Senior duo makes connections through speech
By Suzanne Werre, BHG News Service
State is just around the corner, and the competition to get there is getting even more heated. The competitors have been practicing and practicing, hoping to peak at just the right time. No, it’s not state basketball that’s just around the corner for these keen competitors -- it’s state speech; and Underwood’s two senior speech competitors, Megan Hotten and Emily Johannes, seem to be doing what all competitors want to do – peak at the right time. Megan and Emily had their highest finish of the season this past weekend, placing second in their serious interpretation duo. “We were really surprised and excited because we hadn’t even made it to the finals round the last two weeks,” said Megan. “This was the first time making the finals, and we got second!” To advance to state, one, or the duo, must place first in an event at one of the season’s speech meets. This past Saturday’s second-place finish is the closest either of them has come this season. Earlier this year, Megan placed fourth at a meet with her poetry interpretation of “The Ship of Death.” Even with this recent good finish, they’re not ready to guarantee that they’ll make it to state in their duo, or in their own individual events. Speech is so subjective, nothing is a guarantee, even if it seems like you’re getting better every week, they agreed.
