UPDATED: Downers Grove South Speech Team State Champs, North Takes Eighth

Downers Grove South's speechers are state champions.

The team, which had more speechers break to their final rounds than any other school, placed first in the final rounds of the IHSA State Speech tournament Saturday. Marian High School earned second with 26 points, followed by Wheaton Warrenvile South, which had 23 points.

“I am so proud of this group because while they were highly competitive, it was their team unity and desire to communicate with their audiences that was their primary focus,” said speech team coach and teacher Jan Heiteen in a district release. “Winning first place at state is a great honor for our speech team, since the competition is always fierce.”

Downers Grove North's Speech team came in eighth place with 12 points. Points are determined on how each speecher places in his or her final round.

“All of the speech team members gave phenomenal performances, and we are so proud of all of them,” said Melissa Carlson, speech team co-coach and teacher at North High School. “We’re also very happy for Maggie Butzen, who is our school’s first state speech champion in ten years.”

Individually, North's Maggie Butzen and South's Colleen Derosa, Billy Chengary and Michelle McCarthy were named state champions in their respective events.

Butzen won for Original Oratory, Derosa for Dramatic Interpretation and Chengary and McCarthy for Humorous Duet Acting.

The following is a list of North and South students who broke to the final rounds in their respective events and how they placed.

Dramatic Interpretation: Colleen Derosa, Downers Grove South (State Champion)

Extemperaneous Speaking: Emily Temple-Wood, Downers Grove North (Fourth); Ed Roberge, Downers Grove South (Third)

Humorous Duet Acting: Billy Chengary and Michelle McCarthy, Downers Grove South (State Champions)

Humorous Interpretation: Devin Collett, Downers Grove North; Erin C. Walsh, Downers Grove South (Second)

Impromptu Speaking: Ed Roberge, Downers Grove South (Fifth)

Informative Speaking: Meredith Frank, Downers Grove North (Fifth)

Original Comedy: John Junk, Downers Grove South (Third)

Original Oratory: Maggie Butzen, Downers Grove North (State Champion); Claire Drews, Downers Grove South (Third)

Performance in the Round: Downers Grove South, with members Kaylee Moeslein, Tyler Murley, Emma Murry, Nicole O'Toole, Subhan Suhail, Alissa Wickien, Lillie Kase, Logan Moran-Rudd, Stephanie Coupland, Dan Leahy, Alex Werner, Lian Lucansky, Mike Maloney and Natasha Prosek (Third)

Prose Reading: Michelle McCarthy, Downers Grove South (Second)

Radio Speaking: Erin C. Walsh, Downers Grove South (Sixth)

Special Occasion Speaking: Milap Mehta, Downers Grove South (Finalist)