~ PVN staff report
MADISON, Feb. 11 — The Luray High School Forensics/Speech team captured its fifth-consecutive Region B title at Madison County High School on Feb. 11. The 2023 VHSL Region 2B champions are now preparing to host and compete in next weekend’s Super Regional on Saturday, March 4 at LHS. Qualifiers from this weekend’s tournament will advance to state.
Students selected interpretive pieces and began composing speeches in October. The group practiced two days per week after school as a team, according to Coach Gwen Burley, and students also spent time at home memorizing lines and perfecting their selections for a variety of tournaments throughout the year.
To become a Sweepstakes Champion at tournaments, each team compiles points based on the placements of individual team members. The Bulldogs’ forensic team is composed of students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades. The Bulldogs compete in the Shenandoah Valley Forensics League during the months of October, November, December and January.
First place finishers at the Region B tournament on Feb. 11 include senior Mariah Moore (Impromptu Speaking), senior Marlowe Ryan (Poetry Interpretation), junior Sophia Williams (Storytelling) and junior Syd Drain (Prose Interpretation).
Second place finishers included senior Jack Martin (Impromptu Speaking), sophomore Ben Caudill (Extemporaneous Speaking), sophomore Lillian Jenkins (Original Oratory), sophomore Laurel Webb (Dramatic Interpretation), and sophomores Evie King and Virginia Grieb (Humorous Duo Interpretation).
Third place finishers included sophomore Victoria Shoop (Prose Interpretation).
Every student on this year’s Bulldog speech team earned a spot to compete in the Virginia High School League’s Super Region Tournament being hosted by Luray High School on Saturday, March 4. (The Super Region was rescheduled from Feb. 25 due to impending weather forecasts.)
The team is still in need of community volunteers to serve as judges for this weekend’s event. Reach out to the LHS Forensics Coaches, Gwen Burley and Anthony Hammer if you are interested in this opportunity to help out the students.
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