Beyond the Books - September 2023
September 7, 2023
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.
Formerly known as Heard in the Halls, the new Beyond the Books is our brag book on all of your favorite co-curriculars at CDH: athletics, activities, JROTC, fine arts and Campus Ministry. This can also be a place for occasional school-wide athletic department updates and current news on some of our activities.
Counseling news will now be found in it's own article every month. Check it out here.
ATHLETICS | ACTIVITIES | THEATER | JROTC | BAND | CHOIR | CAMPUS MINISTRY
Athletics
Cross Country
By Chris Babcock, Head Coach
Cross country has been off and running since August 14. Since then we have already logged many miles of running and reps of strength. But it is not too late for you to join us. Even with an abbreviated season you will be able to get in three 5K races on some really great courses, join us for our night run over the lit paths of Lake Elmo Park Reserve, and have a great time finding out that you really can do this. First year runner Joey Massari '27 placed second in his first high school cross country race with his Raider teammates at our first meet of the season. Fox Gallioto '26 has come out stronger than ever in his second season as a Raider harrier. Gallioto posted a time of 18:50 in the 5K at the Grey Cloud Invitational on August 31. That is only 30 seconds slower than his best race last year which came at the end of the season. For the girls, Abby Chestovich '27 continues to lead the way for her team and raced to a third place finish at the Grey Cloud Invitational, showing her strength down the stretch. Class and teammate Lucy Keating '27 had a breakout race at Grey Cloud as well. She bested her time from a year ago by over 6 minutes.
If you would like to join these runners and their teammates you can find them at the Hamline Tower Doors, south of the turn-around on Hamline starting at 3pm weekdays. You can also contact coach Chris Babcock for more information. We have a first year, limited or no experience group that is ready for students of any grade to join. Team captains Bella Brondum '24 and Liam McLay '24 are also available if you have questions.
Football
By Steve Walsh '85, Head Coach
The football team spent part of their summer practicing at St. John's University. It was a great day of team building while getting a chance to tour the campus.
Speaking of St. John's, two more Raiders have joined their football roster as Michael Bougie '22 and Ryan Warford '22 will be on the squad for the Johnnies.
Football won its season opener for the first time since 2019 with a victory at Tartan 35-0.
There are still tickets available for the September 15 game vs. St. Thomas Academy @TCO Stadium. Game time is 7pm. We will also be hosting a pre-game picnic on the Training Haus Deck above the Vikings Pro Shop from 5-7pm. Tickets are $12 for the game and $10 for the picnic (which includes a Hamburger/Hot Dog/Brat meal and beverage).
Performance Dance
By Alison Svendsen, Head Coach
The 2023/2024 Cretin-Derham Hall Dance program is so excited to have wrapped up one amazing summer session! Dancers participated in weekly practices, Just for Kix dance camp up in Brainerd and the team learned lots of new choreography. We also had the pleasure of welcoming many new faces into the program, the majority of whom have now joined us for the Fall Performance Dance season. The team has been hard at work these first few weeks of fall dance, implementing technique as well as learning an entire routine in the first week.
Come check out the team and all their efforts as they take to the field at UST for all of CDH Football's home games. It is sure to be an exciting and fast-paced season as game one comes up September 8 followed by Homecoming two weeks later on September 22.
Spread the word: any younger students grades K-8 are welcome to join us for the 2023 annual CDHDT Kid's Clinic happening October 14 with a performance at the Oct. 18 game. CDHDT is also re-introducing the Jr. Raiders program this season! Jr. Raiders is available to 5-8th graders who are interested in dancing. They will have 2-3 performances throughout the season, will get to spend time with the Varsity and JV dancers, advance their dance and performance skills, and learn all about the high school dance team! Anyone interested in these great opportunities with our program can contact us at cdhdt@c-dh.org.
Boys Soccer
By Russ Turner, Head Coach
Boys Soccer has made a strong start to the season with 3 games undefeated, including wins over Como Park and St. Paul Central. Spirits were dampened a little by only tying with rivals STA, but our form is good. Liam Hafenbrack ’24 has 2 goals, as does Luke Madden ’24. Also on the scoresheet are Luke Fowler ’24 and Zander Coy ’25.
Girls Soccer
By Phil Walczak, Head Coach
The CDH Girls Soccer Program is looking forward to a great 2023 fall season. We have welcomed a new staff while also returning a majority of our varsity roster from 2022. We are excited to see the program perform under the leadership of Coach Phil Walczak and senior captains Catherine Novak ’24, Lauren Bengtson ’24, and Annie Mulcahy ’24. This year we are fielding three teams at the Varsity, JV, and 9th grade levels. Our program is focused on growth and building excitement around the longer term goal of being a major participant in the Suburban East Conference as well as in 3AA Section and AA State Tournament play. This season we have a jam packed schedule with the bulk of our strong conference play coming in the middle weeks of September.
Highlighted games and events include
- September 13, 7:30 pm Home Super Fan Night vs Woodbury
- September 16, noon Away vs Mahtomedi
- September 19, 5:30 pm Home Senior Night vs Irondale
- September 30, 11 am Away vs Hill Murray.
Future Raiders reach out to Coach Walczak for additional program information.
In 2024, we plan on having an Alumni game to get our former players involved. If you are alumni please reach out to Coach Walczak to assist in the formation of our new event.
Girls Swim and Dive
By Lisa Thomas, Head Coach
CDH Girls Swim and Dive are off to a fantastic start with 19 seniors leading the way! We kicked off our season with a second place finish at the Stillwater Conference Relays and won our first dual meet on the road against the Roseville Raiders last Thursday night.
We are looking ahead to a fantastic 2023 season with all of our state qualifiers returning as well as a great group of first year swimmers! Captains Izzy Macheel ’24, Molly Magnuson ’24, Olivia Reeder ’24 and Danika Ruebbelke ’24, alongside this fantastic group of seniors, are leading this team of 50 swimmers and divers into an amazing season! We have our eyes set on meeting goals, building community, working hard, qualifying for True Team State in October and sending even more Raiders on to the State meet this year. Great Job CDH Swim and Dive, I am so proud to be your coach!
Girls Tennis
By Tim Spika, Head Coach
The girls’ tennis season began on Tuesday, August 15, after tryouts the day before were rained out. Cretin-Derham Hall welcomed over 60 girls to tryouts and all players were placed on one of three teams: Varsity, Junior Varsity and B team. The season is basically 6 weeks long, as both the JV and B teams end their year with the Suburban East Conference tournaments on Saturday, September 30. The Varsity season goes to mid-October, as they have section tournaments for both the team and the top 6 individuals. No matter the length of the season, each team has a full schedule, with an average of 2 matches per week, and occasional tournaments or other events on Saturdays. September is a busy tennis month. Historically our girls have been able to balance the rigors of school, homework and late-afternoon tennis matches. That challenge continues this year, as the first week of school saw back-to-back matches on two days.
Players on all teams have brought very positive energy, a willingness to work and a desire to improve. That attitude and effort makes the experience positive for all involved. Captains for this year’s Varsity are Ava Wieland ’24 and Claire Rom ’24. Coaches include Tim Spika (Varsity), Jesse Cusick ’98 (Junior Varsity) and Carolyn Osdoba and Mark Grelson (B team).
Volleyball
By Erin Horn, Head Coach
The CDH VB program started strong with a program sweep over Mahtomedi on August 24. Two of our 9th grade teams followed that victory with 2nd place finishes at their weekend tournament on August 26. We came away with a near sweep at Nova on August 29, but Varsity ended up losing in 4 sets. The varsity match against Holy Angels on August 31 was tough as we were missing some key players, but we feel confident in our team and this program and know they can bounce back.
Varsity is currently 1-2 on the season and looking forward to our next matches in the Apple Valley tournament on September 8 and September 9. Thanks for the support!
Activities
By Tony Yazbeck, Activities Director
Get ready for an exhilarating school year with CDH Activities! With over 60 diverse and engaging activities to choose from, the excitement is building as Cretin-Derham Hall gears up for an incredible year ahead.
At CDH, there's a place for everyone's interests and passions. Whether you're into arts, sports, academics, community service, or something completely unique, you're sure to find a club or activity that resonates with you. And the best part? CDH Activities is always on the lookout to introduce even more exciting options, ensuring that there's something fresh and appealing for every student.
Mark your calendars for the CDH Activities Fair in the Aux Gym on Wednesday, September 20 during FLEX. This event is a golden opportunity for you to personally connect with each club. You'll have the chance to meet the dedicated coaches and moderators and find out more about the ins and outs of their respective clubs, giving you a firsthand glimpse into these opportunities. You can also sign up and join what interests you.
To preview all the options for students, a list of clubs and activities is conveniently located on our website. If you have any questions, please contact Tony Yazbeck, Activities Director.
Theater
By Penelope Parsons Lord, Theater Director
The Lillian Theater is gearing up for another amazing year. Last year we ended on a high note with the big hit Mamma Mia! (Congratulations to everyone involved in that amazing, fun and catchy show). This year I am so excited to announce that we will be working on TWO musicals! That's right TWO!
Here's our season:
Fall Musical
The Lion King (Main Stage)
Auditions
Wednesday, September 13, Thursday, September 14 (Dance workshop) & Friday September 15.
Performances
- Friday, November 10
- Saturday, November 11
- Sunday, November 12
- Friday, November 17
- Saturday, November 18
- Sunday, November 19
Winter Play
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Black Box)
Performances
- Friday, February 9
- Saturday, February 10
- Sunday, February 11
- Friday, February 16
- Saturday, February 17
- Sunday, February 18
Spring Musical
Roald Dahl's Matilda (Main Stage)
Performances
- Friday, April 26
- Saturday, April 27
- Sunday, April 28
- Friday, May 3
- Saturday, May 4
- Sunday, May 5
This year I am also setting up a Theater Board with parents, theater alumni and students. The aim of this board will be to support the theater program. I need help when it comes to feeding the students during rehearsals and performances, running the box office and the concession stand, helping with publicity inside and outside the school, building and taking down sets... any and all skill sets welcome!
If you are interested in being a part of this community, please email me with dates and time that would work for you to come to an initial meeting during the week starting September 18.
I really look forward to hearing from you all. I am hoping that through this community we can create a more sustainable and thriving theater program at CDH.
JROTC
By SGM David Berrisford '91, MSG Ken Peloski, COL Scrocca, and SFC Thingvold
JROTC started its 107th CDH school year with one of the largest Cadet Corps we’ve seen since the merger. This includes a 9th grade class of nearly 100 new cadets making it the largest single class in more than a quarter-century.
Also of note, this will be the first time since the merger that the Raider Brigade will kick off the year with four instructors. This will enable each of our instructors to dedicate their time and attention to the education and leadership of a single year group. MSG Ken Peloski will be teaching the 9th graders, SFC Brittany Thingvold will teach the Sophomores, SGM David Berrisford '91 will teach the Juniors, and COL Joe Scrocca will teach the Seniors.
The JROTC Diamond Promotion Ceremony will take place during an all-school assembly on Friday, September 15. During this annual ceremony, 16 of our top Senior cadets will be promoted to senior leadership positions in the Raider Brigade, along with our 108th Cadet Colonel.
A Schaller JROTC Scholarship cadet meeting will be held on September 8 at 7:15 am in the Commons to discuss scholarship expectations and requirements for the year. All cadets on a Schaller JROTC Scholarship are required to attend.
The JROTC Fall Review will be held on Wednesday, October 4 at 2 pm on Wingerd Field. This annual event welcomes the new 9th graders to the Raider Brigade Corps of Cadets, and recognizes some of our top performers. All are invited to attend.
The annual JROTC adventure training trip to Camp Ripley will be held the weekend of September 22-24. We understand this is also Homecoming weekend. That is very unfortunate but we are limited in when we train at Camp Ripley and this year the dates just could not be de-conflicted. While at Camp Ripley, cadets will take part in land navigation course, leadership reaction course, and other activities to build their leadership skills as they enter into more challenging positions leading their peers in the Raider Brigade and at CDH. Permission slips will be going home in the next few days. Space is limited, so paperwork should be returned as soon as possible.
Band
By Nick Zahler, Band Director
This year, the CDH Band Program is making a push to share more of our classroom happenings on our CDH Band Instagram Page! This student-run account shares performance updates, student spotlights, community connections, fundraising events, and classroom news. Are you a member of the CDH Band, a CDH Band Alum, or just curious about what happens in MFA-201? Give us a follow at @cdhband!
Choir
By Delilah Schuster, Choir Director
Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Delilah Schuster (Ms. Schuster) and I am beyond excited to take on the role of the Choir Director at CDH this year. I will also be helping out with Theater and Music Ministry!
A little about me: I grew up in St. Paul and attended Hill-Murray School for high school, then went to UW-Madison to study vocal music education. Since graduating, I have taught choir, band, and general music at various grade levels in Madison, WI as well as in Brooklyn Center, MN. In addition to teaching, I sing professionally as a soprano in the MN Chorale and various local projects. Choir was such an important experience and community for me in my high school years and I am thrilled to be able to create that with this talented group of young musicians!
First Concert of the season:
November 2, 7pm: Join us for our first concert, in partnership with the CDH Band!
More information to come.
Campus Ministry
By Peter Gleich
Empty Bowls 2024
Planning has begun for our 22nd annual Empty Bowls. Thanks to the CDH students and staff, in partnership with many very generous soup, bread, silent auction, ceramic bowl and financial donors we are anticipating another wonderful show of support for the work of Heifer International.
Heifer International provides not food for a day, but the resources and skills that help families and communities across the earth become self-sufficient and self-sustaining. Through livestock, seed, microloans, water wells, education, community engagement, and so much more, Heifer ensures long-term support for those in danger of hunger, starvation, and persistent food insecurity.
Our student lead Empty Bowls Leadership Team:
- Lucy Cornett '24
- Annabel Fulton '24
- Michael Loeffler '24
- Katie O’Donnell '24
- Olivia Reeder '24
- Josie Thomas '24
- Hadley Beyerlein '25
- Mickey Coenen '25
- MJ Dougherty '25
- Mark Loeffler '25
- Grace McSherry '25
- Nico Cortez-Orme '26
- Mary Jensen '26
- Ellen Kovats '26
- Olivia Laughlin '26
- Alexa Wahlberg '26
Please add February 7, 2024 to your calendars for our 22nd annual Empty Bowls!
If you have any questions regarding Empty Bowls, or might be interested in supporting the event with a donation of soup, silent auction items, or financial support, please contact Peter Gleich.