The Luverne Cardinal speech team finished its regular season with its third first-place large team finish for the 2019 season in Pipestone March 23.
There were 205 competitors from 12 different schools.
The Cardinal team had 38 students compete Saturday.
Twenty-one speakers broke into finals and received the following placings:
•Creative expression: Meagan Hansen, sixth; Solveig Tofteland, blue ribbon.
•Discussion: Alexa Chesley, first; Melanie Rittenhouse, blue ribbon.
•Drama: Briana Jonas, fifth.
•Dramatic duo: Gretchen Jacobsma and Isabelle Hoiland, sixth; Emma Lusty and Cassi Chesley, red ribbon.
•Extemporanous reading: Nicole Hoogland, third; Courtney Wendland, sixth; Destiny Matthiesen, red ribbon.
•Extemporanous speaking: Chance Tunnissen, second; Parker Carbonneau, third; Shane Berning, fifth.
•Great speeches: Jordan Winter, fifth.
•Humor: Seno Chanthalangsy, first; Luke Thorson, fourth; Gunnar Oldre, sixth.
•Original oratory, Sophia Lanoue, fourth; Lindsey Roemeling, fifth.
•Poetry, Adriana Gonzalez, first; Sage Ver Steeg, third; Zoe Perkins, blue ribbon; Mia Wenzel, red ribbon.
•Prose: Sage Ver Steeg, second.
•Storytelling: Xavier Carbonneau, third; Jonah Louwagie, fourth; Julia Ferguson and Roselynn Hartshorn, blue ribbons.
Blue ribbons are awarded to seventh place finishes. Red ribbons are given for finishing eighth.
The Pipestone Invitational format is different from this year’s other tournaments.
There are three rounds of preliminary competition followed by a final round of the top six competitors.
“Everyone begins with a clean slate,” said coach Caroline Thorson. “This is different than most regular-season invitationals, where there is no final round.”
The format resembles sub-section, section and state competitions.
Thorson said the only other meet the Cardinals attend using the three-round preliminary format during regular season competition is at the Southwest Minnesota State University meet in Marshall.
However, the Luverne team was unable to attend the March 16 meet because of conflicts with other school activities.
“We were happy that Pipestone had to schedule their meet later in the season than normal so that we had this opportunity right before subsection competition on Tuesday (in Adrian),” Thorson said.
Before unloading the bus Saturday, Thorson said team members received a pep talk from team captains.
“We asked the students to have a moment of quiet and introspection so they could set some personal goals for themselves for the day,” she said.
“We suggested things like placing first in a round, placing higher than an opponent they’ve been up against throughout the year, or breaking into finals.”
Both Thorson and coach Gavin Folkestad were impressed with how the students did within their rounds.
“The respectable placings were shared by veteran and new members alike,” Thorson said. “It was a great day for our team as far as personal bests and solid performances.”
The Cardinal team competed in six tournaments this year, ending the season with four first- and one second-place trophies. The team didn’t compete in their own Cardinal Tournament.
“With the weather this year causing canceled meets and practices due to no school, students have been asked to work more at home,” Thorson added. “It definitely has been disruptive for practice, but most of the students have been handling it well.”
The Subsection 10 tournament is Tuesday in Adrian followed by the section tournament April 6 in Marshall.
The state meet is April 12 in Wayzata.