Currently viewing the tag: "catoctin high school"

Attention All Graduating Seniors

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Are you looking for a scholarship? Check the Community Foundation of Frederick County (www.Frederick CountyGives.org) for the scholarships offered by the Thurmont High School Alumni Association.

The application’s new final date is April 15, 2024. You must be a graduating high school senior and related to someone that graduated from Thurmont High School or from Catoctin High School, classes of l969 to l974.

Then remind those that did graduate during those years that the annual alumni banquet will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Thurmont Ambulance Event Complex. Any questions may be directed to Viola Noffsinger at 301-418-1760 or by email vmnoff@gmail.com

Catoctin Feeder Community Night Brings Families Together

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Alisha Yocum

The community came together for its annual Catoctin Feeder Community Night on January 24 at Catoctin High School. Families from all the feeder schools within the district, including Catoctin High (CHS), Emmitsburg Elementary (EES), Lewistown Elementary (LES), Sabillasville Environmental (SES), Thurmont Elementary (TES), Thurmont Primary (TPS), and Thurmont Middle (TMS), came together for a chance to share dinner together, connect with local community agencies, and watch some cougar basketball! Dinner was provided thanks to donations by the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Lions Clubs, as well as the Parent Teacher Associations/Parent Teacher Organizations from LES, SES, TPS/TES, TMS, and CHS.

Essays and drawings from students who wrote about what they love about their Catoctin Community were on display. Kindness seemed to be the re-occurring theme that students highlighted in their writings. This year’s essay winners were:

Primary

Analee Winfrey, LES

Aidan Clark, SES

Intermediate

Franek Zielinski, TES

James Dugan, TES

Middle School

James Clements, TMS

Thurmont High School Alumni Association Scholarship

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Are you looking for a scholarship? Check the Community Foundation of Frederick County for the scholarships offered by the Thurmont High School Alumni Association.

The application is open February 15 through March 15, 2024. You must be a graduating high school senior and related to someone who graduated from Thurmont High School or from Catoctin High School classes of l969 to l974. Remind those that did graduate during those years that the annual banquet will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Thurmont Ambulance Event Complex.

Any questions may be directed to Viola Noffsinger at 301-418-1760 or by email at vmnoff@gmail.com.

Local Fire Company Assists Catoctin High School Forensics Class

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Mr. Trice’s Catoctin High School Forensic Science students received some real-life advice from the Guardian Hose Company of Thurmont for their arson experiment.

This was a thoroughly engaging activity for the students. The fire company personnel provided very in-depth and interesting information about what they look for and how they can tell when a fire is not accidental. They had some real scenarios that they shared with students. The students created the structures (shown above) and wrote a story of the events that occurred in the structure prior to the fire. Many thanks to our local firefighting heroes for sharing their time and expertise.

Catoctin High School Recognizes Its Distinguished Alumni

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Catoctin High School recognized its graduates who have gone on to find success post-high school during its 8th Annual Distinguished Graduates Induction Ceremony on November 21.

Principal Jennifer Clements welcomed the students and guests, expressing pride in the school’s plentiful distinguished alumni.

The Catoctin High School Distinguished Graduate Organization was formed in 2015 to honor alumni in the areas of academics, arts and humanities, athletics, business, and public service.

This year’s alumni were honored for achievements in academics, public service, and arts and humanities, who have made a difference in the state or nation.

The ceremony also recognizes former Catoctin High staff who have had a significant impact on students.

Susan Weaver was one of the Former Catoctin Staff Member Inductees. She worked as a school counselor for 32 years, about half of that at Catoctin High School. She also coached JV basketball, varsity volleyball, and softball. She also worked at the ticket gate with colleagues, officiated athletic events, and enjoyed pep rallies. Susan recently moved to Delaware and enjoys biking the Eastern Shore bike paths, golfing, walking on the beach, and has recently started playing pickleball.

Brian Persse (Class of 1999) was the Public Service Inductee. He is a senior analyst with the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, where he leads high-visibility audits of the National Highway Traffic Safety and Pipelines and Hazardous Materials administrations.

Jeff Barber (Class of 1994) was the Business Inductee. After graduation, Jeff pursued a career in farming and construction. He started Playground Specialists Inc. in 1998 at the age of 22. Through the past 25 years, while keeping the company located in Thurmont region, Playground Specialists has installed large custom playgrounds all over the region, totaling almost $250 million in revenue, and becoming one of the leaders throughout the world in the recreation market. He also opened Thurmont’s first ice vending machine, Twice the Ice, and purchased Maple Run Golf Course.

William Delawter (Class of 2004) was the Athletic Inductee. As a sophomore at Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, he pitched on the state champion baseball team before transferring to finish his high school career at Catoctin the following year. He continued playing baseball at UMBC at the Division 1 level.

He has been named a Frederick County’s Player of the Year, earned a spot on the Brooks Robinson All-Star Team, was a Team Maryland Selection, a JUCO All American, UMBC Pre-Season All-American, and 1st Team All-Region, just to name only a few. In 2009, Will was inducted into the Chesapeake College Hall of Fame.

Will earned an associate degree from Chesapeake College and a bachelor’s degree on a full scholarship to UMBC, where he played baseball at the Division 1 level. He also obtained his master’s degree from Frostburg University.

He is now a teacher at Whittier Elementary School, but he has been an assistant baseball coach at Catoctin High since 2015.

Jeff McAfee (Class of 1982) was the Arts and Humanities Inductee. After graduating Catoctin High in 1982, Jeff started working for the State of Maryland in the division of Maryland Environmental Service as a Water Plant Operator for 10 years. From there, he moved to the Maryland Park Service and worked at South Mountain Recreation area as a Park Technician for 11 years. Jeff then transferred to Maryland Wildlife Division and is currently a Wildlife Technician.

Robert Viti is the second Former Catoctin Staff Member Inductee. Robert started his educational career as a Social Studies teacher at Dundalk Middle School and eventually transferred to Frederick County Public Schools, where he continued teaching Social Studies. He then became an assistant principal with Frederick County Public Schools and eventually landed at Catoctin High School, where he also took the role as Behavior Support Specialist. In 2016, he was inducted into the Frederick County Soccer Hall of Fame. He is also a lifetime member of the National PTA, as well as an honorary chapter FFA member of Catoctin High School.

Distinguished graduates are shown (left to right) Susan Weaver, William Delawter, Jeff McAfee, Robert Viti, Brian Persse, and Jeff Barber.

Photo by Keith Bruck

67th Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show Results

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Madison and Jordyn Ohler at the 67th Annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show. Jordyn was the 2023 Reserve Champion, Market Beef.

The following were the Champion and Reserve Champion winners at the 67th annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show held September 8-10, 2023 at Catoctin High School in Thurmont.  Each Champion and Reserve Champion winner will receive additional premium money which will be mailed by November 15, 2023. Thurmont’s Bollinger’s Restaurant will provide a $10.00 gift certificate to each Department Champion and Emmitsburg’s Carleo Pizza will provide a $5.00 gift certificate to each Reserve Department Champion.

Champion & Reserve Champion Winners

The following were the Champion and Reserve Champion winners at the 67th annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show held September 8-10, 2023 at Catoctin High School in Thurmont.  Each Champion and Reserve Champion winner will receive additional premium money which will be mailed by November 15, 2023. Thurmont’s Bollinger’s Restaurant will provide a $10.00 gift certificate to each Department Champion and Emmitsburg’s Carleo Pizza will provide a $5.00 gift certificate to each Reserve Department Champion.

Fresh Fruits: Champion—Kylie Robertson (Concord Grapes); Reserve Champion—Kylie Robertson (Sugar Giant Peaches); Fresh Vegetables: Champion—Kara Wolf (Green Cabbage); Reserve Champion—Edward Hahn (Onions); Home Products Display: Champion—Charlotte Dutton; Reserve Champion—Angie Matthews; Canned Fruit: Champion—Carolyn Hahn (Applesauce); Reserve Champion—Donald Stanley (Other – Golden Nectar); Canned Vegetables: Champion—Carolyn Hahn (Carrots); Reserve Champion—Carrie Bankard (BBQ Sauce); Jellies & Preserves: Champion—Melissa Kinna (Peach Peel Jelly); Reserve Champion—Angie Mathews (Apple Butter); Pickles: Champion—Pam Long (Pepper Relish); Reserve Champion—Bridgette Kinna (Catsup); Meat (Canned): Champion—Pam Kaas (Venison); Reserve Champion—Pam Kaas (Canned Beef); Home Cured Meats: Champion—Catoctin FFA Alumni (Country Ham); Reserve Champion—Catoctin FFA Alumni (Country Ham).

Baked Products – Adult Division: Cake: Champion—Cheryl Lenhart (Other Cake – Yellow Cake with Raspberry Filling/White Icing); Reserve Champion—Cheryl Lenhart (Coconut Cake); Honorable Mention Cake—Burall Brothers Scholarship—Maxine Troxell (Devil’s Food Cake); Bread: Champion—Deborah Howd (Bread – Other); Reserve Champion—Maxine Troxell (Bread, Other – Rye/Pumpernickel Swirl); Pie: Champion—Maxine Troxell (Raspberry Pie); Reserve Champion—Maxine Troxell (Pecan Pie); Sugar Free Baked Products: Champion—Joyce Kline (Sugar Free Cake); Reserve Champion—Shirley Greene (Bread, Other (Cinnamon); Gluten Free Baked Products: Champion—Deborah Howd (Gluten Free Bread – Babka); Reserve Champion—Cheryl Lenhart (Chocolate Chip Cookies); Misc. Baked Product: Champion—Cheryl Lenhart (Chocolate Cupcakes); Reserve Champion—Linda Seiss (Peanut Butter Fudge).

Baked Products – Youth Division (Ages 11-18): Cake: Champion (In Honor and Memory of Mearl McCleaf)—Abby Harrington (Chocolate Cake); Reserve Champion—Masyn Sanders (Pumpkin Cake with Buttercream Icing); Misc. Baked Product: Champion—Caroline Clark (Apple Pie); Reserve Champion—Masyn Sanders (Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread).

Baked Products – Junior Division (Ages 10 & Under): Cake: Champion—Lexie Cox (Chocolate Cake); Reserve Champion—Ryleigh Ensor (Carrot Pineapple Cake); Misc. Baked Product: Champion—Jeremiah Matthews (Candy Mocha Truffles); Reserve Champion—Jeremiah Matthews (Other, Hard Candy).

Fabric and Fiber Arts Department: Overall Dept. Champion—Heather Wivell (Child Patchwork Quilt – Hungry Catapiller);

Overall Dept. Reserve Champion—Preston Clark (Sewn Item – Men’s Coats – Vest); Crocheting: Champion—Shirley Greene (Child’s Afghan); Reserve Champion—Penni Wiltrout (Misc. Crocheted Animal/Doll); Cross Stitch: Champion—Connie Miller (Cross Stitch); Reserve Champion—Leah Souris (Cross stitch picture); Crewel, Embroidery & Needlepoint: Champion—Shirley Greene (Embroidered Pillows); Reserve Champion—Carolyn Hahn (Christmas Decorations – Plastic); Knitting: Champion—Elizabeth Hoover (Decoration – Patty Pan Squash); Reserve Champion—Phyliss Ecker (Adult Sweater); Quilts & Quilted Items: Champion—Heather Wivell (Child Patchwork Quilt); Reserve Champion—Deb Long (Quilt Sampler); Sewn Items: Champion—Preston Clark (Vest); Reserve Champion—Caroline Clark (Jacket); Misc. Fiber Items: Champion—Charlotte Dutton (Fiber item – Bunny Doll); Reserve Champion—Tracy Lewis (Hand Woven Twill Wool Scarf).

Flowers & Plants: Champion—Linda Seiss (Holiday Silk Arrangement); Reserve Champion—Cathy Ligsay (Cut Herbs).

Fine Arts: Champion—Bryne Lee (Pastel Painting); Reserve Champion—Don Brooks (Acrylic Painting); Arts & Crafts: Champion—Bill Stottlemyer (Wood Craft); Reserve Champion—Charlotte Dutton (Rock Painting).

Color Photography: Champion—Mike Miller (People-Posed); Reserve Champion—Debbie Wiles (Landscape – Sanibel Island); Black & White Photography: Champion—Mike Miller (People-Posed); Reserve Champion—Deborah Howd (Animals/Birds/Reptiles).

Corn: Champion—Mary Ellen Clark (Best Stalk of Corn); Reserve Champion—Jim Kaas (Hybrid Corn); Small Grain & Seeds: Champion—Preston Clark (Shelled Corn); Reserve Champion—Mattee Lambert (Triticale); Eggs: Champion—Ashley Atkins (Brown Eggs); Reserve Champion—Ashley Atkins (Blue Eggs); Nuts: Champion—Edward Hahn (English Walnuts); Reserve Champion—Kevin Long (Black Walnuts);

Rabbits: Champion—Bailey Wolf (Breeding Female); Reserve Champion—Laura Dutton (Breeding Rabbit & offspring, 1 female); Poultry:

Champion—Laura Dutton (Farm Exhibit – 1 rooster and 1 hen); Reserve Champion—Laura Dutton (Poultry Exhibit – 1 rooster); Dairy Cattle: Champion—Gavin Valentine (Ayrshire Winter Calf); Reserve Champion—Kiley Little (Holstein Calf); Dairy Goats: Champion—Laura Dutton (3 year old & under 5); Reserve Champion—Tyrone VanEcho (2 year old); Hay: Champion – Mary Ellen Clark (Alfalfa Hay); Reserve Champion—Rodman Myers (Orchard Grass Hay); Straw: Champion—Rodman Myers (Barley Straw); Reserve Champion—Caroline Clark – (Wheat Straw);

Junior Department (Ages 10 & Under): Champion—Jack Campbell (Eggs, 1 dozen); Reserve Champion—Emma Santos (Misc. Craft – Sock Craft); Youth Department (Ages 11-18): Champion—Makayla Comer (Patriotic Photo – Color); Reserve Champion—Grace Mannix (Misc. Craft. – Reese Peanut Butter Cup); Beef: Champion—Kadence Offutt; Reserve Champion—Jordyn Ohler; Beef Heifers: Champion—Makayla Comer, Reserve Champion—James Hewitt II; Sheep: Champion—Peyton Davis; Reserve Champion—Chloe Keilholtz; Ridenour Lamb—Caroline Clark; Swine: Champion—Joshua Wivell; Reserve Champion—Peighton Rhinehart; Market Goat: Champion—Chloe Glass; Reserve Champion —Alyssa Costa; Decorated Animal: Champion—Brayden Whetzel; Reserve Champion—Kiley Little.

Dave Harman (at podium) hosts the 67th Annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show’s opening ceremonies held on Friday night, September 8, at Catoctin High School. Also shown are Community Organizations Flag Ceremony participants John Hoke (left) of Thurmont’s Acacia Lodge #155 and Tim Bentz (center) of Thurmont’s Guardian Hose Fire Company.

Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs (left) announces the 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador, Caroline Clark.

Maxine Troxell, Champion Pie Baker, holds her Raspberry Pie, standing with Caroline Clark (2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador) and buyer Josh Ruby of Forever After All Farms, who had the winning $350 bid which benefits the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show. Josh Ruby was also the auctioneer for the annual Baked Goods Auction.

Photo by John Kempisty

Pet Show Winners

The 2023 Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show Pet Show was held on Saturday, September 9 at Catoctin High School. There were 17 exhibitors who exhibited 46 pets at the Community Show. Judges were Mary Ann Harbaugh and Dr. Ray Ediger who both did an excellent job judging all of the pets.  Many thanks to the Pet Show Committee of Dave Harman, Dave Johnston, and Kristen Myers, who all helped with the event. The Grand Champion winner received a $25.00 gift card donated by Tractor Supply Company, and the Reserve Grand Champion received a $15.00 gift card, donated by The Dirty Dawg. Each participant received treats for their animals and free ice cream cone wooden coins that were donated by Roy Rogers. 

Winners were: Cat with Prettiest Eyes: 1st— Heather Rice, 2nd—Matt Rice; Cat with Longest Whiskers: 1st—Matt Rice (1½ inches); Cutest Cat: 1st— Matt Rice, 2nd—Heather Rice; Smallest Pet: 1st—Jada Morgan, 2nd—Deborah Boisvert, 3rd—Kelly Slaughter; Dog with Waggiest Tail: 1st—Morgan Kolb, 2nd—Kelly Slaughter, 3rd—Deborah Boisvert; Prettiest Dog (25 lbs. & under): 1st—Will Valentine, 2nd—Kelly Slaughter, 3rd—Vanessa Wilhide; Prettiest Dog (26 lbs. and over): 1st—Kara Wolf, 2nd—Jan Tyler, 3rd—Janelle James; Best Costumed Pet: 1st—Will Valentine, 2nd—Savannah Cregger,  2nd—Morgan Kolb, 3rd—Brielle Green; Pet with Most Spots: 1st—Nikolai Poffenberger, 2nd—Matt Rice, 3rd—Brielle Green; Largest Pet (by height): 1st—Jan Tyler, 2nd—Brielle Green, 3rd—Kelly Slaughter, Honorable Mention—Nikolai Poffenberger; Most Unusual Pet: 1st—Nikolai Poffenberger, 2nd—Jada Morgan, 3rd—Heather Rice; Best Trained Pet: 1st—Janelle James, 2nd—Denise Mosher, 3rd—Kelly Slaughter; Grand Champion—Will Valentine with his dog; Reserve Grand Champion—Deborah Boisvert with her dog.

Abby Harrington (second from left), Youth Grand Champion Cake Baker holds her Chocolate Cake standing with Caroline Clark (left), 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador, and buyers Caleb McCleaf and Craig McCleaf of Mountain Gate Family Restaurant who had the winning $1,200 bid. The Youth Division (Ages 11-18) Grand Champion Cake is In Honor & Memory of Mearl McCleaf and benefits three youth-related funds: Thurmont Grange Scholarship, Catoctin FFA’s National FFA Convention Trip, and Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters Scholarship.

Caroline Clark (left), 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador, stands with Lexie Cox (middle), Junior Grand Champion Cake Baker, holding her Chocolate Cake with buyer Former Delegate Daniel Cox. The Junior Division (Ages 10 & Under) Champion Cake, which sold for $350, benefits the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Food Banks.

Cheryl Lenhart (second from left), Grand Champion Cake Baker, holds her Yellow Cake with Raspberry Filling & White Icing, standing with Caroline Clark (left), 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador, and Mountain Gate Family Restaurant buyers, Craig McCleaf and Caleb McCleaf. The $1,050 winning bid for the Champion Cake benefits the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show.

Catoctin Mtn. Log Sawing Contest Winners

The 38th Annual Catoctin Mtn. Log Sawing Contest was held on Sunday, September 10, with the winners as follows: Women’s Team: 1st—Caroline Clark and Peyton Davis (5.31.80); 2nd—Analese Abruzzese and Ella Burrier (12.59.72); 3rd—McKayla Comer and Alyssa Costa (17.54.43); Men’s Team: 1st—Cadin Valentine and Gavin Valentine (6.07.03); 2nd—Brayden Whetzel and Gavin Valentine (6.22.17); 3rd—Cadin Valentine and Dylan Ridinger (6.28.93); Men and Women’s Team: 1st—Mark Valentine and Jessica Valentine (1.42.82); 2nd—Elizabeth Schubel and Quamari Willard (3.28.21); 3rd—Quamari Willard and Analese Abruzzese (4.20.96); Children’s Team: 1st—Garrett Troxell and Myles Kuhn (9.06.33); 2nd—Trenon Latham and Preston Clark (10.14.31); 3rd—Elizabeth Schubel and Jason Green (15.10.25).

Cheryl Lenhart (second from left), Reserve Champion Coconut Cake Baker, holds her winning cake, standing with Caroline Clark (left), 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador, and buyers, John and Maggie Doll, with a $750 bid, along with their granddaughters, Eva and Lyla Doll. The proceeds from this cake benefit the Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters.

Brayden Whetzel’s sow & seven five-week-old Crossbred piglets were enjoyed by all ages at the Community Show. Brayden is pictured on the right, showing one of the piglets to one of the many visitors in the Agriculture Center area.

The Grand Champion Swine was a 250-pound Crossbred hog, owned by Joshua Wivell, and purchased for $2,500 by Wolfe Auctions. Joshua’s parents are Justin and Brittney Wivell, and sister, Addie. Joshua’s grandparents are Phil and Shelly Wivell and Andy and Trish Hahn.

Winners of the 42nd Annual Robert Kaas Memorial Horseshoe Pitching Contest on Sunday, September 10 (from left): (back row) 2nd place team of Richard Brown and Donald Kaas, Sr.; (middle row) 1st place team of Johnny Buhrman and Carl Willard; (kneeling) one of the 3rd place winning team members of Gary Hoffmaster and David Miller.

Reserve Champion Bread (from left):  Caroline Clark, 2023-24 Catoctin FFA Ambassador; Maxine Troxell, Reserve Champion Bread Baker (Rye/Pumpernickel Swirl Bread); and buyers, Chris and Susan Windsor of Windsor Customs LLC, who had the winning $75 bid, which benefits the Thurmont Grange.

In Memory of Patricia Ann (Myers) Johnston, Community Show Historian, who passed away in May 2023, one of her sister Cheryl’s 1st place cakes—a Black Walnut Cake—was auctioned to benefit the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show’s Improvement Fund. A grand total of $7,000 was raised from many community citizens and businesses! Patty’s family members (from left): brother Bobby and his wife, Karen; husband, David Johnston, holding the Black Walnut Cake; dad Rodman Myers, and sisters Cheryl and Andrea.

The Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show is the largest in the State of Maryland. The strength of the show and the strength of agriculture in Northern Frederick County stands on the shoulders of the volunteers who proudly teach and carry that heritage forward from generation to generation. The Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show is sponsored by the Thurmont Grange, Catoctin FFA Chapter, Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters, the Maryland State Grange, and the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board. This annual Community Show comes together each year through the efforts of hundreds of dedicated volunteers and has been bringing the Thurmont and Emmitsburg communities together since 1957!

SPORTSTALK

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with Michael Betteridge

Comfort Is The Enemy Of Greatness

Our hometown Catoctin Cougars’ fall sports season began on August 9 at 7:00 a.m. at Catoctin High School, when our guys and gals came streaming through the doors of the school, carrying their gym bags, equipment, and hopes and dreams for the fall 2023 high school sports season. Football, soccer, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, and golf are in full swing with everyone returning to practice exactly two weeks before the first day of school on August 23.

One of the biggest changes at Catoctin is the new artificial turf field, installed throughout the month of August. Some athletes like the artificial surface because it is faster, and some prefer natural grass because it is more forgiving. The one undeniable thing is that you can play on the artificial surface no matter what the weather and that is precisely why Frederick County has upgraded the final four high schools in the county that had natural grass fields:  Brunswick, Catoctin, Tuscarora, and Walkersville. Money was allocated by the Frederick County Council in the form of a $10 million Maryland state grant, specifically to upgrade those four schools. And that didn’t sit well with the boosters at Governor Thomas Johnson High School, who raised $200,000 to fund their new turf field in 2021, which took years to raise. Had they waited two years, that money could have been used to benefit the student-athletes because the county and state would have paid for the field. Timing is everything! 

There are those who think Catoctin won the lottery with its new field and others who think turf fields harm the environment, cause more injuries, and cost more in the long run with an 8- to 10-year life cycle. Like it or not, Catoctin football, soccer, and lacrosse will be played on an artificial turf field from now on.

But, new fields are not the only change in the fall sports season. Early in August, the Central Maryland Conference (CMC) announced a complete realignment of all the teams in the CMC. Clear Spring was added. The CMC now has 16 schools in the league and has been broken down into two divisions: a small school division with 1A and 2A schools and a large school division with 3A and 4A schools. The small school division will consist of the Antietam and Gambrill subdivisions, and the large school division will consist of the Potomac and Spires subdivisions. Catoctin has been placed in the small school Antietam division, along with Clear Spring, Boonsboro, and Smithsburg. Catoctin football will not be affected by these changes in the CMC since there is no CMC championship for football.  The football postseason is guided by the Maryland Public School Student Athletic Association (MPSSAA).  For sports other than football, there will now be two CMC championship trophies awarded: one to a small division school and one to a large division school.

Every year at the start of the football season, I like to hang around the Catoctin practice fields, workout areas, and sports classrooms to prepare myself for play-by-play coverage on the radio. I have been doing play-by-play on WTHU here in Frederick County now for 15 years. Just like high school sports, preparation is everything. I also attend the Catoctin football chalk talks and scrimmages, but what I really enjoy is learning from the Catoctin coaches.

Recently, while attending a Catoctin football practice session, Head Football Coach Mike Rich said something to his players that was timeless. I was moved by the words of advice he gave his players. He told them that “comfort is the enemy of greatness.” He is right! Getting up at 5:00 a.m. to make a 7:00 a.m. football practice is uncomfortable. He reminded his players that at that very moment, their classmates were still on vacation and probably in bed asleep. He challenged them with the notion that not everybody belonged in that room. Showing up is easy, but putting in the hard work every day is what will make them Catoctin football players. After Coach Rich was done, I wanted to put on a helmet and pads and suit up to play myself.

Coach Rich, now in his fourth season at Catoctin, is highly motivational. He is building something special on Sabillasville Road, and it’s starting to pay off.  Coach Rich keeps pounding his mantra into players over and over again. He calls it the three B’s: Be consistent! Be relentless! Be accountable! Excellent advice for teenage athletes.

Senior Haydn Matthews and Shamus Stull will share time at quarterback this season, surrounded by a very large offensive line. Haydn has matured from last year. He is big and strong and has a cannon for an arm. Stull is a player to watch this season. He ran with teammate and track star Brody Buffington in the 4×100 relay track team. This kid is a burner! With Matthews’ size, arm, and athleticism and Stull’s speed, defenses will go nuts trying to figure out how to adjust to that QB tandem. Robeson and Watkins are huge on the offensive line, with teammates Randy Hall and Braydon Bagent, this could be one of the best o-lines since 2019. At wide receiver, they have real legitimate speed in Charlie Dougherty and Vince Reaver. One of the biggest surprises last year was Logan Malachowski. Logan is a big, strong target with good instincts and a deep threat to take the ball away in a crowd, which he did several times last year in the end zone. The most amazing thing about Logan is that he has only played football for one year. This is his second year ever playing organized football. Logan was also a big part of the Cougars 2023 baseball team, playing centerfield and pitching in relief. I am really excited about this wide receiver corps!             

Speaking of baseball, somehow coaches convinced Eddy Titchom, who helped Coach Franklin with the baseball team last spring as a manager, to suit up and play football. He is huge! The biggest guy on the team. He will make an immediate impact on this team. And, finally, junior running back Jake Bell looks bigger and stronger than ever and will carry the load in the backfield behind the wall up front with his teammate running back Wayne Ferson, a thunder and lightning tandem.

The defense is anchored by one of the strongest defensive backfields in recent history. Charlie Dougherty will play both ways, but according to coaches, he is one of the best safeties they have seen in a long time. Charlie will call the plays for the defense. Expect big things from Charlie this season, sticking his nose in there and busting up the opponent’s offense and reading the quarterback’s eyes in the backfield. Pound for pound, the defense is special and the time spent in the weight room this year shows. These guys are big, strong, and athletic. Offense is fun, but defense wins games!

This team is on board with Coach Rich’s three B’s, and with a new turf field to add to the excitement, this Cougars football team will consistently and relentlessly pound their opponents all the way into November. 

I predict a very special season for the 2023 Catoctin Cougars football team. On Friday, September 1, the season began at Catoctin High School on their brand new “field of dreams.”  Come on out to the new field and cheer our Catoctin Cougars football team to victory. Catoctin can’t win without its twelfth man. That’s you!

Thurmont Grange Scholarship Winners

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Thurmont Grange No. 409 was proud to present scholarships to three Catoctin High School 2023 graduates who will be pursuing their higher education goals.  All scholarship recipients are exceptional students and very involved in community service, as well as many extracurricular activities. Tanner Seiss will be attending University of Maryland, Abby Moreland will be attending Wilson College, and Morgan Ridenour will be attending Hood College. 

A donation was also made to the college fund of the grandchildren of Thurmont Grange members Bob and Carolyn Wiles, whose son, Dales Wiles, passed away unexpectedly last year.

Congratulations and best of luck to Tanner, Abby, Morgan, and all of our 2023 graduates.

Pictured from left are Niki Eyler (Scholarship Committee Chair), Addison Eyler (Committee member), Tanner Seiss, Morgan Ridenour, Abby Moreland, and Susan Crone (Committee member).

67th Annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show

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The 67th annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show will be held at Catoctin High School, 14745 Sabillasville Road in Thurmont, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 8, 9, and 10, 2023. All events throughout the entire weekend are free.

There’s great news for Community Show bakers of all ages! Most baked products classes have an increase in their prize money, and classes have been added for both the Youth Department (ages 18 and under) and the Junior Department (ages 10 and under).

Entry of exhibits will take place in the gymnasium and agriculture department area on Thursday evening, September 7 and on Friday morning, September 8. Commercial exhibits and community organization displays will be set up throughout the facility all weekend.

This year’s Friday night (September 8) Opening Ceremonies will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium, with the 45th Annual Community Organizations Flag Ceremony, followed by the 2023-2024 Catoctin FFA Chapter Ambassador announcement. The annual Baked Goods auction will begin immediately following the program at approximately 7:30 p.m. The Grand Champion and Reserve Champion cakes, pies, and breads will be sold at 8:00 p.m.  

On Saturday, September 9, the Community Show is open to the public from 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. In the Agriculture Center area, the Market Goat, Beef, Sheep, and Swine Show and Fitting & Showing Contest will start at 9:00 a.m.  

The Pet Show’s free registration takes place in front of the school, with the competition starting at 10:30 a.m., for 12 Pet Show Classes.

On Saturday, September 9, the Thurmont Academy of Self Defense will provide martial arts demonstrations in the auxiliary gym, and the Linda Elower Studio of Dance and The Gospel Ridge Bluegrass Gospel Band will perform in the auditorium.

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant will cater and serve a Roast Turkey and Baked Ham Buffet on Saturday, September 9, from 3:00-6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, to benefit the Thurmont Grange. 

The 49th Annual Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters Market Goat, Beef, Sheep & Swine Sale will be held on Saturday night, September 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the Agriculture Center area. All buyers are welcome to attend and purchase animals, which are exhibited by 4-H and FFA members.   

On Sunday, September 10, the Community Show is open to the public, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Activities begin in the Agriculture Center with the Dairy Goat Show, followed by the Dairy Cattle Show. The Decorated Animal Contest begins at 11:00 a.m.

Mountain Gate Family Restaurant will be catering and serving a Fried Chicken & Pulled Pork BBQ Buffet on Sunday, September 10, in the cafeteria, to benefit the Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters.   

Sunday afternoon activities in the Agriculture Center include the 38th Annual Log Sawing Contest, a Pedal Tractor Contest, and the 42nd Annual Robert Kaas Horseshoe Pitching Contest near the softball field. 

On both Saturday and Sunday, the Petting Zoo will be in the Agricultural area, while a sow with its piglets will be on display all weekend. There will also be face painting and pony rides. 

Additional activities throughout the weekend include food trucks and food stands, the annual book sale, a Quilt & Afghan Show, and Thurmont area historical photos.

By early August, the Community Show booklets will be available in local businesses. All citizens of our Catoctin community are encouraged to enter exhibits for free to see what prize they may win and be a part of the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, the largest Community Show in the State of Maryland! 

Departments include Fresh Fruits, Fresh Vegetables, Home Products Display, Canned Fruits, Canned Vegetables, Jellies & Preserves, Pickles, Meats, Baked Products, Fabric & Fiber Arts, Flowers and Plants, Arts, Fine Arts, Arts and Crafts, Photography, Corn, Small Grains and Seeds, Eggs, Nuts, Poultry & Livestock, Dairy, Goats, Hay, Junior Department (Ages 10 and under), and Youth Department (Ages 11-18).

Exhibits must be removed on Sunday, September 10, from 3:00-5:30 p.m. Prize money will be mailed to the winners by November 15, 2023.

The Community Show is sponsored by the Thurmont Grange, Catoctin FFA Chapter, Catoctin FFA Alumni & Supporters, the Maryland State Grange, and the Maryland State Agricultural Fair Board. The Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show has been bringing our communities together since 1957!

Visit the website for detailed information: www.thurmontemmitsburgcommunityshow.webs.com. View the advertisement on page 22.

Five $1,000 Scholarships Awarded

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The Emmitsburg High School Alumni Association (EHSAA) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual EHSAA scholarship program. Five $1,000 scholarships were awarded this year. The scholarship applicants were judged on involvement in school and community activities, as well as their academic work. Honors and work experience were also considered.

The first two scholarship recipients are seniors at Catoctin High School (CHS).  Lily Bingman, daughter of William and Jennifer Bingman, is planning to attend Coastal Carolina University in the fall. Mackenzie Orndorff, daughter of Tommy and Michele Orndorff, is planning to attend Mount Saint Mary’s University in the fall. 

The final three recipients were former graduates of Catoctin High School.  Attending Mount Saint Mary’s University, career goal in the area of law, is Savannah Morris, daughter of Julie and Charles Morris. Attending Oklahoma State University, majoring in agricultural communications, is Rianna Chaney, daughter of Becky and Lee Chaney. Attending Butler Community College, career goal in agricultural communications, is Sheridan Chaney, daughter of Becky and Lee Chaney.

This year, EHSAA was able to give out a fifth $1,000 scholarship, in memory of Edward and Margaret Meadows.

All recipients will be recognized at the Emmitsburg High School Alumni Association’s 98th Annual Banquet to be held October 16, 2023. We wish them all success.

Lewistown Ruritan Club Presents Awards to Winners of Essay Contest

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Pictured from left are Ray Ediger, Essay Committee; Harold Staley, Essay Committee; Zoe Wetzel, essay winner; Loberta Staley, Essay Committee; Patty Golf, Essay Committee; and Frank Warner, Lewistown Ruritan President.

The Lewistown Ruritan Club sponsored an essay contest for the students at Catoctin High School and Thurmont Middle School on “The Importance of Volunteerism,” with the hopes that this subject would spark a renewed interest in volunteerism for the students in our community. Zoe Wetzel, a student at Thurmont Middle School, was awarded first prize of $100 during the dinner/meeting of the Lewistown Ruritan Club for her essay on “The Importance of Volunteerism.” In her essay, Zoe wrote that “volunteer groups strengthen the communities they belong to and that few services are more honorable than volunteerism.”

Joanna Genemanse from Catoctin High School was also awarded first prize for her essay on “The Importance of Volunteerism.” In her essay, Joanna stated that “Volunteering is not only beneficial for the community, but also adds to the volunteer’s quality of life and well-being.” Unfortunately, Genemanse was unable to attend the dinner/meeting.

The Lewistown Ruritan Club was proud to present these awards to two of our local students.

The Lewistown Ruritan, also known for their famous chicken BBQs, has served the Lewistown/Thurmont Community since 1960. The club members work to enhance the quality of life through community service and to make our community a better place in which to live and work.

Catoctin Athlete Sets the Bar High

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Blair Garrett

There are a lot of great athletes coming up in the Catoctin region.

We’ve had state championships in football and baseball in just the past few years. We’ve had phenomenal teams and coaches put together stellar post-season runs to give us years of exciting high school sports action.

But we’ve also had some students who have become standouts among the standouts. Brody Buffington of Catoctin High School has become one of those athletes.

Buffington’s performances for the track team this season have been electric, so much so that he’s become a nationally ranked runner in his categories.

“I’m ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 100 meter, and I’m fifth or sixth in the nation in the 200-meter dash,” Buffington said.

Buffington’s successes for the team were really something of a happy accident. Track had been an option to keep in shape for his primary sport, but once his shoes hit the track, the sky was the limit for the senior.

“Last year, I did indoor track to keep up with my conditioning for my outdoor sport, lacrosse,” Buffington said. “I found out I was really good at running, so I sacrificed lacrosse for an opportunity at track and field.”

Buffington’s efforts have translated into a lot of personal growth and plenty of post-high school opportunities. “ I’m going to run in college,” he said. “I committed to the University of Georgia.”

The University of Georgia has a special athlete headed its way come next season. Buffington has excelled in his short time with the Catoctin track team, setting multiple school and state records.

“He’s got the school record in the 100- and the 200-meter dash, and both of his records are the fastest in the state of Maryland,” Head Coach David Lillard said. Not only has Buffington made a splash at the regional and state level, but his appearance at the biggest of stages made a statement for the Catoctin standout.

“At Indoor Nationals, I got second place for the 60- and the 200-meter dash,” Buffington said.

Adjusting to a new sport as a high school junior is no easy feat. Becoming a nationally ranked athlete in that sport in such a short time seems near impossible. The past two seasons for Buffington have been a tight learning curve, but it’s no surprise that he’s exceeded expectations with a great coach and team behind him.

“He’s [Coach Lillard] molded me into the person I am today,” Buffington said. “I make a lot smarter decisions, I’ve sacrificed a lot, and he’s trained me to where I am right now, so I’m very grateful for my coach.”

The work isn’t done yet, though. Two huge opportunities to prove he’s one of the best in the nation still lie ahead. “I have a longer season than a lot of the guys because I have New Balance Nationals and the Junior Olympics over the summer,” Buffington said. I’m still putting in the hard work and going over the little details.”

The team’s season finishes with the turn of the month, but that hasn’t stopped Coach Lillard from polishing up on the parts of Buffington’s game that really make a difference.

“One of the main things we’re working on is the turn coming out of the 200 meter into the straightaway,” Lillard said. “We’re still doing some block work and still trying to work on some power, but the key thing is just trying to stay healthy and still trying to fine tune.”

With a steadfast work ethic and passion for improving on the details of his game, Buffington’s improvements are sure to carry him far into his post-high school career.

While Buffington graduates after this season, the team has plenty of up-and-coming athletes to look forward to for next season.

Keep an eye out for your favorite Cougar athletes hitting the track once again in late 2023.  

Brody Buffington competes at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in March 2023 in Boston.

Catoctin High School’s “First-Ever “Ride Your Horse To School Day”

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Catoctin High School’s first-ever “Ride your Horse to School Day” was held on Thursday, April 6.

Ava Ganjon, Trinity Spidle, Taylor Knott, and Kylie Putman rode their horses to school as a representation of Catoctin’s Equine Club. Teachers and students were intrigued to see horses at their school, which brought their small Equine Club more attention and, hopefully, more members in the years to come. There are already more people hoping to be involved next year! The students would like to extend a big “Thank You” to DFC Davis and CPL Barrera for escorting them on their safe ride to the high school.

Pictured from left are Kylie Putman riding Cara, Ava Ganjon riding Cody, Taylor Knott riding Snowflake, and Trinity Spidle riding Gucci; (standing in front) morning escorts, CPL Berrera and DFC Davis.

Glad to be a Grad

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by Helen Xia, CHS Student Writer

Congratulations to Catoctin High School’s Class of 2023 for graduating this month! Every year, Catoctin’s graduation is held at Mount Saint Mary’s University’s Knott Arena, where hundreds of students, staff, families, and friends gather to celebrate graduating students’ incredible accomplishments. Years of aspiration and perseverance, ups and downs, and joy and sorrow unite in this one event. Looking out, you’d see Catoctin’s passionate band, a stage seated with admirable speakers, and, of course, a sea of blue caps and gowns. You would hear the band play “Pomp and Circumstance,” feet shuffling—perhaps from nervousness or exhilaration, or a combination of both—and the crowd buzzing with excitement. 

Seeing this, one may wonder: How did we get to this point? A happening as important as this one must require much preparation. What transpires behind the scenes leading up to this celebration? To answer these questions, I sought out three diverse perspectives: one from graduating senior Emma Stream, one from event coordinator David Gadra, and, finally, one from row manager, Russell Headley.

As mentioned previously, graduation is a pivotal milestone for students, which gives rise to a wide array of powerful emotions. “As graduation moves closer, I feel incredibly nervous, yet relieved,” described Stream. “All of my hard work has finally paid off, and I’m relieved and overjoyed at the thought of starting a new chapter in my life. However, I’m nervous because of starting this new chapter, although I know things will eventually work themselves out.”

Many refer to high school as one’s best years of life, but that doesn’t mean high school is free from sacrifices. This sentiment is echoed by Stream, who explained, “There have been many mistakes that I have made in my life. One of the biggest ones I feel I made is sacrificing my mental health for school. The sacrifice of mental health is never worth it, no matter how well you do, as true happiness and content cannot be measured by the grade that you get in some high school class that you will barely remember in 20 years.”

Fortunately, these hardships are opportunities for seemingly boundless growth. “There have definitely been shifts in my mindset throughout the years, but the biggest change in my mindset has been letting go,” reflected Stream. “In freshman year, I would work myself to death and to the brink of exhaustion, but, as I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that the stress isn’t worth it. By taking breaks, you tend to do better and feel better.”

The aforementioned growth is apparent to the staff members who treasure witnessing this lively gleam in students’ eyes. “Seeing each senior class, which are all different, growing and maturing after four years is very special to me!” said Gadra. “The facial expressions of each student walking across the stage is priceless as they realize what they have accomplished and the new journey that is in front of them.”

Despite the cheer that floods the Knott Arena each year, the organization process itself is no simple task. “It takes a team and hundreds of man hours to prepare,” Gadra reported. “[I] had a principal once tell me that a school can make many errors but graduation is not one of them. [Organization necessitates] a lot of meetings and divisions of responsibilities! I have done it for so long that it is a tried-and-true process. [It] starts at the beginning of the year all the way through graduation. [As the event coordinator, there is] some [pressure]–just do not want to make a mistake for the students or families!”

Headley, “a proud and enthusiastic Catoctin High School row manager looking forward to [his] 24th Catoctin High School graduation,” eloquently articulated the work behind hosting graduation: “There is a great deal of ‘behind the scenes’ work that our CHS graduation organizers, Dave Gadra and [guidance counselor] Shannon Byrnes, are involved in, from coordinating the lining up, entrance, and exit, to choreographing Catoctin’s iconic musical performances, speeches, and other features of the graduation ceremony, to organizing (and correctly pronouncing!) the names of scores of graduating seniors, in a high-pressure environment, while doing these important things in front of a large crowd that has a very vested interest in the proceedings which are being filmed by hundreds of cell phones and cameras.”

What’s more, Headley holds a unique perspective about graduation. “Personally, my favorite parts of every graduation are the musical performances that our courageous students deliver every year-typically, a live performance of our great country’s national anthem, followed by a live performance of a relevant song that serves as both a tribute and a farewell to each year’s graduating class,” he expressed. “Another thing about Catoctin High School graduations that impresses me every year is the fact that we always have seniors who have chosen to serve their country in our great nation’s military, and I love how we typically take a moment to recognize these courageous young men and women, who have made that patriotic and courageous choice to serve. I also love to see our military color guard, who always make a dignified, solemn, and stately entrance, bearing the flags of our country and state, reminding us that freedom isn’t free, and many soldiers have given what Lincoln called ‘the last full measure of devotion’ to preserve America’s freedom.”

Once more, Headley emphasized the effort Catoctin staff commit to each graduating class–understandably so! “Another thing that impresses me every year at Catoctin High School’s graduation is the fact that a very high percentage of Catoctin’s faculty, and all of our school’s administrative and guidance team enthusiastically volunteer to take part in our graduation ceremony, either by putting on their graduation robes or by assisting behind the scenes with taking tickets, helping with parking, assisting with the seating of guests, delivering speeches, reading the name of graduates, handing out diplomas, and hundreds of other activities that contribute to an exemplary and memorable graduation ceremony each year. I have to give a special ‘shout-out’ to Dave Gadra, who has been coordinating Catoctin’s graduations for quite a few years–I am guessing that Mr. Gadra has been taking on this leadership role for ten to fifteen years, at least, and he is always positive, patient, and very enthusiastic in leading our seniors for several graduation practices and hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes work, [which] culminate each year in a superb graduation ceremony.” Evidently, not only should the students be commended during this ceremony, but all of the invested staff members should be, too! Every year, this event is able to run as flawlessly as possible thanks to their dedication and diligence. As a Catoctin student, I appreciate staff members’ (often undervalued) invaluable and consistent hard work which they generously put in on top of their already-busy schedules.

Catoctin, as a relatively small school, boasts an unrivaled sense of community. This sentiment of achievement and belonging is prominent during graduation where everybody is basking in each other’s light. If you’re a student, I’ll leave you with a piece of insightful advice from Stream: “Anything worth doing is worth doing with half effort, because you know what’s better than a 0? A 75, or even a 50. While those grades might not be what you want, they are still better for your grades and are better for your mental health, as they allow for you to move past the barriers your mind has set.” Otherwise, I’ll leave you with Headley’s rhetoric: “it is a time of joy; it is a time of nostalgia; and it is a time of hope and promise.” The beauty of community shines bright this time of year.

Congratulations, Catoctin’s Class of 2023! Best of luck to all of you!

Did you know that Catoctin’s faculty has the tradition of forming a “tunnel” or a “chute” to give new graduates a pathway from the Knott Arena to the staging area and the back exits, where the graduates can bid their final farewells with their classmates and meet with their parents? I didn’t, either, until Headley clarified this! Graduation’s immaculate organization is remarkable!

Mount Saint Mary’s University’s Knott Arena, photographed by Gregory Koch

Thurmont Grange Offers Scholarships

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Thurmont Grange #409 is offering two scholarships to any 2023 Catoctin High School graduating seniors who will be attending a technical or trade school, community college, or four-year college.

Applicants are required to submit one letter of recommendation, an essay about how furthering your education will have a positive impact on your community, and your official high school transcript.

Scholarships will be awarded on May 31, 2023. Applications may be obtained by emailing thurmontgrange@gmail.com or contacting the Catoctin High School Guidance Department at 240-236-8100.

All applications must be received by April 30, 2023.

Nominations for 2023 Distinguished Graduate Awards

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The Distinguished Graduate Committee at Catoctin High School is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Distinguished Graduate Awards. 

Nominations for this year must be submitted by May 1. For information regarding the Distinguished Graduate program and nomination forms, visit the Catoctin High School website at https://edu.fcps.org/chs/or call Catoctin High School at 240-236-8100.

A Snow Man Lives in Thurmont

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Deb Abraham Spalding

On a sunny, 11-degree morning in early February, Warren Schafer was making snow at his house in Thurmont.

Schafer is a 15-year-old freshman at Catoctin High School. While society and social media lead us to believe that high school freshmen are sitting behind their cell phone apps and cell phone cameras or mesmerized behind their computers immersed in someone else’s imaginary world in video games, be assured, Schafer is, too!

The difference between the average freshman and Schafer—an avid skier and ham radio operator—is that he’s using some of that time to continually challenge himself to make a better snow-making gun than those currently used in the ski industry. 

Thus, Thurmont’s “Snow Man” has been revealed!

Two years ago, Schafer’s snow-making prototype was his science fair project in middle school. He won first place in the Frederick County Science Fair in the Environmental Sciences category. He has taken that prototype and improved upon it again and again. The original design was built with parts from the local hardware store, and now he’s custom building them out of aluminum.

It is his goal to ultimately design and create a more efficient snow-making nozzle, one that uses less air, less electricity, and less water to produce more snow in less time than the current industry standards. Oh, and he’s recycling, too!

When asked if he’s achieved his goal this year, Schafer simply stated, “Yes, I have!” It’s a continual process.

Schafer explained, “We can make (a wet) snow when it’s 33 degrees if the humidity is really low. Snowmakers combine temperature and relative humidity together to create what’s called a wet bulb. As long as the wet bulb temperature is below 28 degrees, we can make snow.” 

Schafer recycles water from the backyard pool. Rainwater catches on a tarp on the pool while a pump sits on the tarp and pumps the water into a big tank. A hose connects to the tank and feeds the water to the snowmaker that is powered by a small pressure washer.

At the time of our visit, Schafer had created a sled run with snow four to six inches deep at the bottom and two feet deep in the middle, and he had just started building the hill.

The two-foot base in the middle took about two hours to create with Schafer’s tiny snowmaker. A feat that is impressive even to the novice! Imagine, in the near future, being able to create a snow run in your own backyard using Schafer’s snow-making system that you can purchase at the local hardware store.

Schafer will continue to improve his design more and more to advance the system until he’s satisfied. At that point, he will make his system fully automated from controls at his computer. There may even be an app for that!

Warren Schafer is shown with his snow-making system. The swimming pool and collection tank are shown to the left, leading to the electric connection, power washer, hose, tripod, and snow-making gun.

Warren Schafer is shown adjusting his snow-making system in February.

Lewistown Ruritan Club Presents Gold Award

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At the Potomac District Ruritan Convention, on behalf of the Lewistown Ruritan Club, Loberta Staley accepted the Gold Award given for the Potomac District Ruritan Community Service. This award is given to motivate individuals and clubs to higher levels of achievement and to recognize and reward those that have accomplished outstanding results.

The Lewistown Ruritan Club is proud to be an organization of positive people doing positive things in our community. They take pride in the things they bring to the community.

The Lewistown Ruritan Club is also presently sponsoring an essay for students at Catoctin High School and Thurmont Middle School on the importance of volunteerism. The club is sponsoring this contest because they feel that volunteerism creates a sense of pride and patriotism. Entries must be submitted by April 3. Essays should include all pertinent information; i.e. name of student, grade, and contact information, and be submitted to the Lewistown Ruritan, 10935 Old Frederick Road, Thurmont, MD 21788.

Pictured from left are Paul Lewis, Potomac District National Representative; Erich Fronck, District Governor for the Potomac District; and Loberta Staley, Lewistown Ruritan

Students Show Artful Pride at Catoctin High School

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Members of Catoctin High School National Art Honor Society have spent countless hours working to perfect a painting that will be hung in the FCPS Learning Leadership Center in Walkersville. Each high school was given the challenge to create a painting that represents their school community. The artwork will be displayed at the center in the designated rooms named after each high school.

Under the direction of art teacher, Laura Day, the four seniors who worked on the piece—Skylar Caballero, Natalie Savage, Abigayle Bowley, and Abigail May—wanted to make sure that the majority of the school’s population was represented. Nestled in the heart of the Catoctin Mountains, it’s a place where everyone fits in, from the athletes to the artists, the FFA kids to the skateboarders. Tight-knit friendships and school pride are what bring us all together.

Pictured from left are Skylar Caballero, Abigayle Bowley, Abigail May, and Natalie Savage.

SPORTS
TALK

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with Michael Betteridge

“How Do We Measure Success?”

What has been the most successful team in Catoctin Cougars’ history? Was it the 1986 football team, or that amazing 2009 football team, or the 2019 football team winning it all over again a decade later in Coach Doug Williams’ last game? Perhaps, it was the 2013-14 wrestling teams with three-time State champion Charlie Perella? Or, maybe it was the 2006 Lady Cougars basketball team, or what about 2021 or the 2022 Catoctin track team 1A champs threatening to repeat in 2023? How about the State Champion boys baseball team two years ago and their incredible five wins on the road, traveling over 500 miles by bus to win it all in Waldorf. Could one of them be the best ever? Wait a minute!  Did all of those winners come from the smallest school in Frederick County: Catoctin High School?  Amazing!

To find the answer, I browsed the MPSSAA record books, the official gatekeeper of all high school athletics in Maryland, to try and figure out which Cougars team excelled above the rest. I found incredible accomplishments by Catoctin teams, individuals, and their coaches. But, there was one major sport at Catoctin that seemed missing. This sport has one lone visit to the state tournament 42 years ago and no wins beyond the first round of regionals since then. It has one winning year, 2019-20, over the past 17 years. That team is the Catoctin boys basketball team. By record book standards, Catoctin boys basketball has been largely invisible. Although, sometimes the record books don’t reflect the real story.

Let’s back up for a minute and start with a more important question.  What is success anyway? How is it determined? How is it measured?  Over the past 20 years, we have seen a culture shift in youth sports and the way we measure success. It’s no longer about wins and losses, awards and trophies, or record books. It’s no longer about records or individual accomplishments. 

I coached youth football in Fairfield for five years and then turned my whistle in for a Public Address system to become the stadium announcer for all the home games for the Fairfield Knights youth football games for the past two years. And over that period of time, I have been puzzled by a new common theme that is alien to my upbringing: “Everyone is a winner.” For example, at the conclusion of last year’s football season, Fairfield had an awards banquet and everyone got a trophy. It didn’t matter how many games you won or where you placed in the standings. Many of the young athletes received personal awards, too: most improved player, best team spirit, most positive attitude. Everyone was a winner! As a matter of fact, the leadership was so committed to this mindset, they even gave me an award for announcing the games. A nice gift card for dinner at a fancy restaurant. That made up for all the missed dinners with my wife on Saturday evenings last fall.

I have heard both sides of the argument about rewarding athletes.  The old timers like myself don’t believe everyone should get a trophy. We say: “LIFE is about winning and losing.” “You’ll never be a real winner until you’ve tasted the sting of losing.” 

I subscribe to the old mantra of former Redskins football head coach, George Allen: “Every time you lose, you die a little inside.”  But the “new guard” seeks a kinder, gentler approach of empowerment, recognition, and validation. You hear words like “inclusiveness” and “diversity.” Everything is affirming and supportive. My guess is probably both sides are right. But, there is something else that lies just beneath the surface of awards and records. That something else is commitment.

What keeps a young athlete competing when their team isn’t successful by regular standards?  What motivates them on a cold, dreary morning to get out of bed and head to the gym to train when their team has a losing record or got stomped the previous week?  Certainly not that plastic trophy that everybody gets. Why do they keep playing when everything around them comes crashing down on and off the field or court?

We don’t have to go far to answer those questions. This can be accomplished by sharing the example of one Catoctin Cougars boys basketball player: Patrick Morlan. Patrick is in his junior year at Catoctin High School and plays forward for the Cougars boys basketball team. 

Patrick’s dad, Battalion Chief Chris Morlan, died from respiratory failure two days before Christmas in 2021 while Patrick was in his sophomore year. Patrick told me that his dad was sick for about a month. At first, he was sure he would be okay, but then complications from an old firefighting injury set in, and his dad’s condition quickly deteriorated.

Patrick’s basketball career started in third grade. When I asked him who inspired him to play basketball, he immediately said: “My father.”  Patrick’s father coached his youth basketball team from fifth grade to eighth grade, in spite of the fact that his father never played high school basketball. Patrick said that his father treated him just like the other kids but expected more from him on the court and off. Every night, Patrick would lie in bed watching the NBA network and dreaming of being a hero like his father. Patrick was cut from tryouts for JV basketball his freshmen year, but his dad wouldn’t let him quit. His dad became sick right around the time that basketball was gearing up for the 2021-22 season, Patrick’s sophomore year, and Patrick wasn’t sure that he wanted to try out again, but his dad urged him to give it another shot.

Batallion Chief Morlan wasn’t just any regular kind of firefighter.  He was a quiet hero. When Patrick was very young, his dad was severely injured when he fell through a roof rescuing his best friend and ended up in the hospital. Patrick visited his dad in another incident several years later in the hospital when his dad rescued two small children from a burning bedroom and ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung. Patrick remembered that visit to the hospital well. It’s no wonder that Patrick’s role model, hero, and inspiration was his amazing father.

Patrick was no stranger to visiting his dad in the hospital, but when Chris Morlan was admitted in 2021 with COVID, visitation was not allowed. Patrick had to call his dad on the phone. As Chris’ condition worsened, Patrick would receive texts from his dad, periodically. Then, four days before he passed, Patrick received the last text encouraging him to never give up and pushing him to be all that he can be. Most kids would have given up, but Patrick couldn’t. It wasn’t in his DNA.  Patrick pressed harder and dedicated his life to his father’s memory and legacy. He was a Catoctin Cougars basketball player.

So, circling back to the question of what keeps a student-athlete going and what is the measure of success, Patrick’s dedication to honor his father is the very definition of success. For him, the question was “How could he not keep going?” Patrick summed it up for me in a way I never expected. When I asked him, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” His response gave me a lump in my throat. “I want to be just like my dad,” Patrick said. I think Patrick has grown up way beyond anything that we can understand or imagine for a 16-year-old.

Batallion Chief Chris Morlan’s leadership and sacrifice is the answer to my question.

Meet CYA’s Wrestling Family

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Aaron Meekins

Courtesy Photo

CYA Wrestling Team performs stretching exercises, one part of the team’s hour warmup.

With an orangish tint painting the sun setting early in the evening sky, kids from the ages of 4-14 can be seen getting out of cars in the Catoctin High School parking lot. With the vapor of their breath leading the way in the cold winter Thurmont nights, they head inside the school and upstairs past the locker rooms into Catoctin High’s team wrestling room. The ceilings are low, but the energy in the room is high. Cold, wintry temperatures are replaced with the heat only given off by bodies continually hard at work, the smell of sweat lingering as the high schoolers exit the room, welcoming a new generation of grapplers. The young wrestlers are met by a number of enthusiastic coaches, led by longtime CYA Wrestling coach, Cory Bell. Coach Cory has led CYA wrestling for 14 years. Assisting Cory in leading this year’s group are his dedicated fellow coaches: Brandon Rivera, Steve Byington, Garrett Baer, Billy Jenkins, Ethan Fuss, Charlie Perilla III, Charlie “Chas” Perilla IV, Shawn Smith, and Dennis Pittinger.

After the young wrestlers have worked up a sweat, jogging around the mats, doing bear crawls, front rolls, cartwheels, and other calisthenics, they are split up based on age and weight to begin their wrestling-specific workouts and training, each group led by a caring and knowledgeable coach. When this aspect of training is over, the group comes together for a group challenge or game. Meant to build team spirit, Cory and his team of coaches use these group challenges or games to instill a spirit of teamwork in a sport that can be seen as an individualistic endeavor to a casual fan. After the young wrestlers have been thoroughly warmed up, struggled through head locks, been taken down in a myriad of ways, and finally completed a series of sprints, they come together as a group and on a count of three, yell, “Family.”

This season, CYA Wrestling has 42 members of this “Family.” They are not only led by their coaches, but by a group of eighth graders looking to leave a mark in their final youth season: Jacob Thibadeau, Ashton Thompson, Kamerin Jenkins, Beau Andrew, and Seamus Riddle. For these eighth graders, this is their final year in the youth program before they have the opportunity to wrestle at the high school level. Moving on to the high school arena will not be completely unfamiliar territory to them, as many of the high school wrestlers were also part of Cory’s CYA “Family” and continue to come out and give support at the youth matches.

On February 4, at noon, wrestlers from Thurmont, Hagerstown, and Boonsboro will leave their cars, bundled in winter coats, making their way into the Catoctin High School gymnasium. Mats will cover the court, scoreboards and match trees will be on tables next to the three individual fields of action. They will warm up for an hour—a mix of cardio, calisthenics, and wrestling moves. By 1:00 p.m., the gym will be packed with wrestlers, parents, and families to cheer them on.

Intense action follows, one-minute round after one-minute round. Heard from afar are coaches yelling directions and parents and fans cheering their wrestlers on. After their match, one wrestler has their hand raised by the referee. All those cold winter nights, sweaty gym sessions, bruised bodies, and bloody lips are now contradicted by smiles, friendly competition, camaraderie, and the encouraging “Family” atmosphere. It has all now come to fruition. All the kids will have won because they had the courage to go out there and try in a very intense, physical atmosphere.

Last season, CYA Wrestling represented itself well at the Mid-Maryland Wrestling League (MMWL) Championships, which included teams from Washington, Frederick, and Carroll counties, and also a club from Germantown. While many wrestled valiantly but came up a little short, wrestlers Brody Bell (1st place), Grayson Stroble (2nd Place), Grayson Baer (4th place), Xavier Meekins (3rd place), and Liam Jenkins (4th place) all placed and found themselves on the podium in their respective weight classes.

This season, CYA will host wrestling tournaments on February 4 at 1:00 p.m. and February 26 at 8:00 a.m. at Catoctin High School. They have eight competitions during their season to prepare for their culminating tournament, the MMWL Championships on March 5. If you are interested in seeing CYA Wrestling in action, please come to one of the meets and cheer on our kids! Food and refreshments are available at the concession stand. Admission is free.

Spring Season Updates

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Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League  

It’s been a fairly mild winter thus far, yet it’s still hard to believe that the spring season will begin in just a few short weeks. The registration period for our Thurmont Little League (TLL) baseball and softball programs will close on February 11. A special in-person registration and fundraising night will take place at Roy Rogers on Wednesday, February 1, from 5:00-8:00 p.m., with 25 percent of proceeds from all orders going to the league. Come on out for a great meal to support TLL and get your players registered.

Speaking of fundraisers, we are once again selling discount cards, which are always a popular item. For $20.00 you can purchase a card for unlimited usage at many of your favorite local businesses, everything from a free drink to 10 percent off your order. Please contact the league on Facebook or by email at thetllnetwork@gmail.com for more information. You may also pick one up at several of the participating restaurants.

There is still a lot of other work to be done before the season starts. Evaluations for the Minor and Major divisions will be held at Catoctin High School on Sunday, February 12, from 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., with a draft for each age group taking place the following weekend. After that, practices should start up in late February or early March, weather permitting. Plans are being made for our opening day celebration on April 1, which will, once again, be split into two ceremonies based on division level. There will be lots of fun activities, great prizes to be won, and maybe even appearances from a mascot or two! We have several food trucks tentatively lined up, with The Sauced Savage BBQ and Glamourview Dairy Bar returning as fan favorites. New this year will be Coco’s Grill serving up gyros, cheesesteaks, burgers, and other goodies. Fundraising efforts have already begun, with the league beginning to accept donations for the annual basket raffles.

As always, volunteers are welcomed and appreciated by the league. As most know, umpires and other officials are in short supply across the country. If you are interested in getting involved, MD District 2 Little League will be hosting an umpire clinic at Brunswick High School on February 19. The best part is that this is free for MD District 2 Umpires. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and door prizes will be given away throughout the day. Please reach out to us on Facebook or by email if you are interested in learning more.

Be sure to check out next month’s issue for even more details about our opening day festivities and all the other events going on to kickstart our 2023 season!

Cougars Wrestlers, Physical and Tough

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Michael Betteridge

The Catoctin High School Cougars wrestling team, led by second-year coach, Rick Reeder, has 14 wrestlers on the roster. Two of them are females, and they come from different ends of the timeline. One of the wrestlers, Emma Taylor, is a seasoned veteran in her senior year. Jennie Anne Smith, a freshman in her first year of wrestling, has caught the attention of county wrestlers. This is Reeder’s second year working with female wrestlers. He is no stranger to coaching young women, but not in wrestling. He was head coach of the Baltimore Charm, an all-women’s lingerie league arena football team back around 2010.

Coach Reeder took over last year for former Cougars football and wrestling sensation, Colin Schildt. Schildt replaced the legendary 2009 Coach of the Year Ryan Green, whose 10-year tenure as the Cougars wrestling head coach amassed a 144-99 record. Coach Reeder’s first year in 2022 produced a winning season in spite of a limited roster that caused some unfortunate forfeitures. As a matter of fact, Coach Reeder and former Coach Green, now good friends, had a bit of a rivalry on the mat back in the day, when they competed against each other. Coach Reeder played for Frederick and Coach Green played for Linganore.

Coach Reeder prides himself on teaching his team to be physically and mentally tough and believes that those attributes in a wrestler will help them succeed in life as well.

Trying to sell your wrestlers on toughness is not hard when 8 of the 14 wrestlers on your team play football for the Cougars. One of the toughest of those football players is senior Nathan Kovalcik. Nathan is 25-2 this season on the mat and has been recently contacted by Frostburg and Messiah. Nathan plans to wrestle in college and to pursue an engineering degree. Nathan is a heck of a football player, too. He made All-County second team linebacker, along with wrestling teammate All-County honorable mention offensive lineman, Jacob Bell. Those two pounded their opponents at the line of scrimmage much the same way they punish their opponents on the wrestling mat. Sophomore Jacob Bell is 26-1. Coach Reeder is no stranger to football players, having coached football at many different levels, including semi pro ball.

Speaking of coaching at different levels, Coach Reeder has brought several of his wrestlers up through the FCMC Frederick County Mat Club, a youth wrestling club that he has been involved in that develops young wrestlers during the offseason.

This team is building for the future with four seniors and four freshmen and sandwiched in between are a couple of very special sophomores (two) and juniors (two). Sophomore Hunter Bradshaw is 24-3 and two of his wins have been against State finishers. Sophomore Jacob Bell is 26-1. The two freshmen, Dylan Gray and Caleb Wolf, came up through the local CYA system and are making big contributions to this Cougars wrestling team.

Coach Reeder, in his quest to instill toughness, recently added a new dimension to his training: Crossfit. He has the team doing an intense Crossfit workout, then immediately back to the mats to wrestle. The Cougars have a good, well-coached wrestling team that puts the focus on team dynamics in a one-on-one sport.

Stay tuned…Catoctin Cougars wrestling is making a mark!

Thurmont Middle Finds Part of Its History

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James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont Middle School Administrative Secretary Christine Newman was going through the long-unused cabinets in the old records room of the school when she came across a time capsule of sorts.

The cabinets contained books of middle school class photos from the 1969-1970 school year (its first year as Thurmont Middle School), graduation announcements, newspaper clippings about the building, and the student ledger with who attended Thurmont School in the building in early decades of the 20th century. The student ledger is essentially the school record of each student, showing their personal information, classes taken, and grades.

Newman also found three battered loving cups that had been awarded to students for various achievements.

Parts of the current Thurmont Middle School building were constructed in 1915 when the building served 11 grades. The gym and cafeteria were added in 1949 along Summit Avenue. The building has since undergone renovations and rebuilds and has served the community at the middle school since Catoctin High School opened in 1969.

Newman showed the items to Principal Janine Smith. She realized what they were and realized these pieces of local history belonged with the Thurmont Historical Society.

Newman and Smith presented the items to Ronald Pearcey, Thurmont Historical Society treasurer, last month at the school.

The items are available for research and viewing at the Thurmont Historical Society.

Thurmont Middle School Principal Janine Smith, Administrative Secretary Christine Newman, and Thurmont Historical Society Treasurer Ronald Pearcey look over the historical documents that were recently found at the school.