The Crescent High School Speech Squad earned multiple regional qualifications and top team honors at the Cherokee Speech Tournament on Feb. 21 in Cherokee.
Crescent took 14 students to the competition and produced several first-place finishes across individual and duet events.
In the preliminary division, Taylor Neugent placed second in Informative Speaking, while Alex Gibson won Monologue and Izzy Bagley took first in Prose. Codelia Wilmot captured first in Program of Oral Interpretation and finished second in Prose. Avaleigh Brown won both Dramatic Interpretation and Poetry, and Aiden Cain and Emily Bernardy earned first in Humorous Duet.
In the Champions division, Natalie Channel placed second in Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking. Lucas Yocham and Tyler Brodrick finished third in Humorous Duet. Bernardy added another win with first place in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, while Colton Walls placed third in the same event.
Zori Wilson led the Champions division with first place in both Program of Oral Interpretation and Poetry. Channel and McKayla Henning earned second in Dramatic Duet. Bernardy and Anna Mellies won Public Forum Debate, while McKayla Henning and Olivia Gibson placed third. Tyler Brodrick captured first in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
As a team, Crescent finished first in Class 3A competition and second overall in the Champions division.
The squad has one remaining regular-season tournament before advancing to regional competition.