Prospect beats Wheaton Warrenville South to win state speech championship

Prospect High School surprised the speech community by winning the state championship at the Illinois High School Association finals. The Knights edged second-place Wheaton Warrenville South High School, a perennial state finalist and 2014 state champion, in the event last weekend in Peoria.

"This has never happened before at Prospect," said Scott McDermott, an associate principal and assistant speech coach at the Mount Prospect high school. "Pretty amazing stuff."

The school claimed its first state championship - after tying for 11th place last year - after five of its varsity members combined to claim four individual state championships: Molly McDermott and Ben Marshall took first in humorous duet acting, Andrew Pittman took first in humorous interpretation, Jimmy McDermott took first in original oratory and Kit Fitzgerald took first in prose reading.

"These kids work every day after school in obscurity," McDermott added, "often for one-two hours analyzing and refining their speeches as well as working with their peers.

"Each one of our kids truly believe that they have the ability to change the way people think and act with the power of their words," he added. "It's pretty awe-inspiring."

The top 50 teams out of 206 in the state competed at the state finals after earning their berth at a series of statewide sectionals.

State champions were crowned in 14 events, with the overall team champion determined by points earned in each individual event.

Other suburban schools in top 10 included Wheaton North in third, Neuqua Valley in fifth, Downers Grove South in sixth and last year's champion, Hinsdale Central, in seventh.

Individual suburban medalists included:

• Maddie Corgiat of Wheaton Warrenville South earned her second state title in original comedy, followed by Zach Honer of Neuqua Valley in second and Andrew Pittman of Prospect in third.

• Maddie Corgiat also claimed the championship in dramatic interpretation, followed by Palak Patel of Huntley High School in second, and Jack Cahill-Lemme of Maine South in Park Ridge in third.

• Megan Manoj of Elk Grove High School won the state championship in oratorical declamation.

• Presleigh Renner of Hinsdale Central won the state title in poetry reading, while Caitrin Gallagher of Wheaton Warrenville South placed third.

• Hannah Thompson of Downers Grove North won a state championship in radio speaking.

• Caroline Todd of Hinsdale Central took second in original oratory, followed by Hannah Thompson in third.

• Grace Ulch and Peter Szpytek of Downers Grove South second in dramatic duet acting, with Jimmy McDermott and Kit Fitzgerald from Prospect in third.

• Jared Garner and Jamia Johnson Rockingham of Warren Township High School, Gurnee, combined to finish second in humorous duet acting.

• Grace Pontius of Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake took second in impromptu speaking, followed by Sam Cannova of Wheaton North in third.

• Lizzie Flood of Wheaton North took second in informative speaking.

• Jack Wooten of Wheaton Warrenville South took second in prose reading, followed by Julia Shelley of Glenbrook North in third.

• Alex Shura of Neuqua Valley in Naperville placed third in extemporaneous speaking.

• Ryan Almer of Wheaton North placed third in humorous interpretation.