The Ames girls’ swimming and diving team is good, there’s no denying that. There’s depth, there’s balance, and there’s plenty of talent.

But here’s the secret not everybody knows about — some of the that talent walks our Gilbert High School halls every day.

Ames will take a large contingent of swimmers to the state meet in Marshalltown on Friday and Saturday, including six Gilbert girls — seniors Reese Winer and Elizabeth Powers; sophomores Alex Powers, Lily Van Der Linden, and Jaylyn Light; and freshman Madie Hermsen, who will serve as an alternate.

Gilbert has sent student-athletes to Ames to compete on the swimming and diving team for a number of years, and it’s been a friendly and productive partnership. This fall, nearly half of the Little Cyclones’ state qualifiers are Gilbert students.

“I’m super excited that we get to bring so many representatives from Gilbert,” Elizabeth Powers, who qualified for state in four events, said. “The team wouldn’t be the way it is without the team dynamic we have, Ames and Gilbert swimmers together, and we’re all really good friends.”

“This is the year we’ve had the most Gilbert girls on the state team, which is impressive,” Winer, a senior who signed to swim collegiately at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri, on Wednesday, said. “We make up almost half of it and that’s just cool to see. Just because you go to different schools doesn’t mean you can’t equally represent.”

The five Gilbert qualifiers will swim in 10 events inside the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA — seven individual events and three relays. Prelims will get underway Friday morning at 11 a.m. The state finals are set for noon on Saturday.

Winer will go it alone in two events — the 100-yard breaststroke where she’s seeded third and the 200 individual medley where she’s seeded eighth. She’s also on the Little Cyclones’ third-seeded 200 freestyle relay and fourth-seeded 200 medley relay.

It’s the second consecutive year Winer has qualified in four events. She bagged eighth-, ninth-, and 11th-place finishes in individual events in 2022, and played a role on Ames’ fifth-place 200 medley relay.

“I’m personally excited because I’m in the same events I’ve been in all year and there’s a senior drive to do better,” Winer said. “We are ranked higher than we were last year.”

Elizabeth Powers will also swim the 200 medley relay, as well as the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, and 400 freestyle relay. She’s seeded ninth in both individual events. She was a three-time qualifier in 2022, highlighted by a seventh-place result as part of Ames’ 400 freestyle relay.

Alex Powers will swim three times, once alongside Winer in the 200 freestyle relay and once against her in the 100 breaststroke where she’s seeded seventh. She’ll also compete in the 50 freestyle.

Van Der Linden will dive into the pool for a pair of long-distance swims — the 200 and 500 freestyle. She’s got the 12th-fastest qualifying time in the 500 freestyle.

Light makes her return to state in the 100 backstroke as the No. 19 seed. She was 17th in the same event a year ago.

Elizabeth Powers says the girls are prepared to leave every ounce of energy they have in the water. If that results in state medals, fantastic. And if not, as long as there are no regrets, she can live with the outcomes.

“I wouldn’t say there’s an expectation to do well, but there is an expectation for personal improvement,” she said. “That’s what we’re really excited for.”

Good luck to all of our swimmers this weekend, and good luck to the entire Ames squad, which will look to improve upon its fourth-place finish in 2022.

High School Musical Features 70 Students In Cast And Crew

What started in early September with auditions, followed by more than a month of rigorous rehearsals, will come to life this weekend when the Gilbert High School theater department unveils the musical Freaky Friday to audiences on Friday and Saturday.

The curtain will be raised in the high school auditorium on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a second show Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance through TicketSpicket HERE.

With a cast and crew of 70 students, and directed by teachers Zack Hackbarth and Tanner Stutzman, Freaky Friday is sure to be an entertaining production from start to finish. Based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers, the musical version of Freaky Friday was developed by Disney Theatrical Productions and debuted in 2016.

“It’s a compelling family story that has a little bit of magic to it,” Hackbarth, who is in his fourth year of directing productions at GHS, said. “It showcases a lot of things that are relatable to a lot of families about their relationships with their parents, their siblings, and with their children. A lot of audience members can see their own lives in the characters that are portrayed on stage.”

Following The Sound of Music and Little Women in recent years, the GHS theater department yearned to tackle a more contemporary project in 2023 and it found the perfect opportunity with Freaky Friday.

“The plot consists of a mom and daughter who have a conflict,” Thomas Barbier, a sophomore who portrays Mike in the musical, said. “Basically, the premise is, you should see how my life is for a day, and then they switch bodies. They come to learn and appreciate that their lives are unique and have their own struggles.”

Izzy Platts, a senior who portrays Katherine Blake, one of the lead characters, says it’s a unique musical that offers actors numerous opportunities to stretch their talents.

“It’s unique in that I get to play two different characters, and that was definitely a new thing for me to have to understand both characters,” Platts said. “I’m so proud of everyone who has worked on the show. It truly is amazing.”

With a larger emphasis on the entire ensemble rather than a few main characters, Freaky Friday allows a number of students to step into the spotlight. Detailed choreography is also part of the production, which presents a new set of challenges for the cast.

“Every single person who is involved matters so much,” Barbier said. “Every single person who is on stage has put in so much work and so much time. It’s incredible.”

To help bring the entire cast together, Platts and Barbier were part of a group that organized team bonding adventures outside of rehearsal time. All of the students got to know each other on a deeper level, and Platts says that has only enhanced the chemistry on stage.

“In previous shows, we haven’t had as much ensemble involvement,” she said. “This year, we really tried to cultivate a community of actors, and it’s just so good to be a part of such a loving and welcoming and diverse community. Everybody comes from somewhere different, but we can all come together to do this, which is something we love.”

Barbier says all of the actors and singers do a tremendous job, but the success of the show goes even deeper than what you will see on stage. He credits the students who work behind the scenes for adding an additional layer to bring it all together.

“This is going to be phenomenal, and I would like to give a lot of credit to the stage crew,” Barbier said. “They worked their butts off and there’s a lot of stuff you don’t see. The directors have been phenomenal and the pit band has been great. We have amazing musicians here at Gilbert, and it’s just great that we’re able to do this.”

Due to copyright concerns, there will not be a livestream available for either performance. So be sure to get your tickets in advance, or arrive at the auditorium early on Friday or Saturday to catch his amazing show by our students.

 

Freaky Friday Cast
Character/Actor
Ellie Blake/Lydia Weiler
Katherine Blake/Izzy Platts
Fletcher Blake/Canaan Stanton
Mike/Thomas Barbier
Gretchen/Bree Moore
Hannah/Lillian Dahlstrom
Adam/Evan Goetz
Savannah/Ashley Heimer
Parker/Charlie Mortimer
Wells/Aldo Escalera
Laurel/Alyse Beyer
Torrey/Danielle Vogel
Grandpa Gordon/Andrew Soupir
Grandma Helene/Gwen Pistilli
Danielle/Molly Weiler
Louis/Wyatt Jones
Dr. Ehrin/Maks Koziel
Mr. Blumen/Sam Ellingson
Pastor Bruno/Zeke Hatfield
Mrs. Luckenbill/Kylee Higgins
Señor O’Brien/Porter Searles
Ms. Meyers/Maddie Moore
Officer Sitz/Olivia White
Officer Kowalski/Emrick Ryan
Mrs. Time/Leah Mostek

Ensemble
Nora Bland, Ella Britt, Jahleeyah Garnica, Audrey Hilleman, Avalyse Julich, Dani Nlenanya, Brooke Peterson, Ava Price, Camille Rehbein, Jackson Riesselman, Elijah Sanford, Cece Schwager, Audrey Spiess, William Toupier, Joanna Stoker, Caitlin Strudthoff, Lydia Strudthoff, Scarlett Winfrey.

Stage Manager
Vanessa Rivas-Peña

Assistant Stage Manager
Cole Johnson

Stage Crew
Keagan Adams, Kyla Chance, Raylene Chen, Bella Johnson, Jocelyn Leiding, Madeline Lamm, Daniel May, Carly Saienga, Sidney Steenhoek, Jaden Wilson.

Sound Board
Jackson Dalager, Bayley Hintz.

Light Board
Nathan Tifft.

Spotlights
Sam Ellingson, Greyson Rehbein.

Pit Band Performers
Kayla Cakerice, Megan Lennon, Aldo Schwartz, Jonathan Stoker, Spencer Weydert, Jonah White, Shreya Srinath, Ethan Kwon, Amanda Jennings, Quinton Nespor.

The Gilbert Community School District recently received its Iowa School Performance Profile from the 2022-23 school year. What is that exactly? In essence, this is Gilbert CSD’s report card from the state, and like so many of our students’ report cards, we are thrilled with the results.

We’d like to share some of the profile with all of you to highlight the amazing things our students and staff members are doing each and every day.

As a district, our accountability score is above the state average in 15 of the 16 scored categories. For example, in the area of proficiency in math and language arts, our students scored over 20 percent higher than the state average. When it comes to our graduation rate, 100 percent of our students are on track to graduate in four years, while the state average sits at 90 percent.

What our students, teachers, and administrators are doing at the high school is undoubtedly elite. Gilbert High School is the only high school in the state to receive a rating of EXCEPTIONAL. When you look at the overall composite scores of all high schools across the state, GHS is No. 1.

Let us repeat that: Gilbert High School is the No. 1 high school in the state.

Our middle school also received a rating of EXCEPTIONAL and its composite score ranks it as the No. 2 middle school in the state. Only four middle schools in the state received an EXCEPTIONAL rating.

Only 21 schools in the state – approximately 1.6 percent – received a rating of EXCEPTIONAL, and Gilbert CSD was one of only three districts to have multiple schools receive this rating. To break it down even further, Gilbert CSD is the only Class 3A-sized school to land in the EXCEPTIONAL category, and we had two schools achieve that milestone.

Our elementary and intermediate buildings received a rating of COMMENDABLE and, again, there were a number of highlights. When it comes to math and language arts proficiency, for example, our younger students scored over 20 percent higher than the state average.

As a district, we are excited to share these results with you and we will continue to strive to be even better. Our students and staff continue to shine a positive light on our district and community, and we are incredibly proud of all that they have already accomplished and will continue to accomplish in the future.

The Iowa Performance Profile is compiled from numerous sources, including post-secondary data, Iowa State Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), and the Conditions for Learning survey given to students. The Iowa School Performance Profile is a result of data collected from grades 3-12.

If you would like to learn more about Gilbert CSD’s Iowa School Performance Profile, please click HERE.

Aaron Thomas chuckled, but he didn’t hesitate. He’s far too modest to bite on such a “hot take” question.

Is his 2023 Gilbert boys’ cross country team the best Class 3A squad since the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union adopted a four-class system in 2003?

“I would say no, I think there are other teams that were probably better,” Thomas, the Tigers’ longtime head coach who now boasts four 3A state championships — 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2023 — said. “I would probably have to take a closer look to see how we would stack up.”

No worries, Coach Thomas, I did that for you. And I’m here to tell him and all of you — this year’s group of Tigers has a pretty strong case to sit on that throne.

Before I go any further, let me lay down this disclaimer: This is all in good fun. There are a number of factors that go into any state cross country race, so to definitively say our 2023 boys’ team is the best in 3A over the past 21 seasons is impossible. Does anyone remember the weather conditions at the 2004 state meet? How about 2008? I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. And this is not meant to demean any of the other incredible programs — Pella, Mount Vernon, Dallas Center-Grimes, Dubuque Wahlert, the list goes on and on — that have made 3A such a formidable field year after year.

So, let’s go ahead and have some fun.

Since 2003, only one 3A state champion — Mount Vernon in 2015 — has scored fewer than the 57 points our boys tallied on Saturday to eek out a six-point win over defending state champion Pella. But if you compare Mount Vernon’s five scoring times to our boys, we win that match-up handily by an average of 38.2 seconds at the five positions, if my calculations are correct. In fact, Gilbert wins that head-to-head match-up at each of the five scoring positions.

So there’s that.

Next, I put together a chart of the times of the five scoring runners (minus the tenths and hundredths of a second since that hasn’t been recorded every season going back to 2003) for each of the state champions over the past 21 seasons and then added them together. When you add our five scoring times from Saturday — Logan Bleich at 15:55, Jacob Tallman at 15:59, Carson Squiers at 16:09, Emmett Barber at 16:18, and Zain Mueller at 16:32 — you get a combined time of 80 minutes, 53 seconds.

No other 3A state champion since 2003 has had a combined time of under 81 minutes. Pella’s state championship team in 2011 was the closest at 81:12, followed by Decorah in 2012 at 81:23. Gilbert’s 2014 title team that featured individual state gold medalist Thomas Pollard is fifth on the list at 82:11.

Oh by the way, Pollard’s winning and school-record time of 15:04.50 is the fastest recorded clocking by a 3A runner since the shift to four classes.

To be completely up front, Pella’s runner-up team on Saturday actually had a better combined time than Gilbert at 80:35 thanks to the 15:18 posted by individual champion Canaan Dunham, but the Tigers’ depth was just a smidgen better.

Now let’s take this to the extreme. Since the state cross country meet has been run at Lakeside Golf Course on the outskirts of Fort Dodge throughout this entire scenario, let’s put all of the state championship teams in the same mythical race and score it out. Again, a disclaimer, because not every year was timed out to tenths and hundredths of a second, the results could be skewed by a few points.

And what are the results of that mythical race? Our 2023 team tallies 110 points to win the title by 18 points over the 2012 Decorah Team (128). The 2011 Pella team is third with 156, while 2008 Algona (197) and 2007 Cedar Rapids Xavier (213) round out the top five.

Whew! I’m exhausted.

So, Coach Thomas, does any of this data change your initial opinion?

“Yeah, I still don’t know,” he said when presented with the evidence. “For whatever reason, times as a whole seem to be faster now. At the Ballard meet this year, I looked at the times we ran and thought ‘holy cow,’ because our times were incredibly fast compared to our 2017 and 2018 state championship teams that were really good.”

OK, Coach Thomas, will you at least concede that maybe — just maybe — this 2023 group is the best boys’ team that Gilbert has ever had?

“Yeah, I could probably say that,” he said. “With what this group did, just the tightness of the pack, it was probably closer together than those 2017 and 2018 teams, and we were a lot further up in the race.”

This year’s team beats the previous three Gilbert championship teams at every scoring position except for one — Pollard’s gold-medal run in 2014. To all future Tigers, good luck chasing down that record.

Fun hypotheticals aside, this year’s group was special. It was seven strong with Preston Stensland and Harrison Kraehling providing scoring points in plenty of meets throughout the season. To have four individuals earn all-state status simply doesn’t happen very often, and when you compare the veterans’ times on Saturday to one year earlier, you just say wow.

Squiers improved by 1 minute, 13 seconds from the 2022 state meet. Barber was 1:19 faster. Mueller improved by 1:05. Stensland was 16 seconds better, and Kraehling improved by 29 seconds.

But as I crunched the numbers and marveled, I kept going back to a tweet sent out by a friend of mine Saturday night. Jeff Linder, one of our state’s best prep sports writers for the Cedar Rapids Gazette said this: “Random Saturday-night tweet. Almost without fail, cross country kids are cream-of-the-crop humans.”

I could not agree more, and we’ve got two big rosters that fit that description. Coach Thomas and girls’ head coach Laura Kautman are two of the best in the state at developing state-championship-caliber teams, but they’re even better at teaching our student-athletes how to be respectful, kind, and outstanding individuals. At the end of the day, that means just as much or more than the state trophies they pile up.

We’re very lucky here at Gilbert.

Mythical State Championship of Class 3A State Champions (2003-2023)

1. 2023 Gilbert — 110
2. 2012 Decorah — 128
3. 2011 Pella — 156
4. 2008 Algona — 197
5. 2007 Cedar Rapids Xavier — 213
6. 2022 Pella — 217
7. 2017 Gilbert — 240
8. 2014 Gilbert — 249
9. 2006 Cedar Rapids Xavier — 258
10. 2021 Dallas Center-Grimes — 260
11. 2013 Boone — 263
12. 2020 Dallas Center-Grimes — 266
13. 2003 Dubuque Wahlert — 285
14. 2018 Gilbert — 291
15. 2009 Pella — 295
16. 2019 Dallas Center-Grimes — 299
17. 2015 Mount Vernon — 319
18. 2016 Mount Vernon — 325
19. 2004 Dubuque Wahlert — 349
20. 2010 Dubuque Wahlert — 372
21. 2005 Mount Vernon — 473

Top 8 Combined Scoring Times For 3A State Championship Teams Since 2003

1. 2023 Gilbert — 80:53
2. 2011 Pella — 81:12
3. 2012 Decorah — 81:23
4. 2008 Algona — 82:03
5. 2014 Gilbert — 82:11
6. 2013 Boone — 82:16
7. 2022 Pella — 82:29
8. 2021 Dallas Center-Grimes — 82:51