Submitted Photo Members of the Rugby High Speech Team pose with medals and awards won at their first meet of the season, held at Rugby High School Jan. 21. From back left are Caitlyn Towe, Haylee Heilman, Kason Connot, Lauren Westphal, Heidi Voeller, Annie Risovi. From front left are Olivia Towe, Leah Goyne, Sierra Heilman and Ryli Kuhnhenn. Not pictured is Maddie Hurly.

The Rugby High School Speech Team wrapped up their first meet of the season Saturday, Jan. 21 with two state qualifiers.

The meet, held at Rugby High School, hosted eight other schools in addition to Rugby.

Coach Dana Thoreson said the team, consisting of students in grades 7-12, had been practicing since Dec. 1.

“There were only nine schools, so it’s a little bit small, but it’s pretty early in the season,” Thoreson said.

“We were actually the first meet for everyone to attend this season,” she added.

Ryli Kuhnhenn, a junior, was one of two state qualifiers for Rugby. Her informative speech took first place in that category and qualified for state.

Kuhnhenn also placed first in the dramatic interpretation category, but did not earn enough points to qualify for state with that entry. She placed second in serious prose and fourth in storytelling.

Rugby High senior Annie Risovi qualified for state with her speech in the poetry category. Risovi also placed third in impromptu speech.

Senior Caitlynn Towe placed first in the extemporaneous programmed reading (EPR) category, scoring just below the point total needed for a state qualifier. She placed third with her performance in the serious prose category.

Other winners for Rugby include Haylee Heilman, second place in extemporaneous speech and third place in the radio category; Kason Connot third in in EPR, second in humorous reading and fifth in serious prose; Sierra Heilman and Leah Goyne, third place for serious duo; Lauren Westphal, fifth place in informative speech: Goyne, seventh place for dramtic interpretation; Olivia Towe, humorous top novice and seventh place for storytelling; Heidi Voeller, seventh place for informative speech, and Maddie Hurly, fourth place for humorous speech and ninth place for speech to entertain.

Thoreson said those who qualify for state will bring their qualifying entries to the Region 4 meet April 15 before competing at state. Tournament rules allow each to bring two events to the competition.

All contestants will have chances to qualify for the state meet as they compete throughout the season.

“I’m excited,” Thoreson said of the team. “Our sophomores, juniors and seniors are quite strong, and then we’re excited to have a couple of new seventh graders and an eighth grader on the team.”

“They’re showing some great talent, which I think will be nice and polished come April for regionals,” she added.

The team will travel to Minot Feb. 4 for a meet to be held at Minot High School.

“It’s going to be a large meet,” Thoreson said. “There are probably going to be between 22 and 24 schools there potentially.”

“I’m hoping to get a couple more state qualifiers, and even that some of the younger ones can make it to finals,” she added.