St. Thomas Eagles' Nest Fall 2023

eagles’ nest

TEACHING GOODNESS, DISCIPLINE, AND KNOWLEDGE FOR OVER A CENTURY

eagles’ nest

fall

Rev. James Murphy, CSB - President Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96 - Principal

Daniel Bryant ’93 - Assistant Principal

Mark deTranaltes ’83 - Vice President for Advancement

Patricia Miller - Vice President of Finance

Rodney Takacs - Dean of Students

Keith Calkins - Director of Communications

Steve Cummings ’07 - Alumni Director

eagles’ nest

fall 2023

St. Thomas High School Community

DEPARTMENTS

40 Eagle Flight

St. Thomas emerges as co-champions at the 2023 TAPPS Academics and Speech Championships while the Eagles’ Nest publication earns more national acclaim.

50 Eagle Fight

Eagle Baseball and Eagle Track and Field reach the brink of state titles while Eagle Football named the private school state champion for academic excellence.

74 Eagle Pride

The 32nd Annual St. Thomas Golf Tournament another rousing success while young alumni again gathering and mix at Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

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Features

FAITH, FULFILLMENT, AND FUN

Fr. Tom Rafferty ’75 has embraced people as his purpose and priority through 40 years of esteemed sacred life in service.

SENIOR STORIES

Valedictorian Caleb Davis, salutatorian Thomas Pham, and acclaimed scholar-artist Damian Wilson crafted stellar St. Thomas careers with wide-ranging and roaring achievements.

LES MISERABLES - EPIC, INTENSE, MELODIC BEAUTY

The acclaimed St. Thomas Theater adapted the world-famous production under the astute direction of Dan Green and has never achieved grander heights.

ROUND UP ... UP AND AWAY

WALK THIS WAY

Slack-jawed. Gobsmacked. Astounded. No descriptions appear fitting for the latest rousing results from the annual fundraising extravaganza.

A BOLD LEAP

Faculty member Dr. Grover Green ’04 is assuming the founding headmaster position of a liberal arts school for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

THE RIGHT STUFF

More than the usual Red & White salutes for acclaimed St. Thomas scholar-athletes seizing the chance to continue their careers at the university level.

FRESH HEIR

Johann Cardenas ’24, among the state’s top 100 football recruits just eight months removed from a right knee injury, was proudly showcased in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.

CAPITAL GAINS

The 16th Annual Scholarship Breakfast honored the tradition of philanthropy that remains vital to the school’s cherished Basilian heritage.

The freshly minted St. Thomas graduates are commanded to continue the profound legacy of Basilian college preparatory as they make their mark, wherever life takes them. 6 10 16 24 38

FR. TOM RAFFERTY

FAITH, FULFILLMENT, FUN. AND

Nobody knows what intrinsically motivates the uber-accomplished and most renowned within society, those champions of commerce and celebrity, the power elite across the most inspired industries, be it corporate, political, military, media, or art.

The insatiable push to the outer limits is as mysterious and unique as the individual’s DNA.

Sometimes the cultivation comes from finding - or rediscoveringan essential version of oneself. Often the desire derives from the most simple and human fact. We chase what makes us happiest.

IN 40 YEARS OF ESTEEMED SACRED LIFE IN SERVICE, THAT INSPIRING PURSUIT FOR FR. TOM RAFFERTY ’75 HAS EMBRACED PEOPLE AS HIS PURPOSE AND PRIORITY, NOT THE PROJECT. HIS PURVIEW OVER DIVERSE AREAS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE HAS RELIED ON BUILDING, THEN CEMENTING RELATIONSHIPS.

He is not so much defined by where he comes from, or where he’s headed, but by whom he’s taking along for the ride. “I did a wedding in April decades after performing the groom’s baptism and his parents’ wedding 34 years ago. Eight other adults approached me and said, ‘You baptized me.’ What a blessing to enjoy that kind of connection within just one tightly knit gathering.”

From his scholastic years at St. Thomas and the University of St. Thomas, through St. Mary’s Seminary, and assorted parish stops including St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church in Alief, St. Michael in the Galleria area, 14 years shepherding St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands, all before joining the administrative forces of the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston, Fr. Rafferty remains struck by a lasting lesson learned as a first-time pastor in La Porte.

“Priests come and go, people remain,” he says. “I’ve had families three generations sitting in the pews. During my assignments, I have the obligation to fortify their faith. And they’ll stay long after I’ve moved on.”

Fr. Rafferty shifts with ease from station to station in his robust routine. In the course of a typical month, he could be consulting with a deep confidant who has ascended to the high ranks of the United States Army, or discussing strategic capital campaigns with a befriended big-dollar benefactor, or speaking fervently with a Life Teen or Marriage Encounter group.

His dimension of personality and wide-ranging interests knows no boundary. Fr. Rafferty is equally adept at presiding over the Holy Week commemoration as discussing gameday breakdowns with his brother-in-law and fellow Texans enthusiasts in section 320 of NRG Stadium. He’s entirely approachable as the celebrant of a Tuesday 8:00 a.m. Mass at St. Michael’s and in the next breath can offer intricate plot points from the national tour of “Wicked” performing at the Hobby Center. And the upcoming Sunday, he’s a resounding presence celebrating the latest candidates for Confirmation at St. Anne de Beaupre in The Heights.

And annually Fr. Rafferty “unplugs off the grind” during a driving excursion to northern Georgia, seeking solitude among the trails and mountain views and waterfalls. The rejuvenation fuels his soul to continue his deeply satisfying devotion to God and the Archdiocese “in any way that I can.”

Serving parishes has been a significant impetus of Fr. Rafferty’s calling. But the next signpost along his journey reads Ministry to Priests director in the Archdiocese. He’s succeeding Fr. Phil “Skip” Negley, MS in a pastoral care role for more than 400 clergy from Galveston/ Freeport to Huntsville, Sealy to Baytown.

Fr. Rafferty will provide one-and-one spiritual direction, sacramental reconciliation, support groups, and activities that strengthen the priestly life and the mentoring of the new/early ordained. The transition comes two years after he was appointed by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and director of the Secretariat for Clergy Formation and Chaplaincy Services.

“I’m blessed that the Cardinal recognized my skill set is likely better served in this position,” Fr. Rafferty says. “I’m particularly working with retired priests at St. Dominic’s Village. I’ll continue to live and will now office at St. Michael’s.”

And then Fr. Rafferty quickly adds with sly laughter: “As they say, after Jesus ascended into heaven, he began working at home.”

Like most in the priesthood following vocational discernment, Fr. Rafferty’s path is more random walk than the manifestation of a vision executed with precise preparation. And once he engages, he’s all action. Decisions are needed to be made in quicksilver fashion, not always with abundant information and enough time. Just make things happen. The self-described doer relishes that challenge. “There is a satisfying feeling waking up every morning and knowing you’re going to be in a position to do your best for God’s good and the institution.”

Fr. Rafferty was named after Fr. Thomas Francis O’Sullivan, the pastor of his home parish, All Saints Church in The Heights where the bedrock of Fr. Rafferty’s lifelong mission was first nurtured by the emphatic leadership of future Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Vincent Rizzotto and Bishop John McCarthy.

The Basilian influence also proved pivotal in Fr. Rafferty’s commitment to the consecrated. He remains forever part of the St. Thomas terra firma. He’s a consistent sideline guest at Granger Stadium for Friday Night Lights and remains actively involved with his mates from the Class of ’75. The yearly Christmas festivities include Mass and white elephant gift exchange “where the proceedings quickly retreat to our sophomore year in high school. I consider them all family.

“I vividly remember Fr. (Les) Schaefer as a de facto disciplinarian. He could enter the cafeteria and 350 boys would turn deadly silent. Once a student asked, ‘Why did you give me a D?’ The retort - ‘Because I like you.’ Fr. (John) Wick was a Shakespearean philosopher. When discipline was necessary, he would tell a student ‘to sit in the corner and hang your head in shame.’ So many of the great Basilians were huge reasons I became a priest. When it was time to be solemn and serious, they were solemn and serious. And when it was time to have fun, they had fun. I could see through those men that this was a good life.”

And in his 40th anniversary year as a priest, Fr. Rafferty isn’t prone to think legacy as if the introspection suggests a completeness to accomplishments that he thinks is inaccurate.

“It’s all about handoffs to the next generation because if they don’t totally own it, it won’t happen,” he says. “But I couldn’t see my life any other way. I’ve been so blessed with great friends and relationships that are incredibly gratifying.”

ROUND UP ...

UP AND AWAY

ACCURATE ADJECTIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECURRING ROUSING RESULTS FROM THE ANNUAL ROUND UP FUNDRAISING EXTRAVAGANZA HAVE LONG BEEN REMOVED FROM THE VERNACULAR.

Obliterated.

For the most recent installment, try stunned. Or slack-jawed. Gobsmacked. Astounded. No justice.

Somehow. Some way. Eagle scholars navigated another outrageous, mind-numbing, record-smashing Round Up season, ascending the ever-elevated Everest with a mindnumbing total of $819,770 in raffle ticket sales, in the wake of $670,610 in 2022 and $595,145 in 2021.

Yes, $819,770.

Even Houston’s resident icon entrepreneurial goliath Jim McIngvale stood mesmerized on campus to see and stare yet still struggle to believe the latest exploits.

Mattress Mack - a legend in titanic philanthropic circlesis rarely reduced to one-word modifiers.

“Stupefying.”

Near speechless sentiment from the man who once raked $75 million on a single sports wager. Again, $819,770.

Advancing the recent 10-year total to nearly $5.7 million. Roll that figure around your brain for the time it takes to consume the latest TikTok video gone viral. And all monies contribute directly to the school’s tuition assistance program, a Basilian tradition for nearly a century. Vice President for Advancement Mark deTranaltes ’83 again spearheaded the signature brand of petitioning, crafting a strategic plan in collaboration with Alumni Director Steve Cummings ’07.

Valedictorian Caleb Davis ’23 delivered the heaviest Round Up hammer for the second consecutive year. His whopping $69,540 individual sales total shattered the previous single-season mark held by David Hotze ’17 with $62,970 in 2014. Davis concluded a sensational four-year spree that included tallies of $29,105 (the third-highest individual total in Round Up history) in 2022 and $12,800 in 2021 (fourth overall).

Davis led a valiant student body charge that paired a thunderbolt start with relentless effort to the finish. His relentless resolve, insatiable appetite, and acute focus proved to be a fitting culmination of stacking success on success.

The Ultimate Pitch

McIngvale participated in the traditional Friday afternoon reveal at Granger Stadium. He was the special guest of sensational runner-up producer Perri Soper ’23. He and his family became acquainted with McIngvale during fever-pitch Astros games at Minute Maid Park.

“I called Mr. McIngvale and told him I would love to talk with him about our scholarship fundraising efforts for future St. Thomas students,” Soper says. “He was generous enough to have me meet him at his Gallery Furniture headquarters. I gave him the background on Round Up and invited him to participate in our pep rally. It was an honor to have Mr. McIngvale here to support us and our Eagle brothers. He’s truly a special man.”

McIngvale bore witness to a credo he has long embraced since his maturing days in Dallas where he attended Bishop Lynch High School and learned from the side of his acclaim father George Sr. The World War II veteran and renowned financial industrialist was a venerable philantropist who played a critical role in founding the Dominican school in 1963.

"I was taught that the essence of living is giving,” McIngvale says. “The formation of my life was rooted in my Catholic education. Taught me faith, morals, values, and work ethic.

“I told Perri’s mother (Andrea), the world may be dark in many ways, but St. Thomas is a shining point of light. The efforts of these students were amazing. I’m more inspired by these kids than when the Astros won the World Series.”

Power of Persuasion

Davis applied the same zeal and commitment to his Round Up engagement that made him a champion scholar and multi-sport standout for Eagle Athletics.

His dream of hard work and ambition led to extending his student-athlete career at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he’ll study engineering and business.

And Davis again worked the same compelling sales creed through a three-year database of prospective buyers - his was a mission to raise and match the tuition dollars that enable him and his triplet brothers Cooper, Joshua, and Major to attend St. Thomas.

“I hit $40,000 in January and thought, ‘Why stop?’” Davis says with humble but undeterred confidence that “you have to be assertive in telling people your goals and why it’s important. Be ambitious. Ask big. No fear. I met some generous people who were convinced to give. They passed along contacts who were also generous. It’s incredibly gratifying to be part of a group and a senior class that created so many opportunities for future students.”

The Kingpins

Davis steered a swaggering fearsome foursome of entrepreneurs who generated more than $180,000Soper with $45,610, Ben Madden ’23 with $34,830, and Simon Pham ’24 with $31,000.

The righteous Round Up ringleaders included:

» Anthony Hill ’25 closed the top-five with $14,220 after producing $11,540 in 2022

» James Quinlan ’24 with $14,080 after $13,990 in 2022

» Patrick McCarthy ’24 with $13,020 and a third straight top-10 finish ($22,945 in 2022 and $10,330 as a freshman)

» Matthew Villafranca ’23 with $12,340 after $10,680 in 2022

» Jonathon King ’25 with $11,660

» Sam Moore ’24 with $10,260.

The Class of 2023 registered $320,110; the Class of 2024 $177,980; the Class of 2026 $167,595; and the Class of 2025 $155,145.

Round Up. Where conventional wisdom and rational reason need not apply. Where the beats just keep getting bigger, better, and more robust. For the 20th consecutive year.

Round Up. Where the kids routinely rack one King Kong encore after another, each bordering on the absurd. Where the student-driven fundraiser remains unrivaled anywhere in the nation.

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 unrivaled anywhere in the United States. The latest gargantuan results generated more than $819,000 for St. Thomas tuition assistance and raised the ever-growing total to nearly $5.7 million since 2014.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

The yearly rise to unimaginable achievement where universal commitment is essential, rather than reliance on a few luminescent efforts. Results that defy belief.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

The Sunday festival of family and fun, food and friendship brought sizable crowds to campus saluting an uncommon brotherhood and another record-smashing spectacular. Event chairs Paige Dominey, Jennifer Langin, Megan Long, and Carmen Trevino supplied phenomenal leadership. They partnered with a legion of volunteers who devoted countless hours to support another extravaganza.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

See you March 3, 2024!

WALK THIS WAY

The Class of 2023 endured much mayhem and achieved much success both individually and collectively. Now the freshly minted graduates are commanded to continue the profound legacy of Basilian college preparatory as they make their mark, wherever life takes them. To be inventive and inspiring. To advance the natural world, as well as the human spirit, through science and technology and faith. Through power and prosperity in tandem with large-scale human cooperation. All avenues for progress.

By mid-afternoon of the festive Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement celebration, nearly 200 scholars tossed their caps in the air from the steps of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. An enthusiastic roar of applause arose from the next wave of alumni, alongside their treasured family members and friends who gathered for the school’s 123rd commencement.

President Fr. James Murphy, CSB, Principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96, Assistant Principal Daniel Bryant ’93, and Board President Greg Phillips ’82 welcomed Eagle scholars who will enter esteemed colleges and universities throughout the United States. Fr. Maurice Restivo, CSB

The Best of the Best

Valedictorian Celeb Davis and salutatorian Thomas Pham addressed the gathering of classmates who were awarded more than $17 million in merit-based scholarships to renowned colleges, universities, and academies throughout the United States.

“We must continue to thrive with goodness, discipline, and knowledge throughout the rest of our lives,” Davis said. “Our job is not yet finished. We still have much work to do to cement ourselves in St. Thomas history. Let’s be the class that charges into the world and makes a positive impact on every community and every family we encounter. Let us all make St. Thomas proud. And as we reach the end of our time together in high school, remember to move forward with the power of the Holy Spirit and our outstanding education. God bless the Class of 2023.”

The multi-acclaimed Davis will continue his stellar scholarathlete career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he plans to study engineering and business. He earned a 4.81 grade point average with an unheard-of perfect 36 score on the ACT. Davis and Pham were both two-year members of the St. Thomas Chapter of the National Honor

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, ST. THOMAS HAS PRIMED ITS GRADUATES FOR A LIFE OF PURPOSE AND CONTINUAL EXPLORATION - YOUNG MEN EMPOWERED TO BRIDGE DIVIDES AND ENGAGE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, POISED TO PURSUE HUMAN AIMS AND DEFINE TRUE WORTH IN THE EYES OF GOD.

Jake Pike ’23 was selected for the Rev. Albert R. Gaelens, CSB Award, given to the senior student who best embodies the school motto of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge. Seniors are nominated by their peers for this distinction and the faculty then votes on those receiving the most nominations. Pike is another exemplary member of the St. Thomas Club and a two-year member of the National Honor Society. He will extend his scholarathlete career with Lehigh University basketball.

The Principal’s Service and Leadership Award was given to Vincent Landoli ’23 who will study at the University of Dallas. Ted Naeher ’23 received the Rev. Ronald G. Schwenzer, CSB Campus Ministry Award for most exemplifying the Man of St. Thomas motto of Faith, Service, and Leadership. The St. Thomas Club and National Honor Society member will continue his scholar-athlete career with the University of Tennessee rugby. Fr. Schwenzer was appointed in 2006 the first president in St. Thomas history after serving eight years as principal, working tirelessly to develop citizen scholars and relentless leaders during his tenure.

Robust Scholarship

Austin Burke ’23 and Damian Wilson ’23 earned finalist acclaim in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The two represented among the most elite scores from the PSAT Qualifying Test and were awarded National Merit $2,500 scholarships. Burke will attend Rice University after receiving the Stephens Scholarship Award for Outstanding St. Thomas Seniors and was also awarded multiple scholarships from Texas A&M and Trinity University. Wilson will study at the University Notre Dame after considering offers from Trinity and the University of Alabama, plus awards from Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Saint Louis University.

Davis joined 16 additional St. Thomas scholars selected as National Merit Commended Students from the Class of 2023, recognized for “the exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test used for program entry.” The St. Thomas total in this esteemed category has grown to 56 since 2017 and now includes:

Benjamin Brown

Isaac Cabello

Evan De Anda

James Dickinson

Thomas Erb

Alexander Erickson

Nathaniel Hulvey

Garner Kelling

Vincent Le

Evan McCarthy

Caleb McClure

Charlie O’Leary

Jake Pike

Caleb Sudkamp

Frans Vingerhoedt

Bradley Wight

Ten additional St. Thomas scholars were named to the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program. The honor was extended to students who scored in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test-takers in the region.

The latest group bringing the St. Thomas total to 42 in the previous six years includes:

Mateo Albrecht ’23

Eduardo Carstensen ’23

Manuel Cohen ’24

Eldon De Anda ’23

Rafael Joseph ’24

Zackary Parker ’23

Isaac Perez ’24

Adrian Pruneda ’24

Luka Salcedo ’23

William Wittman ’24

Luke Anigbogu ’23 and Samuel Pratt ’23 were selected for the National African American Recognition Program, and Levi Finkelman ’24 and Thomas Roberson ’24 for the National Indigenous Recognition Program.

Venture Forth

More than a dozen St. Thomas graduates will attend Texas A&M. Multiple scholars are advancing to other prestigious destinations such as the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, Baylor University, Auburn University, Colorado School of the Mines, Gonzaga University, Louisiana State University, the University of Mississippi, St. Edward’s University, Southwestern University, the University of Alabama, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M at Galveston, Texas Christian University, the University of Oklahoma, Blinn College, Rice, and Trinity. Eagle scholars will also attend renowned institutions such as Belmont University, Clemson University, Florida State University, Fordham University, Loyola University Chicago, Villanova University, Sam Houston State University, the University of Arkansas, the University of Louisville, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Washington at St. Louis.

The Great Awaits

In between the reverence of tradition and the joyous moments of May 20 were invitations for the Class of 23 to take stock with satisfaction for the passion and perseverance in creating the journeys just completed, and next push confidently to embark on a shifting world.

The seniors showed the promise and potential to gain knowledge outside their comfort zones. They were developed to seek truth rather than fighting solely on belief and to embrace the people they will meet who may otherwise exist at the edge of their awareness because of differences in ideology, culture, or socioeconomic status. Every St. Thomas graduate may shape history by following his sense of adventure, discovering the wisdom of history, and understanding how it shapes his life.

PROUDLY SALUTING THE LEGACY GRADUATES

Generations of living the standard of goodness, disciple, and knowledge

CLINTON - Posie IV ’91, Jack ’23, and Posie V ’19.

JONES - Matthew ’23 and Daniel ’20.

HERNANDEZ - Andrew ’18 and Ryan ’23.

HORAN - Tom III ’85, John ’71, Nicholas ’23, Jonathon ’25, Tim ’73, Gregory ’89, Tom ’62 (deceased), Thomas ’17 (not pictured).

BOURG - Patrick ’23 and Charlie ’90.

BROWN - Alex ’92, John Banks ’23, and Adam ’87.

FROM THE CLASS OF 2023

SOPER - John Anderson ’02, Perri ’23, Michael ’85 and Joseph Anderson ’08.

SALVATIERRA - Rene Salvatierra ’88, Carlos Salvatierra ’86, Casey Salvatierra ’23, Robert Gonzales ’86, Ernest Mercado ’82 and Bryan Mercado ’02 (not pictured).

SHIRLEY - Edwin Young ’63, Ryan ’23, Dylan ’20.

SERRETT - Will ’23 and Michael ’94.

RUIZ - Ryan ’23 and Raymond ’78.

KELLER - Blake ’23, Most Rev. Vincent Rizzotto ’49, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston (deceased); and Manuel Rizzotto ’43 (deceased).

PRUSAK - Joshua ’18, Steven ’23 and Collin ’13.

MICHAEL - George ’16, Jacob ’23 and George “Mike” ’84.

SENIOR

Arete.

That’s a powerful word.

To the Greeks, it meant excellence. It was the ultimate expression - cerebral, physical, moral, spiritual.

The pursuit requires a certain philosophical approach. Because brilliance, inspiration, and skill are not sufficient enough.

Aristotle: We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore excellence is not an act but a habit.

Valedictorian Caleb Davis ’23 is a profound practitioner, the epitome of such a credo coupled with the power of “And”.

His unadulterated academic achievement encompassed a two-year membership in the National Honor Society.

And the prestigious St. Thomas Club - elite students with a minimum 4.0 grade point average for seven consecutive semesters.

And recognition as a National Merit Commended scholar.

And a perfect ACT score of 36. And team captain and catalyst for Eagle Football, a four-year varsity letterman, two-time first-team All-State and Academic All-State. And two varsity seasons with Eagle Baseball, honorable mention All-State, Academic All-State, and All-District.

And continuing his scholar-athlete career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he’s pursuing his fervor in engineering and business among many of the most preeminent scholars from across America.

Sweeping success with astounding significance. And ...

Where Davis was arguably most marvelous at St. Thomas - as the unquestioned two-year leader in the Round Up student fundraising initiative for tuition assistance. He inspired the 2023 record-smashing collective effort with a bold and blistering $69,540 in raffle tickets sales to shatter the single-season mark. After generating $30,000 in 2022, $12,000 in 2021 (4th highest), and $3,000 as a freshman (12th best seller that year).

“Round Up always had a special place in my heart because of how much my family relied on that for me and my brothers (triplets Cooper ’25, Joshua ’25, and Major ’25) to attend St. Thomas,” Davis says. “We wouldn’t be here without the generosity of others. Of all my involvement and accomplishment that’s the one that has meant the most to me.”

“My parents instilled the importance of worth ethic in all facets of my life. And I’m very much aware of setting an example for my brothers. I’m competitive and if there’s an opportunity to set goals, I’m determined to meet or surpass them. I don’t accept falling short of my expectations. Whether it’s academics, athletes, Round Up, or personal objectives, St. Thomas provides a culture where one can thrive in all disciplines.”

Davis projects MIT as an ideal partner to further advance his passion and purpose.

“The university reminds me of St. Thomas in that the students are driven in a very aggressive arena. The chance to learn equally from faculty and colleagues is attractive,” Davis says. “Coming into high school from St. Vincent de Paul (Catholic School), I had designs of making an impact here across all areas. In some ways, athletics is the ultimate reward because you’re contributing to a team outcome. The adrenaline rush of winning cannot be matched.”

And no match is there for Caleb Davis. Undeniable intelligence. And undefinable fury. And unbridled compassion. Arete.

SENIOR

Much before Thomas Pham ’23 elevated to salutatorian status, he was presented with the unenviable (ultimate?) tough act to follow - casting his lot in the formidable shadow of his brother and 2021 valedictorian Patrick Pham.

The initial burst of Pham-arama featured a unique blend of profound personality and performance. Patrick stoked a sheer, irresistible force of charisma with a contagious, megawatt celebrity. His coup de grâce was teaming with Gus Boettcher ’21 for a ground-breaking first-place achievement at the prestigious National Speech & Debate Association Tournament and the first national championship in St. Thomas history.

Yet, the undaunted Thomas harnessed his signature skill set and cleverly crafted a stellar St. Thomas career of his own spiked with wide-ranging and roaring achievements. Such as ...

College Board AP Scholar with Distinction. Thomas also excelled in Dual Credit Philosophy, Dual Credit Texas State and Local Government, and Advanced Journalism. His closing academic year included English Literature, Calculus AB, and Physics.

Pham the younger was a two-year member of the National Honor Society and permanent member of the St. Thomas Club awarded to scholars who maintain a 4.0 GPA during seven consecutive semesters. He was also a four-year recipient of the Principal’s Scholarship for scoring in the top 3% in the High School Placement Test and maintaining a GPA of at least 4.70. 4.70!

He was active in student government and the Youth Council for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston where he was among three from 80-plus members elected Catholic School Vicariate.

Thomas was the lead morning news anchor for Eagle Broadcasting Network, an Eagle Ambassador, a Senior Leader in the St. Thomas House System, a two-sport varsity performer for Eagle Soccer and Eagle Track and Field, and an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America through Troop 642.

Four years of superlative achievement and savvy discovery catapulted Pham into the highly exclusive Honors Program in the Hayes Business School at Texas A&M University while Patrick continued studying in the Canfield Business Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin.

“The program at A&M is only a mix of 80 students,” Thomas says. “When I first opened the offer, I was like ‘This is sick.’”

Thomas is convincing when he claims that never for a nanosecond did he feel the perceived burden of comparison in the wake of Patrick’s illustrious exploits. “I’ve always understood to focus on doing my best and that would be enough.”

And what the two brothers in arms share most passionately is the extreme gratitude as firstgeneration Americans for the immeasurable sacrifices made by their parents.

Tracy Pham arrived in the United States from Viet Nam when she was 18 years old and Phillip when he was in his early 20s. Neither had the advantage of formal education and were forced to rely on reliance and persistence to adapt through an acute cultural shift to forge a successful life - while serving as resonating pay-it-forward role models. “My parents have invested their lives in providing me and my brother with opportunities they didn’t enjoy growing up,” Thomas says. “It’s an honor to make them proud.”

SENIOR STORIES

Damian Wilson ’23 infused heart and soul into the St. Thomas campus community, not simply awe-inspiring intellect and endless ambition. His tightly-tuned talent, both academic and artistic, was fueled by deep-dive due diligence, forging a genuine identity through achievement, enlightening and rewarding.

Wilson’s four-year pomp and circumstance roll call included entry into the National Honor Society and permanent membership into the prestigious St. Thomas Clubthose impeccable scholars with a minimum 4.0 grade point average for seven consecutive semesters. He earned elite distinction in an extensive array of departmental disciplines

Advanced Spanish 1 and Advanced English 1 as a freshman; Advanced Spanish 2 and Advanced Chemistry as a sophomore; Advanced Spanish 3, AP Physics 1, and Advanced Pre-Calculus as a junior; AP Calculus BC, AP Physics II, English Contemporary Research, AP Music Theory, and Digital Graphics II as a senior. His rock-steady ascent within the rigors of college preparatory was launched from a home school environment and a gut burn to be great. “I was at times striving for perfection.”

In particular, the advanced physics curriculum proved inspiring for Wilson. Hypothesizing, experimenting, interpreting data to draw conclusions - he strengthened his quantitative reasoning and problem-solving to discover multidisciplinary applications.

Outside the strict curriculum, Wilson extended the family’s rich history in artistic expression that stems from their father Josh Wilson, the St. Thomas choir director and faculty member for nearly two decades. Josh reached his own rarefied air in January 2019 as a member of the Houston Chamber Choir. The group won the Grammy Award in its first-ever nomination, cashing the industry’s most coveted distinction with Best Choral Performance for Durufle: Complete Works

Wilson received All-State and All-Region choir acclaim from the Texas Private School Music Educators Association for three consecutive years. More prominent was his stalwart presence in the acclaimed St. Thomas Theater under the direction of Dan Green.

Damian’s older siblings Susannah (Incarnate Word Academy ’18) and Leo ’21 had been consistent center-stage forces. Wilson says “there was certainly an expectation, even within me, that I would channel the same pursuits. And I found such a home in that family myself and a love for performance.”

Wilson gradually carved his creative and stylistic personality in a series of St. Thomas productions. Poetic or profound, nuanced or comedic, whatever the role demanded. He resonated with classic verbal volleys and emotionally calibrated sensitivity. Always well prepared, intuitive, and spontaneous. His was the offstage voice of Audrey II in Little Shops of Horrors, the mesmerizing head-spinning romantic in Romeo and Juliet, the captivating nemesis Javert to the ex-con-done-good

Les Misérables

The LED flipped on for Wilson as a sophomore and the understudy to Gus Boettcher ’21 in the dual roles of John the Baptist/Judas Godspell. During the rehearsals, Wilson exuded such intermittent dramatic intensity that he grabbed the Saturday night bright lights opposite brother Leo as Jesus.

The transformation of Damian Wilson was slowly shifting into full form. “Before St. Thomas, I was shy and introverted. But I learned that I’m not afraid, that I can put myself in front of an audience or mix with an unfamiliar group and be confident. After four years, I’m a completely different person.”

Wilson prioritized the University of Notre Dame early in the college search process. He entertained financial merit packages from Trinity University and the University of Alabama, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Saint Louis University. In May, he was awarded a National Merit Scholarship as a Finalist (with Austin Burke ’23). Ultimately, Wilson committed to his original choice, campus sight unseen.

“Notre Dame is a hugely exciting opportunity,” Wilson says. “I’ve lived my entire life in Houston so it’s a chance to develop in a completely different environment among students from across the United States. I’m optimistic that I’ll quickly uncover my comfort zone and adapt for a great experience.”

BOLD LEAP. A

A POWERFUL ST. THOMAS PRESENCE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE HAS BEEN PRESENTED WITH AN UNEXPECTED CAREER OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE HIS PEDAGOGY WITH CLEAR CATHOLIC PURPOSE AND INTEGRITY.

FACULTY MEMBER DR. GROVER GREEN ’04 IS ASSUMING THE FOUNDING HEADMASTER POSITION OF A LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MILWAUKEE DEBUTING IN AUGUST 2024.

THE ARCHDIOCESE HAS OPENED A SERIES OF STEMSPECIFIC SCHOOLS AND GREEN WILL FRONT THE FIRST ATTEMPT

with a liberal arts focused curriculum emphasizing the whole person - spiritual, intellectual, moral, and physical. The strategic plan for the 100th school in the Archdiocese calls for a pre-K through 12th-grade model in a suburban area that is not presently served.

“It has been my dream for some time to lead or start a school but I didn’t anticipate an opening would present itself this quickly,” Green says. “The offer had to be exceptional to pull me away from St. Thomas.”

Green closes out a high-impact 11-year stay with the social studies department. He was known for discovery and academic excellence while standing strong for the character and principles of a Basilian community.

Green was instrumental in developing and implementing Camp Aquinas, named after the institution’s patron St. Thomas Aquinas, the consummate union of sanctity and intellect. The five-day immersion for freshmen at Camp Cho-Yeh debuted in 2017 to fortify student engagement rooted in the Basilian credo Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge with a healthy mix of challenging team-building activities.

Green and Campus Ministry Director Andrew Quittenton tirelessly collaborated on the Camp Aquinas blueprint before deciding on the proper model for the St. Thomas mission.

Green was also a compelling force in establishing the Eagle House system and Communio program. Both were designed in conjunction with Camp Aquinas to provide a deeply positive influence on student intellectual participation and well-being.

Green earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master in Education from the University of St. Thomas and his Doctorate Degree in Education from St. Louis University. His family’s rich St. Thomas legacy includes his father David Sr. ’64 and brothers David Jr. ’96 and Daniel ’00.

In Green’s farewell to the campus fellowship, he expressed supreme gratitude for St. Thomas and “the chance to grow as a teacher, a leader, and a human being ... evidence of the infusion of God’s grace flowing through this community. (Social Studies Dean) Brett Mills took a chance on a twenty-something who had a desire to return to his alma mater to teach. And his guidance was foundational for me.”

Green left St. Thomas identifying “a quote from one of my favorite works of literature, one that sums up for me the power of a good education.”

You must know that there is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory, especially a memory of childhood, of home. People talk to you a great deal about your education, but some good, sacred memory, preserved from childhood, is perhaps the best education. If a man carries many such memories with him into life, he is safe to the end of his days, and if one has only one good memory left in one’s heart, even that may sometime be the means of saving us. -

Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.

“IT HAS BEEN MY DREAM FOR SOME TIME TO LEAD OR START A SCHOOL BUT

I DIDN’T ANTICIPATE AN OPENING WOULD PRESENT ITSELF THIS QUICKLY, THE OFFER HAD TO BE EXCEPTIONAL TO PULL ME AWAY FROM ST. THOMAS.”

HEIR Fresh

UNBRIDLED EUPHORIA HAS ITS NEW POSTER MAN-CHILD.

Johann Cardenas ’24, among the state’s top 100 football recruits just eight months removed from tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, was vividly and proudly showcased in the 64th edition of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. His return to potential glory was the showcase feature for Texas private schools and as valuable as any distinction awarded a St. Thomas scholar-athlete in the program’s rich history of achievement.

“It’s gratifying to see the story of my career at St. Thomas told and especially the injury element,” Cardenas says. “How I’ve dealt with adversity and not just getting back to where I was but getting better. I used (former NFL Most Valuable Player and three-time rushing champion) Adrian Peterson as my role model. I wanted to use the injury as a positive means to show people how hard I work.”

Football is a folk-hero religion in our great state and Texas Football emerged long ago as the undisputed bible, spreading the word like a High Plains sandstorm.

The magazine was launched in 1960 by the legendary writer and sports editor for the Waco Tribune-Herald. Campbell published the debut edition from his kitchen with the assistance of a small team of local scribes and his wife Reba. Throughout the decades, addicted schoolboy enthusiasts remained perched and fever-pitched, anticipating the annual print publication that includes previewing more than 1,500 high schools, public and private, from across Texas.

“It was the internet before the internet,” says St. Thomas head coach Rich McGuire, who grew up in small-town Oklahoma, then became indoctrinated, then infatuated with Texas Football in 2004 during his first high school coaching position mentoring linebackers for Head Coach Kenny Hammock at Klein Forest.

“For Johann to be featured is a testament first and foremost to him. His story was compelling,” McGuire says. “And it was also a nod to our program, the standard built over the years, and to the student-athletes before Johann who are part of that foundation.”

In 2020, Eagle quarterback Maddox Kopp ’21 (Miami, OH) became the first St. Thomas scholar-athlete to receive a coveted invitation to the Elite 11 Finals where he fared in the nation’s premier showcase camp.

But the acclaim for Cardenas carried particular weight in a rarefied air exclusive to the state that prizes, if not cherishes, high school football like no other. He’s the first Eagle student-athlete to merit such recognition since St. Thomas Sports Hall of Famer Andrew Locke ’03 (West Point rugby) in 2002 and offensive tackle Travis Olexa (Tulane) in 2004.

“It was a crazy feeling to share that kind of distinction with so many great players from the past,” Cardenas says. “It was what I worked for since my freshman year when I was looking up to guys like Maddox and Cameron (Bonner, Baylor football).”

Cardenas bolted on the scene in 2020 like a shock of lightning - his five-touchdown explosion against Beaumont Kelly proved hotter than the beef links at Patillo’s Bar-B-Q and a code red alert of raucous developments to come.

Despite an abbreviated junior season, Cardenas projects among the state’s elite running backs from the Class of 2024. Before the injury, he roared as a rare three-down run-catch-block dynamo through the Eagles’ 6-0 start, part breakaway Humvee, part beast-mode smash mouth, certain success in every high-leverage situation. Cardenas romped for 1,041 rushing yards with a mind-racing nine-plus yards a carry and 13 touchdowns while adding 330 receiving yards and five scores.

By early summer, Cardenas pronounced himself “100% back” after attacking an exhaustive rehab process. His muscular strength and endurance measurables - squat, bench, 40-yard, shuttle, three-cone - calibrated essentially at pre-injury levels.

“I knew I would have setbacks during the process but the key was to have patience, listen to the doctors, and be grateful for the opportunity to be healthy and play the game again,” Cardenas says.

On July 7, Cardenas gave his much-anticipated verbal commitment to Vanderbilt University.

Texas Football’s patriarch passed in 2021 at age 96 but Dave Campbell’s emphatic impact and undeniable legacy live strong. The now media goliath chronicles the gridworld at all levels on multiple digital platforms with a legion of contributors 12 months a year.

For generations - Dumas to Denton to Dime Box, Monahans to McAllen, Levelland to Longview to the Rio Grande Valley, Marfa to metroplexes - the renowned is where fandom near and far has been annually introduced to the likes of thunderous Earl Campbell (Tyler John Tyler), incandescent Billy Sims (Hooks), and kinetic Kylar Murray (Allen), transcendent talents destined for Heisman Trophy deity.

From Prairie View League prodigies

Bubba Smith (Beaumont Charlton-Pollard), Jerry Levias (Beaumont Hebert), and Joe Greene (Temple Dunbar) to pocketpassing flamethrowers Matthew Stafford (Dallas Highland Park) and Garrett Gilbert (Austin Lake Travis).

From gold rush sensations Peterson (Palestine), Chris Gilbert (Spring Branch), Jeff Bergeron (Port Neches-Groves), and Cedric Benson (Midland Lee) to breathtaking see-still-not-believe game-breakers Eric Dickerson (Sealy), Vince Young (Madison), and Patrick Mahomes (Whitehouse).

From two-way bone-crusher Tommy Nobis (San Antonio Jefferson) and earth-mover David Richards (Highland Park). From recordsmashing passing wizard Todd Dodge (Port Arthur Jefferson) to Hall of Fame head honcho Todd Dodge (Southlake Carroll and Austin Westlake).

Their sainted exploits were an electric mix of mesmerizing talent, blood, sweat, and no fears. Shake n’ stomp. Swat and swarm. Bop ‘till you drop. The stuff of screenplays. Identities forged, then forever embossed on memory banks after first discovered on the pages of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football

And Johann Cardenas, Houston St. Thomas, Class of 2024, joined a prestigious group of precocious Friday Night heroes. His best is yet to come.

“IT’S GRATIFYING TO SEE THE STORY OF MY CAREER AT ST. THOMAS TOLD AND ESPECIALLY THE INJURY ELEMENT, HOW I’VE DEALT WITH ADVERSITY AND NOT JUST GETTING BACK TO WHERE I WAS BUT GETTING BETTER.”

‘Les Misérables’

Epic, Intense, Sweeping Scope and Melodic Beauty

The gritty, often-heartbreaking tale of justice, duty, love, and revolution. And the acclaimed St. Thomas Theater adapting the world-famous Les Misérables under the astute direction of Dan Green has never achieved grander heights, pulling out all the stops in a tremendously lavish, emotioncharged production at Cemo Auditorium in the Moran Fine Arts Building.

Shrewdly fashioned from the daunting Victor Hugo novel and 1980s stage smash, Green’s Les Mis delivered beautiful melodies and unbridled emotions. His stellar cast performed the towering passion with operatic intensitybelting tunes with a score that races through your head days after the live engagement. The gorgeous multilayered vocal arrangements operated on a visceral, gut level,

Evan De Anda ’23 captivated as Valjean, the ex-con-donegood with a passionate belief that people can change.

Stalwart Damian Wilson ’23 mesmerized in his 10th and final St. Thomas production as the nemesis Javert who was equally determined that they cannot. As the conflicted male leads, Wilson’s haunted constable and De Anda’s hero took full command of the stage, offering the vocal dexterity and rich emotional center that doesn’t necessarily come with that same territory.

Female performers Danielle Bartholet (Incarnate Word Academy ’23 and eighth STH production) and Flinn Burrell (IWA ’24) made individual impacts with their soulful turns as doomed Fantine, pure and vulnerable but strong and defiant, and Eponine, both possessed of a vulnerability and humanity that the almost superhuman Valjean and Javert seemed to lack.

“When we broke down each scene, we couldn’t help but have conversations about the joys and hopes and mercies we all hope for,” Green says. “Valjean’s redemption, Javert’s tragic rejection of mercy, Fantine’s sacrifice, and Eponine’s sacrifice all make sense only in a world illuminated by God’s divine presence.”

Sublime Zoe Yokubaitis (IWA ’23 and 10th STH production) and Casey Salvatierra ’23 played the gruesome Thenardiers with delicious mirth and malice. A wondrous Katie Dickinson (IWA ’24) as the grown Cosette. The raw Aidan Naquil ’23 (sixth STH production) as handsome student rebel Marius who also had Cosette and Eponine pining vainly for his love. Stirring Jorge Morfin ’23 (eighth STH production) as the student leader Enjolras. Newcomer Jonah Moore ’26 as the street urchin Gavroche. The battles, the poverty, the degradation, and the danger all felt relevant and real with a cast that never missed a note. Alongside stunning solo performances were surging Les Mis provided an epic scale and sweep that intensified the darkness that made it

Fueled by rage and fired by wholesale suffering, this relatively simple story was massively complicated by the time it mixed with the Paris Uprising of 1832. Besides being a feast for the eyes and ears, Les Misérables overflowed with rousing action and ravishing romance.

Green’s grand reputation for directing vibrant musicals grows more striking each season. This latest in a series of ubercreative productions was a haunting and thrilling inspiration.

“We just like challenging everyone with difficult work that, if done correctly, can serve as its reward,” Green says.

“We’ve built giant, 30-person ships, castles that grow to two stories, the west wing of the Beast’s castle … 16-foot-tall, man-eating plants … spinning stages, stairs that light up, haunted mansions, New York City.

It was time for us to build Paris, a barricade, and some working cannons.”

Throughout the experience in full dazzling display was the unrivaled set construction and fluid scenic design spearheaded by faculty member Phil Gensheimer and assistant principal Daniel Bryant ’93, along with the rich talents of choreographers Katie Macaluso and Teresa Stranahan, music director Josh Wilson, and the expertise of audio/visual coordinator Chris Hodge.

Perfectly marvelous was Les Mis. At a time when all of us - perhaps each in our own way - are hoping for a brighter tomorrow.

Fight. Dream. Hope. Love.

A QUESTIONABLE GAME

St. Thomas Quiz Bowl completed an exceptional competitive season at the 2023 National Championship Tournament in Atlanta.

Science faculty member Michael Erickson and team captain Campbell Brown ’24 led the Eagles through a series of fiercely challenging battles of accumulated facts.

Nicolas Borin ’24, Aidan Clark ’24, Manuel Cohen ’24, Zacariah Hart ’26, Hayden Hoover ’24, and Henry Lane ’24 finished the preliminary rounds with a 5-5 record on their way to a final overall position of 155 among more than 300 competing schools from 40 states.

Quiz Bowl serves as a varsity sport of the mind - an academic joust with a format similar to “Jeopardy!” One of the most popular, longest-running television shows of all time offered a righteous mental exercise and trivia gantlet.

Quiz Bowl requires four-person teams to field questions drawn from the full array of core high school curriculum, as well as pop culture and current events. Team members must buzz in first with the correct answer. Questions are designed to give the most-prepared player the best chance of answering correctly with the hardest clues coming first and the hints gradually decreasing in difficulty. The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration. Toss-up questions are open to each of the two teams in a match, and a correct answer earns the exclusive right to confer on a three-part bonus question.

A hallmark of consistency with a dose of drama that transpires each time.

Test your own brawny brain power:

This Swiss-French architect wrote Towards a New Architecture. Name this former dictator of Zimbabwe who was deposed in a 2017 coup d’état.

A former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad is the namesake of this ”Magic City,” which is the most populous city in Montana.

Name this protein found in high levels in aquatic mammals. In humans, it is normally only released into the bloodstream following a muscle injury.

Angela is 36 years old, her son Brian is 9 years old, and they share a birthday. How old will Angela be when Brian is Angela’s current age?

Answers:

Le Corbusier or Charles-Édouard Jeanneret Gris

Robert (Gabriel) Mugabe

Billings

myoglobin

63 years old [Angela is 27 years older than Brian, so when Brian is 36, Angela will be 36 plus 27.]

Of course.

Participation reinforces academic lessons from the classroom and encourages players to develop new intellectual interests.

St. Thomas opened with a dominant 280-155 victory over New Haven (Connecticut) The Hopkins School, then charged past Minnetonka (Minnesota) 240-225 and Greenville (South Carolina) Southside 260-160 to reach round 5.

The Eagles later racked consecutive wins over Las Vegas Clark (320-25) in round 7 and Danville (Kentucky) 195-190 in round 16. But the playoff pursuit ended with a 375-130 defeat to Clayton (Ohio) Northmont in round 20.

St. Thomas was one of 25 schools from Texas engaged in the elite national championship. The event is annually staged by National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC. The organization was founded in 1996 and orchestrates the premier middle school, high school, community college, and college national quiz bowl championships in North America.

St. Thomas didn’t have a quiz program until social studies faculty member Grover Green ’04 was approached in 2014 to launch the quest for arcane but valuable knowledge.

CREATIVE CLIMATE

Eagles’ Nest Earns Multiple National Recognitions

St. Thomas is proud to again partner with design firm KH Studio in accepting elite acclaim from the prestigious National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

St. Thomas was recognized for Honorable Mention for Excellence in Writing, Publications and Digital Media for the Eagles’ Nest Fall 2022 publication. Serving Up Success spotlighted chef Rafael Nasr ’10, a vibrant firstgeneration Lebanese American who is enjoying immense culinary renown as founder of the Craft Pita cafes in Houston.

St. Thomas was celebrated during the Annual Meeting and Celebration of Achievement at the NSPRA 2023 National Seminar in July 16 in St. Louis.

St. Thomas has now earned eight preeminent accolades in the previous six years, the only such distinction in school history.

This latest commendation from NSPRA continues a nine-year media surge where St. Thomas has witnessed significant advances in its digital content and publications. Showcasing the authentic Eagle scholar and alumni experience through personal profiles and culture-focused topics has established real-time rapport with an everexpanding audience. The exponential growth for the school’s social platforms includes extraordinary results in reach, impressions, and engagement measured on multiple channels.

In 2021, St. Thomas accepted Excellence in Magazine and was also noted twice with Merit for Excellence in Writing, Publications and Digital Media. The gripping cover story featured United States Navy Lieutenant Xavier Kelley ’09, an instructor at the preeminent fighter pilot school TOPGUN.

The Eagles’ Nest Spring 2020 publication received the school’s first-ever Excellence award, among only eight honorees and two private institutions in the Magazine category.

The Eagles’ Nest Fall 2019 earned Merit consideration in Magazine, as did the captivating cover story from Eagles’ Nest Winter 2019 showcasing Arturo Chavez ’85 – Grand Designs Inspired by Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.

In 2017, Rescue Recover Rebuild Rejoice - Eagle Strong In The Year Of Hurricane Harvey received Honorable Mention for recounting the compelling personal trials and accounts from the St. Thomas community during the shattering developments and aftermath of the most severe rainfall event in recorded United States history.

QUEST FOR THE BEST

St. Thomas is a community of scholars and faculty who ascend to the highest ranks of academic achievements. The latest earned recognition in their disciplines and endeavors was emerging as co-champions at the 2023 TAPPS Academics and Speech Championships in Waco.

Preston Underbrink ’25, Jorge Morfin ’23, Dylan Vettical ’26, Matthew Chung ’26, Brandt Peterson ’23, Casey Salvatierra ’23, Evan DeAnda ’23, Luke Martin ’23, and Ben Brown ’23 led a dominating display of stellar results. Eagle students captured first place in both the Debate and Speech categories while earning fourth in the Academic competition.

Among the notable St. Thomas results:

» Persuasive Speaking - Underbrink 1st place, Vettical 2nd and Chung 3rd

» Original Oratory - Morfin 5th place and Chase Eaves ’25 6th

» Poetry - Peterson 7th place

» Prose - Morfin 1st place and Ethan Vinson ’23 4th

» Solo Acting - Peterson 3rd place

» Duet Acting - Salvatierra and DeAnda 4th place, Peterson and Morfin 5th

Martin (1st place), William Massey (5th) ’25 and Max Molina (7th) ’25 anchored the pace-setting Debate effort. Brown secured second place in Current Events and Social Studies followed by Hudson Hollingsworth ’23 (5th) and Champ Courville (6th) ’25.

Additional performances in the Academic section contributing to the superior St. Thomas finish include:

» Spanish - Mario Salinas ’25 8th place

» Ready Writing - Garner Kelling ’23 6th place and Rafael Joseph ’24 7th

» Spelling - Charles Pedley ’25 5th place

» Literary Criticism - Aidan Nanquil ’23 4th place and Aidan Clark ’24 5th

» Math - Vettical 7th place

» Calculator - Vincent Le ’23 6th place

» Yearbook - 8th place

Mathematics faculty member Jennifer Pearson conducted the significant St. Thomas showing in collaboration with an elite host of colleagues - Assistant Principal Daniel Bryant ’93, and faculty members Darrell Yarbrough, Mike Adair, Danny Baker, Haley Chance, David Fritsch ’94, Clint Matthews, Claudia Mundell, Will Nash, Chris Patton ’13, and Deanna Woodlief.

Earlier in the academic year, St. Thomas Esports under the direction of faculty member Jonathan Kobylas competed in TAPPS for the first time and finished a strong runner-up on

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends of St. Thomas High School,

A lot has happened since the Class of 2023 celebrated their graduation at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. St. Thomas hosted a 5k/10k Memorial Day run. When the 800 or so runners came onto the Schwarzbach Track for the final quarter mile, they were greeted with signs honoring STH alumni who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country – a beautiful memorial to our fallen Eagles on Memorial Day.

As the summer progressed, work continued on the new Father Wilson Field, our summer baseball camps were able to utilize the facility, and it is now operational. No one is happier to say that after the many twists and turns, the New Stadium is ready, and we can shout PLAY BALL! This first-class facility will be the envy of all teams who come to play our Eagles this season. Simply put – it is a glorious ballpark!

Those returning to campus this Fall will also admire the new asphalt for our parking lot and better curbing around the campus, especially connecting the Joplin Campus with the Main Campus. We are quickly seeing the emergence of one beautiful, united campus.

About mid-summer, I was honored to travel with a group of almost 40 students from our drama program to London, England. The trip, organized by our Theatre Director, Dan Green, included two modern musicals, a show at the New Globe Theatre, tours of Windsor Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Oxford University. We visited the Tower of London, the British Museum, the National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben, and so much more. Our group soaked up the experience and were exemplary representatives of our school.

When that trip ended, I had one more item on my summer to-do list. Still dealing with the jet lag of returning from overseas, I flew with our Vice President for Advancement, Mark deTranaltes ’83, to New York City to bring some of our alums together for an evening of laughter and stories. We joined with Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., and alumnae from St. Agnes Academy for a wonderful evening of Catholic community. Being able to connect with former students in the Big Apple was so affirming of our mission at St. Thomas. The brotherhood is strong.

Now that the summer is over, we look forward to the new school year and the new possibilities for St. Thomas for years to come. We are preparing to present to the wider community our new strategic plan that will guide our work for the coming years. We will focus on five key pillarsan Exceptional STH Experience, Financial Excellence, the Campus of the Future, Basilian Governance Model, and Open and Transparent Communications. None of these areas happens overnight, and they do not operate in a vacuum. The Basilian Fathers, the Board of Directors, and the Foundation Board are committed to securing the bright future that awaits St. Thomas. I hope you will join me in praying for the success of all our endeavors and praying in gratitude for the 123 years of Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge that has led STH to this exciting place in our history! Eagle Fight Never Dies.

Bright smiles! One and all!

Fr. Jim Murphy, CSB

RIGHT STUFF THE

FEBRUARY’S TRADITIONAL NATIONAL SIGNING DAY PROVIDED MORE THAN THE USUAL RED & WHITE SALUTE FOR ACCLAIMED ST. THOMAS

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES SEIZING THE CHANCE TO CONTINUE THEIR CAREERS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL.

In the midst of the coast-to-coast carnival capping the wild world of frenzied football recruiting that long ago reached peak absurdity came the engrossing journeys of wide receiver Preston Bowman ’23 to the Colorado School of Mines, lineman Tyler Langin ’23 to Villanova University, and linebacker Jack Ward ’23 to Drake University.

The fabulous threesome was flanked on the Cemo Auditorium stage by a multi-task trio from Eagle BaseballLogan Duplantis ’23 to the University of Dallas, Anthony Equale ’23 to Washington University in St. Louis, and Brayden Hollie ’23 to Galveston College.

In March, St. Thomas proudly celebrated another trio arriving at similar crossroads - valedictorian Caleb Davis ’23 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology football, Jake Pike ’23 to Lehigh University basketball, and Zach Rocha ’23 to Southwestern University football.

Then in May, Sam Cordova ’23 and Brayden Salinas ’23 joined the Eagle conga line processing to various collegiate destinations.

Cordova committed to Ouachita Baptist University wrestling in Arkansas. His stellar senior season included gold medals at Texas Prep State and TAPPS State and advancing to the 86th National Prep Wrestling Championships.

Salinas decided on Antelope Valley College (California) baseball after playing a key role in Eagle Baseball advancing to the 2023 TAPPS state championship final.

All 11 Eagles navigated less than certain paths, conquering odds and obstacles without allowing frustrations, ill-timed circumstances, and self-doubt to douse their determination or deter them from fateful destinys.

Head football coach Rich McGuire marveled at how his pillars from a 10-2 season “each traveled different roads to arrive at their next stops. Preston came to us as a sophomore, Tyler as a junior, while Jack, Caleb, and Zach were here as freshman. But regardless of the passage, what is most important is to arrive at the right place. They did that to reach St. Thomas and are doing the same moving forward. They have chosen outstanding universities to excel as student-athletes. And all performed in multiple sports at St. Thomas while achieving their dream to play college football.”

Eagle Baseball head coach Adam Massiatte saluted the student-athletes knowing that “less than 10% of all high school players advance to the next level. It is a privilege to play college athletics. It’s not an achievement you can expect.”

Pike proved to be the latest St. Thomas renaissance man without limits, the king of compartmentalization discovering inspired ways to blend his academic, athletic, and artistic passions into a rare, broad breadth of resounding success. A National Merit Commended student. An accomplished viola performer in the St. Thomas orchestra. The 2022-23 student body president. A man for all seasons.

Pike and his prolific cast of uber achievers earned multi-all-state recognition. They were team captains and agents of change on the field, on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. And all embodied the diverse Catholic Basilian experience that serves as the St. Thomas identity.

Regardless of the passage, what is most important is to arrive at the right place. They did that to reach St. Thomas and are doing the same moving forward.

FROM THRILLS TO CHILLS

The state championship outcome is secured in the inner sanctum of TAPPS baseball playoff history. The sterile 7-6 final score can’t conjure the stirring, furious finish that pulsated with drama and gushed with emotion and overflowed with sudden punch-to-the-gut despair for Eagle Baseball.

A pair of clutch three-run innings had staked St. Thomas to a healthy fourrun advantage over Addison Trinity Christian Academy. Nine outs - a diamond dust eternity - remained to cash the program’s 25th state title.

But a cloudless Wednesday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark on the University of Texas at Arlington campus suddenly turned torrential with TCA runs. By the bottom of the seventh inning, the count was knotted 6-6. The Eagles had burned through their pitching staff and soon their hearts were left on the field.

TCA loaded the bases on but one solitary single. A fly ball to left field wasn’t pummeled but deep enough to produce a walk-off title-clinching result - and seal misery for St. Thomas. Only moments earlier in the top half of the inning, daring Donte Lewis ’24 had occupied third base with only one out after a lead off walk, stolen base and sacrifice bunt. But a potential goahead line drive off the bat of Braydan Salinas ’23 (Antelope Valley College) was directed squarely at the drawn-in second baseman. An unfortunate break for hard contact at the most inopportune time for the Eagles. The rally quickly died with a called third strike to silence the final St. Thomas at-bat of the season.

Head coach Adam Massiatte had to huddle together a group of shattered young men with their baseball dreams caved infaces bleary-eyed expressions of devastation - and place the anxiety into proper context.

The Eagles didn’t choke. There wasn’t a blown umpire’s call that would be remembered forever. There wasn’t a player to be fitted with goat horns. There wasn’t a managerial blunder. There wasn’t a key injury suffered at the wrong time. St. Thomas just lost, barely, to a team that came through a couple more times than they did.

“A special group of guys battled day in and day from the minute we started in the fall,” Massiatte said. “Our goal was to win another championship. We got here, but unfortunately, we couldn’t finish it.”

Twenty-four hours earlier, the mojo was measurably upbeat. The Eagles unleashed the big bang theory to bludgeon San Antonio Antonian in the state semifinals. A six-run

He stranded two runners in the first inning, escaping the bases jammed with no outs. Lewis left two more runners aboard in both the fourth and fifth innings. And Lewis was also lethal aiding his own cause with the bat. His two-run triple was vital in a mix that included an RBI double from third baseman Billy Theroux ’24, a run-scoring double from shortstop Anthony Equale ’23 (Washington University in St. Louis), and an RBI bash from outfielder Luke Edgecomb ’24.

The Eagles gained sustained momentum throughout the second half of the regular season to fuel their championship pursuit.

In mid-April, Lewis stroked a two-out, bases-loaded double in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a 7-6 victory over The Kinkaid School. He then returned the following day against The John Cooper School and blazed an 11-strikeout no-hitter for a 1-0 triumph. A three-game blitz of San Antonio Central Catholic closed out the district campaign and set the stage for the roller coaster playoff chase.

A large dose of late drama was required to catapult Eagle Baseball to the state tournament for the third time in four seasons and its 11th appearance since 2010.

Equale crushed a two-run home run with no outs in the sixth inning for a pulse-pounding 4-3 verdict over Plano John Paull II in a regional playoff at John Cooper. Equale’s long ball heroics followed Theroux who drilled a single through the left side and stole second. The mammoth blast over the left field wall in the cavernous confines gave the Eagles their first and only lead after trailing 3-0 in the first inning.

Lewis and lefthander Jack Clinton ’23 combined for six shutout innings. Lewis locked into a staredown against 23 batters, allowing only two earned runs while walking two and striking out three. He took command to retire seven straight Cardinals during one stretch to stabilize the tense win-or-go-home tango.

Iceman Clinton cometh to rack the final five outs, including a bang-bang play at the plate to end the top of the sixth that proved pivotal to the survival match.

Eagle Baseball concluded another exemplary campaign with its fourth state runner-up in 11 seasons to go with state titles in 2010, ’11, ’14, and ’17. In the four rodeos with Massiatte (plus the canceled 2020 season in reaction to the pandemic), St. Thomas has reached two championship finals with a third state semifinal appearance.

In the midst of team success and individual opportunities to extend careers to the university level, Massiatte’s program maintains the highest degree of competitive drive and integrity. And at the bedrock of excellence is Massiatte’s impact as a mentor to young men, inspiring them to become the best versions of themselves while preparing them for achievement beyond baseball.

SPLENDID SILVER MEDALISTS

The medal haul for Eagle Track and Field was again gallant if not quite collectively golden.

Edward Bocock ’25 was a one-man wrecking crew and the outstanding athlete of the meet, fueling Eagle Track and Field to the late advantage at the TAPPS 6A state championships at Waco Midway High School’s Panther Field. But the coveted title slipped agonizingly away despite a strong bronze medal result in the 4x400 relay final event.

The Eagles narrowly missed the program’s fourth bold bonanza in eight years. The 138-team total was only four points shy of San Antonio Central Catholic. Bocock and a slew of multi-point performers, including Preston Bowman ’23, Ryan Bordas ’25, and Larry Benton ’24 energized the second consecutive team silver for St. Thomas.

The precious Bocock was responsible for 36 points, more than four other competing schools, one point away from Addison Trinity Christian Academy and three from Dallas Parish Episcopal. He captured gold in the 300 meter hurdles, racked the triple jump with a new school record of 46-01, took silver in the long jump, ran fourth in the 110 meter hurdles, and blazed the anchor in the 4x400 with Keenen Bonner ’24, David Carbajal ’26, and Bordas.

The Eagles roared to the Day 1 advantage when Tyler Day ’24 (147-06) and Benton (137-11) supplied early momentum with career-best efforts, a first/third finish in the discus with Charlie Boettcher ’23 sixth (129-09). Benton then reloaded to cash gold in the shot put (52-06.5) as St. Thomas secured second place through six events with 56 points.

Other Day 1 superlatives included:

» Bocock first in the triple jump with James Dickinson ’23 fourth (43-00.5)

» Bocock second in the long jump (22-08.25)

» Sebastian Vargas ’26 sixth in the high jump (5-10) Bocock continued his nuclear assault on Saturday, seizing gold in the 300 meter hurdles (41.17) and fourth in the 110 meter hurdles (15.37).

The Day 2 demolition included:

» Bowman fifth in the 100 meters (10.94) with Johann Cardenas ’24 sixth (11.14) and Aaron Blackman ’24 eighth (11.45)

» Carbajal fifth in the 800 meters (1:58.99) with Bordas sixth (1:59.87)

» Sam Saman ’23 second in the pole vault (12-06) with Sebastian Rew ’25 fifth (10-06)

» Blackman, Trey Robinson ’23, Grant Stewart ’25, and Bowman third in the 4x200 meter relay (1:30.51)

» Bowman third in the 200 meters (22.88)

» Carbajal third in the 1600 meters (4:31.22)

The latest in a scintillating series of results solidifies acclaimed Natham Labus among the premier head coaches in Texas and the region and the unquestioned grand master within the state’s private school ranks.

In 2022, the Eagles were the state runner-up as the defending champion.

In 2021, two-sport all-state dynamo Cameron Bonner ’21 (Baylor football) raced to a new state record, and a youthful crew of dynamic talents combined strength and sizzle as St. Thomas thoroughly dominated all-comers.

In 2020, the defending kingpins were on pace for a repeat title before the pandemic eliminated an encore effort.

In 2019, Eagle Track and Field staged a fast and furious surge to the championship finish after trailing Dallas Bishop Dunne by a presumed insurmountable 89-29 deficit (yes, 89-29). Peyton Matocha ’19 (Miami, FL football) - the highest jumper in TAPPS history - dramatically capped the crown and closed his unrivaled two-sport scholar-athlete career with gold in the meet’s climaxing event after Alex Rivero ’20 delivered crucial fourth-place points.

In 2016, uber-talented Landon Malouf ’16 (Texas A&M track and field) led four individual champions and a depth of contribution for the program’s first state triumph since 2005. The Eagles emphatically stamped the 100th state title in the rich and storied history of St. Thomas athletics.

TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT

St. Thomas was proud to be named the private school state champion for the 2022-23 National Football Foundation National High School Academic Excellence Awards. This acclaimed honor was in partnership with the first nationwide recognition honoring individual teams with a 3.0 or above cumulative grade point average.

The collective St. Thomas GPA as it applied was 3.48. The metric was calculated from a total of 71 student-athletes including 27 seniors, 33 juniors, nine sophomores, and two freshmen.

The elite distinction was celebrated by the Texas High School Coaches Association. Athletic director Mike Netzel says “our entire focus across 12 varsity sports is development. The key to student-athletes being successful is seizing what is needed to get the most desirable outcome. What is required to reach their goals academically, athletically, and personally? That is the intent of St. Thomas. That’s what we do.”

Previously, St. Thomas was among only 53 private and University Interscholastic League public schools in Texas named as NFF finalists. More than 1,500 schools competed during the 2022 season. Champions were named for classifications in each state.

The tribute from the NFF and THSCA continues and confirms the growth of Eagle Athletics since Netzel assumed the leadership role in 2006. St. Thomas was but one half-point away from capturing the 2023 TAPPS All-Sports Trophy, narrowly missing the prestigious merit for the 10th time in the previous 12 years that the honor was awarded. The journey toward 19 state champions has been spread across seven sports, including seven crowns since 2014 with more than two dozen other teams reaching at least the state semifinals or finishing in the top-four in state tournaments. More than 160 relentless Eagles have extended their careers to the collegiate level.

“These kinds of measurables speak to the St. Thomas mission,” says Netzel. “The dedication drives our student-athletes to excel on the field and also serves them in embracing the demands of being a complete St. Thomas scholar. Their academic and athletic pursuits provide complementary learning opportunities.”

Netzel credited head coach Rich McGuire and defensive coordinator Ray Davis for a genuine desire to nurture the total student-athlete. In McGuire’s sixth season, the high-octane Eagles posted a 10-2 record in 2022 for their winningest season since 2015. Eagle Football advanced to its second TAPPS state semifinal in four years and fourth since 2014.

“Rich and Ray are partnering with exceptional leaders on the sidelines and behind the scenes who have a passion, a vision, and a charisma to inspire elite achievement in those around them,” Netzel says.

Eagle Football entered the Division I postseason no. 2 in the Houston Chronicle private school rankings after seven consecutive weeks as the unanimous no. 1. St. Thomas closed no. 5 in the final Dave Campbell’s Texas Football state poll. Eight Eagles were named to the Chronicle All-Greater Houston private team.

Eagle Football was also lauded in January by the Houston Touchdown Club as a finalist for the 4A/Private Sportsmanship Award in conjunction with the Houston Chapter of the Texas Association of Sports Officials.

THE DEDICATION DRIVES OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES TO EXCEL ON THE FIELD AND ALSO SERVES THEM IN EMBRACING THE DEMANDS OF BEING A COMPLETE ST. THOMAS SCHOLAR. THEIR ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC PURSUITS PROVIDE COMPLEMENTARY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

PITCHING WITH PRINCIPLES

Baseball has been forever embedded in the circulatory system of America. Josh Wolf ’19 knows the love affair history across generations while fervently navigating between his two universes of customs and traditions, inside and outside the ballyards and clubhouses with an unabashed American Jewish identity.

In 2023, baseball’s grandest global tournament provided Wolf with a prime opportunity to gain a deeper connection to his roots. He seized the pride, passion, and purpose of his Judaism as a pitcher for the Israeli national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

“For the most part, my entire family is Israeli,” Wolf says. “My mother and my grandparents on both sides live there or have lived there. I have cousins there in the military. I had my bar mitzvah there. For my family to see me on the field with Israel across my chest was a deep honor. I can’t express how much it meant to represent that ancestry.”

Wolf was part of a 30-man roster composed largely of Americans who qualified by dint of their heritage. WBC rules state that a player is eligible if he would be granted citizenship or a passport under the laws of the country.

Wolf joined a cultural mix that included two-time World Series kingpin Joc Pederson, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dean Kremer, and 2021 Olympian Danny Valencia in his fourth WBC. Manager Ian Kinsler, a four-time All-Star and World Series champion with the 2018 Boston Red Sox, was assisted on the bench by former Astros catcher and major league manager Brad Ausmus.

Wolf amped his offseason routine with the expectation of the three-week sprint that brought the intensity and stakes of October baseball to March.

“I prepared with the confidence that I would make the team,” Wolf says. “Spring training is more or less relaxed baseball. But for me, it was the most competitive atmosphere of my career, reaching a gear to face the best hitters in the world.”

Team Israel drew a daunting path against lethal lineups from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. After opening with a heart-pumping 3-1 victory over Nicaragua, Israel dropped its next three games to finish fourth in the five-team Pool D.

But for Wolf, the showcase that allowed his mother country to compete against the game’s goliaths on a mammoth stage was a moment of history and substance to celebrate and cherish. And perhaps his biggest challenge was rationing his fourticket allotment among nearly two dozen family members attending the games. “To have those who have supported me the most in reaching this point share in the experience with me was extremely special. It meant so much to all of us.” Mazel tov.

Wolf had hoped that the WBC experience would inject a much-desired dose of adrenaline into his professional journey. Through mid-July, his summer in the minor leagues included a stint on the injured list and only 22 innings in the Class A Midwest League with 24 strikeouts and 13 earned runs allowed.

His progress has proved sporadic since Wolf made St. Thomas history when he was taken in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the New York Mets, making him the highest-selected player in the illustrious annals of Eagle Baseball.

Wolf and his representatives needed less than three weeks to officially seal a contract with a $2.15 million signing bonus. The 53rd overall selection carried a bonus slot value of $1.37 million (each pick in the first 10 rounds has an assigned financial number).

During his stellar senior season, the two-time TAPPS all-state whizkid struck out 126 in 69 innings with a microscopic 1.52 ERA. And Wolf saved his most wicked for last in pitching the Eagles to their ninth state tournament and sixth championship final in 10 years. His grand finale was a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts to power a 1-0 semifinal victory over district rival Tomball Concordia Lutheran. Wolf then received the Michael Freedman Award for Outstanding Jewish Male High School Athlete of the Year from The Jewish Sports Heritage Association.

After limited exposure in debuting in the Mets system following the draft, Wolf was denied the entire 2020 season due to the pandemic lockdown. He then was moved to an organization historically outstanding at developing pitchers, traded to the Cleveland Guardians in a four-pack of players for shortstop deluxe Francisco Lindor.

Now a chiseled 6-3 and 170 pounds, the 22-year-old Wolf anxiously awaits affirming his once hard-charging predicted promise. “That lost 2020 season was a setback for me and a lot of players in my position trying to establish ourselves,” Wolf says. “I’m learning to become a more complete pitcher and what it means to be a professional. But I haven’t yet gotten comfortable. That’s the immediate goal to begin achieving more consistent results.”

FOREVER GOLDEN

That Luke Malveaux ’23 was born in the sweltering confines of a wrestling room is an unsubstantiated urban legend. Yet, with each phenomenal performance throughout a scintillating senior season that capped perhaps the most imposing career in St. Thomas history, the theory that he learned snap-downs and double legs in the same days he stumbled through his first steps and uttered his first words became less far-fetched to believe.

The Malveaux Mojo was defined in suffocating competitions with beads of sweat bubbling above his brow and slaloming down his cheeks, lifting opponents in the air and slamming them to the mats, making way to take the top step on the podium. In every drill of every practice, he refused to surrender. That was the work ethic that fueled his ascent.

Malveaux blended raw strength with quickness and agility uncommon for his 190-pound weight class. He was that calamitous combination of ferocity, toughness, and technique.

If Malveaux’s internal voice were made audible through Bluetooth-connected speakers, it would reverberate from the sound system as such: The way to win is to dominate. If you don’t, you’re vulnerable and not realizing your potential.

If you can beat somebody 30-0, why coast to victory? Score, score, score. If that means humiliating a guy, that’s tough. That’s also wrestling. And if you let up, you’ll get pinned.

After entering St. Thomas as an innocent-appearing, boyish freshman, Malveaux’s features became more deeply defined, bespeaking the punishment he inflicted upon himself, pushing body and will to exhausting limits in daily preparation. Often his face contorted with exertion or pain - from grueling conditioning and all-consuming fatigue, from forcing himself through one drill

Malveaux wasn’t spawned from some mythical-like force - nothing resembling the wingspan of a Cthulhu, the power of a Minotaur, the snarl of a Werewolf - even though his results defied belief. He bulldozed through state and regional tournaments, elite and overmatched adversaries alike, to achieve 2023 All-American acclaim. He mined gold medals. He delivered precisely on his own outsized expectations, all while putting on a show.

In gyms filled with immense necks, massive shoulders, and columnar thighs, Malveaux was a menacing presencing demanding separation from the pack. He repeated as the Houston Chronicle’s top private school wrestler after a spellbinding, star-making run. As a senior, Malveaux muscled to a sublime 50-1 record, punctuated by a second consecutive TAPPS state championship secured on his home mat in Reckling Gymnasium. He captured the 190-pound title by technical fall, decimating his opponent for a 17-2 victory and earning Upper Weight Wrestler of the Meet.

Previously, Malveaux earned the outstanding performer at the Texas Prep State championships where he racked a stunning 31 and a half points in one of the deepest and strongest brackets of the season. He followed with an All-American showing at the National Prep Championships in Maryland, winning five of his six matches before ultimately placing sixth.

Malveaux’s better-than-fiction individual brilliance was often a power elite tag-team throughout 2023 with Sam Cordova ’23. The 160-pound gold medal winner at Prep State and TAPPS State extended his marvelous mark to 47-10 into National Prep. The two thrived not only in the most thankless sport but also the most intense. Both closely connected their skill and intensity with devotion and determination, finely tuned by fifth-year mastermind head coach Michael LeHolm. The award-slathered duo used their wrestling careers as avenues to further build legacies that they worked so diligently to create.

THINK PINK

Eagle Baseball was proud to partner with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness and funds for the research charity and invaluable patient support.

The 2023 Strike Out Cancer game against St. Pius X delivered a powerful message reaffirming a commitment to the fight against the deadly illness, and the development of the newest and most promising treatments to help patients today. All proceeds from the game including admission tickets, concessions, and generous donations during the third and sixth innings contributed to innovations that lead to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, helping save lives now.

St. Thomas wore pre-game shirts in a designated color associated with a loved one’s battle for life and pink game jerseys. Student-athletes from both schools lined up in front of their dugouts and held hand-written tributes, uniting to help defeat the disease for friends, families, and the community.

The poignant moment particularly honored the memory of Bertha Massiatte, mother of Eagle head coach Adam Massiatte who passed in May of 2021.

FLYING INTO THE FUTURE

Jerome Llorens brings a rolled-up sleeves, front-end proactiveness as the new leader of Eagle Basketball. Individual skill development will be the fulcrum of launching the program forward from a momentous season. I don’t want to teach you plays, I want to teach you how to play.

A proven winner who has stacked success at various levels for more than two decades, Llorens brings a stellar reputation for excellence on the court and a dedication to studentathlete academic achievement. He served St. Thomas the previous two years as a mathematics faculty member and the head junior varsity coach.

“This is one of the top five varsity jobs in Houston and a position I’ve had my sights on for many years,” says Llorens. “The resources, the alumni support, and the deep history of St. Thomas and Eagle Athletics all make for an exciting position. I cannot wait to begin working with our student-athletes, coaches, and the entire Eagle community to build upon the tradition and brand of Eagle Basketball.”

Llorens replaces Karnell James who resigned after three impactful seasons to pursue an opportunity with the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association.

Llorens inherits a program riding measurable momentum following the winningest regular season in school history. The 26-3 rampage included an undefeated home slate, the school’s first state tournament appearance since 2016 and ’17, and first district championship in 11 years. The Eagles were ranked as high as No. 2 in the city by MaxPreps and entered the postseason the No. 3 private in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

“As we began this process, Jerome quickly emerged as the obvious candidate to continue the growth of our program,” says athletic director Mike Netzel. “We knew we needed someone who understood our identity and how St. Thomas fits into today’s basketball landscape. Our supporters will quickly see his passion, drive, and determination in building a championship-caliber program.”

Llorens honed his tactical strategies and schematic variability during 16 years at St. John XXIII in Katy where he was an original faculty member as well as the head basketball coach.

“Jerome brings a wealth of experience. He’s a builder. He builds teams. He builds community,” says Netzel. “Jerome has a vision for his program and the role that athletics play in the formation of young men. He possesses the ability to set the standard guided by our Basilian values.”

Llorens has all but abandoned conventional pick-and-roll sets, favoring versatile roster combinations that push roadrunner pace and tempo with aggression both offensively and defensively. In the absence of superior shot-making fireworks is an emphasis on efficiency and intelligent possessions designed to maximize player rotations. Non-negotiable is the required dirty work and due diligence necessary for success at the elite levels of championship contention.

“You have to win the transition game at both ends,” Llorens says. “We’ll run and press to generate early offense and force turnovers. Karnell gave me great freedom to establish an identity the last two years with the junior varsity. I didn’t have to coach safely. We created a style that was successful and gives all of us confidence moving forward. I’m excited to add to the strong group that I’ve coached the previous two years.”

I CANNOT WAIT TO BEGIN WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTATHLETES, COACHES, AND THE ENTIRE EAGLE COMMUNITY

After graduating from Strake Jesuit in 1995 as a dual-sport scholar-athlete in football and baseball, Llorens earned his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business Administration at the former Houston Baptist University (rebranded Houston Christian University in September 2022) and his Master of Science from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He later served Strake on the faculty and coached with Chuck Tenny in the late 1990s when the program produced collegiate-level talents such as Broderick Hicks (Wake Forest) and Sam Adamo (University of San Diego).

Llorens’ 25th year of teaching and coaching will bring a double dose of opportunity. In addition to leading Eagle Basketball, he will also serve as the assistant dean of students.

“That’s God working His plan,” says Llorens. “I relate to these responsibilities in complete tandem, nurturing relationships and mentoring these young men to represent St. Thomas in the most complete way.

“My first day here was an immediate fit. It was as if it were meant to be. The commitment to the Catholic faith and Basilian virtues, the engagement in strict college preparatory academics, the single-sex enrollment. This is a superior culture. I’m incredibly grateful for every opportunity that’s ever been given and this is certainly one that I cherish.”

WE FOLLOW EAGLE ATHLETICS AND THE SEASONS FROM FALL THROUGH THE SPRING NOT ONLY TO SEE WHO BECOMES CHAMPION BUT ALSO TO CHAMPION THE GAMES, THE REACH, DIVERSITY, AND BALANCE. WE CELEBRATE THE TALENTED AND THE TENACIOUS, THEIR AMBITIONS AND COMMITMENTS TO COMPETE. THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE BREADTH OF THE STAGE AND THERE IS NO EXAGGERATING THE WORTH OF THE MOMENTS.

Winning is always a powerful, bonding force in the fabric of any community. Champions are nothing if not defiant, even in the face of temporary setbacks. And competition remains the fundamental belief at the core of the American experiment.

The lessons learned throughout generations pursuing 105 state titles for Eagle Athletics - including seven crowns since 2014 with 17 other teams reaching at least the state semifinals - are consistently a blend of ageless savvy and aesthetics. Be honest. Communicate. Be trustworthy. Work hard. Set high expectations. The culture breeds confidence and cohesion, exuberance with grace. The values serve as a bedrock beyond Friday Night Lights and roads to Final Fours.

The continuing elite achievement and expansive growth of Eagle Athletics has spiked since Mike Netzel assumed the leadership role in 2006. During a recent 11 year stretch where TAPPS awarded its All-Sports Trophy, St. Thomas captured the distinction nine times, earned through playoff participation and cumulative on-field performance. Within the quest toward 19 state championships spread across seven sports, more than 160 relentless Eagles have extended their careers to the university level.

#CHAMPIONSFORLIFE

capital gain$

Answering the call.

Access and excellence.

Learning and discovery.

Creative problem-solving and ethical public service.

With St. Thomas’s deep expertise, and grounding in Catholic and Basilian values, the Eagle community is capable of extraordinary impact. Gifts in support of institutional-wide ambitions unlock this potential and advance the school’s sacred mission.

The 16th Annual Scholarship Breakfast honored both donors and current recipients, and the tradition of philanthropy that remains vital to the school’s cherished Basilian heritage. Steps silent and unseen are moving St. Thomas toward a flourishing future.

Foundation Board President Greg Kroencke P ’20 joined the celebration in Reckling Gymnasium with a team of stakeholders - President Fr. James Murphy, CSB, Vice President for Advancement Mark deTranaltes ’83, Foundation Board Members John Granger II ’97 and Michael Soper ’85 P ’23, Principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96 and Alison Broussard, Director of Endowment and Scholarships. All share the belief that the most meaningful and lasting measure of the St. Thomas experience is beyond elite academic achievement. Benefactors are often the most direct way to set in motion the exponential force of an Eagle education fueling the rise of the next significant learners and leaders. Financial gifts empower the school to remain agile, responsive, and innovative in its pursuits.

Kroencke succeeded David Hanse ’91 as president in 2020 after a highly successful seven-year tenure. During conventional times, the position demands leading a collaborative effort that employs long-term and active monetary investing philosophy. But Kroencke and crew were forced to respond posthaste to not only the magnitude of COVID-19 but also the persistent inflationary pressures facing the economy.

The collective results have been nothing short of astonishing - robust return streams across strategies and sectors highly diversified while minimizing risk and volatility.

“During the pandemic, we were somewhat defensively positioned during the market turbulence,” Kroencke says. “Then, in the two years post-COVID, we were fully invested with a significant expansion. Right now, the portfolio is again defensively positioned as we navigate a brief recession, and then we will be primed for the next couple of years. We’ve enjoyed tremendous performance for the endowment asset value - better shape than ever. I give tremendous credit to our investment committee headed by John Granger for guiding us with prudent methods that should provide significant upside over the next few years. That promotes not only our strong financial position but also increases confidence in our donor base. Knowing that the money is properly managed encourages more giving, a self-fulfilling cycle between the two.”

Since its inception, St. Thomas has prized 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 an array of funds available to students based on academic achievement and financial aid determined by a family’s ability to contribute.

The Foundation Board oversees more than 80 named and endowed scholarships made possible by the generosity of contributors since 1969, with more than half established since 2000.

“Our donors choose to give their hard-earned dollars to support the St. Thomas Basilian mission because they believe in the quality of students who develop with goodness, discipline, and knowledge to carry far in life. We all expect great things, now and in the future, from the students here today,” Kroencke says.

“And for the donors who are interested in topping off the endowment, there is a matching gift in 2023 from an anonymous donor who will in essence double whatever dollars are added right now to existing or new scholarships. Tremendous generosity is flourishing in this community.”

Eagle students also benefit from numerous sponsored grants such as the Basilian Fathers Inner City Schools Scholarships, the Basilian General Counsel Scholarships, the Tom and Nancy Marcrini Foundation Scholarships, and Specs Scholarships.

This benevolence is critical to fulfilling the school’s single highest philanthropic priority: ensuring access and affordability for all students seeking the St. Thomas experience.

Saluting the many efforts that assure a storied past continues to create promising futures, designated scholars are asked to offer testimonies at the Scholarship Breakfast relating the depth of their St. Thomas enrichment. Aaron Blackman ’24 and Fredi Delapaz ’25 provided compelling accounts of how they are learning to use their specific strengths and passions in service of God and the world only through the altruism of St. Thomas stakeholders.

“I’m always blown away by the students who speak and share their personal experiences - enlightening and uplifting,” Kroencke says. “They truly demonstrate the love and support that is generated at St. Thomas.”

Kroencke sees daily the full force of the St. Thomas influence demonstrated by his son Zach ’20, an exemplary scholar in the Business Honors Program at Texas A&M University.

As a St. Thomas senior, Kroencke flashed his ubercompetitive ambition within a wide realm of disciplines. He was an emphatic force driving Eagle Lacrosse, Camp Aquinas, and the unmatched Round Up fundraising initiative. In 2020, Zach crushed one of the resolute single-best raffle ticket sales totals in school history - $35,960 - to front a sensational student body total of $525,370.

Earlier in the academic year, the unrivaled and unmatched student fundraising event reached an unprecedented breakthrough - a jaw-dropping $819,000 with all monies annually contributing directly to St. Thomas tuition assistance, a Basilian tradition for nearly a century.

The recent 10-year total exploded to nearly $5.7 million.

Eagles caring for Eagles.

“I continue to measure the value St. Thomas had not only on Zach but with his brothers on campus throughout the country,” Kroencke says. “St. Thomas alumni are making great choices and crafting individual achievement in variety and abundance that will continue throughout their lives. They are the living examples as to why this Basilian mission is so important.”

For 123 years, St. Thomas has embraced its goal, its passion, its obligation to provide a supportive, safe environment for students to thrive, inspiring them to create positive change everywhere life takes them.

Kroencke encouraged the Eagle students in attendance

“to seek out a donor here this morning or in the community who is supporting your attending St. Thomas. I encourage you to ask them why they are involved and thank them. Many of our patrons are not alumni but are still amazed by the results St. Thomas produces. And, finally, as each of you moves forward into this world with the core values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge, please give back. Remember your Eagle brothers coming behind you. Give to them as others gave to propel you further in life.”

The formation of scholars.

The inquiry of faculty.

The commitment to the common good.

Answering the call.

To My Fellow Eagle Alumni, and the greater STH Community:

I hope this issue of The Eagle’s Nest finds all of you and your families doing well. As an introduction, I am son of a ’49 grad, one of four brothers that attended St. Thomas in ’70, ’71, ’78 and ’83, a proud parent in ’14, and relative to Eagle uncles, nephews, in-laws and cousins. I believe we have had some part of our family roaming the halls of 4500 Memorial almost every decade since the 1940’s.

In the early 90’s, John Fauntleroy ’51 was running the Development Office at the school and asked me to join the Foundation Board. I was honored to serve with some incredible STH brothers like Saverio Giammalva ’50, Jim Fischer ’39, Pat Green ’62, Ronnie Glauser ’54, Mike Earthman ’62, Judson Robinson III ’77, Bob Sheridan ’50, and Robert Paine ’68, all of which welcomed me as a peer into their group despite our age differences. As a young attorney getting my practice going, these gentlemen provided an invaluable resource to the abundantly diverse city of Houston and access to the movers and shakers of the community. Most importantly, they helped me understand the history of STH and how important our work was for all the school’s stakeholders, past, present and future. It was a torch not passed lightly and one that has kept me focused on the importance of the work of the STH Board of Directors and our dedicated Foundation Board.

The STH Board of Directors is comprised of several standing committees with specific functions designed to support our President, Fr. Murphy, CSB, and his staff. The Board has a diverse membership of alumni, parents, volunteers and Basilians that bring a level of talent very few Boards enjoy. We have lawyers, doctors, priests, accountants, small and large business owners, educators, advisors, and consultants just to name a few. Over the past year, the Board has been working closely with Fr. Murphy, Principal Aaron Dominquez, students, alumni and the faculty/staff to create the most comprehensive Strategic Plan the school has ever designed. More to come on this front. In addition to this, the Board has been developing a new Campus Master Plan that will incorporate our entire 28 acre campus. This plan addresses the needs of the school today as well as the next 100 years. I cannot begin to tell you the amount of time dedicated to both projects. A key takeaway is the unbridled passion all the stakeholders have for STH.

My six years on the Board have flown by and in that time a lot has changed around the school. New faces, new buildings, new challenges, new alums, new parents, new students, new victories (and defeats), and of course, the completion of a dang nice baseball stadium! While the work of the Board can be challenging, the women and men that serve do so with integrity and determination with one ultimate goal in mind – 4500Forever! It is an exciting time for all of us to be a part of the St. Thomas brotherhood. Spread the word. There’s some good stuff going on and you should be proud. EFND.

Kurt Hanson ’83 Chair, St. Thomas High School Board of Directors

BACK IN THE SWING

THE 32ND ANNUAL ST. THOMAS GOLF TOURNAMENT HOSTED GENERATIONS OF EAGLES WITH A MYRIAD OF FRIENDS AND PATRONS, ALL GATHERING WITH ROLLICKING IRREVERENCE AT THE IMMACULATE GOLF CLUB OF HOUSTON, THE ONE-TIME HOME OF THE SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

A brotherhood unlike any other relished their beloved event celebrated amongst one of the most thriving alumni groups in Houston. Despite a mid-afternoon weather interruption, wide fairways were split, off-the-cementcart-path shots skied, enormous greens missed, over-the-head lob wedge shots strictly prohibited. Inevitable wagers placed and many a Macanudo lit.

Plenty of frosty beverages, lost balls, assorted shame, and loose scorekeeping pending how creative the mathematically challenged demonstrated the importance of not being earnest.

Great appreciation extended to title sponsors Weldon Grangier and John Lodge Families; Silver Sponsors John Rynd ’75, John Rathmell ’75, and the Class of 1975; and Bronze Sponsors the Class of 2008, Considine & BorgClass of 2023, Omega Transactions, PBK, and Trey Wood ’82. And once again, the Eagle community generated valuable monies identified for St. Thomas tuition assistance and Eagle Athletics. Well played, gentlemen.

COOL STUFF IN THE SUMMERTIME

GOOD TIMES HAD BY ALL AT THE ANNUAL AND ALWAYS NOTABLE YOUNG ALUMNI GATHERING HOSTED AT SAINT ARNOLD BREWING COMPANY.

Another awesome Eagle turnout mixing, mingling, and crafting with fellow Catholic school enthusiasts from Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Incarnate Word Academy, St. Agnes Academy, Frassati, St. John XXIII, Strake Jesuit,

NEVER LOOKED BETTER

OUTRAGEOUS FUN AND FASHION WAS ON FULL DISPLAY AT THE 52ND ANNUAL MOTHERS’ CLUB STYLE SHOW & LUNCHEON CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2023 WHILE BENEFITING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE MEN OF ST. THOMAS.

The River Oaks Country Club again provided the perfect spring setting.

Great appreciation always goes to the invaluable Eagle mothers who empower the Basilian Fathers to teach goodness, discipline, and knowledge, and to the generous underwriters and sponsors in maintaining the revelry at the original venue where the 1971 festivities debuted.

Special gratitude extends to Mothers’ Club President Emily Guyre and Vice President Maria Morfin with event chairs Angela Platsas, Lisa Weaver, and Melina Bellomo.

The trio collaborated with Director of Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Chandler, along with Dillard’s for providing exquisite haute couture, event producer par excellence Lenny Matuszewski teaming with senior stylist Tamara Klosz Bonar, Casablanca Productions, and The Phoenix Design Group. In grand Style Show custom, there was no splendor to match the sartorial struts of St. Thomas President Fr. James Murphy, CSB and his fellow bastion of bespoke, Principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez ’96. Dressed for success, one and all.

THE TICKER FALL 2023

ST. THOMAS PEOPLE IN THE NEWS AND ON THE MOVE.

Tom Laurenzo ’75 is in his third decade as a broker with 1st Alliance Mortgage LLC. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Houston in 1981.

Curt Langley ’82 is an attorney/partner at Crinion Richardson & Langley LLP, a commercial litigation practice in Houston. He previously was an attorney/ partner at Jackson Walker LLP for nearly 20 years and with Davis & Shank, P.C. from 1991-2000. Langley received his Juris Doctor in 1990 from South Texas College of Law and his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1987 from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also an adjunct professor at South Texas College.

Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq. ’83, the Executive Director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, was honored in January with the President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Service. The distinction is on behalf of Points of Light and AmeriCorps to individuals across the country whose service positively impacts their home communities and inspires others around them to take positive action.

Andrews was previously a vice president and regional vice president with AARP. He earned his Juris Doctor with honors from Howard University School of Law after receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Southern University. He also holds an executive education degree from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, as well as adjunct professorships at Georgetown and the Howard School of Law.

Remon Smith ’84 has been named MileSplit National Coach of the Year after leading Klein Forest to 2023 state track and field championship. The crown was his second after claiming the 2019 title and a third-place state result in 2022. Smith was a two-sport state champion for St. Thomas and in 2018 ascended to the greatest heights afforded an Eagle studentathlete with election into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Carlos Sandoval ’87 is the senior director of data and application development at PeriShip Global LLC after beginning with the company as an information technology consultant. He was previously with United Airlines for more than two decades as director of technology and director of customer travel solutions.

David Zugheri ’88 is approaching 30 years as co-founder and equity partner of Envoy Mortgage, FKA First Houston Mortgage. He is also an instructor at the Mortgage Bankers Association. Zugheri graduated from Texas Tech University in 1992 and is a certified fund manager, mortgage technologist and banker, and broker from the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Vincent Barajas ’90 has joined McDermott International, Ltd as a global marketing and communications manager. He previously was a communications specialist at Citgo Petroleum, Waste Management, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Barajas is a former reporter at KTRH radio in Houston after graduating from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.

Thomas Brandino III ’91 is a certified financial planner, wealth advisor, and senior vice president approaching his third decade with Frost Bank. He has more than 26 years of expertise in investment management, tax, and estate planning. Brandino graduated from the University of Houston in 1996 as a member of the Sigma Nu International fraternity

Dominic Mandola ’93 is in his second decade as president of Ragin’ Cajun restaurants. He received his Bachelor of Science, Food and Consumer Sciences from the University of Mississippi in 1997 and his associate culinary degree from The Art Institutes in 1999 before continuing his family’s renowned restaurateur legacy.

Damian Garcia ’98 in his second decade in commercial truck sales with Rush Enterprises, Inc.

He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance from the University of Houston-Downtown in 2005 and also studied at the University of St. Thomas.

Robert Kent ’98 is a certified professional landman for the Tex-Brit Corporation and Nortex Corporation.

He earned his Bachelor of Science, Radio Television and Film in 2002 from the University of Texas at Austin.

Kevin McConn ’99 is a managing director at Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated, a global commercial real estate services company. He was previously a project manager at the CBRE Group, Inc., an American commercial real estate services and investment firm, and a development manager at MSC, Inc. McConn earned his Master of Business Administration, Real Estate Finance in 2012 from the Jones Graduate School at Rice University and his Bachelor of Science, Business Foundations in 2003 at the University of Texas at Austin.

Stephen Schneider ’99 is a vice president, corporate banking & energy services lender at Cadence Bank in Tupelo, Mississippi after previously serving as associate vice president and relationship manager. He was also a private client banker at JP Morgan Chase in Houston for two years and relationship manager at BBVA Compass for a year. Schneider earned his Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from Auburn University in 2004 and MBA Candidate, Finance and Financial Management Services at the University of Houston 2016-2018.

Steve Schwarzbach ’02 has joined Fiume Capital in Las Vegas, Nevada as an associate general counsel. He was previously senior counsel at the Huntsman Corporation and an attorney with Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Schwarzbach earned his Juris Doctor at Georgetown University in 2011 and his Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from Texas A&M University in 2007.

Will Grubb ’09 is a partner with McGinnis Lochridge after three years as an associate in the Oil & Gas Practice Group. He was also an associate with Vinson & Elkins after earning his Juris Doctor summa cum laude from South Texas College of Law in 2017. Grubb earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Nebraska in 2013.

Tim Redden Jr. ’09 is an associate attorney with Hall Maines Lugrin, PC after previous experience with Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, and Donato, Minx, Brown & Pool, PC. Redden earned his Juris Doctor at South Texas College of Law in 2016 after completing his scholar-athlete baseball career at Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management in 2013.

James Grant ’16 is a sports anchor/reporter at WTLV (NBC)-WJXX (ABC) First Coast News in Jacksonville, Florida. He previously was a multi-media journalist KBMT (ABC) in Beaumont after graduating in 2020 from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Grant received the 2016 Fr. Albert R. Gaelens, CSB Award, given to the senior student who best embodies the school motto of Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge, and the Brian Selby Award for Eagle Baseball.

Pete Huggins ’16 is attending graduate school at the University of Virginia after earning his Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy from Middlebury College where he was named co-captain and second-team All-NESCAC in 2019 as a linebacker, leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss.

Ryan Chandler ’17 is a statewide capitol correspondent, based at KXAN (NBC) in Austin. Before joining the bureau, he was a reporter and anchor for KAMC (ABC) and KLBK (CBS) in Lubbock, where he focused on West Texas politics and hosted the weekly political program “Talking Points.” Chandler graduated in December 2020 from the University of Texas at Austin with dual bachelor’s degrees in journalism and government as a student in the Liberal Arts Honors Program.

Everett Vaughn ’18 is attending Stanford Law School after earning his Master of Accounting from the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University. Vaughn completed his scholar-athlete basketball career at Texas A&M University in 2022 where he received his Bachelor of Science, Construction Science.

As a senior, Vaughn was named to the Southeastern Conference Community Service Team. He organized and led a crew of volunteer construction workers to help renovate homes in rural low-income areas in Texas. After the historic Texas freeze in February 2020, Vaughn galvanized a relief effort in the Brazos and Burleson County areas to provide affected communities with heaters, food, and water. Vaughn is also endowing a diversity in construction science scholarship at A&M to a socially disadvantaged student from a Texas high school. Tucker Alch ’19 was named Division III All-American and the Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season in completing one of the most stellar careers in Catholic University history. He owns the school’s all-time record for wins, the single-season marks for wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched in the Landmark, and is in the top 10 all-time in the conference in wins, won-lost percentage, strikeouts, ERA, games started, and innings pitched. In 2022, Alch led the Cardinals to the D-III World Series for the first time, earning their first-ever regional and super regional titles while racking a school-record 34 victories.

in memoriam

’45

Rev. Msgr. Fredrick P. O’Connor Jr. ’45, January 17, 2023

’49

Valerian A. Bilski ’49, January 5, 2023

’50

Joseph E. Roach ’50, June 3, 2023

Brother of Jack H. ’36, Charles E. ’40, James C. Roach ’47, and brother-in-law of Francis X. Pendarvis ’42.

’52

Andrew C. Dobard ’52, April 19, 2022

’54

Tony J. Lauhoof ’54, January 25, 2023

’55

James E. Schwarzbach ’55, February 21, 2023

Brother of Larry Jr. ’49, Theodore J. ’50, and John J. Schwarzbach ’56; uncle of Michael E. ’79, Stephen T. ’81, and David C. Schwarzbach ’83; and great-uncle of Steve T. ’02 and Brian W. Schwarzbach ’12.

Charter member St. Thomas Sports Hall of Fame. Honored at the 2021 Auction & Gala saluting his relentless commitment to the St. Thomas community as a coach, faculty member, mentor, and no-nonsense motivator. Invaluable and unmeasurable contributor to all that is valued by the Basilian Fathers.

Michael B. Posey ’55, May 15, 2023

’56

Anthony A. Ahuero ’56, February 6, 2022

’57

William E. Samohyl ’57, February 4, 2022

Brother of Robert W. Samohyl ’66.

’58

Joseph P. Bonno ’58, May 4, 2023

’60

Charley A. Randall II ’60, May 22, 2023

Brother of John Randall ’62.

Charles A. Samperi ’60, April 18. 2022

’63

William H. Greene ’63, December 20, 2022

George P. Grice ’63, February 19, 2023

Edwin W. Kearns III, ’63, June 9, 2023

Robert A. “Tony” Matthews ’63, April 8, 2023

Lawrence W. Sauer Jr. ’63, June 27, 2023

Cousin of Rock W. ’75, John G. ’78, Roger R. ’79, and Patrick Gremillion ’82.

Michael Sheehan ’63, October 25, 2022

’64

Tomas C. Maldonado ’64, December 25, 2020

Brother of Edward A. ’78 and Robert W. Maldonado ’80.

Richard E. “Rick” Wright Jr. ’64, December 15, 2022

Brother of Michael F. ’67 and Anthony Wright; uncle of Barton Taylor ’07 and Justin Wright.

’68

Michael G. McConn ’68, February 4, 2023

Son of James J. McConn ’44; brother of James J. ’66 and T. Kevin McConn ’71; nephew of John L. ’41, Robert G. ’42, and Thomas P. McConn ’51; and cousin of Robert G. ’66, John L. ’70, Gary M. ’72, John L. III ’74, Burke S. ’76, and Mark D. McConn ’77.

’70

Frederick M. Witt ’70, January 19, 2023

Brother of Louis M. Jr. ’68 and Chris M. Witt ’73.

’71

F. Scott Goerlich ’71, May 19, 2023

Brother of Richard H. Goerlich ’69.

’74

Thomas J. Floeck ’74, March 1, 2023

Son of Daniel Floeck Sr. ’50; brother of Daniel Jr. ’71, Michael J. ’75, and Joseph F. Floeck ’77; and uncle of Michael D. Floeck ’11.

Joseph M. Parisi ’74, March 20, 2023

Son of Stephen J. Parisi ’50; brother of Cosmo P. ’76, Stephen W. ’77, and James C. Parisi; cousin of Samuel C. ’77, Daniel C. ’78, and David W. Rizzo ’79.

’75

Michael J. Floeck ’75, April 6, 2023

Son of Daniel Floeck Sr. ’50; brother of Daniel Jr. ’71, Thomas J. ’74, and Joseph F. Floeck ’77; father of Michael D. Floeck ’11; stepfather of David ’85 and Gerald Hart ’87, and Samuel H. Pulley ’94.

’79

Joseph E. Cleboski ’79, March 7, 2023

’83

Samuel “Sammy” G. Romano, Sr. ’83, April 14, 2023

Son of Noxie M. Romano ’52; Brother of Anthony J. ’73 and Noxie M. Romano Jr. ’74.

’95

John J. Stempien ’95, March 1, 2023

Evan D. Strickland ’95, March 24, 2023

’16

Patrick P. Rocha ’16, May 8, 2023

St. Thomas Family

Rev. Les F. Schaefer, CSB, March 5, 2023

Barbara J. Vaughn Coleman, May 22, 2023

Wife of Arland Coleman ’49; sister of James W. ’51 and Joseph T. Vaughn ’62; aunt of Joseph T. Jr. ’85, William F. ’87, and Michael W. Vaughn ’89; grandmother of Arland K. ’99, Walter B. ’00, and Braden W. Nichols ’05; and great-aunt of Jay T. Vaughn ’15 and Everett W. Vaughn ’18.

Peggy Cooney, March 16, 2023

Wife of David W. Cooney ’53, mother of David W. Cooney Jr. ’78, and sister-in-law of William E. ’50 and Kevin M. Cooney ’63.

Stephen D. Lawrence, May 30, 2023

Father of Norman B. Lawrence ’95.

Suzanne L. Reynolds, January 18, 2023

Sister of Leo E. Linbeck Jr. ’52: mother of F. Fisher Reynolds III ’78, Rev. Stephen Bart ’79, Kent L. Reynolds ’82; and grandmother of F. Fisher Reynolds IV ’09.

Mark Van Doren, March 23, 2023

Father of Kenny Van Doren ’19.

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