Perkins County speech team wins first two meets

Snow and cold have not kept Perkins County High School competitive speakers from two weeks of competition at nearby schools. 

Chase County

Chase County hosted the opening event of the 2018 season for area schools on Saturday, Jan. 6. Competing in Imperial were teams from Sutherland, North Platte St. Pat’s, Chase County, Wallace and Perkins County. Events, speakers, and final placings included: 

Informative—Sam McArtor, first; Haven Wid, fourth.

Persuasive—Haven Wid, third, Valerie Perez, fifth, Caleb Lagler, sixth. 

Entertainment—Peyton Woodmancy, first; Evan Sestak, fourth; Bryce Grothman, fifth. 

Extemporaneous—Matthew Wendell, first, Valerie Perez, fourth; Ethan Terry, sixth. 

Poetry—Hailee Iske-Fraizer, first; Karen Ruiz, third; Destiny Beisner, sixth. 

Humorous Prose—Ethan Terry, third; Keshia Leeper, fourth; Jacob Woodmancy, fifth; Carter Krajewski, Miah Long. 

Serious Prose—Kenyon Gaar and Karen Ruiz, tied for second; Bella Frazier, sixth; Peyton Woodmancy.

Duet—Colton Heinemann and Chris Terry, first; Jonathan Hanson and Nathan Kemling and Miah Long and Rylee Huff, tied for second.

Oral Interpretation of Drama—Colton Heinemann, Chris Terry, Kenyon Gaar and Bryce Grothman, second; Sam McArtor, Matthew Wendell, Ian Sihm, Jacob Woodmancy and Keshia Leeper, third. 

Wallace

On Saturday, Jan. 13, Wallace hosted a 12-school meet which included speakers from Chase County, Garden County, Hayes Center, Hershey, Maywood, Medicine Valley, Paxton, Perkins County, Southwest, St. Pat’s and Sutherland. 

For the second week in a row, Perkins County finished first as a team. Sutherland speakers took second place while Wallace claimed third. 

Results from the day: 

Informative—Sam McArtor, third; Haven Wid, sixth. 

Persuasive—Katie Patrick, second; Haven Wid, Valerie Perez, Caleb Lagler. 

Entertainment—Bryce Grothman, first; Peyton Woodmancy, second; Ian Sihm, fifth; Evan Sestak. 

Extemporaneous—Matthew Wendell, fourth; Valerie Perez, Ethan Terry. 

Poetry—Hailee Iske-Fraizer, first; Kadie Hanson, second; Karen Ruiz, fifth; Destiny Beisner. 

Humorous Prose—Jacob Woodmancy, second; Ethan Terry, sixth; Keshia Leeper, Carter Krajewski. 

Serious Prose—Bella Fraizer, fourth; Karen Ruiz, fifth; Kenyon Gaar, sixth; Peyton Woodmancy.

Duet—Colton Heinemann and Chris Terry, first; Jonathan Hanson and Nathan Kemling, second; Miah Long and Rylee Huff, Savannah Schmitt and Hannah Kempf.

Oral Interpretation of Drama—Colton Heinemann, Chris Terry, Kenyon Gaar and Bryce Grothman, first; Sam McArtor, Matthew Wendell, Ian Sihm, Jacob Woodmancy and Keshia Leeper, third. 

Next Competition

PCHS will host its own invitational on Saturday, Jan. 27. Rounds will begin at 8 a.m. and the public is invited to attend. 

Students from more than 20 schools are scheduled to attend the invite, which will hold two preliminary rounds with the top six competitors from each event advancing to a final round. 

Additionally, competitors finishing in seventh through 10th will compete in an honors final. Although there will be no novice division, the highest placing first-year competitor in each event will receive top-novice recognition.