Holy Cross Claims State Academic Championships

Amarillo—It’s two state championships for Holy Cross Catholic Academy.

The school claimed the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Class 1A State Academic Championship and the combined classes 1A/2A State Speech and Debate Championship, both in Waco on April 4 and 5.

Seniors Ben Fullerton and Jose Villafuerte were the co-State Champions in Class 1A/2A Lincoln-Debate. Fullerton also took third place honors in Persuasive Speaking and finished fourth in Prose Interpretation. Villafuerte claimed second place in Persuasive Speaking.

Junior Claudia Moreno repeated as Class 1A State Champion in Spanish. She also finished second in Mathematics.

Among individual students, Fullerton finished fifth and Moreno was seventh, according to Darla Mueller, Associate Head of School at HCCA.

Other Holy Cross students who took part at the state meet were:
• Junior Nicholas Aranda, who was a quarterfinalist in 1A/2A Lincoln-Douglas Debate and finished fifth in both Prose Interpretation and Solo Acting;
• Freshman Joey Benitez, who finished fourth in Science;
• Sophomore Abby Rickwartz, who took fifth in Science;
• Junior Kayla Wilhelm, who captured fifth place in Calculator;
• Senior Dan Nguyen, who finished seventh in Advanced Math;
• Sophomore William Peña, who took eighth in Original Oratory; and,
• Junior Andrea Wallace, who finished eighth in Calculator.

Two HCCA freshman were semifinalists in their events: Mary Huseman in Poetry Interpretation and Anthony Innocenti, in Original Oratory.

In the separate Class 1A TAPPS Art Competition, Dan Nguyen won first in Seek and Sketch, seventh in Sculpture and received Honorable Mention in Printmaking—2D Mixed Media.

The state championships come on the heels of Holy Cross students participating in the TAPPS State Solo Trio and Small Instrument/Vocal competition March 30 in Lubbock.

Three vocalists received a “1” rating: sophomores Patrick Villafuerte and Gabriel Moreno and freshman Jenna Rickwartz. Three vocalists received a “2” rating: sophomore Abby Rickwartz and juniors Andrea Wallace and Claudia Moreno.

Three band members were awarded a “1” rating: freshman Joey Benitez, junior Claudia Moreno, sophomore Gabriel Moreno and senior Dan Nguyen. Band members receiving a “2” rating were juniors Nicholas Aranda, Ryan Huseman and Manny Marquez. Freshman Shane Huseman received a “3” rating.

Holy Cross students will take part in three music State Tournaments later this month.

The Hand Chimes will compete in Temple on Thursday, April 21, the Choir will compete in Kileen on Friday, April 22 and the Band will play for state gold in Hewitt on Saturday, April 23.

The HCCA golf team will be at the State Golf Tournament Monday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 26 at Cottonwood Creek Golf Club in Waco. The Holy Cross track team will take part in the regional meet Thursday, April 28 in Springtown.