DEKALB — The Rochelle Township High School Speech Team participated in the IHSA Regional Competition held at DeKalb High School this past weekend. The team placed third in the Regional.

In IHSA Speech Competition a competitor must place in the top four in their event to move on to Sectional Competition.

The following competitors are moving on to Sectionals:

Performance in the Round: Regional Champions.  Performance in the Round Cast: Hailey Bunger, Austin Cruz, Kara Hull, Mercy Hunley, Abby Losoya, Sophia Losoya, Pedro Rosales, Alayna Smardo, Alex Soto, Sophia Stein, Aletheia Venuso, and Lydia Von Haden.

Derek Swartz – Regional champion - Humorous Interpretation. Z Brizuela – Regional champion - Poetry Reading. Bobbie Henning - second place - Original Comedy. Connor Macklin – second place - Impromptu Speaking. Noah LeFevre/Bobbie Henning - third place - Dramatic Duet Acting. Z Brizuela - third place – Oratory. Isabella Biggs - third place - Prose Reading. Lucas Smardo - fourth place - Informative Speaking. Emma Kennay - fourth place - Special Occasion Speaking.

The following students were finalists:

Emma Kennay - fifth place - Oratorical Declamation. Rafael Canaan - fifth place – Extemporaneous Speaking. Lucas Smardo - fifth place - Radio Speaking.

Speakers of the Week were the entire PIR Cast and Crew.

On Saturday, Feb. 15, the team travels to Freeport for the IHSA Sectional Competition.