Decorah HS speech groups do extremely well at State

Approximately 160 Decorah High School students participated in the Northeast Iowa State Large Group Speech Contest at Waterloo West High School on Saturday.  They represented 26 entries in the contest.

Of the 26 entries the Vikings took to state contest, 24 came home with a top Division I Rating.

The DHS Varsity team received nineteen overall Division I Ratings, and the DHS 9th team received five Division I Ratings. DHS Varsity speech groups receiving Division I Ratings included one-act play, readers theater, choral reading, two ensemble actings, three musical theaters, one group improvisation, two group mimes, two solo mimes, two radio broadcastings, two short films, and two television news.

The groups selected by the judges as among the top entries in Iowa will perform at the All-State Speech Festival on February 20th at the Iowa State Center in Ames. Those results will be posted on the IHSSA website found at www.ihssa.org late Monday afternoon.

DHS speech students are coached by Thomas Houdek, Molly Holkesvik, Gabe Twedt, Kristen Underwood, and Sarah Zbornik as well as volunteer coaches Connor Freeman, Parker Fretheim, and Steven Holkesvik.

Cast lists for the speech entries earning Division 1 ratings are:

One-Act Play directed by Thomas Houdek and Kristen Underwood: "Almost, Maine" Nick Bockman, Linnea Carlson, Naomi Davidson, Jenna Galligan, Loden Henning, Adam Hovden, Jonah Johnson, Ben Lechensky, Jake Muhlbauer, Lane Rahlf, Lowden Rockweiler, Brent Schaeffer, Paul Strand

Readers Theater directed by Gabe Twedt and Kristen Underwood: "David Copperfield" Sylvia Betteridge, Dalton Brown, Isabel de la Cruz, Chloe Gossling, Ashley Gulrud, Carston Krieg, Makinzie Monroe, Trevor Phillips, Rylea Ranum, Maggie Schwarz, Shai Shay, Richard Weis, Miles Wilkie

Choral Reading directed by Molly Holkesvik and Thomas Houdek: "The Yellow Boat" Michael Cook, Autumn DeLong, Ross Gentry, Ali Graves, Parker Grinna, Maggy Hovden, Annika Krieg, Adam Krieger, Kally Peterson, Elise Poindexter, Lane Rahlf, Kalle Solberg, Anna Spencer, Paul Strand, Katelyn Yee

Ensemble Acting directed by Kristen Underwood: "100 Saints You Should Know" Garret Baumler, Kyna Henson, Makinzie Monroe, Meretta Peterson, Ian Smith

Ensemble Acting directed by Kristen Underwood: "The Importance of Being Earnest" Laurel Fadness, Ross Gentry, Helen Johnson, Kalle Solberg, Drew Sullivan, Miles Wilkie

Musical Theater directed by Sarah Zbornik: "How to Succeed in Musical Theater Without Any Boys" Maggie Breitenstein, Linnea Carlson, Laurel Fadness, Helen Johnson, Rylea Ranum, Katelyn Yee

Musical Theater directed by Sarah Zbornik: "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" Autumn DeLong, Indigo Fish, Loden Henning, Annika Krieg, Trevor Phillips, Abby Trewin

Musical Theater directed by Sarah Zbornik: "Chicago" Garret Baumler, Naomi Davidson, Kyna Henson, Madelyn Jermier, Ben Lechensky, Maggie Schwarz

Group Improvisation directed by Kristen Underwood: Brianna Doyle, Indigo Fish, Devin Brevig, Josh Nierengarten, Andrew Kephart

Group Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik and Sarah Zbornik: "Choices: Death of Innocent" Camille Dahlquist, Max Sparrow, Morgan Minear, Sonja Sacquitne, Marissa Weis, Josephine Berlage

Group Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik and Sarah Zbornik: "The Ring" Emily Holthaus, Abby Hudson, Isabel Iverson, McKinley Lillegraven, Kayla Quandahl, Garret Hemesath

Solo Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik and Sarah Zbornik: "True Beauty" Abby Trewin

Solo Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik and Sarah Zbornik: "Witch is Innocent?" Emily Womeldorf

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt: "KLAM" Brianna Doyle, Dawson Holkesvik, Maria Lea, Mara Schnuelle, Klara Thompson, Emily Womeldorf

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt assisted by Ayden Gossman: "KILT" Nate Darling, Emily Franzen, Anna Hanson, Nate Larson, Jarod Phillips, Luke Stock, Richard Weis, Carina Yee

Short Film directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Jonah Pankow: "Just Look" Logan Brauer, Augusta Casterton, Vita Domnenko, Avery Dugger, Erick Fadness, Jenna Galligan, Dawson Holkesvik, Adam Hovden, Laiton Ihde, Rylee Monteith, Alex Nesset, Jarod Phillips, Kaitlyn Rooney, Sam Sacquitne, Brynne Valkosky

Short Film directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Jonah Pankow: "Everlasting" Brenna Betts, Sydney Byrnes, Claudia Cowie, Ashley Darling, Zach DeVore, Ben Dugger, Ashlynn Franzen, Logan Hauber, Hannah Klotzbach, Andrew Larson, Maria Maguina, Tim Meyer, Drew Sullivan, Rachelle Sullivan

Television News directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Jonah Pankow: "KMDY" Maggie Breitenstein, Devin Brevig, Michael DeVore, Chance Elton, Kaylee Fjelstul, Parker Grinna, Garret Hemesath, Kara Hooper, Bryce Hosting, Andrew Larson, Dallas Matt, Madison McCabe, Josh Nierengarten, Max Sparrow

Television News directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Jonah Pankow: "KANE" Josephine Berlage, Anna Bruneau, Marissa Foels, Maria Lea, Lexie Leuenberger, Janaye Lundtvedt, Shania Kelly, Morgan Minear, Jeny Na, Kasey Thompson, Abigail Toussaint, Jada Vanden Brink, Everett Wegge, Dan Willie, Carina Yee

DHS 9th speech groups receiving Division I Ratings included readers theatre, one group improvisation, two radio broadcasting, and short film. Cast lists for those groups are as follows:

Readers Theater directed by Thomas Houdek and Gabe Twedt: "Action News: Now With 10% More Action" Isaac Fish, Emma Fretheim, Rose Gullekson, Gus Hayes, Evie Holyoake, Jordyn Hussain, Celia Lesmeister, Sarah Mumford, Jenna Raddatz, Lauren Raddatz, Megan Robinson, Emma Rooney

Group Improvisation directed by Kristen Underwood: Luke Dieschbourg, Andy Murphy, Elise Miller, Allison Groux

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt: "KOOK" Owen Burgdorf-Hibbs, Matthew Chen, Cameron DeLong, Erin Dintamin, Isaac Fish, Sarah Gehling, Evie Holyoake, Billy Lange

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt: "KISS" Hayden Carlson, Mara Frieden, Rose Gullekson, Celia Lesmeister, Maillie McCabe, Abby Pedlar, Emma Rooney, Natalie Tapscott

Short Film directed by Connor Freeman, Parker Fretheim, and Steven Holkesvik: "doodles" Nathaniel Cowie, Luke Dieschbourg, Allison Groux, Mya Herrmann, Sydney Landstrom, Andy Murphy, Jenna Raddatz, Lauren Raddatz, Grace Syverson, Lisa Zheng

Cast lists for other DHS speech groups that also competed at the state contest are as follows:

Ensemble Acting directed by Kristen Underwood: "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" Anne Gullekson, Maggy Hovden, Kally Peterson, Sonja Sacquitne, Kayla Walter, Shai Shay

Group Improvisation directed by Kristen Underwood: Sawyer Vanden Brink, Samuel Wilson, Matthew Chen, Sarina Guzman