State Tournament Preview
Post date: Apr 17, 2017 7:12:05 PM
For the eighth consecutive year, Moorhead will send at least 20 speakers to the MSHSL State Tournament. The Spuds--who matched their record-setting total of 26 entries set in 2015--will look to leapfrog Forest Lake for the third most medals earned at the State Tournament. Moorhead currently has 169 total medals, 15 shy of third place.
Last year, 15 Spuds brought home medals after advancing to finals, including gold for duo Izzy Larson and Devon Solwold. The pair return looking to defend their title this season and secure a first place duo for Moorhead for the third time over the last four years.
This season, eleven speakers return to state in search of another medal. Seniors Jessica Anderson, McKensie Bedore, and Devon Solwold, and junior Izzy Larson are all looking for their third medal: Anderson took 8th in Drama in 2015 and 2nd in Prose in 2016; in Storytelling, Bedore took 5th in 2015 and 3rd in 2016; Solwold took 5th in Prose in 2015 before winning gold in 2016 in duo; Larson took 4th in Poetry in 2015 before winning gold in 2016 in duo.
Seven others are hoping to make return appearances to finals: Seniors Hannah Hendrickson (6th, Discussion), Maryn Cella (2nd, Great Speeches), Alex Church (8th, Humor), Skyler Klostriech (4th, Humor), Camryn Hodny (6th, Oratory), Abby Dahlberg (6th, Duo), Sarah Schulz (4th, Informative). Hendrickson, Cella, Dahlberg, and Schulz all return in the same category while Church (Creative), Klostriech (Duo), and Hodny (Poetry) head to state in different categories.
Senior Lauren Cartwright (Creative) and junior Bridget McManamon (Ex. Speaking) are also returning to state for the second consecutive season.
Meanwhile, 15 Spuds round out the roster and will make their first State Tournament appearance on Friday. They include Evyn Judisch (Creative), Luke Seidel (Drama), Kenan Stoltenow (Drama), Sophia Klindt (Humor), Ariana Grollman (Humor), Katherine Leiseth (Ex. Reading), Megan Duchene (Ex. Reading), Carolyn Solberg (Great Speeches), Lance Morlock (Informative), Jennie Hastings (Poetry), Noel Kangas (Prose), Dylan Stage (Prose), Kaden Moszer (Prose), Hannah Maki (Storytelling), and Regan Hart (Storytelling).
Moorhead enters the tournament with 26 entries, tied with Lakeville North for the most among all participating schools. Host Apple Valley will send 19 entries and last year's co-champions, Eagan, advances 20 speakers.
The Spuds and Lakeville North are also the only schools to be represented in all 13 categories. Moorhead will look to add to its 16 gold medals and are in search of their first championship in Discussion, Ex. Reading, Ex. Speaking, Great Speeches and Storytelling. Moorhead has won five gold medals in Duo, two each in Drama, Humor, Inform, and Poetry, and one in Creative, Oratory, and Prose. The longest gold medal drought is in Oratory, with the first and only first place finish coming in 1982.
The Class AA MSHSL State Tournament begins this Friday 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. All final round postings will be posted on Twitter beginning around 2:45 p.m. with finals starting at 3:30 p.m. The Awards ceremony is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be live-streamed on our Twitter feed, @SpudSpeech.
