The Chesterton Speech Team placed second in IHSFA sectional competition this weekend. The team, which also hosted the tournament, had five tournament champions and qualified 31 of its 36 entries for the state finals to be held in Indianapolis on March 20.

Twelve schools and more than 200 students were involved in the tournament that determines state final qualifiers. The top seven in each of the fourteen events advance to the state tournament.

Chesterton finished second to tournament champion Munster, but actually qualified more students for the state finals. Culver Academies finished in third, followed by LaPorte in fourth and Crown Point in fifth.

Once again the team was led by a strong performance in public address events.

Tournament champions included seniors Adam Potrzebowski, Megan Adamczewski, Tyler Fabbri, and Hayley Miller. Potrzebowski and Fabbri won international and domestic extemporaneous speaking, Adamczewski was the tournament champion in impromptu speaking and Miller won original oratory. All four also qualified in a second event. Potrzebowski was second in impromptu, Adamczewski was second in domestic extemporaneous, Fabbri was third in oratory and Miller was fifth in declamation. The team’s fifth champion, also in public address, was junior Dakota McCoy who won broadcasting.

Three other contestants from CHS qualified in broadcasting as well. Michael Leopold (10) was second, Kevin Miloshoff (11) was third and Latham Sullivan (11) was fifth. The team also had four qualifiers in domestic extemporaneous speaking. Following Fabbri and Adamczewski, were Kira Geairn (11) in third, and Brandon Moore (11) in seventh.

Senior Syed Shah placed second in international extemporaneous and third in impromptu. Teammate Alec Turner also placed in international, taking seventh. Others in public address advancing to the state finals included, Robert Conrick (11), sixth in oratory; Leah Dujmovich (11), third and Rana Torabi (11), sixth in declamation; and Warren Fasone (11), Corrine O’Brien (11), and Christian Parroco (12) seventh, respectively, in discussion.

Junior Kara Fasone qualified in two events, placing second in humorous interpretation and sixth in drama. Teammate Jessica Cleary placed fourth in humor. Senior Matt Keeley placed fourth in both drama and memorized duo, along with duo partner Dujmovich. Finally, the scripted duo team of juniors Colleen O’Keefe and Conor Livingston placed sixth.

“The coaching staff is very pleased with the results. We have a great group of kids going to state, and they have the potential to make good things happen,” said coach Bob Kelly.

Coaches Kelly, Chris Lowery, Doug Pishkur, Scott Woodhouse, and Kirsten Reed were joined by assistant Kayla Fleming and a host of former students, parents, and community members who helped with judging and managing the tournament. The IHSFA state finals will be held at Fishers High School in Indianapolis on March 20.

Posted 3/8/2010