By: Joani Hartin, Public Information Officer
For speech students, the road to the regional tournament travels through several school sponsored qualifying tournaments, and Marietta’s students have been on the road recently competing to qualify in preparation for regionals.
The students were in Ada on February 17, where four students placed. They were Talon Gomez, second in 4A Prose; Slade Campbell, third in 4A Prose; Cassi Stewart, 4A Prose finalist; and Bella Faulkenberry, fourth place, Novice Prose.
Results from the Seminole Speech Tournament held on Saturday, February 24 were Dovan Bucher, first place in Champs Monologue; Ace Austin, second place in Champs Humorous Interpretation; Kyle Austin, third place in Champs Prose; Emma Chaney and Jameson Muller, third place in Champs Dramatic Duet Acting; Emma Chaney, first place in 4A Prose; Benito Maldonado, second place in 4A Prose; Ace Austin, second place in 4A Poetry; Andrew Perkins, second place in 4A Monologue, and Alexis Doby, third place in 4A Monologue.
“We are so appreciative of a couple of our people, Amanda Faulkenberry and Coach Alex Doby, who have driven the bus for us and chaperoned tournaments,” said sponsor Alicia Harris. “They both have children on the team, and we appreciate their support.”
The team now has several students qualified for the regional tournament. They are Delaney Aust, Kyle Austin, Dovan Bucher, Slade Campbell, Emma Chaney, Alexis Doby, Bethany Gerlach, Talon Gomez, Kelsi Lawson, Haylen Lowery, Benito Maldonado, Kara Miller, Jameson Muller, and Andrew Perkins.
The tournament will be held March 22 and 23, hosted on the campus of Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
“We are all busy making preparations,” said Harris. “The kids are putting in a lot of hours practicing and in coaching sessions. I’m so proud of them for coming this far in their first year of competition, and even prouder of the way they support each other.”