March 1, 2017 // Uncategorized
Saint Joseph High School triumphs at state
Saint Joseph High School, South Bend, saw its student athletes excel over the weekend at state competitions in two sports.
On Saturday, the SJHS girls basketball team defeated North Harrison 57-49, taking the Class 3A State Championship title. Senior Killian Mountford also won the Class 3A Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award.
“It feels great,” said Mountford on the award. “We have some really deserving seniors on the team. Anyone could have won it.”
SJHS made IHSAA history that night for another reason as well, with head coach Sydney Smallbone becoming the first individual to win a girls basketball state championship as both a player and a coach.
“I knew coming into the season we had such a talented group,” said Smallbone. She and the coaching staff worked on building chemistry to create a perfect balance with this victorious team.
Helping this chemistry was a coaching staff made up of other SJHS alumni; namely, Melissa Lechlitner, Kristen Dockery and Tim Walsh.
The school will host a welcome home celebration for the state champion girls basketball team at 12:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the high school.
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Additionally, two SJHS music students participated in the Indiana State School Music Association Solo and Ensemble Event at the state level earlier in the month.
Freshman Libby O’Brien, playing the flute, won a Gold award. Junior Miquel Enriquez, playing the alto saxophone, won a Silver.
Both earned Gold in Group I (the highest group) at the regional ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Event held on Feb. 4. Music listed on the Group I list is considered the most difficult literature for an instrument.
Students play their solo at the district level in front of a judge who rates them on their performance, looking at things like technique, tone quality, and musicianship. If they play a group I solo, which they must choose from a list of challenging pieces and receive a gold rating at the district level, they qualify for state.
Libby O’Brien played Suite in A Minor by Telemann for flute and piano. She has played flute for six years and this is the second year she has earned Gold in Group I.
Miguel Enriquez played Csárdás (Hungarian Dances) by V. Monti with the alto saxophone. He has played the alto saxophone for eight years and this is the second year he earned Gold in Group I. He also earned Gold in 2015 at both regular and State ISSMA for clarinet.
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Four SJHS swimmers, Cole Short, Peter Jachim, Luke Barrett, and Joe Deahl, also competed at the state level Feb. 25-26 and took 14th in the 200-yard medley. Short and Barrett also placed well in individual events.
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