The Speech team closed at its regular season with a big win at the Elkhart Memorial Speech Invitational. Fourteen schools and over 200 students attended the tournament. Chesterton speakers took first in ten of the fourteen events. This was the team’s final competition before the IHSFA Sectionals, which will be hosted by CHS this weekend.

Tournament champions included seniors Adam Potrzebowski, winning both international extemporaneous and impromptu and Tyler Fabbri, winning domestic extemporaneous and original oratory. Senior Matt Keeley, won drama and placed second with his partner, Leah Dujmovich, in memorized duo. Other tournament champions were juniors Kara Fasone in humor, Leah Dujmovich in declamation, Warren Fasone in discussion, and Dakota McCoy in broadcasting. The sophomore team of Randi Hickman and Drew Hogan took top honors in scripted duo. Fasone also placed fourth in drama and Dujmovich in eighth.

Senior Megan Adamczewski followed teammates Fabbri and Potrzebowski, placing second in both domestic extemporaneous and impromptu. Kira Geairn (12) finished third in domestic extemporaneous, and Syed Shah (12) finished second in international extemporaneous and third in impromptu. Alec Turner (12), Jon Vincent (10), and Spencer Gordon (9) placed fourth, sixth, and seventh, respectively, in international extemporaneous. Turner also placed sixth in impromptu. Domestic extempors Cassie Peritan (10), Erik Drygas (10), and Brandon Moore (11), finished in fourth, fifth and sixth.

In broadcasting McCoy was followed by Kevin Miloshoff (11) in second, Mike Leopold (10) in third, Christian O’Brien (10) in fourth, and Jack McCrum (10) in sixth. The team also dominated in declamation with juniors Rana Torabi and Conor Livingston, placing third and sixth, and sophomore Katie Murfitt placing fifth. In oratory Robert Conrick (11) finished in third behind teammate Fabbri; Conrick was also fifth in original performance.

Senior Luke Morgan was second in original performance, followed by Randi Hickman (10) in fourth, Drew Hogan in sixth, and Jake Goldberg (12) in seventh. Following Fasone in humor were Jake Pullins (10) in second, Eli Muller (11) in third, and Jessica Cleary (11) in fifth.

In scripted duo juniors Colleen O’Keefe and Conor Livingston placed fourth, followed by fellow juniors Eli Muller and Julia Ingram in eighth. In memorized duo the sophomore team of Nicole Novak and Max Carstens finished in eighth.

Poetry contestants Olivia Gordon (12) and Aliyah Caraballo (9) finished in fourth and sixth, respectively. Prose contestants Julia Ingram, Britta Ringas (11) and Colleen O’Keefe placed fourth fifth, and seventh, respectively. Senior Christian Paracco was fourth in discussion, and senior Jeff Tucker finished fourth in impromptu.

Following Chesterton was LaPorte in second, Elkhart Central in third, Penn in fourth, and Frankfort in fifth.

The CHS coaching staff was assisted in judging by former students Alec Donelson and Jack Deuberry. In addition, parents Dan Fabbri, Chris Keeley, Rebecca Hogan Mary Bradow, and Joe Gordon also helped with judging.

“Although this was not as competitive as other tournaments, we feel we learned a great deal in preparation for sectional and district competition coming up in the next two weeks. The team did an excellent job, but we have a lot to do in the next two weeks to be ready for the competition we’re going to face,” said Bob Kelly.

Posted 3/3/2010