S-M speech team takes first at subsection meet

The Staples-Motley speech team placed first Saturday at the Subsection 24A Speech Tournament in Menahga. Coaches are Bob Shaffer, Gini Schwichtenberg and Don Sanda.

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Staples-Motley earned 174 team points. Menahga-Sebeka took second place with 69 team points.

The following students advance to the Section 6A tournament Saturday in Battle Lake:

Creative Expression - Ethan Fleisher, fourth-place medal; Hallie Olsen, fifth-place medal; Peter Thorman, second alternate.

Staples-Motley Duo Interpretation champions were Jake Smith and Wyat Schwichtenberg, who presented "Napoleon's Piano" by Spike Milligan.

Discussion - Kirsten Haugen, first-place medal; Jake Johnson, second-place medal.

Drama - Christopher Olsen, first-place medal; Jenna Nypan, second-place medal; Nick Trout, third-place medal.

Duo Interpretation - Wyat Schwichtenberg/Jake Smith, first-place medal; Lindsay Scott/Alisha Riddervold, sixth-place medal; Kirsti Iverson/Judith VonAndrian, first alternates; Veronica Paklonsky/Becky DeGeest, second alternates.

Extemporaneous Reading - Nikki Northquest, first-place medal; Gemma Shaffer, second-place medal; Luke Youngvorst, third-place medal; Rebekah Blaske, first alternate.

Great Speeches - Emma Motl, second-place medal.

Humorous Interpretation - Mike Porter, second-place medal; Mary Metzler, sixth-place medal; Jason Weyer, second alternate.

Informative Speaking - Katie Becker, first-place medal.

Original Oratory - Ann Motl, first-place medal; Mandy Heldman, second-place medal.

Poetry - Melody Fellman, first-place medal; Mike Tappe, third-place medal.

Prose - Ephrem Shaffer, first-place medal; Megan Weyer, second-place medal.

Storytelling - Francis Jimenez, first-place medal; Nick Waverek, second-place medal; Joe Fink, third-place medal.

Team champions were Kirsten Haugen (Discussion); Christopher Olsen (Drama); Wyat Schwichtenberg and Jake Smith (Duo Interpretation); Nikki Northquest (Extemporaneous Reading); Katie Becker (Informative Speaking); Ann Motl (Original Oratory); Melody Fellman (Serious Poetry); Ephrem Shaffer (Serious Prose); and Francis Jimenez (Storytelling).