By Mary Owen
Regis High School celebrates 50 years of providing secondary education in the greater Stayton area.
The only rural Catholic secondary school in Oregon, Regis High School was started when a group of laymen, the Catholic Educational Corporation, got together in 1957 and purchased two parcels of property in Stayton, totaling 35 acres, of which 4 were later sold.
“The archdiocese was less than enthusiastic about the start-up of Regis, or even accepting the deed at the time, as it would be the only Catholic high school outside of the metropolitan area,” said Rob Freres, whose father, Bob, and grandfather, TG Freres, were part of the founding group. “Having succeeded in Stayton is quite an accomplishment.”
A great part of that success was due to men like AJ Frank who worked hard to establish the school.
“I remember that dad was extremely interested in Catholic education,” said Dennis Frank, AJ’s son. “Catholic education was foremost in my dad’s mind. He felt the community would be extremely better off with Regis as a high school.”
In 1960, a professional fundraising firm was engaged to conduct a survey of the area to determine if opening a high school was feasible. The project was endorsed by the vicariate parishes of the Immaculate Conception in Stayton, St. Boniface in Sublimity, and Our Lady of Lourdes in Jordan, and their mission parishes.
“Some of the leaders got together, determined to build the school,” Frank said. “Families stepped up to help financially and run the school, and the priest at that time agreed the local parishes would help give part of the funding to keep tuition low. Everybody pitched in and made it happen.”
Under the project administrator the Rev. Lawrence Saalfeld, and with $440,000 in pledges toward the $561,000 construction cost, work began in 1962.
“And his assistant Fr. Blackburn, who was skilled in engineering, helped lay out the football field and baseball diamond,” Frank said.
Initial construction included an administration unit combined with a library-chapel building, a home economics wing, academic classrooms and a gymnasium.
Regis opened its doors in the fall of 1963 to 150 students with a staff of eight and an operating budget of $30,000. In those early days, tuition was $125 per student, although the actual cost was $200 per student.
On Oct. 27, 1963, Archbishop Edward Howard and Principal Rev. Francis Campbell led students and staff in a celebration of Blessing and Dedication.
The Rev. Francis Campbell was appointed Regis’ first principal. He was assisted by a board of consultants made up of parish priests from the region the school served and headed by Fr. Saalfeld. The initial Regis teaching staff included four nuns, three priests and one lay person.
“My brother, Tim, was in the first graduating class,” said Frank, who also said many members of the Frank family have subsequently attended and their children are or will be at Regis. “I didn’t attend, because Regis wasn’t built when I was in high school.”
In large measure, the sustained success of Regis is due to community support and a strong commitment of subsequent generations like the Franks to ensure the continuing vitality of the high school.
“When Regis first started, the theory was that funds would come a third from parish support, a third from fundraising, and a third from tuition with the idea the school would be available to all families in the community,” Frank said.
In 1976, the Regis Foundation was established to enhance, promote and plan for the financial security of Regis. The original board members were: Robert Stuckert, William Lulay Jr., Cliff Coleman, Lawrence Silbernagel, David Romanik, Walter Smith and Ted Freres Jr.
The Foundation has managed numerous named funds, as well as campaigns, currently the Sharing Our Faith, Shaping Our Future collaborative campaign with the North Santiam Vicariate, the Portland Archdiocese, St. Mary Catholic School, Regis High School, and the foundation.
The Foundation supports the Legacy Society, consisting of members who have named Regis or the Regis Foundation in their will or trust and/or as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or charitable trust.
Funds go to support the high school budget annually, to offer financial aid to families who need tuition support, and to campus beautification, faith formation, scholarships, and staff development.
Current board members are: Tom Fessler, president; John Meldrum, vice president; Jon Heuberger, treasurer; Kevin Joyce, secretary; Ron Bochsler; Jerry Weis; Kristi Frith; Lindsey Zuber; Rob Freres; Troy Gaul; and Larry Keudell.
“This is a highly dedicated group of men and women who are committed to assuring a strong and secure financial future for Regis and St. Mary schools,” said Janine Moothart, director of marketing and development at Regis.
for Regis Alumni and Community Friends
Saturday, Aug. 9
Regis High School
550 W Regis St., Stayton
Ram Open Golf Tournament
8 a.m. check in, 8:30 a.m. Shotgun start
Santiam Golf Course, ssss
Fee: $85 per person, 503-769-2159
Dinner & Music
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Regis Student Center
Music by the Once-a-Month Band
Tickets: $40 per person, 503-769-2159 or
gfrank@regishighschool.net
Mass
11:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10
Regis Gym
Followed by a campus tour
Today, Regis operates with a budget of approximately $1.4 million, more than double the $435,000 it took to run the school 25 years ago. By 1988 at the 25th anniversary, 45 percent of the operating costs were covered by tuition. Now tuition covers 51 percent. The staff has grown to 23.
Enrollment at Regis peaked to 262 in 1970 and dipped to 106 in 2009. For 2013-14 it was 177.
Regis has graduated 2,860 students in the last 50 years.
Moothart called the expectations for the future of Regis “inspiring.”
“The school enrollment is on the upswing and the quality of education and extra-curricular opportunities continue to bring families to Regis,” she said.
Freres called Catholic education “very important” to the shaping of Regis students, “their ethics, their values and their lives.”
Accredited by Northwest Accreditation Commission and the Western Catholic Education Association, Regis continues to strive to educate the whole person by providing a program for students that balances academic excellence, religious experiences, athletics, and social and service activities.
Fr. Francis Campbell • Fr. Hugh Gearln • Fr. Joseph Neugebauer • Fr. Bernard Neumann
Fr. Lawrence Saalfeld • Shirley Bates • Walter Bell • Duane Bradley • Al C. Brand
Ernest Dozler • Dr. J.H. Duffy • Lawrence Fischer • A.J. Frank • John Frank
Robert Freres • T.G. Freres • William Gehlen • Joseph Gerspacher • Harold Gilbert
Robert Gorman • Robert Hartmann • Clarence Hendriks • Ted Highberger • Edd Jacoby
Harvey Kuedell • John Kintz • Gus Kirsch • Clement Lulay • Francis Lulay
Orville Lulay • Ralph Lulay • William Lulay • Wm. Lulay • John Mackle
B.J. Minden • Dean Odenthal • W.J. Roberts • Richard Schuetz • Mike Scheindt
Lawrence Silbernagel • Walter Smith • Robert Stuckert
George Van Agtmael • Marcel Van Driesche • Harry Welter
The Future – Board’s vision going forward
Board of Directors
Dana Peters, chair
Jason Koehnke, vice chair
Randy Bentz
Ed Chamberland, past chair
Robin Gillette
Kristin Kelley
John Lorenz
Tyler Lulay, secretary
Ex-officio Members
Kelly Alley
liaison, St. Mary School
Fr. Ed Coleman, pastor,
Immaculate Conception
Joni Gilles
Regis principal
Rick Schindler
St. Mary principal
Robert Mizia
Superintendent of
Catholic Schools,
Archdiocese of Portland
Jo Willhite
CFO, Archdiocese of Portland
Janine Moothart,
Regis Foundation director
Since it opened its doors in the fall of 1963, Regis High School has experienced a vitality that school leaders hope to keep for future generations.
“Regis is thriving with students learning and getting involved in a variety of activities,” said Dana Peters, chair of the Regis Board of Directors. “The community support is outstanding and continues to grow.”
Peters said the challenge for the future is to grow the school’s enrollment while maintaining a small- school experience.
“Regis needs to stay focused on our mission to provide a quality Catholic education to our students while enhancing the learning experience to stay ahead of the ever-changing education standards and technology needs that are becoming more integrated in education,” she said.
Celebrating 50 years is a big step, and Jason Koehnke, vice chair of the board, joins Peters in believing Regis’ “dream” is to be here in another 50 years, providing a Catholic education to the next generation of community families.
According to Peters, Regis is working to enhance integration of technology in the classroom, giving teachers another tool to add to the educational experience.
“We’re doing a lot of research on what’s best, and in the meantime working on improving the technological infrastructure at the school,” Koehnke said.
With all the advances, a solid education emphasizing academics, service and faith remains the hallmark. The Rev. Ed Coleman at Immaculate Conception has been the school’s priest for three years. He celebrates the Eucharist with students and staff weekly and at certain retreats. He also supports extracurricular activities – plays, musicals and sporting events.
“We’re a tremendously strong spiritual community for the broader community,” Fr. Ed said. He hopes the future for Regis holds true to the “wonderfully strong Catholic identity that’s a real blessing for the school and the community.”
“It’s such a wonderful presence, and there is such a strong backing for the school by the community,” he said. “There are also strong family connections, with people staying involved long after they graduate.”
Fr. Ed said the prayer and goal for Regis is to continue to grow as a teaching institution and to build an even stronger Catholic identity. “I feel very blessed to be a part of the Regis community and ultimately the whole Santiam Canyon community.
“Emotionally and spiritually, attending Regis is a great step in preparing for life’s journey.”
Memories – Sharing the experiences of a lifetime
By Mary Owen
There’s an abundance of wonderful memories for Regis High School staff members.
Steve McGrew, who teaches social studies, shared a few that stood out for him during his 34 years at Regis, including when he took five Regis students with 10 students from other high schools to Northern Europe and the U.S.S.R in 1986.
kids graduated from Regis High between
1965 and 1977. It was a meaningful
experience for us five, and we all
made lasting friendships with our
classmates. It’s hard to believe
it was 50 years ago that my oldest
sister Linda first set foot in
the halls of Regis.”
– Randy Wolf, Class of 1977
“It was a great adventure,” he shared. “While visiting the Kremlin, the students lined up to view the embalmed body of Lenin, whose body was encased in a glass coffin. While walking around the coffin, we were watched very carefully by a half dozen armed Red Guards who had loaded machine guns inches from our faces. It was very scary, and it was clear the communism in the Soviet Union in 1986 was very much alive.”
Four years later, McGrew decided to direct a school play – Regis had no drama program. The production, The Rat Catcher’s Daughter, involved about 20 students.
“I had never directed a play before or even been in a play, but I thought it was important for the students and the school to have a drama program,” he said. “Now we have a drama program that is second to none!”
In 1999, McGrew coached girls’ track and won the school’s first girls’ state championship.
“Winning the state track meet felt great,” McGrew said. “The girls had worked hard all spring, practicing in many cases in pouring down rain. Every girl who participated in the state track meet scored points and contributed to the team title. It was a great team effort.”
at Regis. It was very exciting to be involved
at a brand new school. My senior year I got to
take a couple of classes at Stayton High School.
It was so cool to be able to attend a Catholic
School and also take some classes with kids
who went to public school. It gave me the
opportunity to hang out with them, visit
with them, and discuss with them!”
– Joan Schwindt Rustay, Class of 1964
Two years later, on the 20th anniversary of being a teacher at Regis, the students declared “McGrew Day.”
“And for a surprise, they flew my dad in from Hawaii and gave me two days off to spend time with him,” McGrew said. “I could go on and on!”
As a teenager, Gay Frank liked everything about high school and Regis.
“My memories are typical high school – football and basketball games, sock hops, friends, Glee Club trips,” Frank said.
As special events and auction coordinator, Frank narrowed down her favorite time as the week of the Regis Green & Gold Gala Auction.
“The longest hours and a very busy time, but so much fun!” she said.
The auction is a vital part of Regis, drawing more than 500 people to an evening of dinner, silent and oral auctions, and plenty of fun.
“Our selection of items has grown tremendously in both the silent and live auctions,” Frank said.
Other memories that come to mind include football season, she said.
“Probably because fall is one of my favorite times of the year, and I’ve enjoyed football since I was 5 years old and watched football with my dad – go Packers!” she said.
Attending the Junior/Senior Encounters is always a treat for Frank, as well as the Regis Open House, “seeing in-coming freshman come through the door with their parents – ‘kids’ my kids went to school with, then seeing them graduate four years later,” she said.
“And I’ve had an opportunity to work with some very dedicated people over the years,” she added.
Counselor Mike Bauer believes Regis has been “a fantastic experiment in community building since its inception.”
“There are Regis graduates in every element of our community’s life,” Bauer said. “By its very nature, the school needs volunteers to operate and offer services to their students. So involvement is one of the key elements.”
Bauer credited everything Regis has to the efforts and sacrifices of staff, families and volunteers.
“Every project involves people coming together to accomplish that project,” he said. “Every project results in building community among those who participate. It is the old barn-raising principle applied to the 21st century.”
Bauer was involved in the building of two tracks at Regis over the years, experiencing the generosity and community spirit that develops in a project. The creation of the Aspire program and Aspire Center was another project that let volunteers feel inspired and gratified, he said.
“Regis has educated a lot of students, but more importantly it has helped foster community building among the many who are a part of the Regis experience,” Bauer said.
Math teacher Rich Tabor is a Regis graduate, and his favorite memory is of the bonfires that took place during Spirit Week.
“We don’t have them anymore, but even as a teacher here, that was one of my favorite memories,” he said. “We’d get palettes from the cannery and torch them in the parking lot. Freshman, sophomores and juniors would show up, and the seniors would make a big entrance. We had competitions and ran around the fire. After that, we’d have a dance.”
As a student, Tabor was also on the receiving end of Principal Louis Urbanski’s hair tugs.
and leadership as Senior Class President, that
allowed me to go on to college and Notre Dame
Law School. I spent my second year of law school
in London, England and began traveling to enjoy
and learn more of the world. That led to setting
up the endowment to encourage international
aspects of an education at Regis as well.”
– Ed Basl, Class of 1971
“He would say, ‘Time to get that trimmed,’” he said. “In the late ‘70s, kids were always trying to see how they could get away with long hair and without shaving for a while. Now we have an appearance code, preparation for what they will be wearing in the workplace.”
As a teacher, Tabor loves seeing a “fresh set of faces, new personalities.”
“They come in as little scrawny freshman and grow up,” he said. “It’s nice to watch them mature throughout the years.”
Athletic Director Don Heuberger is honored to have worked alongside “the most outstanding teachers and professionals I have ever known.”
“Regis is a very demanding school,” said Heuberger, who came to be a part of the Regis staff in the summer of 1982. “The expectation of excellence is plain to see, and I wanted to be a part of it!”
In that same year, he was privileged to be an assistant coach on the Regis football team under the legendary Art Luschenko.
“Art is the most outstanding coach and teacher I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” Heuberger said. “He is a true professional, always prepared, and the greatest motivator I have ever seen!”
Heuberger’s greatest memory is coaching the baseball team in 2001, led by seniors Daniel Keudell and Brian Lang and winning the state championship.
“It was very special because I think Daniel wanted the title worse than I did, and I really wanted one bad!” he said. “We endured two rain delays that exceeded a combined one and a half hours, and we defeated Salem Academy for the fourth time that season. It was hard enough to beat a team two or three times, but to play them a fourth time and win was rewarding. All but one of the four games we had with Salem Academy was decided by one run. They were an excellent team.”
Regis won the title again in 2003, and made another appearance in the title game in 2007, but lost to Burns 3-1.
“It was great to be a part of it,” Heuberger said. “It wasn’t the coaching that did it, it was the dedicated parents providing their children every opportunity to excel at a young age and providing Regis coaches with kids that had solid fundamentals that were the difference.”
Winning five consecutive girls’ basketball state championships, between the years 2010-2014, is another cherished memory for Heuberger.
“It was an honor to be associated in some small way with the girls that were able to make the run,” he said.
Heuberger also respects the strong sense of stewardship at Regis.
“We are groomed to believe that we owe the community everything, and as such, should take as special care of the school as though it is our own possession,” he said. “Everything we do should reflect that we care and that something good is happening.
Leadership – Setting the vision, keeping it accessible
By Mary Owen
Leadership has shaped Regis High School.
Monsignor Greg Moys taught at Regis from 1978 to 1983. Then chancellor of the Archdiocese of Portland, Moys was assigned to reside at the Immaculate Conception parish in Stayton.
“In those days, fulltime teaching archdiocesan priests taught five days a week and served fulltime as parish assistant priests on weekends in a parish or special chaplaincy,” said Moys, who is now at St. Paul Parish. “Teaching priests did not have a day off during the school year, but it was just part of our ministry.”
Moys gained a lot of teaching and pastoral experience during his time in Stayton. He taught all four years of religion at and served as school counselor. “At Regis I made a lot of lasting friendships with faculty, parents and students, and still had some time to visit since Immaculate Conception parish had both a pastor and a parochial vicar at the time,” he said. “These I consider to be my happiest years as a priest teaching religion and serving as parish priest in the Stayton parish and the surrounding Santiam Vicariate.”
To Moys, faculty was a chief component of Catholic education at Regis.
“Everyone was very supportive of each other and were good role models of both Christian living and teaching,” he said. “They were always very concerned with passing on the faith to their students and very supportive of their students’ efforts.
“Because of the family-centered student interrelationships between students, parents and grandparents, there was a lot of support for the work and ministry of Regis. Students were involved in planning school liturgies and participated in a lot of school service projects and their own parish and community service projects and programs.”
Monsignor Tim Murphy, who was principal and teacher at Regis from 1984 to 1990, said families of the school community “would bend over backwards to provide for any need at any time.” The willingness of so many to provide for and promote the oneness of the school was a great highlight of his time there, said Murphy, now at Central Catholic High School in Portland.
Murphy views Regis as continuing to acknowledge and honor the diversity of the community while providing for the integrity of its Catholic tradition. “Hopefully, the future will allow for the school to extend its outreach,” he said.
Tony Guevara, principal from 2001 to 2006, says keeping Regis accessible is important. He credits excellent stewardship of resources and development of ways to support students for keeping it open to those who want to attend.
“Regis Foundation is the major benefactor of the school, and without it, there would be no Regis,” said Guevara. During his term a capital campaign was started to support both Regis and St. Mary Catholic School.
“This was a time of tremendous community support and collaboration for the vision of providing better facilities for the students,” said Guevara, now president of Blanchet Catholic School in Salem. “We upgraded the library so it no longer needed to be used as a multi-purpose facility. The student center let it become a proper library.” Also during his time at Regis, the slogan “where faith and knowledge meet” was coined.
“No school does it as authentically as Regis High School does,” said Guevara. He called the school “very unique” for its strong commitment to faith development of students and equally strong commitment to making the school accessible to any student who wants a Catholic education.
“The founding fathers began this school on faith, and this is still very evident today,” said out-going principal Joni Gilles, who retired in June. “The students are caring, spirited and very bright.”
For incoming principal Scott Coulter, teaching at Regis was his first exposure to Catholic Education. “Regis helped form me into the person I am today,” Coulter said. “I hope to assist the young people of Regis to grow in their faith as they journey through high school preparing for academic success at the next level.”
Support – Community funds capital campaign
By Kristine Thomas
When first asked to volunteer, Tom and Carolyn Lulay were apprehensive about meeting with community members and asking them to support a five-year capital campaign, “Sharing Our Faith, Shaping Our Future.”
The campaign is in collaboration with the Portland Archdiocese, five Catholic churches in the North Santiam Vicariate, Regis High and St. Mary Elementary schools and the Regis Foundation.
Jon Heuberger felt the same way, especially asking the community to raise $6 million in five years.
“It’s very hard for me to ask people for money,” Carolyn Lulay said.
What they all learned is they simply need to ask and the community will generously respond.
“We were warmly welcomed by community members, both those who could and could not donate,” Carolyn Lulay said.
To date, the Sharing Our Faith, Shaping Our Future campaign has garnered $5.5 million in pledges. People can still contribute by contacting Regis Director of Marketing and Development Janine Moothart at 503-769-2159.
“I am really astonished at the generosity and support for our Catholic schools and our churches,” Carolyn Lulay said. “We have had people who have fulfilled their pledge yet they still keep donating. There have only been less than half a dozen people who couldn’t honor their pledge due to a financial hardship.”
When the campaign began four years ago, Heuberger was the president of the Regis Foundation. He said the foundation’s board knew it needed to do a campaign to assist the school. It also realized in order for Regis to grow an investment in St. Mary’s Catholic School would be required.
“We knew we needed to do some fundraising to provide financial support to families because the economy was down causing enrollment to decrease,” Heuberger said. “We realized many families found it more difficult to send their children to a private Catholic school because of the economy. By working with both schools, we were planting the seeds in the elementary school and watching it grow to the high school.”
Heuberger said the campaign helps provide financial assistance for students to attend Regis and St. Mary’s as well as pay for programs, especially in science, technology, engineering and math. The campaign has dedicated $750,000 to the Archdiocese of Portland, $3.5 million for an endowment to support Regis High and St. Mary’s Catholic schools and $1.5 million to fund opportunities to transform the two private schools into a “seamless, accessible and high quality PK-12 Catholic school system.”
St. Boniface and St. Mary-Shaw parishes will receive $102,000 to seed capital improvements. Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Catherine of Siena have all identified the Regis Project as their own.
Carolyn Lulay said she thinks the campaign has been a success because supporters could decide where they wanted a donation to go. For example, if a supporter donated $100, she could allocate $25 each for her church, the Archdiocese, St. Mary’s Elementary and Regis High.
Once they got over their apprehension, the Lulays enjoyed volunteering because it gave them the opportunity to visit and share the campaign’s objective as well as catch up with old friends and meet new ones.
“One thing I have learned is if you don’t ask people for help, you don’t give them the opportunity to say yes,” she said. “I also learned I was asking for something people support – their schools and their church. It was overwhelming to see the kindness and generosity.”
Tom Lulay said he and his wife share a belief in the importance of a Catholic education.
“I had many people say to me when their children went to Regis, they received financial support and now this is their turn to pay it forward,” Tom Lulay said. Both Lulays attended Regis as well as their children and now their grandchildren.
Jon Heuberger said what has made the campaign a success is sharing and reporting back to the community exactly how the money would be used. “This really has been a team effort with the schools, churches and the community,” Heuberger said. “If we didn’t have the support of our community, this goal would not have been possible.”
Gala – Many contribute to Regis’ auction
By Mary Owen
A major part of Regis’ fundraising is the annual Green & Gold Gala Auction held each October.
“The support from the community for the auction is amazing,” said Gay Frank, auction coordinator. “Year after year, businesses, families and individuals donate without hesitation.”
Her favorite part is anything that has to do with “taking a chance,” she said.
“Pop a balloon for a prize, ‘heads and tails,’ mini-raffles,” she said. “And the silent auction. It never fails to amaze me how people react and respond to the challenge of being the successful bidder in the silent auction.”
A wide range of items are offered, but the most popular items were the quilts that Ida Hartmann donated before her passing, Frank said. “They were amazing. There was always spirited bidding in the live auction. ‘Who got Ida’s quilt this year?’ was a common question after the auction.”
Frank said it takes about 200-plus volunteers to make the auction a success.
“Paul and Janis Anderson have been in charge of the live auction display for as long as I can remember and chaired the event two of those years as well,” she said.
“Mary Gescher, Cindy Lulay, Judy Banegas, Sue Schumacher, Robin Norman, Carrie Gillette – these ladies have been working on the silent auction for years.”
“Those who volunteer for, donate to, and/or attend the auction share a belief in the goodness and the efforts of the founding fathers and the many who have come after to provide opportunities to learn and flourish for the kids,” Frank said.
Each Regis Green & Gold Gala Auction has its own flavor, and Frank remembers something special about each one, with each chair providing his or her own sense of style and taste.
“When forced to thing about and ponder the many years of the Regis auction, I never think of it as ‘just another auction,’” she said. “It’s an amazing feat year after year!”
Legacy of success – Sports programs are co-curricular, not extra-curricular
By James Day
Athletic success was there from the beginning at Regis. The Rams’ baseball team played for a state title in 1964, the first year the school was open. The baseball team won a state title in 1966. And success has followed like clockwork.
Regis teams have won 38 Oregon School Activities Association state titles, 43 if you add in cheerleading and dance-drill championships.
The dominance at times has been startling. The football team won five consecutive titles in the 1970s. Girls cross country won four titles in five years in the late 1980s-90s. Boys basketball won three in a row (2003-05) and girls basketball currently is riding a five-year title streak.
But success didn’t happen by accident. It took hard work and a visionary idea by Regis’ first principal, Fr. Francis Campbell. Fr. Campbell, who also was the school’s first athletic director, formed the Regis Athletic Association, a group that through the years has tirelessly supported Regis athletics.
“The founders thought (athletics) was pretty important,” said current athletic director Don Heuberger, a 1971 Regis graduate who has been a coach and administrator since 1982. “It was an extension of the classroom. And it was co-curricular, not extra-curricular. The founders thought that athletics needed to survive financially on its own and that it would flourish if the people responsible took good care of it.”
Fr. Campbell’s first Regis Athletic Association had nine members, with representation from each of the local parishes. The board has grown to 13, but the mission remains the same.
Year Coach
Baseball
1966 Brent Kehoe
1974 Bill George
1975 Bill George
2001 Don Heuberger
2003 Don HeubergerBasketball – Boys
2003 Jeff Koehnke
2004 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2005 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2008 Andy Sydow
Basketball – Girls
1985 Joe Rossitto
2010 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2011 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2012 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2013 Jeff & Jason Koehnke
2014 Kyle Tower & Dustin Lulay
Golf – Boys
2004 Don Dickey
2006 Don Dickey
Softball
2004 Teri Van Liew
2011 Doug Highberger
Cross Country – Boys
1984 Mike Bauer
1985 Mike Bauer
Cross country – Girls
1987 Mike Bauer
1989 Mike Bauer
1990 Mike Bauer
1991 Mike Bauer
1994 Mike Bauer
Football
1973 Art Lushenko
1974 Art Lushenko
1975 Art Lushenko
1976 Dave Nord
1977 Bob Marklund
1980 Joe Rossitto
1986 Bill McArthur
Track and field – Boys
1979 Mike Bauer
2007 Mike Bauer
Track and field – Girls
1998 Mike Bauer
2003 Mike Bauer
2004 Mike Bauer
“They are constantly coming up with ideas on how to raise funds,” Heuberger said. “We have a great relationship with most of the businesses in the area. They do everything they can to help us out. They come and work, they give us money, they participate in the program. It’s amazing how much they contribute to the community.
“They give kids the opportunity to have a full experience in high school and give kids values to believe in. I can’t say enough about them.”
This reporter distinctly remembers his first visit to Regis for a baseball playoff game in the 2003 season. After the game he went looking for players to interview. They were spread all over the field. The first baseman had a rake and was grooming his area. Ditto for the catcher. The designated hitter was working on the bullpen. Heuberger was attaching a hose to wet down the dirt.
“We’re stewards of this facility,” said Heuberger, who remembers as a kid watching the school being built. “People have given life, finances and treasure for this school, and we have to maintain it. It’s our responsibility.
“It’s not really difficult for the kids to buy into it. They know what community service and school service are all about. They are willing to pitch in. It’s pretty neat, pretty special.”
And it requires special people to make it go, people such as Fr. Campbell, his successor, Fr. Theodore Weber, athletic director Hal Rickman, Heuberger, track and field and cross country coach Mike Bauer, football coach Art Lushenko and basketball coaches Jeff and Jason Koehnke. And maintenance man Joe Spenner, 93, who spent 40 years at Regis. And families who sent students to Regis year after year: Lulays, Schumachers, Bentzes, Heuberger/Highbergers and Silbernagels. And countless others.
“Regis is a grand experiment,” said Bauer, who has coached the Rams for more than 40 years and has won 12 state titles in four different decades. “At Regis everyone has a good possibility of making a difference, whether it be a teacher, student, parent or community supporter.”
Two big difference-makers were Rickman and Lushenko. Rickman, an ex-Marine, was the athletic director from 1969-82 and Lushenko coached the football team to three consecutive state titles in the 1970s.
“It was Hal Rickman who set the standard for excellence in athletics,” said Heuberger, who played for him at Regis and was eventually hired by him in 1982. “Hal saw me as a second son, and he communicated with me every day. And it wasn’t always positive. The locker room wasn’t secure. Or the equipment wasn’t taken care of. He was constantly reminding me of things I could have done better.
“And I’m the same way now. It’s hilarious. He hired me, and he set out to train me, and he did it his way, and I loved him for it. Even to this day I’m a stickler for things. Don’t do it the next day.”
Lushenko coached the Rams to state football titles in 1973-75 and left the program in such good hands that Regis won state crowns three of the next five years.
“Art Lushenko put Regis football on the map,” Heuberger said. “He was a great motivator. It comes naturally to him. Art was able to touch them in the heart, and he got more out of the kids than any other coach I have been around. He got me so fired up I’m ready to run through a brick wall. And I’m a coach!
“People appreciate Art a great deal here. Even when his team had a subpar year. People thought he got everything he could out of the kids. And it wasn’t about the winning. Did he help make them into adults, good people? I was lucky to be a part of it.”
In recent years Regis basketball programs have been wildly successful, led by coaches Jeff and Jason Koehnke. Regis won boys titles from 2003-05 and girls titles from 2010-14. This year’s girls team was coached by Kyle Tower and Dustin Lulay.
“The Koehnkes set the tone,” Heuberger said, noting that in virtually every season their final game was for a state title.
“Kyle Tower and Dustin Lulay knew the community well and it was natural for them to come in and carry on the tradition. They are both Regis grads, and they knew the system well. I don’t know what the system is. I’d like to know.”
Just call it the magic of Regis sports.
