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HARTINGTON – The Hartington- Newcastle High School speech team’s successful season is set to continue at the State meet.
Hartington-Newcastle, which has four first-place finishes as a team out of six competitions this year, sent 19 entries to finals at the District C2-3 speech meet it hosted – and won as a team – on March 11 and has a school-record 18 State-qualifying entries this season.
The top three finishers in each event qualified for the 2024 Nebraska School Activities Association State Speech Championships for Classes C1 and C2 on March 21 at Kearney High School.
Hartington-Newcastle senior Kennedy Gotch finished second in both Informa tive Speaking and Program of Oral Interpretation at this year’s District meet.
This will be Gotch’s third time competing at the State speech meet. Previously, she placed fourth in Informative Speaking her sophomore year in 2022 and third in Informative Speaking her junior year in 2023.
She also was the first-ever Class C2 State champion in Program of Oral Interpretation in 2023.
"Having gotten first in my (POI) event at State last year, there is definitely a cer tain amount of pressure going into it this year," Gotch said. "Despite the inevitable nervousness, I am very excited to see what this team is able to accomplish in Kearney."
Hartington-Newcastle senior Alexus Hans placed second in both Entertainment Speaking and Persuasive Speaking at this year’s District meet.
This is the second time she has qual- ified for the State contest. Last year, she competed in Entertainment Speaking and received fourth place at the State meet.
“Qualifying for the State meet is al- ways very exciting for me," Hans said. "It shows that the countless hours poured into the season have paid o and it is very rewarding."
Hartington-Newcastle senior Dayton Sudbeck placed first in both Duet Acting with fellow senior Mani Lange and Oral Interpretation of Drama with Lange, junior Cole Heimes, freshman Jason Heimes and sophomore Lainey Morten at this year’s District meet.
Sudbeck has qualified for the State contest all four years of high school and also has medaled the previous three years there.
“It is a very rewarding experience to qualify for the State meet," Sudbeck said.
“We have been working hard all year and we still have work to do before we go compete for a State title."
Hartington-Newcastle senior Emma Wubben placed first in Persuasive Speak ing at this year’s District meet.
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