Aquinas High School (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

Infobox high school


image_caption =
imagesize =
name=Aquinas High School
motto =
established =1928
type=Parochial, 4-year
staff =
faculty =
principal =Ted Knutson
enrollment =
city =La Crosse, Wisconsin
state =Wisconsin
country =United States
colors =Blue and Gold
mascot =Blugolds
information=[phone]
website = http://AquinasSchools.org/high

Aquinas High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

History

The high school was dedicated on September 2, 1928 in honor of Thomas Aquinas by Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick of the Diocese of La Crosse. The first graduating class of 1929 consisted of four girls. The high school was originally staffed by diocesan clergy and the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Diocesan Bishop John Joseph Paul, an Aquinas alumnus of the class of 1935, set aside some rooms at Aquinas High School for the Aquinas Middle School in 1992. In 1997, the Bishop Burke Hall addition to Aquinas High School was dedicated in honor of Bishop Raymond Leo Burke, now the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in the Vatican City and a former religion teacher at Aquinas High School. [ [http://www.aquinasschools.org/high/info/history.html Aquinas High School .:History: ] ]

Aquinas High School is part of the La Crosse Coulee Catholic Schools.

Sports

The school's most notable recent sports accomplishments are a Division III State Championship in Boys' Basketball in 2008, a Division III State Championship in Boys' Spring Baseball in 2007 and State Championships in Cross Country and Football in 2007. Aquinas also took home the Division II State Title in Boys' Basketball in 2003. The girl's soccer team has been Division II state runner-up twice in the past three years, and the boy's soccer team has been quite successful as well with winning many regional and sectional games and being the Runner-Up D3 Boy's Soccer and first team from the La Crosse Area (2003) to not only make it to a state championship game, but also on their first try. The girls tennis team was runner up in 2000 and the boys runner up in 2002. In 2000, the boys alpine ski team took home the Wisconsin State Championship with the team consisting of Ryan Born, Tony Dobson, Joel Lathrop, Sam Omans, John Mears, Kerry Nelson, and Nick Weber. In 2006, Doug Merkitch was crowned WIAA Division 2 champion in the 110 meter hurdles. Zach Wilhelmy also became Division 3 State Champion in Boy's Cross Country in 2006. Now in 2007, the Aquinas Blugolds have advanced to the WIAA Division 3 State Championship, against Racine St. Catherines. Aquinas came up short in that one and came home with a silver ball. Scott Christopherson a player on that 06-07 basketball team has been recuited to go to Marquette University. Chris Kachel was a 2006 University of Wisconsin track recruit and an All-State track athlete 3 years in a row.

Aquinas has recently won 3 state championships in the year of 2007. The first in the summer of '07 with the Boys Baseball Team winning it's first ever division 3 state title beating Eau Claire Regis in extra innings. Boys CC won the Division 3 team state championship with 78 points to Webster's 115 points, and the 2007 Football team won the Division 5 football championship beating Kewaunee 27-0. [ [http://www.insidepreps.com/articles/2007/11/16/preps_content/mvc/aquinas/fb_aquinas.txt Welcome to Inside Preps ] ]

The Aquinas Hockey team has produced two all conference honarable mentions athletes including the first four year players in the teams existence. Those are Jeff Breen and Alex Regner. Breen led the team in points during the 2004-2005 campaign with six goals and six assists. Despite individual success, the team struggled to maintain consistent play throughout the first four years of existence. After a four win jv season in the 2001-2002 season, the team only won 2 games the following three years. The first of which came in a playoff game against the Wisconsin Dells. Since then the team has made great strides including a .500 season in 2007-2008. In the process the team has beaten many confrence opponents including the Onalska Hilltoppers who share the Onalaska Omni Center.

School Crest

The Aquinas High School crest, designed in 1942, symbolizes the depth of intent of Catholic education. It first appeared in the yearbook, the TRUMPET, and on the 1943 class rings.

The cross, which holds the central and most prominent position on the crest, identifies Aquinas High School as Catholic and indicates the importance of the faith and redemption of which it is a symbol.

ΧΡ, the first two letters (chi and rho) of the Greek word for Christ, signify that the life of a Christian should not be egocentric or worldcentric but Christocentric, centered around Christ.

The fleur-de-lys, the symbol of sanctity and virtue, symbolize God, man’s final end, and the Blessed Virgin, model of virtue. The lamp of learning and the books are symbols of knowledge and learning. The laurel over the books symbolizes reward and the lilies of the valley on the other side of the aureole symbolize humility. [ [http://www.aquinasschools.org/high/info/history.html Aquinas High School .:History: ] ]

Notable people

*Ann Walsh Bradley, Wisconsin Supreme Court, was a religion teacher at Aquinas High School prior to going to law school.
*Charles Dierkop, actor, attended Aquinas High School.
*George Albert Hammes, was a teacher at Aquinas High School prior to becoming bishop.
*Robert E. Kreutz, composer, 1940.
*John Medinger, Former Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly, 1966.
*Andrew P. Witt , Senior Airman in the United States Air Force who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of a fellow Airman and his wife, 2000.

Affiliation

* Coulee Catholic Schools
* National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
* Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce
* Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC)
* Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)
* North Central Accrediting Association [ [http://www.aquinasschools.org/high/info/index.html Aquinas High School .:Information: ] ]

Principals

* Father Hilary Leuther, 1928-1936
* Father Joseph Kundinger, 1936-1940, 1946-1951
* Father John Prizl, 1940-1946
* Father Alfred Hebert, 1951-1952
* Father Robert Hansen, 1952-1960
* Father Richard Rossiter, 1960-1964
* Father James O'Connell, 1964-1972
* Father Robert Altmann, 1972-1990
* James Vail, 1990-1997
* Jeffrey Brengman, 1997-2001
* Father John McHugh, 2001-2002
* Joan Leonard, 2002-2004
* Philip Hahn, 2004-2006
* Patrick Burkhart, 2006-2007
* Ted Knutson, 2007-present

References

* Aquinas High School 2003 Alumni Directory 75th Anniversary 1928-2003
* http://www.aquinasschools.org

External links

* [http://aquinasschools.org/high/ Aquinas High School La Crosse]
* [http://dioceseoflacrosse.com/ Diocese of La Crosse]
* [http://fspa.org/ Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration La Crosse]
* [http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/09/21/news/05archivist21.txt The Archivist:Aquinas alum collects 80 years of school's history in one office, La Crosse Tribune, Dan Simmons, September 21, 2006]