The CHS Speech team placed second at the IHSFA sectional tournament held at LaPorte High School last Saturday. Twenty-nine of the team's 37 entries advanced to the state finals to be held in Indianapolis on March 23rd. Eleven schools from section one and nearly 200 entries participated. The top six students in each of the fourteen events advance to the state finals.

Led by tournament champion, senior Eric Dreischerf, four broadcasters advanced to the state finals. Following Dreischerf were junior Nate Dickinson in second, sophomore Robert St. Pierre in fifth, and freshman Sam Gordon in sixth. Team's are allowed to enter a total of 40 entries but no more than four in an event.

The team had three advance in several other events. In declamation sophomore Galen Wong placed third, followed by juniors Layla Mooradian and Mikaela Meyer in fourth and fifth, respectively. In drama seniors Kiera Quealy and Aliyah Caraballo placed third and fourth, respectively, and senior Sharon Coleman finished in sixth. Quealy also placed third in original performance, Caraballo and her partner, junior Danny Vincent, were fifth in memorized duo, and Coleman and her partner, senior Kaylee Oates were fourth in memorized duo. Oates also advanced in humor, placing fourth, and teammate, sophomore Lauren Hogan finished sixth in humor.

The team also advanced three in both impromptu and international extemporaneous speaking. In impromptu senior Spencer Gordon finished third, junior Andrew Caratini was fourth and freshman Tim Vincent was sixth. Gordon also finished third in international extemporaneous followed by Vincent in fifth and sophomore Andrea Drygas in sixth.

In discussion senior Ronnie Kovach placed third and junior Simon Andrews was fourth. US extemporaneous speakers Humaira Khan and Jessica Ratel-Khan placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Senior Rachel Kidder and junior Justyn Lantz were sixth in scripted duo, and teammates, junior Liz Green and sophomore Jake Williger, placed sixth. Green also advanced in poetry, placing fifth, and Williger advanced in original performance, placing sixth.

The team also had several alternates - students placing seventh in their respective events. Eric Zhong in discussion, Jennifer Kattalia and Layla Mooradian in memorized duo, Kattalia in original oratory, Andrew Caratini in international extemporaneous, and Nathan Burris in US extemporaneous will advance only if someone in the top six in their respective events withdraws from the tournament.

Munster was the sectional champion with CHS coming in a distant second. Valparaiso placed third as a team followed by Elkhart Central in fourth and Portage in fifth.

“As is always the case, there were some pleasant surprises and some bitter disappointments, but we feel we have advanced a good group to compete at the state tournament. This is the most difficult sectional in the state, and we're proud of what our kids accomplished this weekend,” said Coach Bob Kelly.

Coaches Kelly, Chris Lowery, Doug Pishkur, Kirsten Reed and Eric Schaefer, were assisted with judging duties by former students Dannielle (Hunt) Sanders, Liannae (Wojnarowicz) Mink, Heather (Ransford) Augustyn, Michelle Jatkiewicz, and Jessica Cleary. Pegg Sangerman, parent of a former student, also helped.

Posted 3/4/2013