Lemont speech team wins first-ever South Suburban Conference title

2/4/2010

Lemont's speech team celebrated its first-ever South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title on January 27.

Lemont High School’s speech team continued its terrific 2009-10 season when it won its first-ever South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title on Thursday, January 27, at Oak Lawn High School. Lemont won the conference championship on the strength of seven top-five finishes in individual events.

Head coach Dan Franke’s team posted a team score of 178, which was 85 points better than its closest competition, T.F. South (93). Tinley Park (91), Oak Forest (65) and T.F. North (55) followed in the SSC Blue standings.

Junior Danny Banas paced the team by finishing third in a pair of events - Special Occasion Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking. Junior Enrika Grigorjevaite was fourth in Oratorical Declamation.

Lemont also had four fifth-place finishes, including ones from seniors Arlene Bozich (Original Oratory) and Lauren Dohse (Radio Speaking), junior Amy Harlovic (Dramatic Interpretation) and sophomore Cara Dohse (Humorous Interpretation).

The top four scoring teams at the SSC meet - which included teams from both divisions - were from the Red Division. Oak Lawn (219 points) won the SSC Red crown, edging second-place Shepard (210). Richards (198) and Reavis (193) followed in the overall and division standings.

Lemont’s speech team also won the Reavis Ram Yam and the Sandwich Invitational earlier this year. The squad had never won a team title prior to this season.

For more information, contact Director of School and Community Relations Tony Hamilton at (630) 243-3280.