Submitted
Students from South Oldham High School’s speech team placed fourth at the Kentucky High School Speech League (KHSSL) State Tournament, which was held from March 8-9 at Northern Kentucky University.
The fourth-place finish was a school record.
The team competed against 40 schools across the state.
Additionally, coach Chase McCoy was voted Kentucky Speech Coach of the Year by the coach collective after having won Louisville Region Coach of the Year award in February.
McCoy coaches the team along with co-coach Bryan Jackson.
The team sent a total of 42 entries, and 17 entries received awards. Eight students were named as state finalists. Junior Landon Flanagan was named state champion in two events, humorous interpretation and improvisational duo. Sophomore Aubrey Goins was also named state champion in improvisational duo.
Other South Oldham High state finalists are as follows:
- Senior Jax Rissler — state champion runner-up in dramatic interpretation
- Sophomore Caroline Beavers — state champion runner-up in prose
- Senior Ryan Stocker — third place state finalist in humorous interpretation
- Sophomore Sophie Flanagan — third place state finalist in prose
- Senior Cadence Gibson — sixth place state finalist in dramatic interpretation.
The following students were named state semifinalists in their events:
- Junior Brooke Gnadinger in poetry
- Junior Staja Semrau in duo interpretation
- Junior Landon Flanagan in duo interpretation
- Freshman Ben Osborne in dramatic interpretation
The following students were named state quarterfinalists in their events:
- Senior Meg Parrish in poetry
- Senior Ryan Stocker in improvisational duo
- Senior Elliott Vance in broadcasting
- Junior Staja Semrau in improvisational duo
- Sophomore Alrose Noronha in extemporaneous speaking and impromptu
- Sophomore Catherine Daisey in impromptu
- Sophomore Aubriana Goins in impromptu.
The team was slated to compete at the Kentucky National Speech and Debate Qualifying Tournament at Centre College last weekend.