Bigfork students win divisional speech championship

After a rough regular season Bigfork High School’s Speech and Drama teams showed what they’re made of at the Northern B divisional tournament in Shelby.

Speech competitors claimed the Divisional Championship with 52 points led by Stacey Poulson, who won the Serious Oral Interpretation category, as well as second-place finishes by Samantha Smit in impromptu, Shannon Frizzell in memorized public address and Sierra Curtiss in original oratory. 

Bigfork’s drama team placed third with 28 points, led by Kenzie Meyer, who placed third in humorous solo.

Coach Charlie Appleby won the Northern B Speech coach of the year. This was the second year Appleby has one the coach of the year award. He received the first one only a few years after he revived Bigfork’s speech and drama program.

Competitors who placed in the top six of their categories move on to the state competition in Ennis this weekend. Seventh and eighth place finishers will also go as alternates.

Other divisional top eight finishers in speech from Bigfork include Elizabeth Kalenak, fourth in humorous oral interpretation, Kimberlee McDonald, fifth in serious oral interpretations and Kaylynn Isamen in Expository.

Other divisional top eight finishers in drama from Bigfork are Mack Paine, sixth in humorous solo, Damon Maitland and Brett Bradstreet, fourth in Humorous duo, Rosalie Lander and Alex Moore, fifth in humorous duo, Melody McHaley, seventh in serious solo and Riley Hoveland, eighth in serious solo.