Century takes WDA Speech Meet crown

MANDAN – Bismarck Century won or tied for the top spot in six categories en route to the team title at the WDA Speech Meet on April 5 in Mandan. The Patriots also had students place in six other categories. The team was particularly strong in serious interpretation where it won the category and had three other pairs place. Four also placed in poetry reading and three in extemporanous speaking. Century Advisor Morgan Brink was proud of her students efforts. “They come in every day with a great attitude and wanting to work, and it shows,’’ she says. “Can’t be more proud of them.”
Bismarck St. Mary’s was runner-up while host Mandan was third. Five schools had at least one individual winner. Ten WDA schools participated in the competition. The state competition is April 12 in Jamestown. Mandan coaches Loran Nieuwsma and Annette Bender were WDA coaches of the year.

WDA Speech Meet
Team totals
1. Bismarck Century; 2. Bismarck St. Mary’s; 3. Mandan; 4. Jamestown; 5. Watford City; 6. Dickinson; 7. Minot High; 8. Bismarck High
Category Place winners
Serious Intepretation
T1. Grace Goettle, St. Mary’s; T1. Oliva Lauf, Dickinson; 3. Danielle Nusz, Watford City; T4. Xylia Michels, Minot; T4. Noah Schroeder, St. Mary’s; 6. Ella Withers, Minot; 7. Carmen Pineda, Watford City; 8. Jasmine Shi, Century (Top 6 were state qualifiers)
Humorous Interpretation
1. Danielle Schill, Century; 2. Laney Tolman, Dickinson; T3. Ella Patera, Mandan; T3. Rita Goettle, St. Mary’s; T3. Aiden Lorenz, Jamestown; 6. Kyra Delgado, Watford City; 7. Lydisa Hintz, Mandan; 8. Ian Schemel, Mandan (Top 6 state qualifiers)
Poetry Reading
1. Olivia Lauf, Dickinson; 2. Katie Ragan, Century; 3. Sara Anderson, Century; 4. Capin Wardner, Century; 5. Ella Patera, Mandan; 6. Ella Withers, Minot; 7. Hatley Hetletved, Century; T8. Lydia Hintz, Mandan; T8. Emma Hoke, Jamestown (All were state qualifiers)
Dramatic Interpretation
T1. Haley Mezger, Century; T1. Violet Pineda, Watford City; T1. Katherine Devney, St. Mary’s; T1. Grace Goettle, St. Mary’s; 5. Emily Walker, Watford City; 6. Isabella Peatross, Minot; 7. Kiara Irizarry, Mandan; T8. Kenji Son, Watford City; T8. Ava Sjol, St. Mary’s (Top 5 were state qualifiers)
Serious Duo
1. August Phillips-Haley Mezger, Century; 2. Franklin Guevara-Kiara Irizarry, Mandan; 3. Zander Wilmes-Jasmine Shi, Century; 4. Emily Anderson-Sara Anderson, Century; 5. Sophia Bilowith-Matthew Motschenbacher, Jamestown; 6. Annika Gaebe-Katie Ragan, Century; 7. Emily Walker-Tricia Schmitz, Watford City; 8. Ian Butman-Owen Brocket, Mandan (Top 4 were state qualifiers)
Humorous Duo
1. Ian Schemel-Chance Leingang, Mandan; 2. Emilee Lennie-Payton Himmelspach, Mandan; 3. Ian Combs-Emily Anderson, Century; 4. Abby Ryberg-Alyssa Holen, Watford City; 5. Zander Wilmes-Capin Wardner, Century; 6. Andrew Gardner-Braden Roehl, St. Mary’s; 7. Sophia Link-Marianne Plante; 8. Parker Wallace-Matthew Kraehenbuehl, Jamestown (Top six were state qualifiers)
Extemporaneous Programmed Reading (EPR)
T1. Laney Tolman, Dickinson; T1. Madison Hayden, Dickinson; 3. Kenji Son, Watford City; 4. Tricia Schmitz, Watford City; 5. Emilee Dasovick, St. Mary’s; 6. Abigail Speer, Minot; 7. Katherine Devney, St. Mary’s; 8. Noah Voigt, St. Mary’s (Top five were state qualifiers)
Storytelling
1. Aiden Lorenz, Jamestown; 2. Danielle Nusz, Watford City; T3. Isabella Peatross, Minot; T3. Rita Goettle, St. Mary’s; 5 Corbin Weightman, St. Mary’s; 6.DeLainis Kroh, Mandan; 7. Hannah Holloway, St. Mary’s; 8. Abigail Hoffer, Minot (All were state qualifiers)
Extemporaneous Speaking
1. Moorea Knapp, Century; 2. Luke Naslund, Bismarck High; 3. Carson Muggli, Jamestown; 4. Elsie Thompson, Century; 5. Alexandra Krebs, St. Mary’s; 6. Kal Kroh, Mandan; 7. Olivia Hessinger, St. Mary’s; 8. Conner Wangler, Century (Top 5 were state qualifiers)
Speech to Entertain
1. Emma Hoke, Jamestown; 2. Kallyn Shirley, Century; 3. Joseph Fergel, St. Mary’s; T4. Payton Himmelspach, Mandan; T4. Corbin Weightman, St. Mary’s; 6. Jackson Faris, Mandan; 7. Joseph Churchill, St. Mary’s; 8. Leah Dokken, Minot (Top 4 were state qualifiers)
Impromptu Speaking
1. Matthew Motschenbacher, Jamestown; 2. Luke Naslund, Bismarck High; 3. Joseph Churchill, St. Mary’s; 4. Carson Muggli, Jamestown; 5. Sophia Bilowith, Jamestown; 6. Avery Hoyt, Century; 7. Sophia Link, St. Mary’s; 8. Danielle Schill, Century (All were state qualifiers)
Speech to Inform
1. Chloe Smith, Jamestown; T2. Megan LaFleur, Mandan; T2. Emilie Hessinger, St. Mary’s; 4. Ramona Heick, St. Mary’s; 5. Evelyn Krebs, St. Mary’s; T6. Bryce Schafer, Mandan; T6. Moorea Knapp, Century; 8. Ansley Godboldt, Jamestown (Top 5 were state qualifiers)
Speech to Persuade
1. August Phillips, Century; 2. Noelle Luger, Century; 3. Megan LaFleur, Mandan; 4. Abigail Speer, Minot; 5. Kal Kroh, Mandan; 6. Elizabeth Parks, Minot; 7. Alexandra Krebs, St. Mary’s; 8. Elizabeth Heinert, St. Mary’s (Top 6 were state qualifiers)
Radio Broadcasting
1. Noelle Luger, Century; 2. Leah Dokken, Minot; 3. Avery Hoyt, Century; 4. Leah Krebs, St. Mary’s; 5. Bryce Schafer, Mandan; 6. Aubrey Kral, St. Mary’s; 7. Briley Delgado, Watford City; T8. Braden Roehrl, St. Mary’s; T8. Ansley Godboldt, Jamestown (Top 5 were state qualifiers)

Notes: Ten schools had students participating (Bismarck High, Bismarck Century, Bismarck Legacy, Bismarck St. Mary’s, Dickinson, Jamestown, Mandan, Minot, Watford City, Williston)...Mandan coaches Loren Nieuwsma and Annette Bender were WDA coaches of the year.