Northfield Raider Speech Team Celebrates Season as Three Head to State Tourney

Speeches usually follow award presentations.  The Raider Speech team reversed that order Tuesday night.

Disbursed among five high school classrooms, the “Speechies” exhibited their talents before admiring audiences of family and friends.  After the performances, everyone gathered in the cafeteria for cake and awards.

Forty-three members strong, the speech team had much to celebrate.

Three members qualified for the state tournament, which is Saturday at Chanhassen High School. Peter Duba represents Northfield in the prose category, Brandon Miller competes in humorous and Keegan Ryan competes in discussion.

Nine team members earned section finalist honors last week in a meet hosted by Northfield High School: the three state-bound students, plus Jasmine Barksdale, drama; Kirstin Buck, storytelling; Johanna Drentlaw, humorous; Rachel Hughitt, poetry; Elisha McLaughlin, prose; and Chen Ye, discussion.

The team also took home six invitational trophies during the season.

Head Coach Jody Saxton West thanked parents Tuesday for their support, noting that speech has a particularly long season, spanning about six months from the time students audition for their categories until the state tournament.

“I can tell you, speech changes lives, and I appreciate that you support them,” told the crowd.

Saxton West praised the team’s co-captains, Marti Dompierre and Anastasia Campion, for their dedication to helping other team members succeed.

“Marti and Anastasia are two ladies that care more about their team than they care about themselves,” she said.

When Saxton West took the head coaching job 10 years ago, the team had six students. It’s grown to more than 40 students.

The coaching staff also has grown. Saxton West was assisted this year by Austin Bly, Elisabeth Granquist, Laura Kauffman, Jaclyn McKay and Paula Skaggs.

Saxton West said the growth in the program wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of the school district. It also has much to do with the team’s philosophy: everyone who tries out makes the team. Not all students get their top choice among the 13 different speech categories, but they all get the chance to compete.

Co-captain Dompierre will attend the College of St. Scholastica next fall, where she plans to use her speech skills as a pre-med major. She participated in speech all four years of high school, in the extemporaneous reading category.

When asked after the ceremony if she had a favorite memory, she couldn't settle on one.

“Everything. Probably the people. I can’t pick one thing," she said. "We had fun, and people were improving throughout the year. As a captain, that’s all I ask for."