one of the Voices of Hawklets doing the PA at Rockhurst sporting events.

/Anthony Kammerer Coach Kammerer ‘18 came back to the Rock to help coach volleyball last season. Before it was a sport at Rockhurst he was involved in both club volleyball and even brought the Mission Week volleyball game into existence. He is a Civil Engineer during the day. Coach Kammerer places an emphasis on the team aspect of the sport.

/Paul Meyer Coach Meyer ‘84 is no stranger to the volleyball court as he is beginning his 15 season coaching it at Rockhurst and St. Teresa’s. His son, Topper Meyer ‘19 was also one of the first members of the Rockhurst team. Coach Peters works in Home Health Rehabilitation and he and his wife Kala have a daughter, Delaney along with Topper.

/Chris Peters Coach Peters enters his 16th season coaching volleyball. He has been a key assistant coach since it has become a varsity sport at Rockhurst helping teach fundamentals. He is in the mortgage industry. Coach Peters has two adult daughters.

/Pete Campbell /Anthony Kammerer

/Paul Meyer

/Chris Peters

/Volleyball

VolleyballSeason2024 Results OVERALL RECORD: 22-6

Lee’s Summit Won 25-11, 25-21, 25-10

@ Lee’s Summit West Won 23-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-4

Rockhurst Invitational 1st Place going 5-0 in matches

@ Northland Christian Won 25-20, 25-17, 25-9

St. Joe Central Won 25-8, 25-17, 25-15

@ Lee’s Summit Won 25-16, 25-9, 25-17

North Kansas City Won 25-14, 25-15, 25-7

@ Belton Won 25-13, 25-18, 25-19

Grain Valley Won 23-25, 23-25, 27-15, 25-20, 15-9

@ St. Michael the Archangel Lost 18-25, 26-24, 23-25, 23-25

SEA SON RESULTS 2024

@ Staley Won 25-17, 25-10, 23-25, 25-21

Lincoln Prep Won 25-6, 25-13, 25-13

@ Ruskin Won 25-7, 25-16, 25-6

Oak Park Won 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-22

Rockwood Invitational Went 1-4 in matches

@ Lee’s Summit North Won 28-26, 25-18, 25-18

Guadalupe Centers Won 25-9, 25-8, 25-16

District Quarterfinals vs. Belton Won 25-9, 25-19, 25-20

District Semifinals vs. Lee’s Summit North Won 26-24, 18-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-9

District Championships vs. St. Michael the Archangel Lost 26-19, 22-25, 17-25, 25-19, 12-15

Volleyball Season 2024 Stats

Hitting

Assists

Digs

* All-District Blue indicates returnee

HAWKLET

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Contact any member of our team to find out how Kissick Construction can meet your project needs in any of our areas of expertise.

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