DGS, DGN Speech Teams Bound for Sectionals

Several Speech team members from Downers Grove North and South high schools will be competing at tomorrow's Sectional Tournament at South following strong performances at last weekend's regional competition.

South, the first-place Regional finisher, is a legendary Speech powerhouse, but North also has claimed several sectional, state and even national top spots in recent years, including third place at the Regional tournament.

As competitive activities go, Speech is not for the faint-hearted. Team members practice long and hard to perfect their delivery, timing and comportment in categories such as Dramatic Duet Acting Interpretation, Oratorical Declamation, Poetry Reading, and Radio, Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speaking.

In many cases, there are scripts or speeches, often original, to be memorized. In others, team members are given a prompt and challenged to create a speech around it. During the season, members are on the tournament bus by 6:30 a.m. most Saturdays, dressed in suits and ties (boys) or pant/skirt suits (girls) to return some 12 hours later.

They may or may not be star athletes, but they're stars nonetheless. Here are the results from last week's Regionals, all of whom will compete in Saturday's Sectional Tournament:

First Place: Ed Roberge, DGS, Extemporaneous Speaking; Billy Chengary and Michelle McCarthy, DGS, Humorous Duet Acting; Colleen Darosa, DGS, Oratorical Declamation; Claire Drews, DGS, Original Oratory; Erin M. Walsh, DGS, Poetry Reading; Michelle McCarthy, DGS, Prose Reading; Milap Mehta, DGS, Special Occasional Speaking.

Also: Kaylee Moeslein, Tyler Murley, Emma Murry, Nicole O'Toole, Subhan Suhail, Alissa Wickien, Lillie Kase, Logan Moran-Rudd, Stephanie Coupland, Dan Leahy, Alex Werner, Lian Lucansky, Mike Maloney and Natasha Prosek, DGS, Performance in the Round

Second Place: Billy Chengary and Stephanie Flowers, DGS, Dramatic Duet Acting; Colleen Derosa, DGS, Dramatic Interpretation; Emily Temple-Wood, DGN, Extemporaneous Speaking; Erin C. Walsh, DGS, Humorous Interpretation; Emily Temple-Wood, DGN, Impromptu Speaking; Devin Collett, DGN, Original Comedy; Maggie Butzen, DGN, Original Oratory; Kate Karl, DGN, Poetry Reading; Sarah Batchu, DGN, Prose Reading; Heather Johansen, DGN, Special Occasion Speaking.

Also: Nikki Kay, Andy Krupin, Colin Ludlow, Haley Palmer, Joe Pelliccioni, Katie Portman and Sam Staley, DGN, Performance in the Round.

Third Place: Julie Thorn, DGN, Dramatic Interpretation; Murtaza Kapasi and Nicole Smith, DGN, Humorous Duet Acting;  Devin Collett, DGN, Humorous Interpretation; Meredith Frank, DGN, Informative Speaking; Erin C. Walsh, DGS, Radio Speaking.

Fourth Place: Murtaza Kapasi and Sarah Batchu, DGN, Dramatic Duet Acting; Ed Roberge, DGS, Impromptu Speaking; Stephanie Flowers, DGS, Informative Speaking; Erin Portman, DGN, Oratorical Declamation; John Junk, DGS, Original Comedy; Meredith Frank, DGN, Radio Speaking.