The Chesterton High
School Speech team placed third in the AAA division at the IHSFA State
Speech Tournament at Fishers High School recently. There were 48 schools
with over 600 entries competing. Chesterton had 28 entries competing at the
tournament.
Chesterton had
eight finalists in six of the 14 events.
Senior Nate
Dickinson was the tournament champion in broadcasting. Dickinson was
followed by junior, Robert St. Pierre who placed fifth.
In humor senior
Jami Ritchea placed sixth overall. Junior Eric Zhong was the sixth placed
finisher in discussion. Jake Williger, a junior, placed fifth in original
performance. In impromptu sophomore Tim Vincent placed sixth. Senior Mikaela
Meyer was the fourth place finisher in original oratory. Finally, senior
Jessica Ratel-Khan placed sixth in United States extemp.
In addition to
Chesterton’s eight finalists the team had 13 students who advanced to a
semi-final but did not advance further. In discussion sophomore Eddie Young
placed twelfth followed by junior Savannah Tipton placed thirteenth. In
international extemp sophomore Tim Vincent placed tenth, followed by senior
Andrew Carratini who placed seventeenth. Junior, Kasey O’Keefe placed
twelfth in declamation and eighth in prose.
In broadcasting,
sophomore Eric Richardson placed eleventh overall. Senior Justyn Lantz
placed eighth overall in drama and Lantz and partner Jami Ritchea placed
seventh in memorized duo. In scripted duo Lauren Hogan (11) and Lexi Justak
(10) placed fourteenth. Senior Liz Green was the twelfth placed finisher in
humor. In original oratory Galen Wong (11) placed eleventh overall. Finally,
junior Nate Burris placed fifteenth overall in United States extemp.
“The entire
coaching staff could not be more pleased with the results of this
tournament. We had more students advance to semi-finals and finals than in
recent years. Third place with twenty-eight entries is very impressive. The
coaching staff is very pleased and proud of the team’s efforts,” said coach
Eric Schaefer.
The Chesterton team
had several parents, former students, and community members assist coaches
Bob Kelly, Eric Schaefer, Kirsten Reed, Jessica Cleary and Josh Coots.
Judges included Kayla Fleming, James Vincent, Marcia Ritchea and Greg Lanter.
Several members of
the Chesterton speech team will be attending the National Catholic Forensic
League’s tournament on Memorial Day weekend in Chicago, Illinois.