State Tournament Preview

Post date: Apr 13, 2016 4:17:37 PM

For the seventh consecutive year, Moorhead will send at least 20 speakers to the MSHSL State Tournament. The Spuds--who qualified 19 entries, including two duos--will look to increase their overall team medal count, which rose to 154 after earning a team record 19 in 2015.

The 19 medals won is the second-most by any AA team in MSHSL history and is one shy of the all time state record. Two of those medals went to state champions Laurel Mikkelson (Drama) and Lizzy Kasper (Informative).

This season, ten speakers return to Lakeville North High School in search of their first state championship. Seniors Delana Haglund (Prose) and Quinn Kupec (Extemp. Speaking) as well as junior Devon Solwold (Duo) are all advancing to their third state tournament. For Haglund and Kupec, this is their third trip to state in Prose and Extemp. Speaking, respectively. Solwold went to state with duo partner Carter Martinson in 2014, then returned to state last year in Prose, where he took 5th place. All three are looking to earn their second state medal.

They also become the 29th, 30th and 31st speakers to earn the Triple-Star Award, given to students who reach the state tournament three times in their career.

Punching tickets to state for the second time in their speech career include seniors Sean Dahlberg (Duo), Levi Seidel (Drama), and Jack Mullally (Oratory); juniors Jessica Anderson (Prose), Camryn Hodny (Oratory) and McKensie Bedore (Storytelling); and sophomore Izzy Larson (Duo).

First time entrants include: senior Mason Pickar (Poetry); juniors Lauren Cartwright (Creative Ex.), Hannah Hendrickson (Discussion), Abby Dahlberg (Duo), Maryn Cella (Great Speeches), Skyler Klostriech (Humor), Alex Church (Humor), Sarah Schulz (Inform); sophomore Bridget McManamon (Creative Ex.); and freshman Anna Larson (Inform) and Alyssa Haagenson (Storytelling).

Moorhead enters the state tournament with 19 entries, tied with Eagan and Apple Valley for second-most among all AA schools. Host school Lakeville North leads Class AA with 23 total entries. For the first time in MSHSL State Tournament history, team sweepstakes awards will be given to the top three schools. Team points are determined based on final round results, with a state champion earning his or her team eight points, second place earning seven, and so on through eighth place, which earns one team point.

Had the award existed in 2015, Moorhead would have taken first place.

The Class AA MSHSL State Tournament begins this Saturday with the first round commencing at 10:15 a.m. More information, including round-by-round rosters, room assignments and judging panels, can be found here.

The full MSHSL press release can be found here.