At Cretin-Derham Hall, students have important opportunities to grow, learn and thrive both in the classroom and 'beyond the books!' In fact, 98% of students participate in one or more sports or activities. 

Beyond the Books is our brag book on all of your favorite co-curriculars at CDH: athletics, activities, JROTC, Campus Ministry, and the Arts. This can also be a place for occasional school-wide athletic department updates and current news on some of our activities.

ATHLETICS | ACTIVITIES | BAND | CHOIR | JROTC | THEATER

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Athletics

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Boys Basketball

By Tony Yazbeck, Assistant Coach

The boys basketball team is off to an outstanding start, currently sitting at 9–2 overall and 5–0 in conference play, and ranked #4 in the state.

On Saturday, January 3, the Raiders defeated rival St. Thomas Academy by a score of 88–74, marking their 23rd consecutive win over the Cadets dating back to 2005. That same day, the program welcomed several alumni while honoring legendary coach Len Horyza, culminating in the official dedication of the gymnasium where he coached for many years.

Congratulations to Ty Schlagel ’27, who surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone in the win over East Ridge on January 8.

Looking ahead, the Raiders will host:

• Mounds View on January 16 for Youth Night
• Prior Lake on January 24
• Woodbury on January 27

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Girls Basketball

By Tara Gunderson, Head Coach

The CDH Girls Basketball team continues to have a strong season. We currently have an overall record of 8-4 and are in 2nd place of the SEC Conference. We had a tough loss against Wayzata but it gave our team areas to work on and learn from. We have had solid conference wins over Woodbury, Stillwater, Roseville and White Bear Lake. We also had a huge win over DeLaSalle which hasn't happened in 8 years. The team continues to work hard and show progress as we head into the 2nd half of the season. Go Raiders!

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Boys Hockey

By Matt Funk, Head Coach

The Boys Hockey team just finished a tough stretch of games over the Holiday break and we are starting to find our identity. We battled some of the state’s top teams with a win over 10th ranked Holy Angels and narrow one goal losses to #5 St. Thomas Academy, #2 Moorhead, and #3 Edina. The Raiders had chances to win each of those games and are struggling to find the back of the net. The non-conference schedule is now complete and the Raiders will look to stay undefeated in the SEC conference with 12 remaining games all against conference teams.

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Girls Hockey

By Tony Scheid, Head Coach

We have had tremendous contributions from our three captains throughout the entire season. Grace Kemp ’26, Channing Haycraft ’27, and Emma Kennefick ’26 have gone above and beyond in their commitment to the team. They have set an exceptionally high standard for our young and talented players to follow. Their focus on our daily process and attention to detail has been lights out. Most importantly, they have provided the compassion and selflessness needed to guide our team toward continued growth and improvement.
 

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Boys Swim and Dive

By Mitchell Reynolds, Head Coach

The Boys Swim and Dive team is in our peak training and racing season. Recent highlights include: 

1. 3 hour training sessions over Winter Break. 100x100s on New Years Eve is a team favorite. 
2. A 5th place finish in the Tiger Division of the Maroon and Gold Invite on January 3rd. In a competitive field of 12 teams the Raiders secured 3 event wins in the 200 Freestyle (Campbell Foster-MSA), 100 Butterfly (Alex Skluzacek-MSA) and 200 Free Relay (Chase Style '27, Owen Sargent '26, Skluzacek, Foster)
3. On January 9 a dual meet win against Forest Lake, 96-85. Our scoring at this meet was paced by Foster, Sargent, Skluzacek, Style, Carson Huyhn (MSA), Chase Nelson '28, and many others! 

Between January 8 and January 17 we compete in 5 meets in 10 days! While the weeks ahead are demanding, the Boys Swim and Dive team has their eyes fixed on the rewards of taper and championship meet races. Thank you to all of our supporters and please consider joining us for:

1. Faculty Night on January 15 against Roseville
2. Senior Night on January 27 against White Bear Lake

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Wrestling

By Joe Piazza, Head Coach

The boys and girls wrestling teams are entering the second half of the season with excellent momentum. The CDH wrestling program proudly includes four girls: Amelia Meier ’28, Gloria Barclay ’28, Ella Gaylord ’28, and Nola Turner ’27. The girls have been recording individual victories throughout the season and will compete at the end of the year in an all-girls section tournament. The top two finishers at that event will qualify for the Girls State Tournament at the Grand Casino Arena.

The AA Raider wrestling program competes in the AAA Suburban East Conference, widely regarded as the toughest pound-for-pound wrestling conference in the state. On January 8, the Raiders wrestled with intensity and discipline to defeat conference rival and SEC powerhouse AAA East Ridge.

CDH grapplers have recorded three tournament champions this season:

• Hendrik Prestegaard ’28 – 1st place, Trinity Invitational
• Captain Jaziel Enriquez Olvera ’26 – 1st place, Hopkins Invitational
• Captain Isaac Henry ’26 – 1st place, Hopkins Invitational

The Junior Varsity squad has been equally impressive, producing numerous champions at tournaments across the state.

The next home meet is on January 21 against AA section rival Washington Technology. This meet will also serve as Senior Night, honoring Jaziel Enriquez Olvera ’26, Isaac Henry ’26, and Kyron Kurtz ’26. Come support the team and celebrate our seniors in Griep’s Gymnasium at 6 PM.

Go Raiders!!
 

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Activities

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Chess Club

By Jesse Cusick, Moderator

Chess club begins Friday, January 9 in room MFA 202 during flex, and will also run through February on Fridays during flex. All are welcome.

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Clay Target Team

By Jason Naber, Coach

The Clay Target Team has a meeting scheduled for 6:30 on Jan 22 in the commons.  All existing team members and new kids interested in joining should attend. 

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Debate Club

By Emma Denzen, Moderator

In Debate Club, we are starting to research our first debate topic of the year: are billionaires ethical? We are working on finding credible evidence to support our points and will be building up arguments over the next couple of weeks. 

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History Day

By Jenn Androsky, Moderator

We are excited to share that students in the College Prep U.S. History class have officially begun work on their National History Day (NHD) projects. Students are selecting topics, conducting historical research, and planning their presentation that emphasizes in-depth exploration of historical topics and development of research, writing, analysis, and presentation skills. National History Day is a nationally recognized program that engages students across the country in historical inquiry and creative expression, culminating in competitions where projects are evaluated by historians and educators.

Throughout the month of January, students will be spending most class time in College Prep U.S. History developing their projects. They will continue researching primary and secondary sources, refining their historical arguments, and constructing their projects in one of the accepted formats (such as research papers, exhibits, documentaries, performances, or websites). This focused work will help prepare them to clearly communicate their findings and demonstrate their understanding of both their topic and its significance in history.

The final project will be due during the last week of January. This deadline gives students ample time to complete their research and craft a polished final product that reflects months of learning and growth.

After submissions are complete, our school’s History Day teachers and staff will review all class projects and select the strongest entries. A limited number of these top projects will be chosen to represent our school at the Metro Senior Regional History Day Competition, which will be held at the University of Minnesota on March 10th. This regional contest is the first step in the larger NHD competition process, where students have the opportunity to advance to state and even national levels based on their work.

We are proud of our students’ dedication and creativity as they take on this meaningful academic challenge. National History Day provides a powerful opportunity for students to deepen their historical understanding and develop important lifelong skills.

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Intramural Basketball

By Tommy Murray, Moderator

• Schedule: Weekly competition on Sundays. Games are scheduled in three time slots: 12 pm, 12:40 pm, and 1:20 pm
• Faculty Involvement: The staff team, known as the "Fossils" (including all staff and faculty members), is currently ranked Number 1 in the league and looks forward  to playing every student team this season.
• Registration & Eligibility: Students cannot step on the court to play until their paperwork is current in Final Forms. Families must sign students up through the CDH Athletic Website.
• Student Opportunity: The league is seeking student creators and writers to help produce the weekly newsletter, "The Hoop Scoop". If students are interested in signing up to play this year please let Mr Murray know as we always have room for new players and teams.
• Contact: For technical support regarding registration, please email Commissioner Murray or  CDH Associate Athletic Director and Activities Director Mr Yazbeck.

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Mind Matters

By Tiffany Rosen, Moderator

At our most recent meeting, Mind Matters explored how sensory experiences—specifically temperature—can influence mood and behavior. Members participated in hands-on sensory testing to compare how warmth versus cold affects emotional responses. We connected this experiment to life here in Minnesota, discussing how our cold climate and long winters can impact mood, motivation, and mental health. The activity sparked thoughtful conversation about seasonal changes, behavior, and the psychology behind how our environment shapes how we feel.

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Ping Pong Club

By Jesse Cusick, Moderator

Ping-pong Club began Thursday, January 8 and will try to run through February on Thursdays after school from 3-4pm in the dance studio. All are welcome.

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Band

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By Teddy Williams, Band Director

The band is hitting the ground running this January, with a lot of events coming up:

• SEC Music Festival: Monday, Feb 2, 2026 
  • Select students are also performing the night before with the SEC Honors Band
• Empty Bowls (jazz band): Wednesday, Feb 4, 2026 5:30pm
• Midwinter Concert: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 7pm
• Solo and Ensemble: Saturday, March 21, 2026

Additionally, the pep band will be playing at more hockey and basketball games throughout January and February. We hope to see you at some games!
 

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Choir

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By Delilah Schuster, Choir Director

Upcoming Dates for Choir:

Monday, February 2, 2026: SEC All-Conference Music Festival Field Trip @ Mounds View High School
Tuesday, March 3, 2026: Midwinter Band & Choir Concert @ CDH (Aux Gym)

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JROTC

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By SGM David Berrisford '81, COL Scrocca, and SFC Thingvold

Happy New Year and Congratulations to our Cadets of the Month for December 2025, Ivan Lam `26, Mac Foster ’26, Hannah Murphy ‘29, Evelyn McKiel ‘27, Aiden Gerzak ‘27 and Denise Bueno ‘27. Job well done! Congratulations as well to some of our seniors who were recently promoted for the tremendous effort they have shown to support the Brigade the first half of the year – Darby Peterson '26 who was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Mac Foster '26, Olivia Kline '26 and Kaylee Perla '26 who were promoted to Captain.

The cadets have been doing a super job in support of the Minneapolis Veterans Home for the past few years. What a tremendous partnership this has been. The veterans love having our cadets come by a few times a month and I know the cadets get a lot out of it as well. That being said, sign-up forms are posted for January and February outside of the JROTC Office.

On February 6 the Raider Brigade will host the 34th Annual Upper Midwest JROTC Challenge (UMJC) here at CDH. The Raider Brigade is excited to host about 350 cadets 12 local and regional JROTC programs, some from as far away as the Upper Peninsula and Chicago. Cadets will compete in a variety of activities to include: Regulation Drill, Color Guard, Rifle Marksmanship, Archery, Physical Fitness, Knowledge Bowl, and always a crowd favorite – the Tug-O-War. Everyone is welcome to attend to cheer on the cadets between 10am-3pm in the CDH Field House.

Finally, mark your calendars! On February 13 we will hold the annual Raider Brigade Military Ball. It will be held again at TST Catering in St. Paul. We encourage all of our cadets to attend this fun event. It gives the cadets an opportunity to dress up in a formal version of their uniform (white dress shirt and black bow tie) and their dates and young women in the program can wear a formal civilian suit or gown. Students arrive at 5 pm, have their pictures taken, eat a wonderful meal, and then dance the night away. The event ends at 10pm. All cadre attend as chaperones as well.

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Theater

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By Cullen Wiley '16, Theater Director

The Outsiders runs February 20-March 1! Don't miss this classic coming of stage story. Middle school students are highly encouraged to attend!

Get Tickets