Heard in the Halls - May 2023

May 10, 2023

We encourage you to read all the current blogs, or click below to quickly go to a section.

ATHLETICS | COUNSELING | THEATER | JROTC | BAND | CHOIR

Athletics

Boys Baseball

By Buzz Hannahan ’94, Head Coach

The baseball team is off to their best start in over 5 years, and they don’t look to be slowing down! The Raiders are currently 8-1 and ranked #1 in the state in multiple rankings. Last week the Raiders had the opportunity to play at Target Field, and it was a day to remember, with over 3k people in attendance. The Raiders won 6-4 over conference foe, Mounds View. There was also a 50 year state championship reunion that took place with the 1973 state championship team. It was great to see all of the alumni support and familiar faces in the crowd. It has been a fantastic start to the year and the Raiders are motivated and focused to finish the year strong!

Softball

By Carolyn Osdoba, Head Coach

We are coming off of an exciting week for CDH softball. The Raiders have won 6 games straight, with an upset of #2 Stillwater by the score of 6-4 May 1. Big contributors include Brooke Nesdahl ’25 with a no hitter against Irondale and Sophie Black ’23 with 5 total home runs on the season and 4 within the last 5 games. This week brings games against the top of the conference including Forest Lake and Park Cottage Grove.

Girls Golf

By Megan Fee Smith ‘00, Head Coach

The CDH Girls Golf team had a great start to the season with 60 girls registered to play at three levels: Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Development Teams. The golf season will finish with two weeks of conference matches scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays in May. The Varsity and JV teams will play at Stillwater Country Club, River Oaks, Les Bolstad (UMN course), and Midland Hills. The team ends the season with the conference final tournament at Oak Glen on Thursday, May 18 (8 am start). Sections are scheduled for June 1 and June 2 at Goodrich Golf Course.

Lily Vincelli ‘24, Lauren Bengtson ‘24, Else Wermager ‘24, Katie Votel ‘23, Ava Redpath
‘23, and Lily Anderson ‘23 are on the Varsity roster. Vincelli recently placed first
overall with a 73 at the mid-season conference match at Oneka Ridge on May 1 and will compete in the US Women’s Open Qualifying at Somerset Country Club on May 22. She is currently FIRST in the Suburban East Conference!  She has held first place finishes as an individual at Eagle Valley, Les Bolstad UMN, and Oneka Ridge.

The Development Team will finish practices at Highland National golf course on May 17 with a final round at Mendota Par 3 on May 19. The Varsity and JV conference schedules are on the CDH Girls Golf website. Spectators are welcome to cheer on the Raider Golf Team, but must stay at least 25 yards away from golfers and cannot communicate with them. Go Raiders!

Boys Golf

By Bob Kinne ‘11, Head Coach

CDH Boys Golf is off to a great start this season. We have had two conference matches so far this season and our varsity team has finished 1st in both events. Our team is very young with great talent. We have just one senior on our team, Matthew McConville ’23 who is playing the best of his career. We are looking forward to hosting our own SEC meet next week at Highland National on Monday, May 8: shotgun start at 2 pm.

Girls Lacrosse

By Jeff Rosga '89, Head Coach

April 3 kicked off a new era in the CDH Girls Lacrosse program! New Head Coach Jeff Rosga '89 and his staff are currently sitting at 4-2 averaging almost 14 goals and giving up less than 8 per contest. The senior leadership of captains Anna Stangler '23, Josie Nei '23 and Maggie Plante '23, along with DII goalie commit Margarita Lucio ’23 has the team focused and playing well together.  Contributing to the offensive production this year, eight different players have scored a goal this year, led by Sofia Watts ’24 and Jordin Rosga ’28.   

It all starts with building a championship culture and the leaders on this team have stepped up to the front and led by example all season. The Raiders are progressing and poised to make a strong section run at the end of the season. 

Boys Lacrosse

By Matt Hourigan, Head Coach

The Boys Lacrosse team has found a winning way in May with back-to-back wins, beating Suburban East Conference opponents Roseville (14-7) on May 3 and Irondale (12-11) in overtime on May 5. Louie Bailey '23 leads the team with 20 goals on the season and Luke Chorlton '24 has contributed a team high 24 points (15g, 9a). Goalie Eddie Kielkopf '23 has also been rock solid in the net, with a 54% save percentage. The Raiders finish their Suburban East Conference schedule with tilts against East Ridge, Mounds View, and Park over the next 10 days, and then close out the season with three out-of-conference games against Hastings, Eden Prairie, and St. Thomas Academy. The senior boys lacrosse players will be recognized during halftime of the Senior Night game vs. Hastings on May 19. 

Boys Tennis

By Randy Muetzel, Head Coach

CDH Boys Tennis is in the midst of a youth movement. We have been playing good teams and have been gaining valuable experience. With no seniors and just 2 juniors, our future is extremely bright.  Coach Muetzel has been happy with the effort and how coachable the players have been. I'm looking forward to seeing this team continue to show growth. Exciting times are ahead for CDH Boys Tennis. Go Raiders!

Track and Field

By Chris Babcock, Head Coach

Girls' track and field is off to a great start with veteran leaders Piper Lee '23, Katie Chestovich '24, and Clare Lasure '25 taking the lead in their event groups. Chestovich won the open 800m at the Eden Prairie Booster Invitational. Lasure has been gaining momentum in the hurdle events placing well at Eden Prairie and Woodbury. Lee has been taking on the 400m and not only leading her team but also finishing first in Woodbury. Grace McSherry '25, a first year jumper for the team has been reaching further into the pit in both the long and the triple jump. At the Tom Moore Invitational in Woodbury, McSherry won both the long and the triple jump. We have been fortunate to have these and many other athletes perform well at our early meets, giving us confidence as we start moving into the championship season later in May.

Boys' track and field has enjoyed a good start to the season. With the weather this spring staying cool and wet we have missed some opportunities to compete, but that has not prevented us from being creative in how we practice. We continue to focus on increasing our speed and doing the fundamental exercises that will increase this important aspect of not only track and field but all sports. Liam McLay '24 has been leading the distance crew and is pursuing ever faster times. Steven Flashing '23 and Alim Kamara '23 have been pushing the bar on the sprint side. Keyon Archer '25 has stepped up his role in the jumps taking on the triple and long jump this year. Flashing hit a 6' high jump at Woodbury leading the team in that event as well. With hard work  and consistency as our cornerstones we are looking forward to the championship part of our season starting the second half of May.

College Counseling

By Joan O'Connell, College Counselor, from the College Counselors

Attention Juniors

• Remember to take the online career inventories on Naviance by clicking on the menu then “Self Discovery,” then “Personality,” “StrengthsExplorer” and “Career Interest Profiler” for some additional career possibilities!
• Remember to ask for your teacher recommendations for college applications before the end of this school year. Come to the Counseling Office to pick up instructions and forms.

Attention Class of 2023!!

End of the Year Reminders and Details

Final Transcripts
A reminder that ALL colleges require a final official transcript of your high school grades as proof of graduation and as a condition of enrollment. In mid-June, once all third trimester grades have been submitted and recorded, CDH will send your final official transcript to the college/university you indicated you will attend on your senior survey and no other request is necessary. If you change your mind about where you will attend, you must let us know.

If there is a 'hold' on your CDH account (unpaid tuition, missing books, damaged iPad for example), we are not able to send your transcript until the hold is satisfied. The CDH business office will notify you of any holds that need to be settled. If you have a college advising/registration appointment prior to mid-June and need a transcript, you can use an unofficial copy on your Infinite Campus account. Please complete your required senior survey on Naviance as soon as possible.

It is contrary to the “Code of Ethics and Professional Practices” of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling for students to make multiple college enrollment deposits. CDH will send only one final transcript in June. Consult with your counselor if you need help making your decision.

PACC (Program for Advanced College Credit)
Graduates in the Class of 2023 who have paid for PACC credits from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and who want to get college credits for these courses must have a transcript sent from St. Mary’s to the college or university where you will attend this fall. Your college can then determine whether or not they will award college credit for this work in high school. Wait until mid-June to request a college transcript, as CDH has to get the final grades to the college – usually by early June.

To request an official St. Mary’s transcript, go to Saint Mary's University of MN Transcript Requests. Click on "National Student Clearinghouse," type in Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (it will start auto filling but you must spell out Saint). You will then be able to order your transcript. If you do not know your ID number, you can use your social security number.

Questions? Call St. Mary’s at 507-457-1501.

CIS (College in the Schools) Classes
If you took CIS at CDH through the University of Minnesota and want these classes to be considered for college credit at the school you will attend next fall you will need to request an official University of MN transcript. Go to UMN Twin Cities Transcript Request to request your transcript. Instructions will also be given to you by your CDH teacher.

AP Scores
To send your official AP scores to your college, go to Requesting Official AP Scores and follow instructions. Scores for tests taken in May of 2023 will be available in July.

Tuition Reciprocity
Graduating seniors who are planning to attend state colleges and universities in Wisconsin must file a “Tuition Reciprocity Application” with the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office in order to receive tuition reciprocity. Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year are available online at Reciprocity Link 23-24. This application must be filed and approved before a student can register for classes at the reduced tuition rate - so don’t delay. If you are attending a public university in North or South Dakota, arrange for reciprocity through the school you will attend.

Thank Your Teachers!
Please remember that CDH teachers write hundreds of letters of recommendation for students as they apply to colleges and universities - over and above all the other responsibilities they have as classroom teachers and coaches. Be sure to let your recommenders know where you have decided to attend college in the fall and please take a minute to thank them for this very important work that they do on your behalf.

Theater

By Penelope Parsons-Lord, Theater Director

Is that confetti that you've been seeing in the hallways? It's not a trick of the light, it's Mamma Mia! We are so excited to have had our first weekend of performances here at the Lillian Theatre. Everyone had a wonderful time and we are getting rave reviews. 

JROTC

By SGM David Berrisford '91, MSG Ken Peloski, COL Scrocca, and SFC Thingvold

The Raider Brigade successfully completed its Army Cadet Command Inspection on April 13. The formal Army inspection and evaluation was conducted by representatives of the Army Cadet Command 3rd Brigade from Chicago and active duty soldiers and cadets from the University of Minnesota ROTC department. The evaluation included meetings with the school administration, an evaluation of JROTC and school facilities, a drill presentation, color guard presentation, knowledge examinations and cadet presentations on their Service Learning and Continuous Improvement Projects.

Congratulations to the Raider Brigade Air Rifle Team, which finished the season off strong with a 2nd Place finish in the Red River High School Air Rifle Competition. The team was made up of Ella Keating '23, Reed Jennrich '23, Jackson Moryn '23, Samuel Laughlin '23, Matthew McConville '23, Lillian Moore '24, and Mallorie Taft '26.

The 105th  Twilight Parade and Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 6 pm on Wingerd Field. The cadets have been practicing their drill and ceremony daily and the Precision Drill Team has been rehearsing their precision rifle routine in preparation for the event. Families are encouraged to attend! The event will happen rain or shine. If it rains, we will move the event into the Field House.

While many of our JROTC co-curricular activities have finished up for the year, the Orienteering Team has a competition at Afton State Park on Sunday, May 21, and many of the cadets are still volunteering their time as part of the Honor Guard for the Baccalaureate Mass, Graduation, and other events. The Color Guard has a full schedule of school and community events to support from now through the end of the summer.

In honor of Memorial Day, members of the Raider Brigade will visit The Wall That Heals at St. Thomas Academy on Friday, May 26. The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. This unique opportunity provides an educational experience at a level impossible even at The Memorial in Washington, D.C. The tour will be led by a Vietnam Veteran Memorial Fund staff member and include The Wall and the mobile Education Center.

Finally, the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge will be held at Camp Wilderness in Park Rapids from May 30 - June 3. In this CDH-led event, 12 Raider Brigade cadets will join approximately 50 other Army JROTC cadets from other Army JROTC programs throughout the region to participate in a host of individual leadership and team-building activities to include: rock wall climbing, rappelling, a high ropes course, archery, kayaking, and orienteering.

BAND

By Nick Zahler, Band Director

Please join the CDH Concert and Jazz Bands for their final concert of the year! The bands will be playing both new and familiar music, such as soundtrack music, mambo and salsa, marches, funk, rock, and much more. The concert will also feature our ’23 student conductor! At the end of the concert, senior band awards and recognition will also be presented. We look forward to seeing you all there! The concert is free and open to the public.

If you’re looking for more information or news in the CDH Band world, please feel free to peruse the April Band Newsletter.

2023 CDH Band Pops Concert

Thursday, May 18th - 7:00 PM
Lilian Theater - Cretin-Derham Hall

Happy trails,

Mr. Zahler

CHOIR

By Tyler Berg, Choir Director

Greetings from the CDH Choir! We are excited to present our last concert of the year on Tuesday, May 16, 7 pm in the Lillian Theater at Cretin-Derham Hall. We will be performing a variety of choral music that we have been working hard on all spring.

I'm also pleased to announce that the choir once again received a Superior rating (highest) at State music last week. The adjudicators had wonderful things to say about our ensemble and the kids were extremely receptive to their ideas.

Lastly, this will be my (Mr. Berg) final concert at CDH, as I am leaving at the end of this year to pursue further graduate studies in music and choral conducting. I'm incredibly grateful to the CDH community for these past 4 years of teaching and music making. I feel blessed to have been a part of such a wonderful community of students and educators, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.