Speech team takes first place

California Speech Team students pose with their medals and first place trophy, front row, left to right,Maria Banda, Caitlin Dummermuth, Dakota Harris, Ashley Davis, Courtney Kilmer; middle row, Regan Downing, Lacy McKenzie, Jasmine Wells; back row, Abi Fast, Chelsea Kilmer, Ashley Douglas, Alex Davis, Byron Moseley, Haley McMillian and Alden Millering.
California Speech Team students pose with their medals and first place trophy, front row, left to right,Maria Banda, Caitlin Dummermuth, Dakota Harris, Ashley Davis, Courtney Kilmer; middle row, Regan Downing, Lacy McKenzie, Jasmine Wells; back row, Abi Fast, Chelsea Kilmer, Ashley Douglas, Alex Davis, Byron Moseley, Haley McMillian and Alden Millering.

California High School's Speech Team brought home first place from the Sacred Heart Invitational Speech Tournament Saturday in Sedalia.

The team earned 117 points in the Sweepstakes category, with the next of 13 schools earning only 56 points.

Maria Banda took first place in poetry and Dakota Harris in humorous interpretation.

Banda also received second place for dramatic interpretation, along with Alex Davis in radio and storytelling, and the team of Davis and Harris in duet improvisation.

Third place winners were Courtney Kilmer in original works and Chelsea Kilmer in radio.

Jasmine Wells and Courtney Kilmer took fourth place in storytelling and extemporaneous speaking, respectively.

Caitlin Dummermuth earned fifth place in original works, as did Ashley Douglas in prose, and Haley McMillian in extemporaneous speaking.

Abi Fast received sixth place in original oratory.

Seventh place winners include the team of Ani Fast and Chelsea Kilmer in duet acting, Courtney Kilmer in original oratory, and Ashley Douglas in poetry.

And Regan Downing took eighth in original oratory.

"This was the first time we had a finalist in every single category we entered," said Coach Tiffany Brown.