Speech 2025: Mounds Park Academy wins third straight Class A team title

Mounds Park Academy earned its third consecutive Class A team championship as 2025 Speech State Tournament weekend commenced Friday, April 25 at Shakopee High School.

Mounds Park Academy sent 15 participants to the finals and totaled 69 points to win its fourth overall title. Runner-up Melrose Area finished with 58 points, while third-place Farimont had 37.

• Paul Fertig of Mounds Park Academy was the lone returning champion among the 13 individual winners, claiming his second consecutive Extemporaneous Speaking title. He led a 1-2 finish in that category for the school, along with Amal Sastry.
• Melrose Area also had a 1-2 finish as Logan Schad won the Creative Expression category while Ella Erdmann was runner-up. Teammate Esther Kapsner was the Extemporaneous Reading champion.
• Two competitors from Staples-Motley took home gold: Laken Hines in Humorous Interpretation and Olivia Opheim in Informative Speaking.
• Two speakers went from runner-up a year ago to champion in 2025: Javyn Eidelbes of Thief River Falls in Serious Interpretation of Prose and Andrew Harper of Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Storytelling. Duo Interpretation champs Grace Simpson and Oliver Thedens of Fairmont were bronze medalists last season.
• Hayden Shulstad of Red Lake County Central in Discussion, Teya Waagner of Mankato Loyola in Great Speeches, Reese Hunt of Perham in Original Oratory, Greta Kunene of Chatfield/Perpich in Serious Interpretation of Drama, Olivia Almodovar of Jackson County Central in Serious Interpretation of Poetry were also crowned state champions.