HNS finishes first at Crofton Speech Invite, CCHS places fifth

CROFTON – The Hartington-Newcastle High School speech team talked its way to the top of another competition during the 2024 season.

HNS scored 64 points and placed first out of 10 teams in the varsity standings at the Crofton Speech Invitational on Feb. 17. Wausa secured second place with 42 points, followed by Osmond with 36 points, host Crofton with 25 points and Cedar Catholic with 17 points.

Hartington-Newcastle’s medal winners were: - Duet Acting: Seniors Mani Lange and Dayton Sudbeck, first; sophomores Dane Gotch and Issac Santiago, fifth.

- Informative Speaking: Senior Kennedy Gotch, first.

- Oral Interpretation of Drama: Junior Cole Heimes, freshman Jason Heimes, senior Mani Lange, sophomore Lainey Morten and senior Dayton Sudbeck, first; Dane Gotch, freshman Trevon Hopping, Carter Kelly, Issac Santiago and Austin Sudbeck, third.

- Persuasive Speaking: Senior Alexus Hans, first; senior Emma Wubben, second.

- Poetry: Ryell Haug, first; Kaylee Ptak, third. - Program of Oral Interpretation: Senior Kennedy Gotch, second.

- Entertainment Speaking: Junior Cole Heimes, third; senior Alexus Hans, sixth.

- Humorous Prose: Freshman Trevon Hopping, fourth; sophomore Lainey Morten, fifth.

- Serious Prose: Sophomore Dane Gotch, fourth; sophomore Issac Santiago, sixth.

Hartington-Newcastle is next scheduled to compete on March 2 at Scotus Central Catholic in Columbus and then on March 4 at the Lewis and Clark Conference Speech Contest, which will be held in Osmond.

For Cedar Catholic at Crofton, junior Ben Kleinschmit placed first in Extemporaneous Speaking, senior Elizabeth Rokusek placed second in Poetry and fifth in Program of Oral Interpretation, and sophomore Ava Stewart placed third in Informative Speaking.

Cedar Catholic speech students who just missed the finals were senior Anneliese Kleinschmit, who placed seventh in Poetry; sophomore Breah Steffen, who placed eighth in Informative Speaking; and Rokusek, who placed seventh in Humorous Prose.

Cedar Catholic is set to host the Mid-State Conference Meet on Feb. 24 in Hartington.

For Wynot at Crofton, senior Isabelle Heimes placed first in Program of Oral Interpretation and Serious Prose. Heimes, junior Joslyn Hochstein, junior Kallie Steffen and freshman Cash Lenzen placed fifth in Oral Interpretation of Drama.

Wynot is next scheduled to compete on March 4 at the Lewis and Clark Conference Speech Contest in Osmond.