Seward High School Speech Team Wins Concordia University Speech Tournament
By Clark Kolterman
January 25, 2010
SHS Senior Stephanie Rippstien Captures the Individual Sweepstakes Trophy
The Seward High Speech Team is off to a good start with their first speech meet of the season, as they captured their first Champion/Sweepstakes tourney trophy at the annual Concordia University-Seward Speech Tournament held on Saturday, January 23, 2010.
The contest featured area schools in ten areas of speech and drama competition and SHS competed with 22 entries for the event. There were 13 schools in the tournament.
SHS had ten students break into finals and all received Superior ratings. Stephanie Rippstein won the overall individual sweepstakes trophy with a 29 point total.
She was first place in Informative Public Address, second in Persuasion, and fourth place in Duet with Daniel Pfeiffer. Andrew Sorsen won first place in Extemporaneous Speaking and third place in persuasion. Sarah Garbers won the first place trophy in Entertaining Speaking. SHS Senior Blake Vajgrt won the second place trophy in Impromptu Speaking. Daniel Pfeiffer won fourth place in Duet with Stephanie Rippstein and the third place in the Sweepstakes Contest. Also making finals and being awarded a sixth place trophy were Dayna Swoboda in Serious Prose, Katie Thrailkill in Poetry and Lea Kayton in Persuasive Speaking.
Other speakers included Matt Johnson, Informative Speaking-Superior, Lea Kayton ,Informative Speaking-Superior, Katie Thrailkill, Persuasive Speaking-Excellent, Blake Vajgrt, Extemporaneous Speaking-Excellent, Jillian Kongsjord and Dayna Svoboda, Duet-Superior, Katie Beckler and Carson Shepherd, Duet-Superior, Matt Johnson, Impromptu-Superior, Katie Beckler, Serious Prose-Good, Jillian Kongsjord, Humorous Prose-Good, Daniel Pfeiffer, Humorous Prose, Excellent, Drama Team #1-Rippstien, Shepherd, Garbers, Bobi Albrecht-Superior, Drama Team #2 –Svoboda, Kongsjord, Zach Bruick and Pfeiffer, Superior.
Seward High won the overall Sweepstakes Trophy, followed by Lutheran High of Indianapolis, Indiana. Third place went to Mount Michael Benedictine. Schools attending the event included Seward High, Lincoln Lutheran, Mount Michael Benedictine, Prague, Aquinas, Concordia High School in Omaha, Louisville, Columbus Scotus Central High School, Cross Country High School, Conestoga, Malcolm, Fairbury and Lutheran High of Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Seward High Speech Coach is Clark Kolterman.
