St. Thomas Eagles' Nest Spring 2020

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PATH TO THE PRIEST HOOD

ST. THOMAS MORE PAROCHIAL ADMINISTRATOR FR. CLARK SAMPLE ’01

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Eagles’ Nest Printed April 2020 The Eagles’ Nest is published three times annually by St. Thomas High School 4500 Memorial Drive Houston, Texas 77007 713.864.6348 Rev. James Murphy, CSB President

eagles’

nest spring 2020

St. Thomas High School Community Magazine

Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96 Principal Mary Criaco Assistant Principal Mark deTranaltes ’83 Vice President for Advancement Patricia Miller Vice President of Finance Rodney Takacs Dean of Students

DEPARTMENTS 45

Eagle Flight

Basilian values in full force from 13th Annual Scholarship Breakfast to acclaimed faculty and scholar achievement.

Keith Calkins Director of Communications Johnny Misleh ’00 Major Gift Officer

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Eagle Spirit

Camp Aquinas and St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Mass instill and salute life lessons of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

KH Studio Layout + Design Lindstrom Photography Cover Photo, Fr. Sample

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Eagle Fight

Everett Vaughn ’18 proves invaluable if not most valuable for Texas A&M Basketball while Eagle Athletics enjoys a series of soaring seasons.

Like us, follow us, keep up with us! @sthcatholic

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#mySTH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

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CLARK SAMPLE ’01

20 IN ’20

Priesthood Path Leads Home

Celebrating the most moving measures and moments, agents and participants, who represent the totality of the St. Thomas mission since 2010.

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20 IN ’20

SOUL BENEATH THE ROUND UP SIZZLE

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FOR THE RECORD

‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’

ANDREW LOCKE ’03

Josh Wilson, St. Thomas choral director and fine arts faculty member. Grammy Award winner for 2020. Seriously.

A High Spirited Spectacle Presented by St. Thomas Theater

Exemplary Service and Sacrifice

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RIVALRY WITIH STRAKE JESUIT REBUFFED

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HOOP MCFEAST FOR HALL

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PRIESTHOOD PATH

LEADS

HOME FR. CLARK SAMPLE ’01

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Features SPRING 2020

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IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE FROM, YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING. For the previous decade Fr. Clark Sample ’01 has navigated a clear, convicted, if unconventional course. He is rooted from his past, restless for grand future designs, trusting God’s Providence to better propel Houston Roman Catholics on their holistic journeys.

“I had to be away from home to discover that home is where I should be,” Fr. Sample says. “I was studying to be a priest in Washington, D.C. with the possibility to land anywhere in the United States. But I sensed God wanted me to be in my home city for a reason and every day that reason is unfolding.”

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The first time pastor describes his 10-month debut at St. Thomas More Parish as “a captain jumping on a moving boat, replacing the previous captain, figuring out what I have, and what direction the boat is moving.”

His constituents separated by generations and origin and culture “are surprised to hear I’m from Houston and even more surprised to know I grew up five miles north of here.”

Fr. Sample sprang from an Irish Catholic family deeply devoted to the St. Michael the Archangel Church and strong parochial education - mother and father Donna and Don Sample, brother Stephen ’11, and sister Allison who graduated from St. Agnes Academy. Fr. Sample’s life-altering about-face decision in 2009 was in obvious contrast to the steep decline of incoming priests, a radical remove from the careerist track of his generation.

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“BE I HAD TO AWAY

FROM HOME TO DISCOVER THAT HOME IS WHERE I SHOULD BE 8

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He set aside marriage, family, and a traditional oil and gas success path with a degree from the University of Texas for a commitment to the priesthood.

His wasn’t Moses meets the burning bush sky-opening call to the priesthood. For Fr. Sample it was more of a whisper, a sense, a consistent tap on the heart, a simple enough realization that motivated him to pivot. At age 26 he entered the process of vocational discernment and emerged embodying the commitment and purpose of spreading the Catholic faith.

In a world of zigging, Clark Sample zagged. “There’s something countercultural about going into the priesthood. It’s a complete surrender of self. But there’s this state of pure joy when you’re immersed that is beyond description. I remember thinking once during my years at St. Thomas that I could never be a priest. It was likely the only time I ever gave it any thought at all. But I’ve never been more fulfilled than I am right now. It doesn’t mean it’s easy. Fulfilling? Absolutely.

Amazingly so.”

Fr. Sample is now the spiritual anchor for roughly 3,500 parish families and 400 students in the Maplewood subdivision on the west edge of Bellaire and the Meyerland community.

His core aspirations are not altogether unique but ambitious: fostering a diverse, equitable, connected congregation .. advancing innovative teaching and learning .. building relationships as a counselor and confidant .. embracing the word of God to craft his spirit and shape his soul.

“This is a traditional parish with younger families joining on a regular cycle,” Fr. Sample says. “We represent Houston large Hispanic, Nigerian, and Filipino legions bonding with many founding members (1965) who were here before we had a church building. We’re in transition in a good way.

“Our school, teen confirmation, and youth formation are some of our primary missions. I want to see the kids in the hallways also in the pews on Sundays. Many of our parents recommit to their faith through their children.

“The potential here is out of sight. My goal is to actualize that potential and make St. Thomas More the best it can be.”

Fr. Sample’s intense and thorough theology study concluded at Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained to the transitional diaconate October 1, 2015, at sacred St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, accepting a lifelong dedication in service to God with promises of celibacy, prayer, and obedience. As a priest for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Fr. Sample is assured a sacred life servicing the broad parameter of his youth which was of particular personal importance.

The first assignment for Fr. Sample was parochial vicar at St. John Vianney Church under the leadership of pastor Fr. Troy Gately, a two-year indoctrination not unlike the football gods influencing (placing?) wonderboy quarterback Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs for a right place, right time career launch.

“Father Troy is one of the most accomplished priests in the diocese,” Fr. Sample says. “He’s deeply driven and shrewd.

I learned from him that all of us are answerable to God to give our best. He does that and his example enforced a work ethic I’ve tried to duplicate, to live life as a sacrifice but also at full throttle. I had a great vantage point of how a parish can come together and thrive. I want that for St. Thomas More.”

Unlike his tutelage at St. John Vianney, Fr. Sample’s work as pastor is much more a mix of secular responsibilities and administrative duties, overseeing staff and finances within the rhythm of a daily faith connection. He draws on his real world professional business experience, even the rush captain years for his fraternity at UT, for practical application.

At times the pragmatic learning curve resembles an aspiring energetic law school graduate embracing those initial courtroom clashes only to discover the stark difference between paper law and trial law.

“They don’t teach you building maintenance in Rome,” Fr. Sample says with sly humor. “The roof of the school is years past its replacement date. How does that play within the fiscal budget? A water pipe bursts at 3:30 a.m. and floods the church. I get that call. I didn’t have air conditioning in my room last summer. In Houston. In July. A large air vent but no cold air. Those are not group topics in Rome but I’ve become well versed.”

Fr. Sample is also presented with the occasional crossroads of his former life intersecting with his almost sudden lifelong Catholic pilgrimage.

“I recently celebrated a wedding with some high school friends in attendance,” Fr. Sample says. “They were incredibly respectful of me and the Mass. But their reaction afterward was What happened to Clark? How different is he? What happened? Well, I’m the same. I’m also a priest. I could see it caused them to pause and think outside their box a bit.

“This is what it all comes down to - living our faith is very human. And when we do that we can become exactly who God created us to be. There was a time when I envisioned living your faith as the super pious person in constant prayer, that’s not what holiness is all the time but it can be for some.”

Full speed ahead, captain. Damn the torpedoes.

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20’20 in

how do we remember our contributors?

Some leave indelible impressions through tenure over years or even decades, thereby becoming part of an institution’s fabric through their dependable presence.

Others shine brightly, creating unforgettable memories regardless of their longevity.

Others still permeate our consciousness for their role as selfless facilitators, whether lifting colleagues or the community at large.

A rare few check off each box. One way or another, though, our stakeholders make an impact. And this is the genesis of the series launched in February (visit sths.org and browse Campus News for more).

20 in ’20 celebrates the most moving measures and moments, agents and participants within and beyond our campus community who represent the totality of the St. Thomas mission since 2010. Twenty stirring examples each within Eagle academics and development, athletics, and alumni.

Enduring. Dynamic. Inspirational. Invaluable.

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Academics & DEVELOPMENT Very Rev. Kevin Storey, CSB and Fr. James Murphy, CSB

Fr. Storey first arrived at St. Thomas as a relatively anonymous faculty member and would leave as the elected Superior General of the Congregation of St. Basil.

During his emphatic six-year stay as president, he played an essential influence in elevating the school for future growth, including a pivotal and galvanizing position in 4500Forever, the most ambitious capital campaign in school history. St. Thomas also achieved numerous milestones in enrollment, fundraising, campus facilities, academic programs, and athletics during his tenure.

Most importantly, Fr. Storey ensured St. Thomas adhered to the values of its Basilian founders and the institution’s mission of reaching out to the underserved, particularly students in need of financial assistance.

In the immediate wake of Fr. Storey’s surprising promotion, Fr. Murphy was named the school’s interim president during the 2018-19 academic year. In January 2019 he was selected as the third president in St. Thomas history, the unanimous choice of the St. Thomas Board of Directors with the approval of the Superior General.

Dona and Al Clay ’61

The dynamic duo had long advocated for the institution’s growing needs and furthering its objectives.

In 2015, the Clays assured lasting distinction with the largest leadership gift in the school’s more than century-long chronicle, donating $10 million to 4500Forever. Dona and Al’s remarkable generosity resulted in the naming of Clay-Storey Hall on the St. Thomas main campus, honoring two visionary leaders who boldly stepped out to help give rise to this extraordinary period in St. Thomas history.

Jane and Bill Joplin ’54

The two daring St. Thomas supporters emerged in November 2014 to champion another raging wave of momentum for 4500Forever. Their staggering support ignited contributions of more than $14 million during 11 weeks to make certain the St. Thomas ascent for the next generation of scholars, leaders, and artists to study and dream. The Basilian Fathers and the St. Thomas Board of Directors acknowledged the Joplin’s life-changing gifts by naming the expanded St. Thomas footprint as the Jane and Bill Joplin Campus.

Glenda and Russell Gordy

The relentless Basilian school president. The savvy natural gas entrepreneur. Fr. Storey and Russell Gordy once stood as the most improbable of pairings, yet eventually dissolved their clear and divisive differences to discover a common purpose that united them as one.

In March 2018, Russell and his wife Glenda, two of Houston’s leading philanthropists, graciously offered St. Thomas a $2.5 million pledge that matched all new offerings dollar for dollar to complete funding for the Joplin Campus expansion through the 4500Forever and 4500Forever Finish Strong capital campaigns.

Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96

The first layman principal and the school’s 27th in its illustrious history. In January 2017, Dr. Dominguez was announced as the breakthrough appointment to succeed Fr. Patrick Fulton, CSB in the lead academic role breaking more than a century of Basilian leadership tradition that dated to the school’s inception in 1900. The clear choice after an exhaustive six-month search that revealed four finalists is holding a significant role in advancing the school’s unwavering college preparatory mission of teaching goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

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Kellen McGowan ’19

The most stirring ovation of the 2019 commencement exercise was reserved for the first African-American valedictorian in the institution’s 119-year history. McGowan advanced with an extensive scholarship at the University of Chicago with the intent to attend law school.

His litany of academic acclaim and rewards included a National Merit Corporate Scholarship, a Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship, the Mitchell-Beall-Rosen Memorial Scholarship, and the St. Thomas Rev. Albert R. Gaelens, CSB Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge Award.

Amy and Bo Huggins

The vibrant husband and wife team led as co-chairs the 2017 4500Forever Finish Strong capital campaign that generated the final $12 million to complete the Joplin Campus redevelopment.

That same year the Huggins were also instrumental in securing a $1 million pledge from The Lyons Foundation, particularly through trustees Flo McGee and Pete Seale, renewing the Foundation’s long-term commitment to Eagle scholars. The parents of Pete ’16, Ty ’17, and Ben ’19 contributed both time and treasure to a series of high profile enterprises through St. Thomas Advancement, the St. Thomas Board of Directors, and the St. Thomas Mothers’ Club - fully engaged stewards as the institution sought to evolve and modernize to best serve its constituents.

David ’17 and Brendan Hotze ’21

Eagle scholars have demonstrated for generations the Round Up fundraising tradition to be an unmatched student initiative with all funds devoted to St. Thomas tuition assistance. And during an outrageous seven-year stretch with more than $3.6 million generated in raffle ticket sales, there was truly no heavy Round Up hitter like a Hotze.

David ’17 established the pulsating sales pace each of his four years, punctuated by a jaw dropping $62,970 total as a freshman. In his immediate wake, Brendan ’21 commanded consecutive campaigns with the same dream big, no limits charge. His $23,240 in sizzling 2019 sales followed a $22,469 total to head the 2018 parade.

Danny Hernandez ’08

His professional academic expertise was immediately measured as the foreign language dean and then as a member of the theology faculty. But his true passion for the credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge is revealed by his committed efforts in organizing student mission excursions to Honduras.

Seth Dalton ’16

The valedictorian and National Merit commended student was an equal study in service to community.

There was likely not a corner on campus nor individual within the St. Thomas ranks Dalton did not impact, influence, or inspire after his arriving as a freshman. His elite accomplishment as a supreme scholar and complete Man of St. Thomas, including the 2016 Principal’s Service and Leadership Award, were all the more magnified given that he dealt daily with Caudal regression syndrome, a congenital disorder that impairs the development of the lower half of the body.

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Academics & DEVELOPMENT Grover Green ’04 and Andrew Quittenton

Faculty members and the chief architects behind Camp Aquinas, the innovative off-campus immersion for freshmen rooted in the Basilian credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge with a healthy mix of challenging team building activities. The camp, named after the institution’s patron St. Thomas Aquinas, is the consummate union of sanctity and intellect. The two educators tirelessly collaborated for three years creating a student support model that would forge relationships and embody the Eagle spirit. The newly instituted St. Thomas House System emphasizes character, community, and culture.

Juan Castillo ’18

The 2018 valedictorian accepted an extensive merit-based scholarship to attend Harvard University after considering similar opportunities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Polytechnic State University. He received the St. Thomas Achievement Awards for AP Physics II, Advanced Economics/AP United States Government, AP Computer Science, and Theology/Healing Racism. He also earned semifinalist distinction in the National Merit Scholarship Program joining more than 30 previous St. Thomas scholars since 2010 who reached at least that phase in one of the nation’s most prestigious and long-standing academic competitions.

Sergio Plata

The director of operations is the epitome of servant leader. Team is sacred to him - being a part of something, sharing camaraderie and success. Forever intent, utterly engaged, Plata radiates with friendliness and warmth. His essence represents the soul of an institution guided by an internal compass calibrated by the Basilian values. In 2016, he received the St. Thomas Distinguished Service Award for his invaluable contributions and selfless devotion to the institution, lending his talents and infectious personality to a wide variety of Eagle events, grand and small in scale, and maintaining a campus which is the envy of college preparatory institutions in Texas and beyond.

Mike Nebel

The decade-long fine arts dean fostered much more than a simple appreciation for the ceramic arts within his curriculum. He orchestrated a seismic shift for the program, providing a rigorous yet supportive environment that relied on persistent curiosity and due diligence. Scholars were exposed to a wide range of traditional techniques and contemporary concepts while encouraged to seek their signature style. And through their authentic tactile and cognitive experiences, novice Eagle artists gained regional and national acclaim from the premier juried competitions in the United States.

Dan Green

Beginning with his first St. Thomas production in 2003, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, the esteemed drama director established an expansive theater program emphasizing a comprehensive knowledge of every aspect of the process, from acting to directing to stage management. At the bedrock of the steady streams of success was collaboration - inspiring dreams and nurturing aspiring thesps to follow in the accomplished footsteps of previous St. Thomas stars.

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Meryl and Doug Gregory ’87, and their sons Jeremy ’15, Barrett ’18, and Griffin ’21

On the evening of August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas as a category 4 storm, spawning a flood event on an entirely different scale than what Texas, and the United States, had before seen, soaking parts of the Greater Houston area during a four-day deluge with more than 50 inches of rain. The flood damage - biblical in proportion, frightening to behold.

As the effects of Harvey’s unmerciful entry to the Gulf Coast created life threatening havoc and destruction, the Gregorys represented the face of the St. Thomas resolve through the arduous aftermath, theirs the voice from the storm, a flood of emotion.

Daniel Bryant ’93

The epic views from a vista resting at nearly 3,000 feet of elevation are no more captivating than peering into the untapped potential of his fellow backpackers, a collection of low-income teenagers, and helping them rise above systemic barriers to ignite dreams as grand as any canyon. In 2012, the dean of science joined forces with The Woods Project, an initiative founded in 2001 by Houston entrepreneur Steve Rosencranz, who saw a need for disadvantaged students which could be bridged with outdoor education and environmental awareness.

Mike Lynch ’94

The physics instructor has adopted a credo that guides him through the demands of life’s process, an internal compass directing his day-to-day.

Meeting the challenge.

The mantra whether dealing with the desired, the mandatory, or the unexpected. Meeting the challenge whether mixing with the masses at the 45th New York City Marathon in November 2015 or absorbing the sudden jolt and consequences of a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in January 2012.

In 2013, Lynch was first exposed to and then inspired by an enlightening sequence of career development workshops at Columbia University which featured Modeling Instruction. His conviction morphed into motivation to spread the wealth of his discovery to colleagues and teaching professionals throughout Greater Houston.

Brett Mills

Scholars enter St. Thomas caressing big dreams. A fortified faculty is required to make those dreams a reality.

But even after two decades as social studies dean, Mills continues to seize unique opportunities to develop as an intellectual, primarily through a series of prestigious fellowships and transformative educational experiences.

Parker Robertson ’18

The burgeoning talent embraced a litany of roles not only within St. Thomas productions but also HITS and Miller Outdoor Theatre. Robertson delivered robust execution and interpretation to every character, whether through a fine wide-ranging voice, a serpentine charm, a chilling expressive presence, uncanny timing, or simply a devilishly delightful pitch-perfect performance.

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Eagle ATHLETICS Craig Biggio

The stunning news moved swiftly in May 2008 even minus a collective social media surge.

Mere months into his big league retirement, the eternal Astros icon was assuming control of Eagle Baseball. What better way to connect and recoup some of the up close and personal dad time with Conor ’11 and Cavan ’13 that had been sacrificed to carve that signature path which eventually led to him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The official hardware was consecutive TAPPS state titles in 2010-11 to launch four straight state tournament appearances before stepping down in 2013. What cannot be calculated is the continued deep embrace and appreciation Biggio and St. Thomas both cherish for the association and the experience. And when the first home-grown Astro received the call to the hallowed Hall, a significant St. Thomas contingent was in full force to relish his salute in Cooperstown, New York.

Cavan Biggio ’13

Biggio The Younger emerged from his father’s formidable shadow for the grandest of homecomings.

May 2019 at Minute Maid Park, three weeks to the day of his big league call-up to the Toronto Blue Jays.

And on Father’s Day, no less.

The hard-charging hardballing Biggios - Cavan and Conor ’11, Craig, Patty and Quinn - bonded again, swirling in a diamond daze far removed from when the two brothers tag-teamed at Fr. Wilson Field for Eagle state championships nearly a decade before with their forever Astros icon dad as the bench boss.

Ian Wheeler ’19

Inexhaustible force and fervor fueled the scholar, the co-captain running back, the track and field state champion, the editor-in-chief. The winner of the 2019 Fr. Carl Mitchell Allnoch Athletics Memorial Award for Excellence in Academics always dismissed any accomplishment short of a triumph. He epitomized the ideal of the complete St. Thomas scholar before advancing to Hampton University.

Michael Keating ’15

Nearly 10,000 strong were raising the high tech roof of the Texans’ state of the art NRG Stadium.

In the final maniac moments, the kid quarterback had one final masterful Mahomes-like act.

Retreating in the pocket, stepping aside to avoid pressure, reversing 360 degrees while maintaining his balance and eyes to the end zone, then lasering the game deciding strike and sealing the outcome.

A final dagger in a six touchdown extravaganza to defeat Strake Jesuit in a wild 42-35 scoring fest.

The raucous win was the Eagles’ fourth consecutive victory in the series, with three coming in the game’s final six seconds, the previous two on scoring throws from Keating who would go on to assault the St. Thomas offensive record book and sling the Eagles to a second consecutive TAPPS state Final Four.

Ben Condara ’14

With two outs and two strikes and the margin to win the state championship two bases away, Big Ben delivered the most important deuce of the Eagles 2014 season - the clinching run to edge Tomball Concordia Lutheran 2-1 for the school’s third TAPPS state title in five years and 23rd championship in the program’s rich history.

More dramatically Condara was consistently the face of tenacity and perseverance, calm and composure, the driving force for an outfit that emerged triumphant in the wake of star-crossed reality.

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Payton Matocha ’19

His staggering senior send-off suggested life imitating PlayStation - a single season school mark of 3,692 passing yards with 35 touchdowns plus 804 rushing yards and 14 more scores. And Matocha was never more majestic than conducting one of the more memorable and improbable Eagle triumphs with seven touchdowns in a stunning 52-49 rally past St. Pius X to reclaim the district championship, a fifth in seven years.

And in his grand Eagle finale, Matocha calmly locked in on the high jump bar with a chance to secure the 2019 state track and field title. He attacked and defied the dreadful inertia long enough to leave the rod undisturbed at 6-6 - the highest jumper in TAPPS history - and in the meet’s final event to clinch the second St. Thomas crown in four years.

Lorenzo Neal ’16

The 300 pound-plus run-stuffing dynamo owned one of the most desired traits in defensive football collapsing offensive lines all on his own. He regularly overpowered pairs of double-teaming linemen, strong enough to lock out and chuck blockers aside for a slew of sacks and tackles for loss.

The two-time All-State tackle received two-year recognition from the Touchdown Club of Houston, and then chose Purdue University while pursuing an equally rewarding academic challenge.

He proudly extended his family’s football legacy established by his namesake and fullback father Lorenzo Neal Sr. who played 16 NFL seasons with four Pro Bowl appearances.

Josh Wolf ’19

The two-time TAPPS All-State pitcher struck out 126 in 69 innings during his stellar senior season with a microscopic 1.52 ERA. Wolf saved his most wicked for last in propelling the Eagles to their ninth state Final Four and sixth championship final in 10 years. Then in the late evening hours of June 3, 2019, Wolf seized St. Thomas history when he was taken in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft and later signed with the New York Mets, making him the highest selected player in the illustrious realm of Eagle Baseball.

Alex Jacobs ’19

Out front of the revival tour for Eagle Wrestling within the state’s premier private school ranks.

The specialist at 145 pounds led the 2019 team assault in a commanding senior season capping one of the most acclaimed careers in program history that saw him morph from wrestling novice to two-time All-State and 2019 All-American to accepting a collegiate offer at Central Michigan.

Mike Netzel

The greatest decade in the history of Eagle Athletics was simply an extension of the athletic director’s grand designs set in motion beginning in May 2008.

Netzel delivered a commitment to excellence in every facet of the scholar-athlete experience. St. Thomas earned seven straight TAPPS All-Sports Awards after leading the state’s highest classification in total points earned through playoff participation and cumulative on-field performance across multiple sports.

The achievement is an embodiment of dedication and an enduring commitment to superiority. Eagle Athletics promptly reclaimed the crown in 2018 and repeated in 2019 during a phenomenal year that spiked with a pair of state championships, three state runner-up results, two Final Four teams, and two regional finalists.

Since 2012, 131 scholar athletes have extended their careers at the university and collegiate level.

Entwined in the championships, acclaim, and title contending are consistent examples, large and small, that personify the ethos of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

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Eagle ATHLETICS Landon Malouf ’16

The uber talented irresistible force behind the Eagles dramatic charge to the 2016 state track and field championship navigated an endless succession of races and jumps as if the track were a theater and he was Hamilton. Previously his multi-event assault included a victory in the 110 meter hurdles at the 89th running of the Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, the first ever Eagle to capture an individual event at one of the most prestigious events in the nation.

In 2015, Malouf’s mojo produced a special dose of madness that will live long in the annals of the football rivalry with Strake Jesuit. His 47-yard weaving left-to-right catch-and-run through and past four defenders with four seconds remaining gave Eagle Football an against-all-odds verdict and their second consecutive stun-at-the-gun victory at Crusader Stadium.

David Jones ’16

One of the most decorated and versatile scholar athletes in Eagle history capped a scintillating career as the 2016 5A Male Athlete of the Year while also earning the Fr. Allnoch Award.

Jones flashed as the ultimate game changer earning 12 varsity letters as a multi-year multi-sport All-State and Academic All-State performer. He was named Ironman of the Year following the 2015 football season by The Touchdown Club of Houston after scoring touchdowns as a defensive back, wide receiver, and return specialist.

Jones also led a fast break charge from Eagle Basketball with twin Colin ’16 to the 2016 state tournament and contributed to two second place state finishes with Eagle Track and Field.

Jones continued his football career at Cornell University where he was a two-time second team All-Ivy League defensive back.

Harrison Grant ’14

History called at the 2013 TAPPS Cross Country championships. The St. Thomas senior answered.

Carefully moving to the head of the pack, staying balanced with a sensation of clear resolve. Then a steady final kick through mounting individual pressure, victory experienced as deliverance. Grant became the first runner in the history of Eagle Athletics to secure the individual cross country crown. He was the picture of elation as he crossed the line, a competitor who had borne up and gone out and done exactly what he had set for himself.

Shane Williams ’19

A promising swimmer from the age-group club scene near Lake Jackson chose St. Thomas in small part “because they had never won the state championship and I wanted to make history.”

Which he did in the most outrageously robust fashion, a record-smashing slam bam finish to make any Hollywood screenwriter jealous - anchoring two tight-tick relay wins at the 2019 state meet including the winner-take-all final event to secure the program’s first-ever team title.

Henry Fisher ’16

In a game of how low can you go in his final Eagle go rounds, Fisher flashed a scorching ab fab career best. His three under 68 paired with a closing 70 at the 2016 TAPPS 5A state golf tournament wrapped a stellar senior season to capture individual medalist. Yet the heroics were not quite enough to rush St. Thomas to the team title in the finale with head honcho Billy Tuten.

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Owen Meaney ’18

Throughout his unbeaten junior season, Meaney saturated the stat columns while earning TAPPS All-State distinction for the second straight year. And his most exhilarating exhibition of pitching and purpose came in the 2017 TAPPS 6A state semifinals against Dallas Parish Episcopal. In his first career playoff start, Meaney allowed an innocent single to lead off the game and only two other base runners the rest of the way. He completed a one-hit shutout striking out 12 including seven of the last nine batters. AND he drove in the game’s only run with a fifth inning single.

The night following Meaney’s masterpiece, the Eagles overwhelmed Beaumont Monsignor Kelly Catholic 15-1 in a five-inning knockout to stake the 24th title in program history and the fourth since 2010.

And Meaney’s primo pitching prowess would take him to the University of Texas.

Jacob Manley ’18 and Zach Blice ’19

A goalkeeper supreme, a deluxe defender. A pair without parallel as Eagle Soccer soared to heights never before realized. Program pillars in 2018 when St. Thomas finished 22-5-2 after advancing to the TAPPS Division I state title tilt, crashing the postseason final four, and claiming the district championship all for the first time since 2008.

The sublime Blice blistered an immediate impact with a gut burn to be great, a two-time All-State selection inside what was then the most successful three-year stretch in school history. Blice signed with Jacksonville University to become the first Division I soccer commitment from St. Thomas in more than two decades.

Chase Brogna ’11, Ian Hurley ’11, and Christian Sanders ’12

A flurry of far flung threes from the trio of long distance assassins produced 60 points in the 2011 TAPPS 5A showdown with Plano Prestonwood Christian Academy. The defending state champions were reduced to a collapsed building, just a hole surrounded by broken bricks and mortar strewn all over the road. The 76-57 runaway rout secured the second state crown for Eagle Basketball in four years and remains the most recent in program history.

BMOC - Big Muscle On Campus

A down and dirty ab fab five - big, bruising, bone-crushing two-sport bullies, all as personable as they were menacing who understood what it took to be great from every sprint, every squat, every power clean, every drill since they arrived on campus. And all were as acclaimed in the classroom as they were in the gridworld and beyond to the university level.

The celebrated foundation supporting the resurgence of Eagle Football began with Parker White ’13, extended to a pair of Fr. Allnoch Award winners in manchild Joseph Lowery ’14 and Campbell Clarkson ’15, then closed out with Charlie Vatterott ’16 and headhunting Pete Huggins ‘16 who was equally fearless on the lacrosse faceoff as on the turf.

Jim Wolfinger and Brett Mills

The co-architects of Eagle Rugby produced unmatched championship success while instilling a champions for life spirit. Wolfinger founded the St. Thomas program in 1999, and under his direction with invaluable assistant Mills, Eagle Rugby produced a ground-breaking run of statewide acclaim that crafted a nationally ranked identity. In 2013, the Eagles wore out Austin Westlake 26-16 for an unprecedented third consecutive Texas State Rugby Division I title, the crowning triumph after first raking the state championship in 2002 and then proceeding to post five more in six years.

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Alumni Frankie B. Mandola ’65

State champion. All-American scholar athlete. Beloved alumnus. Forever St. Thomas ambassador and eternal Eagle icon. Famed Houston restaurateur and pillar among the first families of Houston food.

Gregarious. Authentic.

In July 2016, the St. Thomas community and Houston at large honored his memory and spirit.

Arturo Chavez ’85

From a world where so many different cultures operate at the same time, each with their value system, and the old-fashioned Western ‘this is’ ‘that is’ is no longer tenable.

Intellectual and rigorous, but at the same time a relativist. The youngest managing principal in the prestigious 100-plus year history of architectural power Page Southerland Page. From a world where so many different cultures operate at the same time, each with their value system, Chavez is in the front lines where the old-fashioned Western ‘this is’ ‘that is’ is no longer tenable.

Andrew Locke ’03

Intellectually inspired, morally grounded, globally minded, a world changer igniting positive impact wherever life has taken him. Particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan as a platoon leader in the elite special ops 75th Ranger Regiment. A call of duty that extended far beyond a gaming console - three mission-specific engagements in Afghanistan before retiring from the active Army in October 2017.

Captain Locke was a stellar St. Thomas scholar athlete spread across three Eagle sports. He was inducted into the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

Greg ’98 and Tim Gatlin ’95

Brothers choosing decidedly different paths living the principles of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge.

Greg transitioned from Eagle Football state champion to daredevil defensive back at Rice University to the world of corporate real estate to a 2010 deep dive into the barbecue business with his parents.

In quicksilver fashion, he vaulted into one of the state’s most respected pitmasters.

As a United States Army Lieutenant Colonel, Tim was named to the 2016-17 White House Fellows, one of America’s most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. Lt. Colonel Gatlin owns more than two decades of experience in the integration and synchronization of combat arms operations.

He has steadily risen through the ranks of command since receiving his Bachelor of Science in Economics from West Point in 1999. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Gatlin also received his Masters in Social Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Columbia University in 2010.

Patrick Ryan ’99

The co-owner and founder of Houston-based Eventellect was selected in 2019 by Sports Business Journal for its coveted Forty Under 40 Awards, an annual list of 40 executives recognized for excellence and innovation in their careers, all before the age of 40. Ryan’s rapid business rise is largely predicated on a proven principle which has long provided enduring success. Even in the midst of mega-million dollar revenues - never undersell the value of customer service.

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Clark Sample ’01

Four years into a thriving oil and gas career in Fort Worth. A steady girlfriend with discussions of marriage. A life heading forward all according to a conventional plan. But by 2009, the Sample plan was gradually then permanently altered with a stunning revelation that he and those closest to him had never before contemplated or anticipated. And now Fr. Sample, ordained in 2016, is serving as the parochial administrator at Houston’s St. Thomas More Catholic Church.

Danny Grant ’78 and Vincent Giammalva ’80

A pair of pivotal alumni leaders in the historic challenge of raising more than $60 million in a single capital campaign to further strengthen St. Thomas’ forward momentum at the vanguard of college preparatory education, not only in Texas but throughout the region.

Grant and his wife Suzanne have been intimately involved in numerous fundraising efforts for St. Thomas, none bolder than the monumental 4500Forever initiative in 2014 that secured the funds for the historic Joplin Campus expansion. The co-chairs were honored with the Distinguished Service Award for their extraordinary efforts in advancing the school. They have continued as tireless contributors to all things St. Thomas since the graduations of their sons Daniel ’10 and Harrison ’14.

The president of Giammalva Properties, Inc. was also an invaluable presence fortifying 4500Forever co-chairing the Finish Strong Phase II tier of the campaign. Giammalva returned to campus to deliver the 2015 commencement address 35 years after his St. Thomas diploma ceremony. He launched a nearly three-decade career as both a real estate developer and broker, involved in more than $300 million in land sales transactions. After excelling with a national firm, Giamalva joined forces with his father Charles Sr. ’57 in 1989.

John Rathmell ’75

The president of Lockton Marine & Energy at Lockton Companies, part of a global professional services firm that has grown to become the world’s largest privately held, independent insurance broker.

Rathmell’s professional rise was in response to the country’s most unspeakable catastrophe, instrumental in restructuring a recovery plan to the unprecedented loss and destruction following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He also played an integral role in 4500Forever, and continued on the school’s Board of Directors following his emphatic tenure as president from 2014-17. The deep introspection to his broad swath of success and unshakable ethics, both professionally and personally, reflects his four years at St. Thomas.

Steve Tyrell ’63

More than five decades in the turbulent music business with great triumph as a Grammy-award winning producer, a songwriter, music supervisor, and most recently as a charming crooner filling the charts as a headlining performer. And Tyrell’s vocal swagger to classic standards is pushing more than nostalgic buttons. His classy interpretations are connecting with devoted modern audiences unlike ever before in his career.

John Sage ’96

The burning desire of youth to reinvent the world never grows old. After suffering a T-4 spinal cord injury at age 22, Sage expanded his travel wanderlust to become an agent of change - launching in 2009 a service catering exclusively to clients with mobility issues to explore Europe.

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Alumni Kurt Hanson ’83

The St. Thomas board member has proven to be a stalwart Eagle since his undergraduate years.

His father Neil ’49 is a member of the St. Thomas Hall of Honor, and Hanson passed on the Basilian tradition to his son Kurt Jr. ’14 who was a stellar two-sport scholar athlete for Eagle Athletics.

Hanson’s devotion to his alma mater has deepened in recent years and was in full evidence during 4500Forever. His savvy expertise in a series of unwavering leadership roles proved crucial during a critical period in St. Thomas history.

In 2015, Hanson was promoted to Vice President and General Manager of the Power Systems Division at Mustang Cat after a decade as Vice President and General Counsel. In 2019 he was a catalyst behind Mustang CAT collaborating with the Houston Sabercats of Major League Rugby to raise significant financial support for Eagle Rugby.

Jack Burke Jr. ’40

The eternal Eagle icon and golfing immortal has contributed to the game’s rich tapestry with a fashion and flare rarely seen and never duplicated. Most notably, his signature opinions are hard and straight, like the drives off the tee which led to 17 tour wins and two major titles separated by a matter of months. Burke is famed as a renowned instructor and one of his game’s great ambassadors, an original by any standard. Honored at the 2018 Auction & Gala, there is no greater authority to paint the picture of where St. Thomas has been and continues to serve.

Brendan Cahill ’81

Ordained in 1990, he has regularly rejoiced in his returns to St. Thomas as celebrant, joined the first time by more than 50 fellow Eagle alumni priests. But an intimate gathering of select friends and the St. Thomas Basilian Fathers in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel in June 2015 packed particular impact for Fr. Cahill. It was his first Mass in the hallowed halls since being named by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas.

Jay Vaughn ’15

Now that he has speed-raced to his degree from Texas A&M, studied in Spain among architectural savants, hip-hopped (literally at times) from one Euro tapas playpen to another, skydived Dubai, taken stay within the ghettos of India, been received by kings and queens (just kidding, perhaps), gauged and curried financial investors for his very own crafted and carved startup while enterprising and leveraging an original software feature unlike any from his competitors, established a college scholarship program, all within closing time to his 21sts birthday and all, when at age four, doctors were warning mom and dad he would never walk ... what’s next?

Tom Horan ’62

Houston’s Mr. Irish emeritus passed in 2018 leaving a rich life filled with endless joy and his quicksilver spirit. A vibrant restaurateur and public relations savant. A fearless community leader and ferocious fundraiser for causes near and dear. A Good Man of St. Thomas to the depths of his soul.

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Jordan Craig ’07

There are forever bright new stars bursting on the Broadway and Hollywood scenes interpreting iconic roles, only to be never seen or heard from again, seemingly cast in a meteor shower radiating from one point in the night sky yet with a descent as rapid as the rise not quite reaching the heavens.

Craig appears positioned for a steady celestial stay after his National Tour debut in 2018 with the legendary The Phantom of the Opera.

Rick Apolskis ’85

He once stalked the high school gridworld with the most mean of intentions. His celebrated bounce back to the beloved birthplace of his career wasn’t to bask in individual acclaim but to share in a communal celebration of spirit and brotherhood. In April 2016, Apolskis was again familiar with the St. Thomas terra firma, among the latest Eagle luminaries gathered to be formally enshrined in the school’s prestigious Sports Hall of Fame.

Ross McLauchlan ’07

Survived a nightmarish automobile accident as a St. Thomas undergraduate and founded The Austin Winery in 2014. The president and CEO readily rattles the staying power of his Eagle experience which instilled integrity, accountability, and active citizenship with a compassion for social justice - all buttressed by Catholic values and the Basilian virtues of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

Francisco (Paco) Magsaysay ’86

He found himself in the midst of a freezing frenzy beyond his hottest and wildest imagination. In roughly a decade his Carmen’s Best artisanal ice cream brand is setting the standard while sweeping his native Philippines from supermarkets to stand-alone kiosks throughout metro Manila. Who doesn’t scream for ice cream?

St. Thomas Hall of Honor Inductees

Only an exclusive 53 St. Thomas graduates since the school’s inception in 1900 share the distinction of entry into the school’s esteemed Hall of Honor.

The Class of 2010 - Milton Bearden ’58, John Bradshaw ’52, and Richard Huckaby ’54.

The Class of 2012 - Michael Cemo ’63, Ernest Cronin, MD ’64; Neil Hanson ’49, and Rev. Joseph Rick, CSC ’1917.

The Class of 2014 - Ernest Braren ’57, Johnny Finch ’45, Charles Kitowski ’94, and Lloyd Posey Webre ’31.

Champions of industry. Relentless advocates for Catholic education and social justice.

Deep philanthropic contributors. All agents of change who reflect the St. Thomas Basilian constellation of strengths and values.

And in the case of Sgt. Kitowski, the ultimate individual sacrifice while serving in the 345th Psych Ops Company, 2nd Psych Ops Group, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command.

In 2007, he was killed after an improvised bomb detonated near his vehicle in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was 31-years-old.

Sgt. Kitowski received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and Combat Action Badge.

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Pause if the resounding Round Up refrain sounds more than familiar.

Riveted scholars rack another outrageous total in raffle ticket sales - $525,370.

Crashing the half-million-dollar mark for the fourth consecutive year.

Raising a raucous seven-year sales spike to more than $3.6 million.

Yes, $3.6 million.

All proceeds benefiting St. Thomas tuition assistance.

Eagles rallying to support future Eagles, a Basilian practice that dates for nearly a century.

Zach Kroencke ’20 crushed one of the absolute resolute single-best individual totals in school history - $35,960 to front a sensational six-pack of sellers who generated nearly $100,000.

The robust Round Up ringleaders included Joey Johnston ’20 who was fourth in the lineup with $10,300, plus a powerhouse threesome from the Class of 2021 to join Hotze for the second year in a row - Aaron Schlosser ($10,100), Aidan Kelley ($9,020), and Rory Gremillion ($7,060), joined

by Pablo Tager ’21 (ninth with $4,060).

Peyton Woodlief emerged again as the lone top-10 rep from the Class of 2022 with $7,110 after an impressive $7,605 debut. William Serrett ’23 fronted the freshman class with $3,920.

And so it goes with a double down of data dashboards and stacked sterile spreadsheets, all the more dizzying and at times overwhelming to properly appreciate the totality of the impact. Perhaps a Frank Stella minimalistic approach is required to reveal the Round Up soul.

Four-word clusters.

An unmatched student initiative

As The Von Bondies would suggest, c’mon. C’mon c’mon.

Incredible, genuine, and organic

And for the first time in seven years, the heaviest Round Up hammer wasn’t swung by a Hotze after brothers David ’17 and Brendan ’21 took turns as the resident teen titan.

Men of St. Thomas

David proved Goliath during a staggering four-year result cycle posting $132,490. Brendan immediately seized the torch with two-year tallies of $22,469 and $23,240.

His $19,760 encore ranked as the 2020 runner-up after Kroecke flipped their 1-2 2019 finish.

Yet, perhaps more and more, such statistical wonders do more to camouflage the Round Up spirit, with those on the periphery made immune to these sorts of magnificent benchmarks.

The signature St. Thomas enterprise has become a metronome into the first Sunday of March. The Changing of Grenadier Guards at Buckingham Palace ... James Bond and Jason Bourne escaping the clutches of evil ... off the bounce James Harden smiling through a bushy beard after endless dribbles, zero passes, one deep stepback bomb after another ... a weekend reprise of Rush Hour (“Do you understand the words that are coming out my mouth?”).

The conversation can occupy too much brain and not enough heart. As if explaining the taste of chocolate (sweet, bitter, delicate) ... or the raging Puget Sound surf (breathtaking) ... or a newborn’s first cry (magical, moving, heartwarming). Each description adept but failing to properly enhance the actual experience.

Kroencke and Hotze relentlessly steered a senior student board as seven scorching sellers repeated into the top-10 elite. Nicolas Prodoehl ’20 scaled the summit for the fourth consecutive year. He was the third overall sales king with $11,010. In 2017, he led his freshman class with $6,500 for fifth, then followed as the only top-10 sophomore with $6,600 before generating $9,000 in 2019.

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President Father James Murphy, CSB: “This student group grasped early on that this was not just them bringing in the money but providing an example, teaching the underclassmen how and why the process works. It goes to the standard that David and Brendan have set, establishing a plan and organization, embracing persistence. We saw that from Zach and Nicholas and Joey and many others. They’ve been grinding since the first semester. Our top sellers all brought in more than $10,000. That’s absolutely incredible.

But it’s mostly about the method behind the madness.”

Four words, courtesy Kroencke.

Wanting to give back “I cannot express how thankful I am for what St. Thomas has done for me, how the school has shaped me during my four years. I would not be the person I am today without St. Thomas. It’s that simple. And this was not my choice for high school (after Presbyterian School of Houston).

My parents said St. Thomas is where you’re going.

And I’m so grateful for that decision. The teachers, the care, the love, the nurturing an incredible experience.”

Another four-word from Zach Attack.

After all, business is business.

I am extremely competitive.

“I contacted about a half dozen alumni or donors who have bought big from me in the past to match dollar for dollar or half of whatever I raised.

I got ‘no’ from all but one. He would match half after I sold my first $3,000. I had that running for me

from the start and then I hustled - sold to anyone, anywhere whenever I could. I talked to strangers. I sought contacts.

I approached mothers, mothers who didn’t have sons at St. Thomas, mothers of my middle school friends. You have to have a good pitch, short and to the point, or you lose their attention. If you make the prospect believe this is important to you, the better your odds they will want to help you. I reached out to the mayor to see if he would buy and never got a hold of him.

Moved on.”

I HUSTLED - SOLD TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE WHENEVER I COULD. I TALKED TO STRANGERS. I SOUGHT CONTACTS.

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To the top of the leaderboard.

“Whether it’s $20 or a quota (15 books of 20 tickets), every single ticket matters. We saw that (on the final reveal). Amazing how the senior board and our student body responded. Total team effort.”

Advancement Gift Officer Johnny Misleh ’00 and faculty member Josh Hooten proved to be the duo of driving forces who inspired, prodded and cajoled the committed student body to an ab fab finish.

The like-minded and aspirant again harnessed a collective and aggressive late surge to ignite an outburst of transactions into the final Friday afternoon.

Business as usual.

Fr. Murphy: “This means that what we’re trying to teach within our culture matters. Our alumni responded on a number of levels - first, endorsing the quality of the education, but just as importantly, that it’s difficult to solicit money, to make that ask as a 15-18-year-old high school student. Those who support this effort absolutely understand how our students are learning to break from 30

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their comfort zones, hearing ‘no’ and not quitting, hearing ‘no’ again and again and remaining determined, particularly because in so many areas of life today there is no hearing ‘no.’ But in the business world, in adult life, there’s a lot of ‘no.’

“Round Up is developing skills that immediately translate as our scholars transition to a wider world.

And they are motivated largely for the sake of something larger than themselves. That identifies within our alumni, our broader support community, and even those who are approached and know nothing of St. Thomas. It’s why St. Thomas enjoys such a rich and diverse history of entrepreneurship in a world class city.

Students are challenged beyond academics.

This is a generational reality.”

The resonant essence of Round Up. In four final words.

Goodness, discipline, and knowledge

ROUND UP IS DEVELOPING SKILLS THAT IMMEDIATELY TRANSLATE AS OUR SCHOLARS TRANSITION TO A WIDER WORLD

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EAGLES CARING FOR EAGLES The St. Thomas Basilian Fathers and stakeholders extend their deepest appreciation to all in the extended Eagle community for again making our Round Up celebration a student fundraising event unmatched anywhere in the United States, generating more than $5.25 million for St. Thomas tuition assistance and more than $3.6 million since 2014.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

The Sunday festival of family, fun, food, and friendship, brought sizable crowds to campus saluting a brotherhood unlike any other, and proved a welcome relief from a double dose of worry - first, the exotic coronavirus roiling the world in every way imaginable, then the consequences of Aquagendon, a massive water main break in the area of East Loop 610 days before that flooded roadways and caused businesses and schools to temporarily close.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

We were blessed to have phenomenal leadership with Maria Varcados, Jodi Diamond, Amber Caver, and Laura Reyes plus a legion of volunteers who devoted countless hours to support another extravaganza. This was truly a superlative effort.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

See you March 7, 2021!

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wilson shares in 2020 grammy

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S

Stevie Wonder and John Williams. Tony Bennett and Beyoncé.

Henry Mancini and Yo-Yo Ma. U2 and Take 6.

Bruce and Ray and Aretha.

Grammy Award Winners all, richly recognized during the previous seven-plus decades for recordings that balanced innovation and timeliness in a way that made them widely resonant.

And Josh Wilson, the St. Thomas choral director and fine arts faculty member.

Seriously.

Wilson reached the rarefied air in January as a member of the Houston Chamber Choir cashing the industry’s most coveted distinction in its first-ever nomination - Best Choral Performance for Duruflé: Complete Choral Works.

“I still cannot believe it,” Wilson says with wonder. “There was no expectation within the group to win on the first nomination.

That just doesn’t happen. But it did. It was simply the right recording at the right time that struck listeners.”

Wilson is engaged in his 16th academic year at St. Thomas. In 2009 he joined the Chamber Choir that was founded in 1995 by artistic director Robert Simpson.

Wilson collaborates with two dozen devoted Houston-based musicians who embrace a fearless approach to works familiar and not, blending charm and vitality, precision and passion.

The Choir’s break-through recording was produced by Grammy winning Blanton Alspaugh and released with British label Signum Classics in April 2019. Their competition included two previous Grammy pace-setters, Conspirare from Austin and Philadelphia’s The Crossing (nominated twice in 2020).

“During the recording and after the post-production, we knew we were a part of special music making,” Wilson says. “The external validation of a Grammy is the highest compliment. Throughout the years we never imagined we were on this track, to reach that tier of accomplishment.”

The historical perspective suggests Maurice Duruflé was a phenomenon, a 20th-century French composer and the greatest organist of his day. He composed a surprisingly small amount of music, working slowly and diligently with a focus on detail that required years of revision before a piece entered the public repertoire.

His greatest work, Requiem, was published in 1948 and anchors the Choir’s recording.

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“I sang Requiem my freshman year at Houston Baptist University so the work has been with me for years,” Wilson says.

“We performed this complete set at a concert at Rice University (to open the 2016-17 season) and Bob had the vision that we needed to make a recording, something special was developing that needed to be captured. Our organist Ken Cowan (professor of organ at The Shepherd School at Rice) was incredible. The lead selection is an all-male vocal that sets a unique tone for the rest of the album.

It all came together. It’s thrilling to perform with an amazing group of vocalists.”

The path to a Grammy has long been opaque, even to the music industry. The candidates must survive through an avalanche of submissions separated by category, then whittled down by thousands of eligible voting members.

That shortlist goes to Academy-organized review committees, which narrow the slate of nominees to be sent back for a final popular vote that chooses the winner.

The Choir had previously carved an identity in its tight musical orbit. In 2018 they were selected for the Margaret Hills Award for Choral Excellence by Chorus America, the nation’s principal all-purpose organization for the advancement of choral music. They’ve also received the American Prize for Choral Performance, and the American Prize for Choral Conducting.

“In many ways, we have been one of those best kept secrets,” Wilson says. “We have a strong subscriber base, supporters and donors who respect our work. But the Grammy elevates our profile beyond measure. It’s a privilege to be recognized with this group.”

Wilson will not receive a personal gilded Gramophone trophy but will nonetheless forever share a slice from the 62nd annual extravaganza with adopted Houstonian Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Tayna Tucker, and Cage The Elephant.

Details began to surface in the early evening hours of January 26.

While Simpson and his wife Marianna were among the Staple Center glitz and glamour in Los Angeles, Wilson and the Choir were hosting its 21st annual Hear the Future at South Main Baptist Church, an invitational concert for exemplary elementary, middle, and high schools musicians.

On stage the ensemble collectively inhaled and exhaled for a few beats, resembling nothing so much as a yoga class, when the internet buzz flipped official from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

“The stand-in conductor announced to the crowd that the Houston Chamber Choir was the Grammy winner,” Wilson says.

“The audience cheered and we all soaked it in together which otherwise wouldn’t have been the case. We represent Houston in every way, musicians with everyday jobs who live in the city. We recorded the album at Rice (the Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall). It’s cool to help put Houston on the map in the art world.”

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‘A M I D S U M M E R NIGHT’S DREAM’

A High Spirited Spectacle Presented by St.Thomas

Director Daniel Green embraced his sixth staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an inventive take, both saucy and sweet, worldly and enchanted, on William Shakespeare’s fantasy comedy.

Dangerous and mysterious potions, fairy warfare, and crazy mixed-up love are the themes of this 400-year-old fusion of Greek mythology and cringe comedy. There was plenty of plot to manage and showcase during the October presentation in Cemo Auditorium at the Moran Fine Arts Center.

The mischievous fairy Puck is a reckless figure of anarchy and compassion played with zest

by Jordan Navarijo ’20. He and the king and queen of the fairies - Bishop Yokubaitis ’21 as Oberon and Caroline King (St. Agnes Academy ’20) as Titania - turn their enchanted wood into a magical place for mortals in love. But since this is a comedy of errors, they all fall for the wrong people. Chaos reigns. And hilarity ensues.

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IN THIS CASE, THE WRONG PEOPLE INCLUDE ROBERT FRANK ’20 AS BOTTOM, WHO BECOMES THE OBJECT OF TITANIA’S AFFECTION. Audrey Moffet (Incarnate Word Academy ’20) plays feisty Hermia. She’s taken with Lysander, played by Patrick Pham ‘21, but is promised in marriage to Demetrius, portrayed with gusto by Gus Boettcher ’21. And Caitlyn Gilliam (SAA ’20), as the desperate pursuer of Helena, is after Demetrius, even as he lures for emotionally wayward Hermia.

Got it? Good.

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“There was a willingness from the entire program to accept the challenge of William Shakespeare and exceed all of our expectations,” Green says. “Everyone surprised everyone with commitment and execution. There wasn’t a single weak link.

The four lovers were wonderful . the fool’s play within the play brilliant . the fairies poetic and intoxicating.”

Green and his creative team including co-director Kim Shipman embraced these busy, discordant elements wholeheartedly and crafted an immersive production with stunning set design, costuming, musical accompaniment and, most importantly, captivating performances.

“The actors brought so many of their own ideas to this story,” Green says. “The lovers’ fight with Patrick and Gus was very physical, a natural and logical sequence. Bishop brought a great physicality and strength to Oberon. He and Jordan and Caroline worked to give those fairy characters an otherworldly quality. It was suggested that Jordan’s Puck was imitating (Marvel Comics character) Deadpool when in fact it was Deadpool imitating the natural writing of Puck.

And Jordan identified the playfulness and ran with it.

Gus’s snooty, snobby quality made us all truly dislike Demetrius.

He was tremendous. It was grand fun.”

The sprightly cast was alive with spot-on comedic timing, fully in sync with Shakespeare’s dazzling wordplay while creating energy infused chemistry onstage. In a play filled withscene-stealers, no one pulls off a great heist. But it seems clear that all the performers here were inspired by Frank’s bottomless passion to take on any role and turn every thought and impulse into theatrical action.

“Frank provides the heart and soul of the play, a fool with great ambition,” Green says. “He played the part better than I ever did. He had the arrogance but also a vulnerability right under the surface, and neither was obtrusive that you wouldn’t laugh.”

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The production encouraged confidence from the outset, starting with scenic designer Phil Gensheimer’s set, assisted by Daniel Bryant ’93. Superb collaboration from audio/visual coordinator Chris Hodge and lighting manager Benjamin Haworth with Matthew Payne ’20 helped create the worlds of real and metaphysical. Essential contributors included stage manager Katy Neaves and St. Thomas Choir Director Josh Wilson, who was involved in his 16th STH production.

“It was the grandest set we’ve ever had and I’ve loved every set we’ve had without exception,” Green says. “We knew what we wanted but didn’t know how we were going to get there.

The finish was beyond what we expected. There was so much mobility and interaction on stage. Slides and trampolines. It was a playground.”

A deep personal connection to Midsummer continues to return Green to what is thought to be Bard’s family-friendliest comedy.

“This is the first Shakespeare play I ever laugh at,” Green says. “A PBS showing from New York City (1982) with William Hurt (as Oberon), Christine Baranski, Ricky Jay, and five-year-old Emanuel Lewis running around. It was so amazing. I was then cast in a role at Spring Hill College.

“I believe this is the play that most teaches actors to love Shakespeare. There are other works that students read to understand and appreciate the Renaissance.

But I want to give students something they naturally like and this is one part Animal House, one part “Love Stinks” (think J. Geils Band), one part Greek mythology, one part screwball comedy, all with assorted Bunny/Daffy Duck antics.

I had always thought Shakespeare to be inaccessible but then I discovered Midsummer hits initially like The Three Stooges, and then on a second viewing The Three Stooges with some profound meaning.”

In the hands of Green’s thespians, the Shakespeare tale of potions and potent feelings, of love lost and found in an enchanted forest became a gleeful tribute to the joys of losing and finding yourself through acting, and not merely the silly show-off antics that were on display.

“With Guys and Dolls (spring 2019) or The Addams Family (spring 2017) the tone for the actors is established by the music, that’s the emotional suggestion on how to act,” Green says. “With Midsummer, you have to first translate the language and discover what the characters are saying. Then they have to learn how to act, both vocally and physically. The missing element is always the audience telling them it’s funny. By the end of rehearsals, they knew this was funny.”

Whatever the countless translations for Shakespeare’s most malleable play, all audiences ever seek is magic and a sense of joy. Without question this thoughtful, relatively risky St. Thomas take on a familiar classic was well worth experiencing. If Shakespeare were always as much fun as this mounting, the kids would all demand to see it.

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2020 Scholarship Breakfast || Giving And Gratitude

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Social Studies Dean Brett Mills || Lifelong Learner

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Travis Froboese ’20 Extends St. Thomas National Identity in Ceramic Arts

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GIVING AND GRATITUDE For 120, years St. Thomas has embraced its goal, its passion, its obligation to provide a supportive academic environment for Eagle scholars to thrive, empowering them to create positive change everywhere life takes them.

Prominent and central to that Basilian mission is furnishing need-based financial assistance and merit-based scholarships to ensure that St. Thomas can continue to recruit, retain, and graduate a talented and diverse learning community.

The 13th Annual Scholarship Breakfast honored both donors and current recipients, and the tradition of philanthropy that remains vital to the school’s cherished Basilian heritage.

“What we celebrate today is a statement that the students here are needed at St. Thomas,” President Fr. James Murphy, CSB said. “You are needed in such a way that we reach out to the wider community to provide the possibility of your attendance. You make us a better school and a more vibrant community. I’m a Basilian because of the generosity of people like many of those in this room, that was how I was able to attend a Basilian university (St. John Fisher College) in Rochester, New York.

I benefited because of caring alumni and supporters.”

Since its inception in 1900, St. Thomas has valued its role in providing affordable access to the full range of opportunities that make a St. Thomas college preparatory education unique. That motivation relies on scholarships to students based on academic achievement and financial assistance determined by a family’s ability to contribute.

The St. Thomas Foundation Board oversees a $17 million endowment made possible by the vision of contributors since 1969, with more than half established since 2000.

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The gifts ensure that financial accessibility and equitable opportunity continue to be a focus. The sponsored awards include the Basilian Fathers Inner City Schools Scholarships, the Basilian General Counsel Scholarships, the Tom & Nancy Marcrini Foundation Scholarship, the Strake Family Scholarship, and the Specs Educational Fund.

David Hanse ’91 is the president in his seventh year serving on the Foundation Board, the last of five brothers who followed the lead of their father who attended St. Thomas. The family’s Eagle legacy includes his four nephews and projects to add his son Sam now attending Western Academy.

“We treasure making St. Thomas a more complete community,” Hanse said. “My years as a student were certainly richer thanks to those who otherwise would not have been here.

The single most important factor in determining the quality of the St. Thomas experience are the individuals we all encounter along the way.

Financial considerations broaden enrollment. The efforts that make that happen should be applauded.”

Daniel Hernandez ’23 and Michael Beavers ’21 shared compelling testimony to the gathering in Cemo Auditorium illustrating the impact St. Thomas has already made on their lives.

Hernandez is an active member of the Eagle Ambassador program and two-sport scholar athlete who was cast in the fall production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

He transitioned from St. Cecilia Catholic School with an obvious intent to join a brotherhood unlike any other.

I tried to convince my parents, particularly my mom, how badly I wanted to come to St. Thomas. She always had one question. Why? The truth was I didn’t know. I didn’t understand the pull myself every time I drove by the campus.

After Camp Aquinas (the five-day immersion for freshmen rooted in the Basilian values and challenging team-building activities), I could finally explain to my mom the why. Love.

The love you have for brothers, for your school.

With a mother from El Salvador and a father from Los Angeles, I’m living the first part of my dream, to be the first Hernandez to attend St. Thomas. I plan to play Division I lacrosse and major in medicine. St. Thomas will guide me to do the best I can on and off the field. I would like to thank all those who are moving me one step closer to achieving my goals because if it wasn’t for my scholarship, I would be in a completely different situation.

Michael Bevers ’21 is also an enthusiastic Eagle Ambassador and scholar athlete with Eagle Track and Field. He transferred to St. Thomas at mid-semester of his freshman year after studying at a boarding school in Utah.

Bevers arrived with a certain reluctance facing an unknown present and undefined future after overcoming some interpersonal challenges. But his apprehension soon dissolved and he’s emerged as a campus champion with a boundless ardor and shatterproof commitment for all that is Red & White.

I was immediately surrounded by kindness and that Eagle brotherhood that we hear so much about. Through the help of (English faculty member) Darrell Yarbrough and participating in speech and debate, I’ve become more confident sharing my story. Through your donations, and my being a student at St. Thomas, more stories and backgrounds will be told and more awareness will be achieved. More individuals like myself will be able to join the brotherhood and support each other through obstacles. Someday I would like to be in your shoes, giving back to students at St. Thomas.

I’m looking forward to the future as a strength and conditioning coach or personal training because physical fitness has become a strong part of my life and I hope to pass that along to others.

Principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96 understands the most meaningful and lasting measure of the St. Thomas experience is beyond elite academic achievement. Donors are often the most direct way to set in motion the exponential impact of an Eagle education fueling the rise of the next significant learners and leaders.

“The spirit of St. Thomas lives and breathes within this room,” Dominguez said. “Making dollars available for prospective students has become a prevalent admissions strategy, and that’s fine. But what makes St. Thomas special is we will always operate with the spirit of goodness in that initiative.

That’s who we are. It’s an essential part of our calling.”

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LIFELONG LEARNER Scholars enter St. Thomas caressing big dreams. A fortified faculty is required to make those dreams a reality.

Even after two decades as social studies dean, Brett Mills continues to seize unique opportunities to develop as an intellectual. Twice in 2019 he participated in prestigious fellowships, the latest in a series of transformative educational experiences. Mills deeply believes that the immersions are both professionally and personally invigorating as well an emphatic “lead by example” model.

“The mantra in this department is you have to be an expert in front of the classroom. Everyone buys into that but I have to be out front in a demonstrative way,” Mills says. “My commitment proves to the students I’m continuing to accept academic challenges.

It sharpens and enhances my game in terms of the material and most importantly encourages me to continue to push for even more research. I’ve published in the past but now my command is much more significant and relevant. Mastery and fine tuning, the quest to improve every year is essential. There is hubris and arrogance to believe you know enough.”

Most recently, Mills was selected for exclusive inclusion at Gettysburg College and the George Washington Institute.

The respective conferences were each limited to a dozen participants accepted from hundreds of applicants.

The sessions required extensive source reading in preparation. Mills then participated in a series of expert lectures and rigorous discussions with access to original archive documents and materials.

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“I did my Master’s thesis on Gettysburg but this was rising to another level,’ Mills says. “To be in front of Allen Guelzo was an absolute rush. He’s an American historian and serves as a professor in the American Civil War. He’s dramatic and theatrical and builds an incredible engagement. The greatest takeaway is to see how the topography relates to actual events. There’s a strong theory that you can’t truly understand the battle until you see the battlefield.

The details give so much understanding to how the conflict unfolded - Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, the Peach Orchard, Pickett's Charge, all right there and at the precise time of the year.”

Among Mills’ many academic developments was a fellowship in Arlington, Virginia with the Bill of Rights Institute.

He examined the constitutional principles of liberty, separation of powers, republican government, and the arguments of both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Mills has also traveled as far as Scotland to the University of Edinburgh where he took part in a collaboration with the Gilder Lehrman Institute.

There the focus was on Jefferson and the Enlightenment, and his principles of reason to the major challenges he confronted as a revolutionary, diplomat, politician, and elder statesman.

These fellowships serve Mills as both a propeller and an accelerator. He finds himself thinking more critically about complex issues and actively sharing in a constructive space in which they are examined. The on-going goal is to develop deeper expertise in a subject or problem to better connect with St. Thomas students.

“History and teaching are my passions. I’m blessed to be here with the chance to pursue what I love to do,” Mills says.

“These fellowships, or as my wife calls them ‘history nerd camps,’ allow me to be pulled into the material as a student. It’s essential to never lose perspective of that side of the relationship.

St. Thomas is not a teacher driven culture. We are student driven and I’m facilitating the learning. You have to perform to some degree, captivate the audience, especially in front of 21st century students.”

Mills is routinely fueled by furthering his academic trajectory.

He’s both created and advanced St. Thomas curriculum that focuses on the United States in Conflict, the United States and World Affairs, the Civil War Era, and the Cold War. What doesn’t change in any way for Mills is his belief that is often emphasized to his student groups. “The most important muscle in the body is the brain. Use it. I don’t require anything from them initially other than curiosity.

And when you can meet them at that crossroads, where they begin to become involved, it is truly awe-inspiring.

The students we have at St. Thomas are so impressive."

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CLAYCULTURE The mission of St. Thomas Fine Arts is to create a curiosity for scholars to explore their intuitive talents, navigate their inquisitive journeys, and express themselves while possibly gaining national recognition.

One of the most complete and diverse programs in Texas is shepherd by faculty member Mike Nebel.

And the next breakthrough example extending the firmly established St. Thomas reputation within Ceramic Arts belongs to Travis Froboese ’20.

His entry entitled Racial Discrepancy captured Gold Key distinction at the National Scholastic Art Competition. Froboese is the first ever Eagle scholar artist to earn such merit and was the only gold standard student from Harris County recognized in ceramics. He was also selected as the K-12 Alfred University Marion L. Fosdick Memorial Scholarship recipient after his award-winning original was displayed at the 23rd annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition.

Froboese was saluted by the prestigious upper New York state university for talent “at the highest tier among your peers. ... Your work demonstrates vast potential and showcases your artistic talents, setting you apart from an already exceptional pool of candidates. Your work exhibits a wide range of innovation and promise which impressed the committee. We look forward to having you and your work grow and develop here at Alfred University.”

The praise is particularly striking given that Froboese admits to “no experience (in the discipline) before coming to St. Thomas. I started my junior year and discovered confidence when I put my intent behind it. Most artists feel comfortable about their work but the outside awards are satisfying. I was quite pleased with the outcome.”

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Nebel immediately saw vast potential from Froboese’s design if he could apply his imagination and execute beyond the concept.

“Bold beginnings and then the twist – the neck and spout allow your eye to move around the piece which is the intent of 3D art … in the round … height, width, and depth. The legs jet out geometrically with different angles, a counterbalance.

There’s almost a prism effect … a different interpretation depending on the view.

Dramatic Shino glazing … high gloss on the body and matte on the legs. The contrast from top to bottom. Phenomenal work.”

St. Thomas represented 17 of the nearly 300 Scholastic entries. Lake Anderson ’20, Kyle Rzasnicki ’20, and Sterling Smith ’20 earned Silver Key status, and Anderson added Honorable Mention merit with Travis Taylor ’20 and a pair from Thomas Sage ’20.

Froboese’s acclaimed piece will be displayed among the best in the United States at the K-12 Exhibition and reviewed by renowned professionals from across the country. His selection is one of 45 from more than 700 11th-12th grade entries. Jurors determine national superiority based on three criteria: originality, technical expertise, and the emergence of a personal vision or voice.

“I like working with sharp angles,” Froboese says.

“Once the piece started taking shape I didn’t consult the design, just worked by feel and instinct.

There’s no printout, no spinning to keep it balanced. Each of the small details can take one-two hours to complete. It’s those features at the top that make it special, not simply stacking smaller or bigger pieces together.”

Nebel’s lab serves as an incubator for a particular aesthetic that relies on equal parts wonderment and due diligence. Students are exposed to a wide range of traditional and contemporary techniques.

Critiques are productive vehicles for understanding other’s work and discussing tangents relevant to all aspects of art making.

Under Nebel’s direction, the manipulation of three-dimensional materials is a means of developing the psychological and intellectual flair often colliding with a society driven more and more by technology. His scholar artists continue to thrive as self-expression morphs into self-esteem. “I had great belief in Travis before the judging. I told him I would love to have his piece in my home.

That’s as strong as I have ever felt about any work that has come through our department.”

Joseph Lowery ’14 launched the legacy with a popping portfolio that remains unmatched during Nebel’s watch.

In 2015 seniors Logan Vitela, Joe Minnis, Jack Schrimsher, and Ben Kluksdahl became the first Eagles in St. Thomas history to earn regional Gold Key recognition, and the Scholastic results have remained rich year after year.

In 2019 William Castillo ’19 became the first-ever Eagle honored in Drawing and Illustration, one of only 80 Gold Keys awarded among more than 1,500 entries from private and public schools.

Froboese is the latest to live in the limelight.

And while the regional and national praise is a clear validation of talent, persistence, and promise, Nebel admits that isn’t the program’s prime motivation. “The goal is to have these guys break out of their comfort zones, identify talent, have them take pride in what they do, whatever they do. And enjoy it along the way. That’s why these students are at St. Thomas. They can carry that discipline with them for the rest of their life.”

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DECISIVE DISPLAYS OF GOODNESS, DISCIPLINE AND KNOWLEDGE Four St. Thomas scholars championed at the 46th Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament, the largest and most prestigious high school speech and debate tournament in the country.

Patrick Pham ’21 placed 7th in Informative Speaking and reached the octa-finals with Gus Boettcher ’21 in Duo Interpretation.

Luke McLane ’22 advanced to the double octa-finals in Dramatic Interpretation.

The Eagle scholars along with Diego Ramos ’22 all posted winning records in their respective events. St. Thomas achieved significant distinction among 4,600 competitors from 420 high schools representing 36 states and six nations. Participants were evaluated on the validity of their arguments and presentations vying in Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Student Congress, and a variety of individual and duo speech events.

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Nicholas Kurzy ’20, Nicholas Chandler ’20 and Luke Martin ’23 led St. Thomas to the 16th annual World War II High School Quiz Bowl championship, the fourth straight team title and first-ever four-time winner in the event.

Kurzy and Chandler anchored all four victories. The in-depth competition that challenges students with WWII knowledge and team-building is hosted

by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and sponsored by the New Orleans Advocate.

In January, St. Thomas was proud to participate in the Catholic-Jewish Youth Summit at St. Agnes Academy.

‘Pax-Shalom-Peace’ served as the theme as scholars toured Catholic and Jewish places of worship, museums, galleries, and schools throughout the Houston area.

This special partnership engages scholars to reflect on their common spiritual heritage as well as the unique identities of Jews and Christians, fostering inter-religious learning, understanding, and friendship.

Six St. Thomas scholar performers excelled at the Texas Private School Music Educators Association All-State ensembles.

Charles Boutte ’20, Raphael Mamaradlo ’21, Noah Mims ’21, Leonardo Morales ’21, Leo Wilson ’21, and James Dickinson ’23 earned exclusive recognition among the best private school choir musicians from the state. Previously in the academic year, their recorded auditions were ranked by panels of five judges and the Eagle singers received exemplary honors.

Wilson was named in the Bass 2 section for his third consecutive All-State selection while Mims captured Bass 1 distinction for the second straight year.

Boutté in Bass 2, Mamaradlo and Dickinson in Tenor 1, and Morales in Tenor 2 were saluted for the first time.

The Saturday concert was held at the Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson, Texas with conductor Dr. Pamela Elrod Huffman from Southern Methodist University.

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Features

EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND SACRIFICE ANDREW LOCKE ’03 HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED TO BE INTELLECTUALLY

INSPIRED, MORALLY GROUNDED, GLOBALLY MINDED - A WORLD CHANGER IGNITING POSITIVE IMPACT WHEREVER LIFE HAS TAKEN HIM. PARTICULARLY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AS A PLATOON LEADER IN THE ELITE SPECIAL OPS 75TH RANGER REGIMENT. A CALL OF DUTY THAT EXTENDED FAR BEYOND A GAMING CONSOLE. SPRING 2020

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ach November Americans from sea to shining sea observe Veterans Day and pay tribute to those brave and skilled who serve and sacrifice for America’s freedom. Locke is among the generations of Good Men of St. Thomas who have participated or are engaging in that collective strength fighting for our basic American rights.

Captain Locke graduated from West Point in 2007. He was deployed to Iraq as a Stryker vehicle platoon leader, followed by three mission-specific Ranger engagements in Afghanistan before retiring from the active Army in October 2017. He credits his parents for embedding a sense of service, of something larger than self. Locke watched the Twin Towers fall on a 10-inch TV while sitting in a sophomore history class, his psyche slapped with the realization that the world is bigger and more dangerous than he’d thought.

Among the select are William Bernrieder, a 1916 graduate who served in the United States Navy under five admirals including Halsey and Byrd.

Locke visited West Point during his senior year and was greeted “with a rush. At the end of the day, Americans have to raise their hands and decide whether to serve. If not me, then whom? Who is most capable of leading Americans? If I had the confidence and could generate the respect and trust of others, then why not me? The rewards were beyond measure. The experiences will prove to be the most moving of my lifetime.”

And Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Gatlin ’95 who lettered three years in the Black Knights defensive secondary, graduated from West Point in 1999 with an Economics degree, and has remained a career soldier. The commander of 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment has led the Army’s sexual harassment response and prevention program, and served for four years as the Company Tactical Officer at West Point. Gatlin holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and in 2017 was chosen as a White House Fellow to the Office of the First Lady.

In 1975, Rev. James F. Wilson, CSB led the effort to establish the St. Thomas Hall of Honor, recognizing Eagle graduates who exemplified the Eagle spirit and personified the Basilian motto Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

As Locke made his daily four-year campus rounds through Cemo Auditorium, he glanced periodically at some of the initial names of that signature group.

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And L. Patrick Gray ’32 who advanced to the rank of Navy captain and later was appointed the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

And George Cire ’40 who received the Silver Star and Purple Heart while fighting in World War II.

A few feet across the Cemo entryway from their framed distinction was the school’s stand-alone glass-encased salute to David McNerney ’49.

Following his St. Thomas graduation, McNerney enlisted in the Navy and served two combat tours in Korea. He then enrolled at the University of Houston, attended a class, and quickly joined the Army. He served four tours in Vietnam.

In March 1967, First Sergeant McNerney’s unit was ambushed in an isolated region. His company was split, 22 soldiers including the commanding officer killed, another 40 wounded.

McNerney took control of the surviving troops, organized the unit’s defense, coordinated their counterattack, cleared a helicopter landing site all the while suffering from a lacerated chest by a grenade. He refused to evacuate until B Company could advance and relieve the following day.

The following year McNerney received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson at the White House for his outstanding courage at Polei Doc. The decoration is the highest award for valor which can be awarded an individual serving in the U.S. Armed Services.

“You think of how much time has passed since then . half a century,” St. Thomas athletic director Mike Netzel says.

“And how much our country has changed beyond expectation and imagination, all of the options available and distractions that exist. And Andrew chose to follow in those kinds of footsteps, to be associated with those kinds of St. Thomas men.

Impressive is not nearly a strong enough description of what he represents.”

Locke was a stellar St. Thomas scholar athlete who enjoyed state championship glory spread across three Eagle sports.

Yet, he held his rugby experience with savory satisfaction.

Locke hosted college invitations while keeping the carnival recruiting process highly selective. He was pursued by West Point as a quarterback but had to be convinced by his father to make the official visit.

“It was a free trip so why not take advantage,” Locke says.

“I showed up, the weather was miserable, and after two hours I was hooked. I couldn’t have been more impressed by the highly dedicated Americans choosing to be a part of the Academy, all leaders of character for our military and our country. I was immediately convinced this was the environment I wanted.”

For Locke, National Signing Day represented not so much scholarship but service forged through sacrifice. He transitioned exclusively to rugby as a freshman and emerged as an All-American performer. Locke later captained extensive championship accomplishment and distinction on the international stage, including a role with USA Rugby at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

In 2018, Locke was among the luminaries inducted into the St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame. The celebration delivered a firm affirmation of the “formative four years that greatly influenced my moral and ethical development. Athletics played a major role in terms of my understanding of what is required to be an effective leader and paved the way for what I accomplished at West Point and in the Army. To this day I’m so appreciative of all the opportunities I had at St. Thomas especially through athletics, the many coaches who mentored me.”

Within weeks of his West Point graduation, Locke was positioned with a platoon that had just returned from a difficult 15-month deployment in Iraq.

“There was a 50% turnover within the unit,” Locke says.

“We had to build a new team, new cohesion, and deploy again in 12 months. It was an awesome responsibility to be entrusted at such a young age . 22 years old and leading an experienced group. To form those relationships was deeply powerful and rewarding.”

Locke is now a forward deployed software engineer at Palantir Technologies in Palo Alto, California. He left St. Thomas having given his all to the Eagles, then to the same to his unit, forever for his God and country. He chose to join the ranks of those who share a brotherhood and a bond unbreakable, bravery unbridled, an honor unmistaken.

Captain Andrew Locke was never Captain America with wanderlust. But his is a name among those immortal without exception, even if relatively anonymous.

Indomitable. Capable of any challenge they dreamed.

All gave some, some gave all.

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PLAn NOW. GIVE LATER.

Remember St. Thomas in your will or living trust.

So many of our students could not have the St. Thomas experience without the faithful giving of others. If St. Thomas opened doors for you, consider how you can now open doors for others.

Join the 1900 Society by including St. Thomas in your will or estate plans and help provide affordable tuition, exemplary instruction and spiritual growth for generations of students to come.

If you remember all the goodness, discipline and knowledge that St. Thomas gave you, then please: Remember St. Thomas.

Remembering St. Thomas in your will or estate plans costs nothing during your lifetime, but will transform the lives of STH men down the road.

Contact Mr. Mark deTranaltes, ’83, P ’10 Vice President for Advancement remember@sths.org • 713-341-5557

remember.sths.org

Like us, follow us, keep up with us!

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@sthcatholic #mySTH

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Camp Aquinas || Instilling the Life Lessons of Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge

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St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Day Mass || Celebrating Our Past, Embracing Our Future

Holy Mass of Ash Wednesday || We Are Dust Loved By God

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INSTILLING INSTILLINGTHE THE

LIFE LIFELESSONS LESSONSOF OF GOODNESS, GOODNESS,DISCIPLINE, DISCIPLINE, AND ANDKNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE

For

generations of scholars, the authentic St. Thomas experience has delivered a demanding curriculum that prepares students for college and a nurturing environment for life beyond college prep.

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THE ONE-YEAR-OLD EAGLE HOUSE SYSTEM was designed to provide a deeply positive impact on student intellectual engagement and well being.

The introduction for the Class of 2023 came courtesy Camp Aquinas, named for the institution’s patron St. Thomas Aquinas, the consummate union of sanctity and intellect. The five day immersion for freshmen is rooted in the Basilian credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge with a healthy mix of academic elements and challenging team-building activities.

The learning liftoff launched from Camp Cho-Yeh 75 miles north of Houston outside of Livingston. The Eagle contingent landed unglued to Twitter and Instagram, not surgically attached to smartphones, and not particularly caring whether future political courses are opting for continuity or chaos.

Grover Green ’04 and Andrew Quittenton are the chief primary architects behind Camp Aquinas. The two tirelessly collaborated for three years before deciding on the proper model for the St. Thomas mission.

Quittenton: Our fundamental purpose is bonding a large number of students from a variety of middle schools and backgrounds and begin forming men. Camp Aquinas is all about establishing what it means to be a Man of St. Thomas.

Most importantly for me is what it takes to be a man of God. The faith element here is essential. We made some changes from last year to have every activity and event involve prayer .. God at the center of all that we do. The faculty and seniors bought in 100% and the support couldn’t have been more complete.

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Green: My formation at St. Thomas was quintessential to becoming an adult. As we continued to develop as a campus community, our students face more and more complex challenges - you name it, these young men are inundated with it. We needed a new approach and it needed to be somewhat radical and that’s Camp Aquinas. This is a week where the freshmen are provided with a firm foundation to move forward.

One change from our first year was the Five Ps before, during, and after every activity - pray, play, process, pick-up, and pray. Whether it was paintball, a ropes course, sock wrestling, or presentations. We wanted to promote individual reflection that would later be relevant to the campers during their journaling.

In establishing its house system, St. Thomas honored eight Basilians exemplars who played integral roles in the school’s history. Naming rights belong to St. Thomas Hall of Honor members Fr. Carl Allnoch, CSB; Fr. Donald Cooper, CSB; and Fr. Thomas O’Rourke, CSB, all former St. Thomas principals as were founder Fr. Nicholas Roche, CSB; inaugural president Fr. Ronald Schwenzer, CSB; and Fr. Ernest Magee, CSB. Former faculty members Fr. Carl Belisch ’54, CSB and legendary baseball coach Fr. James Wilson, CSB complete the regal row.

St. Thomas has long discovered that students are enriched by its diversity of backgrounds, academic interests and experiences, talents, and goals.

The house platform creates further opportunities for stronger cross divisional bonds and mentorship, and drives healthy competition among young men.

Jennifer Pearson is the faculty leader in House O’Rourke. She participated in a house system at a previous teaching position and believes the experience will prove indispensable to conveying the rich flavor of academic life at St. Thomas.

Pearson: The first day there were obviously a great many freshmen who didn’t know anyone. But they quickly were confiding and respecting the seniors and each other.

Their upcoming year is challenging, not just the transition to high school, but learning the St. Thomas way. And when they returned to campus there was a support system that otherwise wouldn’t be in place that they could rely and draw from. There was also a core group of teachers whom they built early relationships for advice and support. The unexpected bonus for me was hearing stories from the seniors and how they have overcome some rough personal times to grow as people. I enjoyed our conversations and discovered more of who they are as people, and not just students.

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Hank Shivers ’23 attended St. Thomas Episcopal School in Meyerland. He’s a member of House Cooper and realized during Camp Aquinas many of the dimensions of St. Thomas that motivated him to become an Eagle.

Shivers: The core values of brotherhood are something else!

I got here on Monday . . knew only three guys .. and they were in different Houses. But I didn’t feel alienated at all.

We all began talking on the bus and just seemed to want to have fun before classes started the next week. The crate stacking activity developed a lot of trust and enthusiasm within our house. The teachers seem so supportive and willing to help.

The first three days of Camp Aquinas presented opportunities to illustrate the value of goodness, discipline, and knowledge in the daily routine. Travis Enochs ’20 is a senior leader in House Schwenzer.

Enochs: I shared with my House how discipline takes on different definitions. I explained how I have to cut 14 pounds a week in weight in order to compete during the wrestling season. To get to 132 pounds for meets, I coordinated with my coaches a spreadsheet detailing a routine from 7:50 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Every Sunday I planned and prepared meals for the week. I weighed ingredients, 4 ounces of chicken for every meal, stored them in the refrigerator, ready to go each day when I left for school. I drank three gallons of water a day. Discipline is not fun, but the byproduct is fun. Making weight is not fun, but wrestling is fun. Studying for a test is not fun at all, but the rewards are awesome.

For the freshmen to hear that from a fellow student often means more than if the messenger is a parent or a teacher.

The reaction to an adult can be “what do you know about today, life is so much different than when they were in high school.” Everything you do at St. Thomas requires some form of discipline, and if you have it, you can accomplish anything you want.

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GROVER GREEN ’04 AND ANDREW QUITTENTON ARE THE CHIEF PRIMARY ARCHITECTS BEHIND CAMP AQUINAS. THE TWO TIRELESSLY COLLABORATED FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE DECIDING ON THE PROPER MODEL FOR THE ST. THOMAS MISSION.

Zach Kroencke ’20 teams with Enochs in House Schwenzer. His heart-felt testimony to the uniqueness of St. Thomas came from a random interaction in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Kroencke: I was in Baltimore a couple of years ago for a lacrosse tournament with my summer travel team. I‘m thousands of miles from Houston in the airport wearing a St.Thomas shirt. An older adult came up to me and started a conversation.

He had attended St. Thomas years and years ago and this was the question that struck me - How are my brothers? He meant the current students who he obviously didn’t know decades after he graduated. How are my brothers? That’s what the St. Thomas experience meant to him and helped make him the man he is. And the St. Thomas experience is shaping me in many of the same ways. I wanted the freshmen to hear that so they can learn to love this school as much as I do. When my senior class started as freshmen we had to find our own ways individually and ways to fit in. This group (of freshmen) is so much further ahead. They’ve made friends during Camp Aquinas that they never would have been drawn to otherwise.

And I love being a part of that connection.

Travis Dunwoody ’23 is, like Shivers, a member of House Cooper. He transitioned to St. Thomas from Western Academy and found immediate evidence of a community that unites all as one.

Dunwoody: As soon as I stepped on the bus I become friends with everyone and can already see that the brotherhood is very strong here. Learning the meaning of goodness, discipline, and knowledge is definitely something we can all take back to campus. I can see where all those areas are important to be successful, not only in high school but also in college and throughout life. The seniors know what we’re about to go through and they’re giving us the courage to be ourselves. It’s like they’re one of us. It’s amazing. Camp Aquinas was the best time of my life.

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EMBRACING OUR FUTURE The beginning 120 years ago was meager, the ascension without fanfare. A steady process that preached purpose, culture, and service rooted in the Basilian credo of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

Since 1900, St. Thomas has served as a Catholic Basilian beacon with a thriving intellectual and moral tradition that remains the cornerstone of an esteemed academic pursuit and formation. The second oldest continuously operating private high school in Houston (to Incarnate Word Academy) is home to a vibrant array of accomplished scholars, distinguished faculty members, deeply committed professional staff, and unwavering supporters and donors.

Now well into the second century after its genesis, St. Thomas relished its legacy as a premier college preparatory experience with a Mass celebrating the feast of our patron St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Italian Dominican friar and immensely influential philosopher is respected as the preeminent spokesman of the Catholic tradition of reason and divine revelation. He is one of the great teachers of the medieval Catholic Church, honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.

Fr. Reginald Samuels served as the co-celebrant with President Fr. James Murphy, CSB. Fr. Samuels is the Vicar for Catholics of African Descent for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and the pastor of St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park. He was ordained to the priesthood by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in May 2009.

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WE ARE DUST LOVED BY GOD The St. Thomas campus community was blessed to share in the Holy Mass of Ash Wednesday with Fr. Mitch Dowalgo, CSB serving as principal celebrant with president Fr. James Murphy, CSB concelebrant.

The assembled scholars, faculty, and staff were encouraged to renew their hope in Christ’s promises and their own commitment to follow Him ever more closely entering the liturgical time of Lent - a time of penitence on the path towards Resurrection.

The homily from Fr. Dowalgo was a message to focus on “prayer and sacrifice during this season, not to prove to God how good you are, but in response to how good God is to us. As you approach this Lent, try to not get occupied with the trivial but to reflect on how you may be the best person God made you to be, a person fully alive who seeks the blessings in the world and the blessings in one another. And when we do that our lives truly give glory to God.” In Rome Pope Francis participated in a brief prayer at the Benedictine’s Monastery of St. Anselm and then walked in the traditional Ash Wednesday procession to the nearby Dominican-run Basilica of Santa Sabina for the Mass.

The Pope reflected on ashes imposed on the foreheads of the faithful at the start of Lent, a reminder that although humanity is merely dust in the earth, we can also become something wondrous “if we allow ourselves to be shaped by the hands of God. More often than not, especially at times of difficulty and loneliness, we only see our dust. But the Lord encourages us. In his eyes our littleness is of infinite value. So, let us take heart. We were born to be loved, born to be children of God.”

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Rivalry

Strake With Jesuit

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Features

The 2020 schedule for Eagle Football is complete yet includes one notable and glaring gap - the annual clash with Strake Jesuit. “(Head coach) Rich McGuire received a phone call from Strake that they are canceling the series,” St. Thomas Athletic Director Mike Netzel says.

“The decision wasn’t a surprise because in recent years Strake has gradually and systematically reduced their participation with St. Thomas. First, they eliminated the yearly baseball game, then the basketball and soccer games were terminated. Football was the proverbial last shoe to drop.

Rebuffed “We are disappointed that more than 50 years of history and tradition is not being preserved. But it wasn’t our decision.”

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T

THE FOOTBALL SERIES WHICH LAUNCHED IN 1964 ENDS WITH ST. THOMAS HOLDING THE OVERALL ADVANTAGE 29-26-1.

In 2015, Netzel and director of football operations Kenny Martin negotiated a bold move making NRG Stadium, the home of the NFL Houston Texans, the St. Thomas home venue for the showcase.

The inaugural event drew a spirited crowd of nearly 10,000 as Michael Keating ’16 connected with Drew Guidroz ’16 in the final maniacal moments for a wild 42-35 scoring fest. The raucous win was the Eagles’ fourth consecutive victory in the rivalry with three coming in the game’s final six seconds.

“St. Thomas has always embraced the athletic relationship with Strake even after their shift to the (public school) UIL,” Netzel says. “It was much more than the competition. It was a celebration of Catholic education in Houston. But moving forward Strake has sided with a different set of values and priorities within its athletic department. We’ve adjusted and are aggressively asserting ourselves to be stronger than ever. And St. Thomas will always hold great respect for the generations of graduates who have represented our institution and helped forge the singular identity that exists today.”

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The ambitious football slate for 2020 includes an equal split of 10 home-and-away games, an expanded district race after TAPPS realignment, an October travel date to San Antonio, and a move of the annual series with St. Pius X away from the regular season finale.

The Eagles are aiming to maintain measurable momentum after finishing 2019 with nine victories in 11 games and reaching the TAPPS Division I state semifinals for the first time since 2014 and ’15.

AUG 28 • AT NEEDVILLE The season opener will renew a two-year set with a UIL 4A Division I outfit that finished 2019 10-3 in the regional semifinals.

The Eagles will look to snap a two-game series skid after surrendering the deciding points in the final 90 seconds in a 35-34 defeat at Hotze Field inside Granger Stadium.

Quarterback Maddox Kopp ’21 tossed for 343 yards and three touchdowns in his second varsity start while receivers Josh Crissmon ’20 and Cameron Bonner ’21 provided a series of game breaking moments. Kopp’s strike to receiver Spencer Kryger ’20 pushed St. Thomas in front 34-27 inside of six minutes remaining in the game.

SEPT 4 • PLANO JOHN PAUL II The home debut will feature Plano John Paul II fresh from the most successful season in its history. The Cardinals gained their first-ever TAPPS Division I state championship final while snapping a 58-game district losing streak that spanned nearly 10 years.

The transformation was crafted by head coach George Teague (yes, the former Dallas Cowboy, Terrell Owens-blasting safety) who played nine NFL seasons after being selected in the first round in 1993 by the Green Bay Packers.

Teague took over JPII in 2017 on the heels of three straight 0-10 seasons. He was chosen by the Cowboys as their 2019 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award nominee.

SEPT 11 • KINKAID The private school programs will meet for the sixth time in seven years with the lone interruption courtesy Hurricane Harvey in 2017. In that mix Eagle Football posted three consecutive season opening victories over the Knights by a combined margin of 109-51.

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Last season Kopp threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns, receiver Bonner grabbed two scores, and a rejuvenated Eagle defense rarely bent and never broke in a 27-10 road victory at Barnhart Stadium.

SEPT 18 • AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN A one-time district series will be renewed for the first time since 2011 when Eagle Football settled for a split of regular season games after a 50-0 runaway on the road. St. Thomas enjoyed a sweep in 2010, first 24-21 and then 17-7.

SEPT 25 • ST. JOHN XXIII The Eagles will begin district competition at Hotze Field inside Granger Stadium resuming a brief series that flashed a 49-0 Red & White rout in 2014 followed by a 40-0 wipeout the next season.

OCT 2 • SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL CATHOLIC The only home stop in three weeks will be a contest that has pivoted from non-district to district competition since 2017 with Eagle Football owning three consecutive wins.

Last season running back John Fontenot ’21 left Central Catholic defenders flailing on the ground like gored matadors on his way to two short range touchdowns. And a snarly, salty St. Thomas defense responded with two critical fourth quarter stops in a tight 21-19 victory that kept the surging Eagles undefeated in the district race.

OCT 9 • AT SAN ANTONIO CHRISTIAN The first-ever meeting with the private, non-denominational Christian school established in 1972.

The Lions are coached by former NFL receiver Henry Ellard who starred for 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins, and New England Patriots. He was a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection who finished his career with 814 receptions for 13,777 yards and 65 touchdowns. Ellard later was part of the Rams coaching staff during their stunning Super Bowl XXXIV season.

He spent 14 seasons as an NFL assistant including stints with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints.

OCT 16 • SAN ANTONIO ANTONIAN COLLEGE PREP The Eagles will return home to face another 2019 TAPPS state semifinalist looking for a decided dose of deja vu for a third straight victory over the Apaches.

In 2019 Kopp riddled Antonian for 314 yards and two touchdowns in a first half detonation where St. Thomas plastered points on its first four series. The Eagles coasted to a convincing 41-27 dismantling in a game not nearly as close as the final indicated.

OCT 23 • ST. PIUS X The clash that has routinely determined at least a share of the district championship. Last season Eagle Football used an avalanche of 40 consecutive points for a commanding 47-21 verdict to cement a second straight undefeated title, the sixth crown in eight years.

Kopp blistered SPX for a career best five touchdown passes, three in the final 2:27 of the first half, as the Eagles shook free from a shaky start to face plant the Panthers with an outcome so devastating it required an autopsy.

In 2018 quarterback Peyton Matocha ’19 put on a dazzling display of talent, skill, precision, will, and want with seven touchdowns including four in the third quarter when Eagle Football seized control to rally for a stunning 52-49 shootout to reclaim the crown.

From 2012-15 the Eagles captured four straight showdowns with the district title at stake by a combined score of 144-62. In the stretch dating to 2011, Eagle Football enjoyed five wins in a row and six in seven games.

NOV 6 • at TOMBALL CONCORDIA LUTHERAN Following an open date, the Eagles will conclude the regular season with a duel they have dominated in recent years.

St. Thomas has collected nine knocks in 10 tries by a combined margin of 292-100.

Last season Kopp connected twice with Bonner for touchdowns and added another with Drake Martinez ’21 two seconds before halftime as Eagle Football dominated a name-your-score 31-7 destruction.

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2020 ST. THOMAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Aug 28: at Needville 7:00 p.m.

Sept 4: PLANO JOHN PAUL II 7:00 p.m.

Sept 11: KINKAID 7:00 p.m.

Sept 18: at Houston Christian 7:00 p.m.

Sept 25: at St. John XXIII 7:00 p.m.

Oct 2: SA CENTRAL CATHOLIC 7:00 p.m.

Oct 9: at San Antonio Christian 7:00 p.m.

Oct 16: SAN ANTONIAN COLLEGE PREP 7:00 p.m.

Oct 23: ST. PIUS X 7:00 p.m.

Oct 30: off week Nov 6: at Tomball Concordia Lutheran 7:00 p.m.

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HOOP McFEAST FOR HALL

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NEVER IN HIS LIFETIME OF HOOP DREAMS

DID TWO-YEAR ST. THOMAS BASKETBALL BOSS GARY HALL ENVISION HE WOULD OCCUPY A COVETED FRONT AND CENTER COACHING SEAT FOR THE NATION’S PREMIER HIGH SCHOOL

ALL-STAR EXTRAVAGANZA. In January, Hall was named to navigate the West squad in the 43rd annual McDonald’s All-American Game as rosters of scintillating five-star prospects were unveiled to a national audience on ESPN’s The Jump.

“My genuine first reaction was that I wasn’t worthy,” Halls says with all sincerity. “I cannot describe the great appreciation I had for the selection committee and for my family, former and current players, coaches, and administrators.

The greatest joy on this journey is maintaining those close relationships and sharing this honor with them. I have been absolutely blessed these many years and no success would be possible without the contributions and dedication of so many others.”

Hall continued a Texas-sized standard previously held by only two schoolboy maestros from the state. Alief Elsik’s Rick Shirley commanded the West in the 2000 McDonald’s Game and Fort Worth Dunbar’s legendary Robert Hughes, the national all-time leader in career wins with 1,333, followed in 2001 at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.

St. Thomas Athletic Director Mike Netzel considers the McDonald’s consideration “among the strongest acclaim ever for a member of our athletic community. Gary’s commitment to high school basketball is renowned and this reward is richly deserved. We are extremely proud of his contributions to our institution and to share in his crowning moment.”

In his two seasons Hall has raised Eagle Basketball to the ascending heights to which he has become accustomed.

He arrived at St. Thomas having built his championship coaching reputation during two stints at his alma mater, Herndon High School in Northern Virginia, where he posted an overall 392-189 record with eight conference championships, one regional title, and three state tournament appearances. During his tenure he coached and coaxed more than three dozen scholar athletes to the collegiate level, preaching a daily mantra to work hard, expect nothing.

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“Gary’s energy and dedication for coaching was evident in every practice and every game,” Netzel says. “His passion for basketball was a perfect fit for Sr. Thomas because he related immediately to our mission for educating the complete student. He’s a tireless leader and brought a clear and decisive purpose.”

The McDonald’s salute served as a bold faced exclamation to a career that began for Hall in 1985 as an undergraduate at George Mason University. He was practically drafted into his first coaching assignment, a last minute option for the freshman team at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia.

“I found a local bookstore ... Sports Books, Etc. ... and bought every ‘how-to’ publication they had,” Hall says.

“I went to clinics, wore out my VHS machine taping every college game that was televised, learned as much as I could as quickly as I could. I went around campus and rounded up every student who even looked like a basketball player, put them in my car, got them a physical and shoes. We ended up 23-1. The waterboy was an eighth grader named Grant Hill.”

Hall’s encore was an undefeated season while never trailing for a single second on the game clock, then two years as a varsity assistant as Hill emerged into a 1990 McDonald’s headliner, a future Duke All-American, an eventual seven-time NBA All-Star, and 2018 inductee into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

The McDonald’s distinction carried for Hall the privilege of naming two assistant coaches. He immediately reached out to Charles Ament from Langham Creek and Luteke Kalombo at Charlotte Christian Academy in North Carolina, Hall’s first collegiate scholarship player.

“This was truly humbling,” Hall says. “I’m not ready to say I’m in the same category as some of the previous coaches involved in his game. I read their books to improve, watched their instructional videos. I’m maybe not at the same level but now I’m in the building.”

Hall’s deepest previous McDonald’s association was coaching sublime Scottie Reynolds from Herndon to the 2006 hoopfest in San Diego on his way to a madcap career at Villanova.

Hall attended the inaugural McDonald shindig in 1977 when the first All-American team assembled at the Capital Centre in Washington, D.C. against an all-star group from the District.

The hoop happening has since morphed into a branded identity celebrating elite high school talents while raising millions of dollars for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The traveling showcase has provided a national launching pad for many of the eventual first name famous - Magic, Michael, Isiah, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron. Throw in a couple of Kevins, Big Ticket and Slim Reaper, plus a conga line of NBA All-Stars, all-time campus risers, and sneaker circuit whiz kids. Rockets scoring maven James Harden starred in the 2007 thrillarama alongside Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and Kevin Love.

Houston has served up 21 Big Mac-Americans since the ’77 breakout. Included in the marquee mix are Rashard Lewis (1998), T.J. Ford and Daniel Ewing (2001), Gerald Green (2005), Aaron and Andrew Harrison (2013), Justise Winslow (2014), and De’Aaron Fox (2016). Justin Jackson was named the most valuable player in 2014.

Editor’s Note: The 2020 McDonald’s All-American Games scheduled for April 1 at the Toyota Center were cancelled amid concerns during the coronavirus pandemic.

ST. THOMAS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MIKE NETZEL CONSIDERS THE MCDONALD’S CONSIDERATION “AMONG THE STRONGEST ACCLAIM EVER FOR A MEMBER OF OUR ATHLETIC COMMUNITY. GARY’S COMMITMENT TO HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL IS RENOWNED AND THIS REWARD IS RICHLY DESERVED.

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OUR PRESENCE IN THE CITY Since 1900, St. Thomas has impacted the rise of Houston as a global force. Our Catholic intellectual tradition has created a diverse community of scholars, united and dedicated to the highest academic standards, rooted in the Basilian values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

The dialogue between faith and reason continues to drive the pursuit of wisdom. St. Thomas is committed to nurturing graduates to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. In Houston, in Texas, and beyond.

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Everett Vaughn ’18 || Invaluable if Not Most Valuable for Texas A&M Basketball

2019 Eagle Football || Birds Of Prey

2020 Eagle Swimming State Champions || Red & White Waves of Success

Soaring Seasons

2020 Eagle Soccer || Three and Out

Get Carter!

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INVALUABLE IF NOT MOST VALUABLE Everett Vaughn ’18 toils in quasi-anonymity, even when reaching and extending up and over his measured six-foot and 10-inches, sweating and bleeding maroon and white for the revitalized fighting Texas Aggie hoopsters.

His is not a glorious Disney produced Hollywood version of life inside the power elite dribble drives of big campus college athletics. Not for a walk-on where every day, every drill is a proving ground for acceptance, for busting and beating long odds for zero guarantees beyond a coveted roster spot.

“I truly believe what I’m doing will make me a better person in the long run,” Vaughn says. “And isn’t that what college is most about?

The game minutes are not my motivation. It’s about investing and trusting this experience with teammates for a common goal. I’m discovering the value of how to work. I’ll take that understanding into the real world where results are not negotiable.

You either produce what is required or someone else moves in front.

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Every day in this program starts early and ends late. I’m pushing and competing every day to be the best in everything I do.”

Vaughn was a three-year letterman for Eagle Basketball who averaged a double-double, points and rebounds, as a senior while earning TAPPS Academic All-State distinction. He rejected opportunities to play at a variety of Division II and Division III schools in large part to his deep devotion to the Vaughn family legacy at Texas A&M. Vaughn arrived on campus with a body and a game still developing. He immediately impressed head coach Billy Kennedy with an exhausting ethic. Vaughn devoured the demands of half-court and up tempo offense plus pass-pressure defense.

When a coach asked a question, he knew the answer. He accepted he wasn’t as tantalizingly equipped or quick-twitch explosive or backboard-pounding strong as the teammates A&M spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to recruit, but he wouldn’t allow anyone to outwork him.

But when the coaching leadership flipped from Kennedy to Buzz Williams after a 14-18 season in 2019, all of Vaughn’s progress was erased. Time to begin anew. If he was wanted. If he decided to stay.

Williams began a shock-to-the-system takeover by conducting one-on-one interviews with every returning player.

“We had a good discussion,” Vaughn says. “Coach had a very specific culture that he wanted to develop from the start and he wanted to make sure I was the right fit, what I wanted out of basketball. My grades were the first thing he picked up on, had my ACT score in front of him. Intelligent basketball was a priority. We talked about my motivations to be at A&M. He said to come back for the summer and then we would reassess going into the academic year.”

An introduction to the can’t-waste-a-half-second hyper-focused Williams is blunt force trauma from the start. He also revealed a personality outside Angry Coach performance art, on assorted topics not associated with basic defensive foot positioning.

“Once a week during the summer we had three-hour sessions totally unrelated to basketball,” Vaughn says. “How to change a tire, or open and manage a checking account, or apply for a credit card and not ring up a huge debt. I learned that Coach Buzz and his staff cared more about me as a person than any other coach I’ve been associated with, and genuinely cared about each guy on this team so much more than their contributions on the court.”

Vaughn aced the summer hardwood tests, survived a boot camp “week of hell” in the fall, and returned to resume his Aggie career having won over Williams’ confidence, a perfect match for the Buzz-sawed mentality.

“I had only one thought and that was to make it as hard as possible for him to kick me off,” Vaughn says. “Let’s be honest, for me to have any chance here, I had to stack up with my teammates physically, get in the weight room five-six times a week.

If the lift was scheduled for 5:00 a.m. I was here an hour earlier getting up shots. Then I would seek out assistant coaches for individual workouts. Coach Buzz wants those who will stay in the fight and keep throwing punches.”

Vaughn’s family connections aren’t etched in stone on the A&M campus or regaled on student tours but they are as firmly rooted as any. Everett’s father Tom Vaughn ’85 received his Bachelor of Business Administration with honors before embarking on his acclaimed professional career. He succeeded his father and Vaughn Construction founder Joe Vaughn ’62, serving as president or CEO for two decades with brothers Bill ’87 the vice president/preconstruction director and Mike ’89 the president.

Everett’s mother Suzanne is a distinguished second generation A&M graduate, Class of ’89, paving the way to an extensive career in the nonprofit stratum, including a decade of relentless leadership in a series of high-profile fundraising efforts and brand enhancing initiatives for St. Thomas worth more than a million dollars.

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Brother Jay ’15 followed that A&M lead and boat-raced through the Construction Science curriculum in less than three years.

He strategically plotted a business presence in Austin’s tech sector as an undergraduate and is currently earning his Master’s at the Harvard Business School.

But family ties and fandom weren’t enough for Everett to secure a roster role inside Aggie basketball. He seized it on individual merit.

Ball don’t lie.

“Coach Buzz is really big on workers, guys who are in the gym when he’s not looking and working to improve in some small way every day,” Vaughn says. “That may have been one way I made a positive impression. And I’ve discovered that the difficult way is absolutely the best way. It’s changed how I look at my life going forward.”

Under Williams, the Aggies don’t skip steps.

They focus on progress rather than a protracted process, the worth in substance and structure. Satisfied and complacent is unacceptable. Entitlement and hubris are pathogens that kill.

The Buzz Brigade closed the regular season with a surge, stunning 20th ranked Auburn 78-75 on the road and returning home three days later to rack a decisive 77-69 win over Arkansas. The first rodeo with Williams wrapped with a 10-8 record in the SEC, A&M’s best conference record since claiming the 2016 co-championship, and earned him SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Vaughn performed an unheralded but vital role in the Aggie resurgence. His selfless max-out energy reverberated throughout Reed Arena as if Travis Tritt’s “I’m Gonna Be Somebody” caromed off the rafters at eardrum-mangling volume. Through one physically draining practice after another Vaughn’s relentless charge was channeled with one single solitary intent - make each opponent scouting session and skill station the most difficult for the Aggies starters.

“Coach Buzz has a hashtag - #getBETTER - and that’s exactly what we did throughout the season,” Vaughn says.

“It’s remarkable to see the arc, where we are right now from where we started. I believe we spent more time in the weight room and in video study than any other team in the SEC. And it showed.”

Vaughn is almost a full semester ahead as he accelerates toward his degree in Construction Science. His basketball path is unlikely, his impact not defined by obscure statistical footnotes, his character and sacrifice helping solidify the culture Williams so desperately sought.

For Vaughn, capitalizing on an opportunity, then gaining respect and distinction by any clear definition, is precisely satisfying beyond tangible measure.

“I have a genuine love for A&M that overpowered any other option I had leaving St. Thomas,” Vaughn says. “And I always dreamed of being in that uniform on the court representing the university. Whether it’s in front of our fans or on the road in the SEC, to share this chance with this group means more than I can describe. I’m blessed to be in this position.”

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RED & WHITE WAVES OF SUCCESS Sebastian Ortiz ’20, Dylan Michaels ’21, and Josh McLean ’22 teamed for three top-two individual results while igniting valuable relay finishes in leading St. Thomas to a second consecutive TAPPS Division I state swimming championship at the Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio.

The Aqua Eagles in the first season with head coach Van Jones successfully defended their first ever title outpacing perennial kingpin El Paso Cathedral for the second straight year. St. Thomas racked 303.5 points for a winning margin of 29.5 raising the total to 105 state titles in the rich annals of St. Thomas athletics. It was the eighth top-four state outcome for St. Thomas in 11 years.

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The versatile Ortiz followed Michaels in racing to a 1-2 Eagle finish in the 200 yard freestyle and then blistered a runner-up result in the 500 free.

Ortiz sizzled with McLean and Michaels in the 200 free relay that took second (1:30.92). He then capped his acclaimed Eagle career with the anchor swim for fourth place in the 400 free relay finale (3:25.88) that included Michaels as St. Thomas clinched the crown by reducing its entry time by more than 10 seconds.

McLean swam the lead leg in the 200 medley relay that took third (1:41.38), then captured fourth in the individual medley and fifth in the 100 breaststroke.

Notable Eagle Swimming results include: • McLean, Griffin Gregory ’21, Patrick Pham ’21, and

Carrick Brogan ’22 finished 3rd in the 200 medley relay • Michaels 1st and Ortiz 2nd in the 200 free • McLean 4th and Charlie Ramirez ’22 9th in the 200 individual medley • Brogan 9th and Dylan Sandrock ’22 15th in the 50 free • Pham 5th, Patrick Greaney ’21 9th, and Ramirez 10th in the 100 butterfly • Michaels 7th in the 100 free

• Ortiz 2nd, Aidan Brelinsky ’20 11th, and Ethan Armenta ’20 15th in the 500 free

• McLean, Brogan, Michaels and Ortiz 2nd in the 200 free relay • Pham 8th, Max Kasse ’23 9th, Sandrock 10th, and Brogan 12th in the 100 backstroke

• Pham 8th, Sandrock 10th, and Brogan 12th in the 100 backstroke • McLean 5th and Gregory 7th in the 100 breaststroke • Brelinsky, Greaney, Michaels and Ortiz closed with 4th in the 400 free relay The state championship success comes after St. Thomas earned a third straight regional title, its fifth in six years.

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THREE AND OUT The end zone scoreboard at Bryan High School dripped frigid mist in a miserable mid-February night. The equally familiar and unsavory result chilled the Eagle Soccer contingent to the bone in a way Mother Nature could never match.

Crooked numbers were flanked by a clock ticking to triple zeroes aligning with the finality of a fatal series of threes ... the 3-2 verdict for a third consecutive Final Four elimination to three-time defending state champion San Antonio Central Catholic, a scintillating St. Thomas season wiped clean in less than three hours.

That same day Red and White confidence provided an internal warmth eager to rule the night. A battle-tested roster filled with experience, moxy, and polished skill was parading a streak of 10 consecutive victories and only two defeats in 28 games ... amid a four-year tour de force run pulsed with runaway wins and emotional intensity ... begging for a return to the big bacchanal to trade blows with the burley bully.

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But the Eagles were dished another dose of sour mash poured by a heavy hand, dealt defeat by the reigning and undisputed heavyweight champ, denied from finishing one of the most meaningful title runs in the rich history of Eagle Athletics.

The razor-thin outcome followed a 2-1 gut punch in the 2019 state semifinals after absorbing a 1-0 soul crusher for the 2018 state title.

“Disappointing is an empty adjective but that’s what we were left with,” head coach Kenny Martin ’01 says. “We’ve had phenomenal success but just not enough in three games that essentially decided three straight championships. We’ve grown the program from being in the playoffs and on the fringe to a powerhouse contender. But that’s not enough. We have to find a way to close the deal.”

The Eagles sliced a 2-0 count with less than seven minutes remaining in the first half, a temporary jolt created by the kinetic energy of irrepressible midfielder David Steffes ’20.

The only other scoring response came from midfielder Pablo Tager ’21 late in the second half after trailing 3-1.

Another bad day at Black Rock, a cold-slap reminder of how close - yet still so far - the Eagles are from returning to soccer’s golden throne. But this latest title tilt challenge was not climbing a mountain in roller skates.

The Eagles didn’t assume another underdog role content with playing methodical field position and hoping for a favorable ricochet.

No longer were the two sides separated by tempo and tactics set by superior talent at the skill positions. Eagle Soccer flashed offensive creativity and a defense tough enough to cause problems for the high-powered kingpins. Subterfuge was not required.

Every post mortem metric reflected the 50-50 nature of the king kong-frontation except for shots on goal, and there Martin’s marauders blitzed Central Catholic 27-11, rendering the measly final margin all the more agonizing to accept.

“They executed better, made more of fewer opportunities.

It’s that simple,” Martin says.

I LOVED HOW DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTORS STEPPED UP WHEN THEY WERE NEEDED,” MARTIN SAYS.

“The start was a little bit of a surprise,” Martin says.

“A good surprise.”

Captain Alex Rivero ‘20 staged a scintillating senior sendoff arming again with Tager to fuel a high octane attack. Rivero racked 22 goals (with eight assists) after emerging as the program’s single-season scoring prince with 38 in 2019 and 84 points. Tager found the net 18 times seizing individual momentum from a sizzling summer circuit where he was selected as the top forward at the invitation-only EXOS Southwest Showcase.

Steffes, Prioli, and Santiago Labarthe ’22 gave the Eagles three additional prime threats (identical lines of 13 goals and 11 assists) in an array of weapons. The three earned All-State acclaim with Steffes and Prioli named first team; Labarthe and Vara second team; and Tager honorable mention.

“I loved how different contributors stepped up when they were needed,” Martin says. “We constantly tweaked lineup combinations, played Nico more at forward. He was strong enough with the ball to hold off defenders, and that allowed Alex and Pablo to better exploit their speed from the wings.

It opened a whole new dimension.”

The Eagles had set the showdown stage after dismantling San Antonio St. Mary’s Hall 2-0 to open the playoff money month and completing the season series sweep of The Village School 3-1 in the regional finals.

High school soccer is often characterized (if not criticized) for blandness and uniformity. The Eagles blew that complaint to bits by blitzing its non-district opponents 62-10 while stacking 15 wins and a tie in 18 outings. The demolition continued with a 9-1 district romp with coldblooded goalkeeper Robert Vara ’20 posting six shutouts and allowing a scant six goals.

Included in the regular-season carnage was a superb showing in the Jacksonville (FL) Soccer Showcase where Nico Prioli ’20, Steffes, and Vara were named to the All-Showcase team. And a signature knock came late December courtesy of an under-manned lineup that out-fought UIL regional 5A power Sharpstown 1-0.

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The biggest unknown for Martin entering the campaign was reestablishing a backline identity with deluxe defender Zach Blice ’19 moving on to Jacksonville University of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Jamil Qasem ’21 and Cade Delagarza ’21 emphatically answered the call shrinking their collective learning curve despite limited time playing together before this season.

“The competitive edge is what defined this team,” Martin says. “A talented group for sure but there was so much more. Steffes and (sophomore) Ruben Vara at midfield gave us that ‘no fear’ identity that was infectious.

Nico played out of position when Alex got hurt and was a quality striker. Cade and Jameel were unexpected pluses.

Guys stepped up and were great contributors around the proven performers.”

Martin continues as the program’s majordomo in his 19th year and ninth as head coach, the mastermind behinda 25-3-1 season, a sublime standard of 88 victories and only 15 defeats in 111 games since 2017.

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The culture change began decisively in 2016 with a renewed commitment to player development. The transformation was also brought from a tougher team mentality, a high pressing style, and occasionally the freakishly competitive catalyst - Rory Hogan ’17, Jacob Manley ’18, Blice - who will exert everything possible to gain an advantage and just win, baby.

The undaunted Eagles embraced a ‘united pursuit’ mantra throughout the 2020 season, flashing enough poise, swagger, and skill to make a sword-juggling tightropewalker jealous. Still, the wild thrill rides have led to a series of season ending setbacks when the difference for the TAPPS holy grail was the width of a shoelace.

A program convinced of its championship DNA is still lacking empirical evidence.

Martin admits that the intense hunger for the elusive final victory remains savagely unsatisfied. For him, for all.

“Give us one more chance.”

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Eagle Football rallied from a less than brilliant beginning to stage a revival to rival Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.

Starting 0-2 out of the gate and slapped with a 2-3 mark at midseason, the Eagles adjusted with a hard reverse thanks to a relentless resolve. A group that refused to panic and splinter rebounded to rake seven straight wins, nine victories in 10 games, and reach the TAPPS Division I state semifinals for the first time since 2014 and ’15.

With quarterback Maddox Kopp ’21 stretching seams and defeating schemes, game breaking receiver Cameron Bonner ‘21 emerging as the offensive player with the highest ceiling, and a defense capable of long stretches of shutdown swagger, St. Thomas averaged more than 40 points per outburst in their blitzkrieg to a second straight undefeated district title and beyond.

The Eagles surged into the November money month with urgency and immediacy, searching for something audacious and achievable, simultaneously. But after detonating two explosive playoff knocks, a season that once sizzled crashed and burned at the Ford Center in Frisco. Reality arrived in the Final Four match with Dallas Parish Episcopal like a fence post swung by Buford Pusser.

Running back John Fontenot ‘21 rushed for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns after Kopp teamed with receiver Spencer Kryger ‘20 for a score in the second stanza but Eagle Football ran low on octane and defensive resistance in a 41-21 defeat.

No impassioned, season changing speech or movie caliber moment of truth would save the day. Streak snapped, title hopes dashed, disappointment complete. Reminded once again that Radiohead was right - gravity always wins.

The Eagles launched the postseason in the friendly confines of Hotze Field inside Granger Stadium. Kopp feasted on a scoring buffet of seven touchdowns in his first varsity playoff start - throwing, running, and a Super Bowllike “Philly Special” reception in the pivotal first half as Eagle Football cruised to a 51-35 romp over Addison Trinity Christian Academy.

St. Thomas led 14-0 after the first period, 28-10 at halftime, and was never threatened.

The swashbuckling and swaggy Kopp practically catapulted to outsized folk hero status while almost single-handedly terminating TCA’s playoff fate with 419 total yards. He took a Ginsu knife to the Trojan defense, connecting on scoring strikes to Crissmon in the first quarter, Kryger in the second period, and twice with receiver Drake Martinez ‘21 in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles answered TCA’s first points of the game midway second period with a Josh Crissmon ‘20 kickoff return to the Trojans’ eight-yard line.

Kopp then took a direct shotgun snap, handed off to Fontenot moving left, who then flipped the ball to Kryger reversing right.

Kryger didn’t try to run the ball. He didn’t even pause.

He simply rolled and lofted a short pass to the front right corner of the end zone, where Kopp cradled the first touchdown reception of his career. The trickeration was reminiscent of the Philadelphia Eagles’ antics featuring quarterback Nick Foles in their pasting of the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

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It was Kryger’s fourth completion of the season. In four attempts. With all four resulting in touchdowns. Seriously.

The following week in the regional playoff in Rusk, Bonner bolted in Usain fashion for electrifying 94 and 79-yard touchdown receptions and added a critical fourth quarter interception as the resilient Eagles disposed of Dallas Bishop Lynch 21-7.

St. Thomas required emergency quarterback relief from starting defensive back Aidan O’Hare ‘21 whose third period interception set the stage for the first Bonner breakaway moment. On the first snap following the swipe and from the brink of his end zone, Kopp found Bonner with a high arcing throw up the right sideline. He timed the completion perfectly and raced untouched for a 14-0 advantage with just under 7:00 remaining in the period.

On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Bonner leaped high for a catch in the right seam, quickly landed, and turned on the jets leaving defenders chasing with no chance for redemption. His second scintillating score raised the count to the eventual final margin. It was simply Bonner’s latest in a series of signature plays that dilate your pupils. After a 101 receiving yards in his varsity playoff debut against TCA, Bonner doubled dipped the production on only six grabs and proved to be two-way valuable midway final stanza.

With Bishop Lynch on the move and threatening the red zone, Bonner made a sliding takeaway to keep the 21-7 cushion intact.

The run and hit Eagle defense forced a first half Friar fold up of five straight punts and then pilfered three interceptions in the second half. It was the fourth first half shutout of the season after China Spring in Week 6, Tomball Concordia Lutheran opening district in Week 7, and San Antonio Central Catholic in Week 9.

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The array of marauders flanked by linebacker Cooper Thomas ’20 (Columbia University) who was part of 13 tackles and defensive manchild Chidera Umeh ’20 smothered Bishop Lynch to only 243 total yards, one single solitary first down in its first four possessions, and one measly third down conversion in eight attempts.

The Friars wheezed to a lone scoring drive aided by a face mask penalty and were pronounced DOA when linebacker Vince Lee ‘21 (part of 9 tackles) collected the third St. Thomas takeaway with 2:22 remaining in the game.

The turnaround tour was performance punctuated with plenty of effort and plenty of fight in a righteous raucous recovery that provided the strongest hold steady since Craig Finn and the crew covered “Atlantic City.” The Eagles concluded a campaign where it beat almost everybody for two months but still left themselves wanting more.

That’s the feeling of raised expectations that the standard of success for Eagle Football has returned to excellence.

In spots this season, the Eagles hit that mark. In others, they did not.

St. Thomas is confident moving forward that they have a quarterback and a series of weapons to pile points.

They have adopted a dual offensive/defensive identity of attacking without fear and with a double dose of aggression.

The exhausting non-negotiable work that many teams try to avoid must be embraced to lay the proper foundation for continued championship contention.

The offseason is already well underway.

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SOARING SEASONS The 2019 gold rush for Eagle Football and Eagle Cross Country bore a motherlode of postseason acclaim for nearly two dozen key contributors after deep state championship contention.

The annual Fall Sports Banquet again celebrated significant St. Thomas team and individual success. Nicholas Chander ’20 was named Eagle Cross Country’s most valuable performer after leading a TAPPS 6A runner-up result. He clocked the 5,000-meter layout in Waco in 17:10.3 to capture sixth place after a top-20 state finish in 2018. The commended scholar athlete added Academic All-State to his first team All-State distinction.

Richard Gerlach ’20 was presented with the program’s Eagle Heart Award and Patrick Bourg ’23 was named most improved. The latest team accomplishment concluded a commanding season in the 15th campaign for head coach Nathan Labus who has been associated with the program for a near quarter century.

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Relentless linebacker Cooper Thomas ’20 was selected as Eagle Football’s MVP and joined 14 teammates to collect Division I All-State distinction. Uber active safety Daniel Coco ’20 earned first team status for the second straight season. He joined Thomas in the exclusive company along with receiver Cameron Booner ’21, defensive lineman Max Garcia ’20, kicker Paul Langemeier ’20, and St. Thomas Lineman of the Year Travis Taylor ’20.

The second team included quarterback Maddox Kopp ’21, receiver Josh Crissmon ’20, and running back John Fontenot ’21.

Offensive lineman Ryan Hanks ’21, receivers Spencer Kryger ’20 and Drake Martinez ’21, linebacker Vince Lee ’21, defensive back Aidan O’Hare ’21, and defensive lineman Chidera Umeh ’20 received honorable mention.

Defensive MVP Coco and Thomas were recognized as Academic All-State with Kryger, Lee, and defensive back Cameron McCurry ’21.

The marauding Thomas was a menace throughout his stellar senior campaign. He racked an outrageous 63 individual tackles and shared in 96 others including 19 for loss.

With Kopp detonating in his first starting season for nearly 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns, the Eagles had more guns in the sky than INXS. The connection with Bonner was a new sensation not seen since Live Baby Live rocked Wembley Stadium producing 1,208 yards, an average of 27 yards per catch, and 12 touchdowns.

The combo shared the team offensive MVP and was most lethal in the TAPPS 6A playoff that produced 94 and 79yard scores. The 21-7 knockout over Dallas Bishop Lynch secured the first St. Thomas regional title since 2015.

The Crissmon-Martinez tag team generated 1,130 yards and 13 reservations for six. Kryger added 586 yards with four scores and flashed the stat line for the ages - four pass completions in four attempts for four touchdowns.

As a receiver. Seriously.

Mac Sage ’20 was the Eagle Football’s Special Teams Player of the Year while Jackson Phillips ’20 was honored with the program’s prestigious Hartnett Award given each year to a senior performer who best exemplifies the characteristics of leadership, dedication, and courage.

Previously Langemeier was named Specialist of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Houston at the 8th Annual Private High School Awards Dinner, presented by the Hildebrand Foundation and Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. He converted 12 of 16 field goal attempts, all 44 of his extra points, and had 33 of 69 kickoffs result in touchbacks.

Crissmon was nominated for Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Year, Coco and Thomas for Defensive Player of the Year, and Umeh for Lineman of the Year. Rich McGuire was a finalist for Coach of the Year after leading Eagle Football to seven straight victories, nine wins out of 10, and the TAPPS Division I Final Four in his third season.

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GETCARTER! Hope Arive is convinced there was almost a destiny or fate or cosmic power in her only son finding his way to a Basilian institution well into its second century with a deep legacy for academic rigor in the classroom and ethical living in every arena.

Hope held back tears from the emotions bombarding her amygdala. “My heart is overflowing. This is the crowning glory of his life so far. For both of our lives.”

Carter is a two-year two-sport dynamo, the muscle man in the middle of the offensive trenches for Eagle Football during a resurgent 9-4 season that reached the TAPPS Division I state semifinals.

But the mammoth 6-2 280-pound Carter is at his ferocious best as a full frontal force for Eagle Track and Field. And he was never better than when igniting a fast and furious St. Thomas surge to capture the 2019 6A state title.

“I was aware of St. Thomas even before Eli was born.

I drove past the campus every day to the Medical Center for work. Then a co-worker told me her son graduated from St. Thomas. Tuition assistance made it happen. She was so proud of her son, what he became, a college graduate with a master’s degree, now with his own family. She believes it was all because of St. Thomas. That’s what I wanted for Eli. After two years I knew I had to make the sacrifice to give him the best possible education in the best possible place.

And look at the results.”

Those results were in full glory on the brink of a holiday season synonymous with giving and appreciation.

Eli Carter ’20 embraced the belief that the greatest gift is packaged in an opportunity, the chance to identify true self worth and advance through merit.

Carter’s Christmas arrived two weeks early in a celebration cementing his decision to continue his track and field career at Stephen F. Austin State University throwing the shot put and discus.

“My mother is my biggest motivation,” Eli says. “From day one she wanted me to go to college and be successful.

The financial resources to make that happen were not a given. I knew I had to find a way. And this is my way.

So much hard work has made this dream come true.

My dream and my mother’s.”

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The seismic shift in the championship landscape began with Carter twisting, turning, hurling the discus 152-02 to stake first place on the state stage in Waco.

He then moved to the shot put ring and applied a simple physics equation of angle and velocity.

Carter muscled a throw of 50-08.25 for his second gold medal in a matter of minutes. The tide had turned and was ready to engulf.

St. Thomas eventually clinched the crown when high jumper Peyton Matocha ’19 provided the pivotal exclamation point that pushed the Eagles into command position in the final event.

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A delightfully dizzy conclusion in the way Howard Finster’s paintings or Sonny Landreth’s slide guitar solos are enjoyably insane. And Carter served as the catalyst.

“Before that state meet I would look at my numbers, look who I was throwing against, and say to myself, ‘I’m not that good,’” Carter says. “But ever since, I have had the confidence of a champion, that I’m one of the top throwers in Texas. I realize my talent and the potential to achieve even more. That’s what pushes me every day.”

Carter began his high school career at UIL Cypress Park before making the bold move to St. Thomas before his junior year. His was a deep dive into a vast unknown.

The demanding transition academically was in many ways a culture shock for Carter not without pains in growing.

But he paired purpose with passion into daily due diligence bookmarked by miniature triumphs - authentic self esteem not reflected in selfies gradually emerged.

“I got a fresh start with a chance to show who I really am,” Carter says with obvious assertion. “This is a demanding environment but I was determined to make it work, to shine, and make this school mine. What I’ve accomplished is because of one-on-one work with teachers and counselors. I wouldn’t be in this position without them.”

I KNEW I HAD TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE TO GIVE HIM THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION IN THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE. AND LOOK AT THE RESULTS.

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Carter is now poised for a spectacular senior sendoff before his journey sends him to SFA. Hope trusts that he is properly prepared for his next unknown, equipped with an internal joy and infectious personality to be an agent of change no matter what he encounters. “Because of what Eli has learned here ... the goodness, discipline, and knowledge ... that will allow him to move on wherever his life leads him He has that foundation. He’s a Man of St. Thomas.”

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EAGLES RISE TO NEXT HORIZONS A fab four of St. Thomas scholar athletes assembled and celebrated commitments to extend their late-charging careers to the university level.

Umeh represents an off the radar prize that fits a program marking a fresh start with Blane Morgan. He was named head coach in December 2019 becoming the third since the university re-established the program before the 2010 season.

“The Lamar coaches sat me down during my official visit and talked me through the details,” Umeh says. “I plan on being a completely different player in college, dedicating myself fully to the game, and continuing to learn what it takes to become great.”

Thomas was a marauding menace throughout his stellar senior campaign that ended in the TAPPS Division I semifinals.

At 6-2 and 215 pounds he raced sideline to sideline to rack an outrageous 63 individual tackles and shared in 96 others including 19 for loss. His All-State and Academic All-State status served as a testament to intelligence plus work ethic plus intensity plus desire to accentuate his skill set and ability.

Kingpins who closed out fueling state championship contention for Eagle Football and Eagle Cross Country.

Young and restless talents who are proving relentless, projecting promise that would dwarf their already acclaimed successes.

Defensive end Chidera Umeh ’20 teamed with offensive tackle Travis Taylor ’20 and linebacker Cooper Thomas ’20 one final time in the St. Thomas Hall of Honor, flanked by cross country/track and field runner Blazek Skucius ’20. The pomp and circumstance included family and supporters saluting the past but with a sharper collective focus fixed on the future.

“I’m just getting started. It’s going to be a movie. I’m telling you that right now.”

The bold but never brash Umeh is emphatic that Lamar University football is the proper stage to lift his sizable 6-5, 200-pound chase-down potential.

“My first sport was basketball. I wanted to be the next LeBron James,” Umeh says. “But in high school, you try new things and football became my passion. This means the world to me, to give back to my family for all the sacrifices they have made.”

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“From a young age I fell in love with not just football but the process - the weight room, the conditioning, the video study,” Thomas says. “When you think about it, the actual games are such a small percentage of your investment. The relationships with teammates and coaches are what make football so rewarding. I’ve worked so hard to use the game to provide a great education. The Columbia coaching staff was awesome and New York City is a great culture for discovery. There isn’t a better environment to develop and grow as a young man.”

The 6-3, 285-pound Taylor accepted a preferred walk-on position with the University of Louisville. The decision registers deeply within his family given their history with Cardinal athletics. Cousin Chris Thieneman was a 1985 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American defensive lineman for Howard Schnellenberger. Grandfather Steve Riley was a distinguished LU basketball-baseball performer in the mid-1950s. He died in September 2019 at age 84.

“It means the world to me to continue the legacy,” Taylor says.

“When my grandfather passed, it changed my outlook on football and life in general. I became more determined and serious. I wish he was here today to see and share in this. One great bonus about Louisville is my mother’s family is in the city. My cousin is the superintendent of the Catholic high schools. Faith, family, and football are what this represents.”

Taylor joins a program in an accelerated turnaround orchestrated by head coach Scott Satterfield. The 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year guided the Cardinals to the largest win increase of any ACC team and a second-place finish in the Atlantic Division after a winless conference season in 2018.

“College football in a Power Five conference is an entirely different world than high school,” Taylor says.

“Coaches emphasized that to me throughout the off-season, that this is a business and players have to understand that.

My mindset as soon as I get (to campus) is to work as hard as I can regardless of the role, any aspect of the program. It’s time to kick it into another gear and be prepared to compete.”

And he’s positioned for one final lasting hurrah in track and field as the Eagles aim to defend their 2019 state title.

Skucius' sendoff season includes a personal record in the 3200 meters at the Episcopal Dick Phillips Relays.

The next stop is Lyon College, an NAIA liberal arts institution in Arkansas affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

“This opportunity means more than I could have imagined,” Skucius says. “I’ve been running since I was eight and it didn’t hit me until my senior year that I wanted to continue competitively. When the chance was there, it was an easy decision. Lyon represents the same kind of brotherhood that I’ve had at St. Thomas. This is such a blessing.”

Eagle Football head coach Rich McGuire acknowledged the ties that bind his three still developing Eagles and that college coaches are often just as interested in “who the person is because that’s ultimately going to determine what type of player you get. Travis, Cooper, and Chidera all bought into the demands of our program, made the adjustments, and as seniors were leaders on the field and off, making sacrifices, getting stronger and faster. There was no hesitation with their intent. All will be extremely tough to replace. We couldn’t be more thrilled for what is coming up next for them.”

Skucius was immediately off and running as a consistent four-year contributor for Eagle Cross Country and head coach Nathan Labus. Skucius’ top-10 finish in 2018 keyed the first of two consecutive second-place results at the TAPPS 6A state championships.

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BIRDS OF A FEATHER - STICKING TOGETHER AND STICKING IT TO OPPONENTS ONE YEAR LATER, THE PLAYERS WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, THE SEEDS WERE THE SAME, AND SO WAS THE DISAPPOINTING RESULT FOR EAGLE BASKETBALL. An unsavory close to an otherwise satisfying season.

The Eagles concluded an 18-14 campaign reaching the TAPPS 6A regional finals and falling to San Antonio Antonian for the second consecutive season. It was also the second and final go-round with head coach Gary Hall in his commitment to reestablishing Eagle Basketball as a state championship contender.

In many ways, the full definition of the Eagle ensemble didn’t emerge until the midway milepost when 6-5 Maddox Kopp ’21 joined the starting lineup from quarterbacking Eagle Football to the TAPPS Division I state semifinals and immediately made an immeasurable impact - scoring, rebounding, leading, inspiring.

Scoring supreme Johnathan Massie ’21 was a consistent dynamic creator both in free flow transition or when orchestrating in half court sets, negotiating and leveraging tiny openings, whether the shot was a runner, a fader, a drive, a move to the rim, a leaner, a spot-up, whatever. The surrounding cast of Dillon Lowe ’21, Cael Boeckman ’21, and Travis Ealy ’21 was a mix of suburban-tough graduates of Our Lady of Perpetual Release and Swish who launched a whole lot of treys.

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“He recognized St. Thomas is a great match in many ways with the other schools who are routinely involved. We’re certainly grateful for John’s consideration and what this will mean for St. Thomas moving forward.”

The flame-throwing Lowe scorched four buckets in the second half from beyond the arc in the 56-47 comeback win over Memorial that provided a stiff momentum boost into the money months. The runner-up 8-2 district mark was highlighted by a 77-74 overtime victory over then no. 3 state ranked Tomball Concordia Lutheran.

In December the Eagles engaged in one of the most prestigious hoopathons in the United States for the first time in program history - the 39th annual Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

“That was for our school and our student athletes, to represent St. Thomas on a national stage and create an awareness unlike ever before,” Hall says. “We’re a program that believes in competition.

We’re a program that believes in being grateful for every opportunity that we have. That was a special week for everyone involved.”

Hall built his championship coaching legacy at Herndon High School in Northern Virginia and his deep relationship with tournament executive director John Rhodes was responsible for the 2019 invitation.

The Eagles played four games in six days starting with a 71-60 defeat to Chicago Whitney Young and Duke signee DJ Steward.

St. Thomas then dominated Buchtel (OH) 53-29 with Kopp scoring 21 points with nine rebounds.

Kopp’s 23 point-13 rebound outburst wasn’t enough in a 70-52 loss to Izard County (AK). The Eagles then finished out with their most complete effort of the tournament, a 90-78 verdict over host Myrtle Beach that included 56% shooting and a +21 rebounding edge.

Massie erupted for 26 points (14-16 free throws) and Lowe drained six bombs from beyond the three-point arc on his way to racking 22. Kopp’s 21 points wrapped his all-tournament selection.

Hall’s first coaching encounter at the Classic was during the 1989 season assisting at Reston (VA) South Lakes led by future Duke legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill. Their first assignment was against famed Archbishop Molloy from Queens, New York flashing point wizard Kenny Anderson. Molloy would eventually capture the tournament championship over Toledo Macomber and Jimmy Jackson, a future two-time All-American at Ohio St. and 15-year NBA veteran.

Such was the deep historic hoop dive for the Eagles as they pushed and pressed into the new year.

“John understood the reputation of our school and how our young men would conduct themselves,” Hall says.

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in memoriam

Robert Paul Bales ’69, February 25, 2020.

Brother of John P. Bales ’57.

Earl R. Cobden ’56, January 15, 2019.

Harold “Burr” Davis, March 2020.

St. Thomas Sports Hall of Famer and prominent assistant for head coach Joe McDonald during a staggering run for Eagle Football that included seven state championships from 1964-70. His coaching style embedded a ferocious work ethic that launched a legion of Eagle graduates to opportunities at the collegiate level. The Jacksonville, Texas native was an Honorable Mention All-American lineman at the University of Houston and later played for the 1959 Canadian Football League Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Dorothy “Dee” Flaherty, March 3, 2020.

Mother of Michael ’78 and Thomas Flaherty ’85, sister-in-law to Mike Prats ’44, Ed Schwartz ’46, and Mike Sharp ’58.

Salvador “Sal” V. Guercio ’72, March 1, 2020.

Brother of Gasper Guercio ’78, nephew to Angelo Santopolo ’44, Michael P. Rumore ’61, and uncle to Vincent Guercio ’06

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Grant Fuller, January 9, 2020.

Father of Thad Benedict ’76, Scott Alexander ’69, and Todd M. Fuller ’73.

A highly decorated and valiant veteran of the United States Army Air Force from 1943-1945; 1st Lieutenant and co-pilot on B-17 bomber, also known as The Flying Fortress; flew 30 missions over Germany as part of the 418th squadron, 8th Air Force; recipient of the Air Medal EAME ribbon and two Bronze Stars; member of the 100th Bomb Group, also known as “The Bloody Hundredth” that inspired the film and television series 12 O’Clock High.

Duane Hundle ’67, December 31, 2019.

Brother of Joseph ’64 and Wesley Hundl ’78.

Paul Rife, January 8, 2020.

Father of Philip A. Rife ’02.

Edward J. Kadlecek ’52, July 4, 2018.

Dr. Alfred E. Smith ’46, December 19, 2019.

Brother of Robert C. Smith ’42, Edwin Smith ’44, and Barry Smith ’50; father of Brad M. Smith ’82 and Christopher Smith; Uncle to Barry Smith Jr. ’78, Suzanne Grant (Danny Grant ’78), Kevin Smith ’80, Alice Rice (Randy Rice ’80), and Stephen Smith ’91; Great Uncle to Daniel Grant ’10, Harrison Grant ’14, and Stephen Smith Jr. ’21.

Andrew Kelley ’54, January 20, 2019.

Stephen J. Lazzaro ’68, January 11, 2020.

Brother of Michael J. Lazzaro ’73.

Ken Martin ’63, March 28, 2020.

George D. Vlasek ’49, December 24, 2019.

Eagle Football assistant coach from 1968-1974 during a stretch where St. Thomas would command five state championships in six years.

John Walter Vogelsang Jr. ’67, February 3, 2020.

Father of John “Nick” Nickolas Vogelsang ’03 and Courtney Vogelsang (St. Agnes Academy ’99).

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