^{Home | Contact Us | Diocese | Downloads | F.A.Q. | Links | Advertising | Mass Times}

This year, Bishop Carroll’s girls’ soccer team consists of five sets of sisters. From left to right: Anna Vasquez, Lisa and Laura Sooter, Stefanie and Rachel Wiesen, Megan and Mallory Walden, and Nicole and Kellene Resa. Not pictured is Julie Vasquez.

Sisters stick together on the field

By Corinne Westeman, BC Community Journalism

While playing for their club team last year, sisters Stefanie and Rachel Wiesen combined for a goal on a spectacular play.

Stefanie Wiesen was playing mid-fielder when she got control of the ball and kicked it to her sister. Rachel, a forward, hit the ball with her head backwards into the goal and scored.

Now the Wiesen sisters, who have played together for four years, are putting their strong connection to use for Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. But they are not the only sisters playing for Carroll. For the second year in a row, Bishop Carroll has five sets of sisters playing soccer together.

In addition to the Wiesens, Bishop Carroll has two others sets of sisters on varsity: Kellene and Nicole Resa, and Megan and Mallory Walden. Julie and Anna Vasquez, and Laura and Lisa Sooter play for Carroll’s junior varsity team.

For coach John Barber, who is in his 10th year as varsity coach, having family members on the same team is nothing new.

“We frequently have sets of sisters, and we have more coming in next year,” Barber said. “It’s not confusing most of the time; the only exception is the Waldens. They’re very similar, especially in appearance.”

The Walden sisters agree that, although they play different positions on the field, they are very similar in their playing styles.

“We’re slightly different,” sophomore Megan Walden said, “but we understand the game similarly and analyze it in the same way.”

The Waldens, who have been playing on the same teams for three years, help each other train for the season by practicing and running together. But both have experienced the downsides of having a sister as a teammate.

“We get into fights on the field,” Megan Walden said. “And it does get confusing because we look so much alike.”

Despite the inevitable conflicts, the Waldens have pushed each other to be better players.

“She talks to me a lot on the field and tells me what’s going on,” freshman Mallory Walden said. “If she scores, I have to score, too. It’s sort of a sister-rivalry competition that we have.”

The Wiesens have also encountered the pros and cons of having a family member on the team.

“My sister helps me a lot,” freshman Rachel Wiesen said. “She’s older and has more experience, so she can tell me straight up what I did wrong. But we can take the field home sometimes.”

“Our playing strategies are totally different,” senior Stefanie Wiesen said, “but we work well together. We’ve had a lot of sister assist-goals.”

All of the sisters agree that having so many family members playing together has helped with teamwork.

“You’re closer to that person and you trust them more, and trust is a lot in soccer,” Rachel Wiesen said.

“I think we know each other better that way,” Mallory Walden said. “Everyone’s friends with everyone else.”

Overall, Carroll’s history of soccer sisters has helped the team to become successful, winning City League Championships in 2005 and 2006.

“I think that having sisters playing together really does help,” said Megan Walden, “since we’re always trying to help one another.”

Book warriors

The All Saints Catholic School 5th and 6th grade Battle of the Books teams captured first place in their divisions in the Wichita eastside small schools competition Wednesday, April 9. The 5th graders, left photo, are front row, from left, Alanna Do and Antonia Scott, back row, from left, Jacob Le, Tiffany Luong, Dora Chavira and Nicole Biggins.

The 6th grade team, from left, is Lindsey Medina, Jenny Nguyen, Daniela Calderon and Judy Chavira. Battle of the Books encourages reading by all students. Participants answer content related questions from books they have all read for the competition.

BC summer sports camps planned

Bishop Carroll coaches offer summer sports camps for elementary and middle school students in football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and wrestling.

Information can be obtained at www.bcchs.org. Click on the forms link at the top of page.

BCCHS journalists win state 5A championship

Bishop Carroll Journalism, defending Class 5A state journalism champions, won their third consecutive state journalism championship at KU on May 3.

Individual championships went to Ben Pirotte in sports photography and Clay Kimbro in yearbook sports writing. Other BC students submitting winning works were Sophie Mans, advertising; Clay Kimbro, cutlines; Audrey Wise, cutlines; Sarah Rajewski, editing and newspaper design; Claire Suellentrop, feature writing; Audrey Garrett, headlines; Eric Grimm, news writing; Drew Hoffman, newspaper sports; Christian Beck, yearbook sports.

In addition, the Flyer was named one of the state’s best school papers, and received an All-Kansas rating, the highest rating possible, for the second straight year.

Moving dirt

Construction continues on the activities center and classroom addition at Bishop Carroll High School. Above, workers move ahead in an area where the east bleachers will go in the gymnasium. Below, walls go up on the classroom shell. The general contracting company is Simpson & Associates, and BC alum Chris Baalmann, class of ’01, is the project engineer.

Religion Bowl Champs

St. Mary Catholic School in Fort Scott won the annual Southeast Kansas Religion Bowl April 30 in Pittsburg. From left are, Anthony Tirri, Matt Schick, Religion teacher Jill Gorman, Jaley Hoyt, Daniel Bugner and Adam Deloney. Other schools participating were Pittsburg, Independence, Parsons, and Chanute.