Lemont Student Advances To IHSA Speech State Finals

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School’s Speech Team will have a representative in state finals competition for the seventh time in 10 seasons. Senior Grace Smiles posted a top three finish in her category at the IHSA Thornton Sectional on Feb. 10 to earn a berth to the 2018 IHSA Speech State Finals, which will be contested on Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Peoria Civic Center. Smiles will be making her IHSA State Finals debut.

The school said Smiles placed third in the Dramatic Interpretation category with her entry, “Choosing Hope.” In the Dramatic Interpretation category, students present literary material from a printed, published source. Smiles placed third in Dramatic Interpretation in regional competition as well.

The 2018 IHSA Speech State Finals will begin in the afternoon on Feb. 16 and conclude on Feb. 17. According to the school, the top three performers from each of 15 events at the six IHSA Sectionals advance to the IHSA State Finals. All competitors who tie for third place move on to the state finals as well, which gives some events more than 18 entrants.

According to the school, Lemont finished fifth at the IHSA Reavis Regional and advanced competitors to sectional competition in nine of 15 events. Senior Haley Ercoli earned the team’s lone event win at the regional in the Original Oratory category. Junior Madisyn Lambrakis advanced to the sectional in two categories after finishing fourth in Prose Reading and teaming with senior Alexa Tunzi for a fourth place finish in Dramatic Duet Acting.

The school said other sectional qualifiers included senior Emma Potts, who was the runner-up in Impromptu Speaking; senior Saher Rashid, who was third in Informative Speaking; junior Maria Purpura, who was fourth in Poetry Reading; juniors Peyton Jeffress and Richard Moravecek, who teamed for fourth in Humorous Interpretation; and Performance in the Round, which also placed fourth.

Head coach Phil Lazzari’s team won its ninth straight South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title this season, which included a conference runner-up effort from Smiles in Dramatic Interpretation.

Photo provided by Lemont High School.