WAUSA – The Wausa High School speech team talked its way to two top-three finishes at recent competitions.
As a team, Wausa placed third overall both at the Lewis and Clark Conference Speech Contest in Osmond on March 4 and at the Creighton Invitational on March 2.
Hartington-Newcastle took the top spot at the 2024 edition of the conference meet with 292 points, followed by Plainview with 196 points, Wausa with 136 points, host Osmond with 112 points and Wynot with 50 points.
Stuart won the Creighton Invitational with 177 points, followed by Battle Creek with 163 points, Wausa with 149 points, West Holt with 145 points and Osmond with 130 points.
Husband-and-wife duo Kyle and Samantha Stevens are the co-coaches of the Wausa speech team.
“We faced some really good, experienced competition, and I think we competed hard,” Kyle Stevens said of Wausa’s experience at the conference meet.
Wausa has had a busy week of competition with two meets in three days.
“We have to put in the work to get to where we want to go, and I am sure everyone will do what they need to do to be at their best,” Kyle Stevens said. “We continue to make improvements, and we are proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far.”
Team members now are getting prepared for the District D1-3 speech contest on March 12 at Wausa.
Competing against Wausa at the district meet will be Clarkson, Creighton, Leigh, Plainview, Randolph, Winside and Wynot.
“We have to get in good practice and work hard over the next week to prepare for districts,” Kyle Stevens said. “The competition at districts will be stout, but the kids are ready to take the next step forward and step up to the next challenge.”
There were two sets of individual finals during both of the recent competitions – the top six finishers in the Champs Final and the next six finishers in the Honors Final.
Wausa’s medal winners in the conference meet’s Champs Final were: - Senior Holly Johnson, first place, Serious Prose.
- Senior Holly Johnson, second place, Entertainment Speaking.
- Freshman Rogan Hoesing, second place, Informative Speaking.
- Senior Holly Johnson, senior Claire Kumm, senior Cade Wakeley, junior Kendall Story and sophomore Avery Stevens, second place, Oral Interpretation of Drama.
- Sophomore Braydon Hoesing, second place, Program of Oral Interpretation.
- Sophomore Braydon Hoesing and freshman Rogan Hoesing, fifth place, Duet Acting.
- Sophomore Avery Stevens, fifth place, Persuasive Speaking.
- Sophomore Alijah Nelson, sixth place, Humorous Prose.
- Senior Claire Kumm, sixth place, Persuasive Speaking.
Wausa team members in the conference meet’s Honors Final were: - Sophomore Luke Woockman, first place, Entertainment Speaking.
- Senior Addison Wynia, first place, Informative Speaking.
- Sophomore Braydon Hoesing, second place, Humorous Prose.
- Junior Kendall Story, fourth place, Serious Prose.
- Senior Hadley Vanness, sophomore Cody Bloomquist, sophomore Taylor Dawson, sophomore Alijah Nelson and sophomore Gaven Nipp, fifth place, Oral Interpretation of Drama.
- Freshman Carlie Kleinschmit, sixth place, Poetry.
Wausa’s medal winners in the Creighton meet’s Champs Final were: - Sophomore Braydon Hoesing and freshman Rogan Hoesing, first place, Duet Acting.
- Sophomore Braydon Hoesing, first place, Program of Oral Interpretation.
- Senior Holly Johnson, first place, Serious Prose.
- Sophomore Avery Stevens, second place, Persuasive Speaking.
- Sophomore Luke Woockman, third place, Entertainment Speaking.
- Senior Holly Johnson, senior Claire Kumm, senior Cade Wakeley, junior Kendall Story and sophomore Avery Stevens, third place, Oral Interpretation of Drama.
- Junior Kendall Story, fourth place, Serious Prose.
Wausa’s medal winners in the Creighton meet’s Honors Final were: - Sophomore Braydon Hoesing, first place, Humorous Prose.
- Senior Holly Johnson, third place, Entertainment Speaking.
- Sophomore Alijah Nelson, third place, Humorous Prose.
- Senior Claire Kumm, fourth place, Persuasive Speaking.
