The varsity and novice speech teams from Shepard High School started their 2012-2013 seasons quickly last weekend, each winning their first tournament of the season.

Varsity, which boasts state champions each of the past three years, won the Huntley Fall Fest tournament for the fifth straight year. 

Shepard students won titles in five of the 14 categories, including Unique Warfield, both Poetry Reading and  Dramatic Interpretation; Enrique Montoya, Prose Reading; Abby Walters and Tasha Weirzal, Humorous Duet Acting; and, Lindsie Bliss, Informative Speaking.

Novice champions at the huge Homewood-Flossmoor tournament included Mike Reddy, Extemporaneous Speaking; Riley McDermott, both Special Occasion  Speaking and Original Comedy; Leeana Skuby, Impromptu Speaking; and, Larry Lesniak, Oratorical Declamation.