Swede speech team competes at second CNFL meet

Five Swede speech competitors got to stand on the stage the longest during the awarding of medals in Grand Island last Saturday.

Fifteen places were given at the second of two Central Nebraska Forensic League meets in which the Swedes competed.

Winners received their first-place medals at the end of the announcement of the other medal winners in each event.

Speech team advisor Dan Jensen said he was pleased with the number of Swedes that placed in the top 15 during the meet that was attended by 38 schools.

The Swedes also won three silver medals and received third place in three events.

“Our kids are showing confidence and that definitely pays off,” Jensen said.

However improvement is needed in several events if the Swedes are going to be prepared for state qualifying spots at the district meet, he noted.

“We have seen some improvement by several schools that we will be up against both in conference and district competition,” Jensen said. “We just need to be closing the gap there a little better over the next few weeks so we don’t have unpleasant surprises at the end of the season.”

Those winning gold medals in varsity competition were Jon Rehmert in extemporaneous speaking and Madison Costello in informative speaking.

Three novices, or first-year speech competitors, were in the winner’s circle and included Rebecca Riley in entertainment speaking and Jettison Seimer and Joseph Darling in duet acting.

Besides Gothenburg, schools competing were Grand Island Senior High, Loup City, North Loup Scotia, Grand Island Northwest, Grand Island Central Catholic, Burwell, Greeley Wolbach, Broken Bow, Nebraska Christian, Wood River, Alma, Lexington, Axtell, Litchfield, Minden, Kearney, Cozad, Central City, Holdrege, Shelton, Kearney Catholic, North Platte, High Plains, York, Sandy Creek, Adams Central, Aurora, Boone Central, Harvard, Hastings, Fillmore Central, Sutton, Doniphan-Trumbull, Hampton, Brady, Elba and Arapahoe.

The community will get a chance to see the Swedes in action this Saturday at the Gothenburg Invite at the high school.

Rounds start at 8 a.m. with awards scheduled tentatively at 3:30 p.m.

A list of local competitors, their events and times is available in the school library.

Other Gothenburg individual results:

EXTEMPORANEOUS

Varsity: 4. Ashley Wilkerson, 8. Abbie Mazour, 14. Kristin Bartlett

Novice: 4. Roman Schmidt, 5. Kylee Beyea, 9. Gage Taylor

PERSUASIVE

Varsity: 3. Carlin Daharsh, 4. Madison Costello, 6. Kelsey Kuhlman, 9. Jon Rehmert, 11. Alayna Collins, 12. Rebecca Miller

Novice: 2. Courtney Melvin, 9. Natalie Mazour

INFORMATIVE

Varsity: 9. Carlin Daharsh, 12. Rachel Rice

Novice: 3. Kylee Beyea

ENTERTAINMENT

Varsity: superior ribbons, Bailey Gibbens, Kelsey Kuhlman

Novice: 8. Talina Ramsey

HUMOROUS PROSE

Varsity: 6. Drake Brand, 8. Carlie Stevens, 11. Jon Rehmert, superior ribbons, Abbie Mazour, Brett Mann, Jacob Boehle

Novice: 2. Roman Schmidt, 4. Drake Langley; superior ribbon, Emily Keiser

SERIOUS PROSE

Varsity: 8. Rachel Rice, 9. Kennedy Wahlgren, 10. Betsy Potter, 12. Ashley Wilkerson; superior ribbons, Abbie Mazour, Bailey Gibbens

POETRY

Varsity: 2. Carlin Daharsh, 12. Madison Costello; superior ribbons, Morgan Kowalewski, Alexis Brian

DUET ACTING

Varsity: 5. Kayla Trevino and Carlie Stevens, 11. Drake Brand and Brett Mann, 15. Amanda Larson and Morgan Kowalewski

ORAL INTERPRETATION OF DRAMA

Varsity: 3. Ashley Wilkerson, Rachel Rice, Rebecca Miller, Kennedy Wahlgren, 8. Morgan Kowalewski, Carlie Stevens, Alayna Collins, Amanda Larson, Brett Mann

Paula Cardenas also competed at the meet.