HENRY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Susan Burton, Communications Director
The Henry County High School and Middle School Speech Teams showcased exceptional talent this past weekend at the highly competitive Dragon Invitational, hosted by Collierville High School. Both teams delivered outstanding performances, with each securing an impressive 2nd Place Overall finish in their respective High School and Middle School divisions.
The weekend was marked by significant success, highlighting the depth of talent within the Henry County program. The High School team advanced 12 events to the final round of competition, while the Middle School team saw a tremendous 20 events move forward.
“I am incredibly proud of every single student who competed,” said Coach David Weatherly. “Their hard work in preparation truly paid off. Placing second overall in both divisions at a major invitational like this is a testament to their dedication and talent. We have high expectations for the rest of the season.”
The High School team achieved multiple top placements, including three events that secured the 1st Place spot:
• Duo Interp: Tim Tyler and Joshua Lancaster (1st Place)
• Humorous Interp: Tim Tyler (1st Place)
• Poetry: AJ Wardlaw (1st Place)
Additional top placements include:
• 2nd Place: Duo Improv (Allie Stephens/Hannah Frederick), Extemporaneous Speaking (Maple Townsend), and Prose (Joshua Lancaster).
• Other Finalists: AJ Wardlaw (4th in Dramatic Interp), Alex Cavalera (6th in Dramatic Interp), Maple Townsend (4th in Impromptu Speaking), Hannah Frederick (4th in Prose and 4th in Poetry), and Gabby Matheny (5th in Prose).
The Middle School team brought home multiple honors, securing a total of six 1st Place finishes across different events:
• Dramatic Interp: Grey Mixon (Lakewood)
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Landon Merrell (Harrelson)
• Impromptu Speaking: Madison Duncan (Lakewood)
• Prose: Grey Mixon (Lakewood)
• Poetry: Benjamin Herrera (Harrelson)
• Storytelling: Landon Merrell (Harrelson)
The team also celebrated numerous runner-up and finalist placements:
• 2nd Place: Adalynn Schroer (Dramatic Interp), Madison Duncan (Extemporaneous Speaking), Poppy Mixon (Humorous Interp), Lauren Hopper (Prose), Parker Vowell (Poetry), and Parker Vowell (Storytelling).
• Other Finalists: Elijah Adamson (3rd in Humorous Interp), Skylar Castello (3rd in Prose), Grey Mixon (3rd in Poetry), Benjamin Herrera (4th in Storytelling), Leland Hoggard (4th in Prose and 7th in Poetry), Andy Weber (5th in Poetry), and Rayne Losby (6th in Poetry).