Three in OID are State Bound

The B-4 District Speech Contest held at Pierce High School on Monday, March 1 brought fierce competition and rigorous matches for all district competitors.  The Pierce High Speech Team qualified three competitors, Micah Bahnfleth, Zach Halsey, and Jacob Jones, to compete in the state finals speech meet at the University of Nebraska – Kearney on Thursday, March 18.

Pierce finished fifth as a team.  Aurora was first, followed by Columbus Lakeview, York, and O’Neill.  Wayne finished sixth, Boone Central seventh, and Central City eighth. 

Bahnfleth, Halsey, and Jones placed second in their Oral Interpretation of Drama (OID) piece.  In order to compete at the state level, medalists had to finish in the top three of their event.  Chelsea Atkins and Kaelee Stuchlik fell just short of state qualification; Atkins finished fourth with her poetry interpretation, and Stuchlik finished fourth in extemporaneous speaking.

Several other PHS speakers medaled at districts, all in sixth places.  Chelsea Atkins and Hannah Atkins finished sixth in duet acting, while Emily Taylor landed sixth in entertainment speaking and Halsey in humorous prose.  The OID team of Amanda Hanlin, Stefanie Koehler, Katie Lockee, and Emily Polt also medaled at sixth.

Junior Zach Halsey said, “We all did very well.  Those of who were not in the finals were seventh, which is one plus.  We did an awesome job this season as a team.”

Speech coach Mrs. Crys Bauermeister said, “I was a little disappointed that we didn’t qualify more people for state.  However, we faced much competition from many large class B schools.”