TEAM DOMINANCE--Two schools shine out more than any other in Nebraska speech...
Lincoln East--22 State team championships in class "A"
Raymond Central--15 State team championships in "B"/"C-1"
TRIPLE TRIO—Theola Peck of Beemer had three student performers win Best Actor/Actress honors at state one acts, then go on to win two state titles at the following state speech meet—Ted Peck, 1990; Jon Martin and Kris Bradfield, 1994
TOUGHEST ROUND, EVER?--The Serious Prose final at the 1999 Cedar Catholic Invitational featured THREE eventual state SP champs, and FOUR overall, all placing in the top four--
1st--Ben Gothier, Hartington (C-2 champ, '99)
2nd—Leann Martischang, Battle Creek (C-1 champ, '99)
3rd—Jamie Kathol, Cedar Catholic (C-1 poetry champ, ‘98)
4th--Layne Manzer, Pierce (B champ, '99)
TRIPLE GOLDEN---The following performers have won 3 individual state speech/acting titles (as much as I know...and this does NOT include group events)
--Nikki Meadows (Omaha Marian) Poetry, "A"
--Tim Fitzgibbons (Mt. Michael) Extemp, "C"
--Cam Jones (Rushville), Extemp, "C"
--Claire Rasmussen (Wayne) Extemp/Persuasion, “B”
--Nick Bradley (Randolph) Best Actor, “C-2” State One-Acts
--Danielle O'Farrell (Papillion-LaVista), Serious Prose/Poetry, "A"
--Brandi Stanek (Bancroft-Rosalie), Serious Prose/Persuasion, "D-1"/"C-2"
FO' FO' FO'(with apologies to Moses Malone)--- Quincey Krull of Minden was "B" Poetry champ in 2004, and ran the table in 2005--"B" Best Actress, and "C-1" Poetry and Serious Prose champion for FOUR gold medals earned
GREATEST SPEAKER,EVER?--Cam Jones won three state extemp titles for Rushville, then attended Cornell University, where he won three national extemp titles and won the National Forensic Association's Pentathlon title as a senior (college speech's Heisman Trophy)
THE GREATEST VICTORY--Shelly Pfeiffer of Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped won the "B" state Poetry title in 1976
KNOWING HOW TO COACH 'EM--Raymond Central speakers won five straight "B" Humorous Prose state titles
GOTTA BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER--The Humboldt speech team won their district speech title from 1979-2001, a total of 22 consecutive championships. Their coaches included Mildred Bauers, Inez Brettmann, Mr. Grinwalds, and Karon Estes (now the current coach of Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer)
ALL IN THE FAMILY Pt. I--Two brothers and one sister claimed state titles for Hartington Cedar Catholic--Delon Kathol (1995 "C" OID); Jamie Kathol (1998 "C-1" Poetry) and Alissa Kathol (2004 "C-1" Duet)
ALL IN THE FAMILY Pt. II-- The Oakland-Craig brother/sister combo of Josh Wallerstedt and Kelsey Wallerstedt took "C-1" gold in Duet Acting as well as in the school's OID team in 2003
Any others? Corrections? Suggestions? Gripes? Someone I forgot? Pass 'em along!
Send suggestions/corrections to "Mr. Happy Speech Guy"