Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The Salem Forensics team competed Saturday in the Region 4D tournament and won 52-23 over second place EC Glass High School. This is the 21st consecutive year the team has won the first level of the postseason.
Salem was led by six Regional individual event champions, including placing first and second in five events. Lebron Parsell, Connor Smythers and Colton Easter and Claire Rawlins all achieved the rare feat of earning straight first place rankings from all six judges, according to the school. Salem advanced 15 of 17 entries to the Super Region (state semifinals), with two potential alternates, which will be held March 2 at EC Glass.
“I’m really enthusiastic about this team! My captains, Kyra Netting and Kade Lakin, have really helped create a team-first orientated and collaborative atmosphere that’s led to a ton of growth this year. We needed that. We only return four team members who won medals (top 3) at the state tournament last year. We need younger and new students to step up and become the new stars of the team. We need students with 1-2 years experience to consistently place at the top of their events. They are doing that and the Region meet was a great example and our first step toward being competitive at states. I’m excited to see the season play out,” Mark Ingerson, coach, said.
Leading Salem:
Champions— Kade Lakin (12th) and Bella Poarch (10th), Serious Duo
Champion— Lebron Parsell (12th), Extemporaneous Speaking
Champions— Connor Smythers (11th) and Colton Easter (11th), Humorous Duo
Champion— Claire Rawlins (11th), Impromptu Speaking
Champion— Charlie Bain (11th), Humorous Interpretation
Champion— Noah Lovern (11th), Storytelling
2nd place— Kyra Netting (12th), Poetry
2nd place— Zane Easter (12th), Impromptu Speaking
2nd place— Rebekah Steinweg (11th), Extemporaneous Speaking
2nd place— Hall Blackwood (11th), Storytelling
2nd place— Lacey Stratton (10th) Humorous Interpretation
2nd place— Parneet Gill (10th), Original Oratory
2nd place— Ava Milton (8th) and Rosalie Botos (8th), Humorous Duo
3rd place— Kaylee Sutphin (9th), Serious Dramatic
3rd place— Tara Farrokpoor (8th), Prose
1st Alternate—Lilly Smith (9th), Prose
1st Alternate— Zippy Elliot (8th) and Aly Ory (8th), Serious Duo
Those interested in seeing the team perform in person, state qualifiers will perform on “Forensics Night” on March 21 in the Salem High School Auditorium starting at 6 p.m.