WEST FARGO, N.D. (NewsDakota.com/Abby Ingstad) – This past Saturday, the Valley City High School Speech Team traveled to West Fargo High School for the EDC Regional Tournament. The Hi-Liners had an extremely successful day to cap off an uncertain and challenging season. They took first as a team with 224 Total Sweepstakes Points ahead of EDC Runner-Up West Fargo High School with 79 points and third place West Fargo Sheyenne with 74 points.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions there was no prequalification for the state tournament during the regular season and only the top 7 in each event qualified for the state tournament.
Valley City High School had 7 EDC champions and qualified 36 entries to the State Tournament held Saturday, April 17th in Jamestown. The Hi-Liners will be bringing the most entries to the state tournament of any team. This EDC team title is the 6th consecutive for Valley City High School. The Hi-Liner speech team has earned 17 Regional Titles as a team since 1986, an unparalleled tradition of excellence.
Individual Results (All Listed Qualified for the State Tournament)
Here are the state qualifiers:
Dramatic: Londine Marcellus (7th), Madi Klabo (4th), Emmy Jones (3rd), Lillian Kiefert (1st-Champion)
Extemp Speaking: Madi Klabo (5th), Abby Redfearn (2nd)
Humorous Duo: Jerrica Eldridge/Ben Kruta (6th)
Humorous Interp: Maisie Leick (7th), Morgan Jenner (5th), Owen Plagens (3rd)
Radio: Jerrica Eldridge (3rd), Maisie Leick (2nd)
Speech to Entertain: Alexis Wobbema (7th), Aurora Ziniel (6th)
Speech to Persuade: Stephanie Hoffarth (6th), Brinklyn Johnson (2nd), Luke Plagens (1st-EDC Champion)
Serious Duo: Ada Gilbertson/Leah Hochhalter (6th), Brinklyn Johnson/Tucker Johnson (3rd), Luke Plagens/Owen Plagens (2nd), Morgan Jenner/Emmy Jones (1st-EDC Champion)
EPR: Kendra Green (4th), Tucker Schonert (2nd), Olivia Slyter (1st- EDC Champion)
Inform: Aurora Ziniel (4th), Ariana Abrahamson (2nd)
Storytelling: Tucker Johnson (6th), Amelia Meester (4th), Stephanie Hoffarth (2nd), Gabriel Herzog (1st- EDC Champion)
Prose: Kendra Green (5th), Ariana Abrahamson (3rd), Cassie Mundal (1st-EDC Champion)
Poetry: Lillian Kiefert (3rd), Olivia Slyter (2nd), Vismaya Jacob (1st-EDC Champion)
Next up for the Hi-Liners is the State Class A Speech Tournament held in Jamestown on Saturday, April 17th. Valley City will also send a limited group of students to the National Qualifier tournament on Monday, April 19th at the Baymont Inn and Suites in Mandan, ND.