Decorah High School varsity speech students register a clean sweep at Northeast State Large Group Speech Contest

Every single one of the Decorah High School varsity speech entries at Saturday's Northeast State Large Group Speech Contest received a Division I rating--a clean sweep for the Vikings.

Approximately 170 Decorah High School students participated in 17 events at the speech contest.  The DHS varsity speech team received 17 Division I ratings.  DHS Varsity speech groups receiving Division I ratings were readers theatre, choral reading, one-act play, three group improvisations, one group mime, three musical theatres, three ensemble actings, two radio broadcastings, one short film and one television news broadcast.  The varsity students are coached by Thomas Houdek, Lisa Roberson, Molly Holkesvik and Janelle Keune.

The Decorah High School 9th grade team received two Division I ratings and four Division II ratings. The 9th grade speech students are coached by junior and senior speech students.

The Vikings now have 17 possible entries at the All-State Speech Festival on February 19th at the Iowa State Center in Ames. The groups that were selected by the judges as outstanding will perform February 19th.  Those results will be posted late Monday afternoon on the IHSSA website, www.ihssa.org.

Cast lists for the varsity groups receiving Division I ratings are:

Readers Theatre directed by Lisa Roberson "Lingoland" Eliza Betteridge, Erica Bjelland, Lindsey Bohr, Emma Breitenstein, Bethany Davidson, Carolina Diefelt-Streese, Pearl Faldet, Allison Fretheim, Jonathan Knudson, Aaron Kvale, Cody Michel, Katinka Ramburg, Rachel Rattenborg, Liz Shroyer, and Jonathon Winter

Choral Reading directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Randi-Kate Canoy "Our 2 Cents" Lucas Blekeberg, Grace dambke, Ethan Hougen, Gabriel Eide, Addie Hansen, Liz Hovden, Devon Hovey, Brittnay Hudson, Erin Jones, Tessa Kraus, Kendra Larsen, Bre Pierce, Paige Rustad, Andrew Storlie, and Colin Zidlicky

One-Act Play directed by Thomas Houdek assisted by Martin Stalberger "The Other Room" Gabriel Eide, Sarah Hammel, Marlon Henriquez, Gabriel Smith, Madi Johansen, John Werner, and James Ostlie

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Blaise Schaeffer, Casey Smith, Moran Lonning, Emma Blanchard, and Mitchell White

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Emily Wilson, Michael Eastwood, Erica Bjelland, Marlon Henriquez, and Scotty Hendricks

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Anna Madrigal, Kayla Ingvalson, Thomas Knobbe, McKinleigh McCabe, and Maggie Locke

Group Mime directed by Lisa Roberson "What Your Friends Don't Know" Chloe Meyer, Karah Shindelar, Katie Belay, Moran Lonning, and Taisha Thornton

Musical Theatre directed by Lisa Roberson and Thomas Houdek "Next to Normal" Gabriel Smith, Kasi Misseldine, Jonathan Knudson, Allison Kephart, Lindsey Bohr, and Thomas Locke

Musical Theatre directed by Lisa Roberson and Thomas Houdek "Beauty and the Beast" James Ostlie, Sarah Hammel, Sarah Brandt, Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig, Kayla Peterson, and Claire Breitenstein

Musical Theatre directed by Lisa Roberson and Thomas Houdek "How to Succeed in Musical Theater" Aaron Kvale, Allison Fretheim, Isabela Rosales, Michael Eastwood, Gavyn Samuelson, and Krista Fretheim

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "Women Must Weep" Rose Reed-Maxfield, Madi Johansen, Kasi Misseldine, Ida Rotto, Bethany Davidson, and Johanna Olson

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "American Women" Aubrey Ellickson, Maddie Grimm, Marea Holkesvik, Kiersten Jensen, Shana Kelly and Bretta Krieg

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "Romantic Fools" Mitch Burggraf, Jenna Hrdlicka, Liv Ulring, Morgan Weis, Bianca Wilbur, and Emily Wilson
 
Radio Broadcasting directed by Molly Holkesvik "KBTR" Emily Alcock, Erik Dale, Hans Holkesvik, Max Kemp, Kylie Kruse, Abby Meirick, and Nicole Poirier

Radio Broadcasting directed by Molly Holkesvik "KCDC" Hannah Bernatz, Dustin Miller, Haim Estrada, and Melinda Kirkeby

Solo Film directed by Molly Holkesvik "Silent Love" Jenna Bremer, Alex Carney, Connor Edrington, Haim Estrada, Tessa Flak, Max Kemp, Amber Kuennen, Montana McCabe, Cody Michel, Johanna Olson, Paul Sullivan, Shelby Verney, and John Werner

Television Newscasting directed by Molly Holkesvik "KOVE" Abby Meirick, Alex Carney, Alice Gullekson, Ashlie Pool, Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig, Bre Pierce, Briana Carolan, Claire Breitenstein, Eliza Betteridge, Emily Markee, Emma Blanchard, Emma Breiteinstein, Ethan Hougen, Hannah Bernatz, Hannah Leeper, Hans Holkesvik, Jackie Hoyme, Joy Drow, Julia Bishop, Kaite Ott, Kelsey Einck, Kilah Hemesath, Kirsten Arneson, Kylie Kozelka, Kylie Kruse, Laura Francois, Liz Hovden, Marea Holkesvik, Melinda Kirkeby, Montana McCabe, Katinka Ramburg, Paige Rustad, Sara Schloesser, Zach Schmelzer, Katrina Shindelar, Liz Shroyer, Paige Smutzler, Paul Sullivan, Kaitlyn Svestka, Sarah Tappe, Morgan Weis, Katie Whitehill, Kinsey Whitehill, Bianca Wilbur, and Kaitlyn Yahr

DHS 9th speech groups receiving Division I Ratings included one group improvisation and one ensemble acting. Cast lists for those groups are as follows:

Group Improvisation directed by Michael Eastwood, Marlon Henriquez, Emily Wilson, Casey Smith, and Zach Schmelzer: Dylan Henning, Hannah Hougen, Maria Mertzenich, Patrick Murphy, and McKenzie Schaeffer

Ensemble Acting directed by Bethany Davidson, Rose Reed-Maxfield, and Liv Ulring "Clue" Gabriela Diefelt-Streese, Dailen Folkedahl, Carli Galligan, Maleah Garwood, Ford Nesteby, and Nick Vane Krol

DHS 9th speech groups also competing included readers theatre, one group improvisation, and two musical theatres. Cast lists for those groups are as follows:

Readers Theatre directed by Erica Bjelland and Emma Breitenstein "Law and Order: Fairytale Unit" Gabriela Diefelt-Streese, Dailen Folkedahl, Connor Gossman, Rita Marie Guzman, Anna Hovden, Maria Hoyme, Natalie King, Crystal Mensen, Kelly Minear, McKenzie Schaeffer, Alison Schwartzhoff, Lindsay Smith, Andy Strand, and Lindsay Vande Lune

Group Improvisation directed by Michael Eastwood, Marlon Henriquez, Emily Wilson, Casey Smith, and Zach Schmelzer: Rebecca Alcock, Alexis Hove, Sam Iverson, Cole Svestka, and Steffenee Voight

Musical Theatre directed by Gabriel Smith, Sarah Hammel, and Colin Zidlikcy "Aladdin" Alexis Hove, Rita Marie Guzman, Maria Mertzenich, Brad Suhr, and Sam Iverson

Musical Theatre directed by Allison Kephart, Lindsey Bohr, and Allison Fretheim "Peter Pan" Carli Galligan, Connor Gossman, Patrick Murphy, Alison Schwartzhoff, Corrina Voight, and Nick Vande Krol.