The Chesterton High School Speech Team had an excellent showing in its last split weekend of the season. A select group traveled to suburban Minneapolis to compete in the prestigious Minneapple Speech Tournament at Apple Valley High School. Featuring national-circuit teams from six different states, the Minneapple Speech Tournament was a competitive challenge with over 1,200 competitors and judges.

Juniors Max Winski and Indy Loving took 6th place overall in Duo Interpretation and became eligible for the Speech National Tournament of Champions in April at the University of Kentucky. Winski was also declared Runner-Up in Creative Expression, and Loving advanced to semifinals in Humorous Interpretation.

“Great things happened this weekend, both locally and on the national circuit,” said Coach Kathy Hadley, "and we are hoping to ride that momentum all the way to post season”.

In local competition, Chesterton was the champion team in the Bishop Noll Speech Tournament. Juniors Owen Cowsert and Jenna Aguilar and sophomore Mattea Sklut respectively closed out Champion, Runner-Up, and 3rd place in Radio Broadcasting, with freshman Connor Potesta also taking 5th place in the event. Aguilar also was Runner-Up in Duo Interpretation with freshman partner Heidi Boltze, while freshmen Dylan Leavitt and Natalie Nunez took 3rd place in the same event. Boltze also was Runner-Up in Humorous Interpretation while senior teammate Gabi Castro took 4th place in the same event. Castro also was 3rd in Original Performance.

Junior Madi Simms was the Champion in Discussion, while junior Ben Hoham tied as International Extemporaneous Speaking Champion with Bishop Noll.

Chesterton dominated many of the top slots in Dramatic Interpretation with freshman Miranda Miller as Runner-Up, sophomore Logan Riley in 3rd place, senior Matt Koutsopanagos in 4th place, and junior Rosie Portelli in 5th. Dylan Leavitt was Runner-Up in Poetry Reading, while Riley placed 3rd. Junior Gavin Bonner was declared 3rd place in Impromptu Speaking, and Informative Speaking had sophomore Allison Soblotne in 3rd place, sophomore Kaitlyn Papka in 4th place, and freshman Connor Potesta in 6th. Papka also took 3rd place in Prose Reading, while Soblotne and Portelli tied for 4th place in the event.

Finally, junior Nick Hanson took 3rd place in United States Extemporaneous Speaking while senior Elli Didonna took 4th place, and Mattea Sklut took 5th place.

The team will have a final tournament next week at Valparaiso High School before preparing for the home court advantage at the Indiana High School Forensic Association (IHSFA) Sectionals, at Chesterton. Sectional finalists will have the chance to compete at the IHSFA State Tournament in March.