Warner and Bush Crowned State Champs: Speech Team Brings Home Thirteen State Medals
A chaotic start to the State Speech Championships yielded lots of hardware for the EPS Speech Team, including one State Champion Event.
With the impending blizzard, the team left earlier than planned on Wednesday, following a send-off in the gym from the EPS staff and students.
After some motel room glitches and a frozen lock on the bus door, the team finally made it to the competition on Thursday.
The trip went from chaotic to fantastic, as four of the teams eight events qualified for finals.
Bringing home top honors from the meet was the duet of Alois Warner and Kenny Bush, who were named D2 Duet Champions.
Leslie Linares brought home the fourth place medal for Entertainment Speaking.
The OID of Dylan Widger, Linares, Morgan Carpenter, Lydia Behnk, and Kira Widger placed 5th.
The OID of Warner, Bush, Taya Voborny, Zoey Bergman and Jaime Hoefer earned 7th place medals.
Superior Ratings were earned by the following speech team members: Dylan Widger-Poetry, Kira Widger-Poetry, Katie Polk-Serious Prose and Persuasive Speaking.
Overall as a team, the EPS Speech squad tied with Leigh for sixth place out of thirty-two teams in Class D2.
Co-coaches Jessie Reestman and Stacy Shumake-Henn were more than pleased with the results.
"We have nothing but praise for the members of this speech team. They have gotten stronger every season. From back-to-back district championships to qualifying a record number of events for state to getting four events in finals and bringing home thirteen state medals, they have topped the charts in everything."
The coaches attribute the team's success to their work ethic.
"Our kids are involved in so many different activities that practice time can be limited. They do a terrific job of juggling their schedules to make it work. Plus, they are all so talented. We also have a phenomenal group of senior leaders this year. We will miss Alois, Widge, Katie, Morgan, Leslie and Ingvild next year. There is no end to their work ethic and their talent."
The future also continues to be bright for the squad.
"Our junior class is strong, and we have some underclassmen who filled some big shoes this season. It's been fun to watch these kids develop and enjoy the season so much."
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