Two state champions and two additional state medalists lead the largest Wayne Speech Team of all time into the upcoming season.
The Wayne speakers are led by senior Alec Shaffer and Junior Aidan Bohnert, who are the reigning champions of Class B Duet Acting. Juniors Sophia Spieker and Colby Raulston also brought home state medals back in March.
“It’s rare for us to have one returning state medalist on our team, let alone four,” Head Coach Dwaine Spieker said. “And returning state champions have never happened in my tenure as coach.”
As a team, the Blue Devils are also set to defend their 2024 B-3 District championship and sixth-place finish at State. A total of 42 students have joined the team this season, by far the largest in program history.
“We have a great combination of experienced upperclassmen and talented newcomers,” Spieker continued. “The largest group is our 18 juniors, who are joined by eight seniors. We expect big things from our older team members, many of whom are trying to get back to State.
“But we have high hopes for our sophomores and freshmen, too. It’s very realistic to think some of our younger speakers will be contributing mightily on the varsity level by the middle of the season,” Spieker said.
“It’s the best of both worlds.”
Spieker enters his 25th year at the helm of the Blue Devils. He is joined by assistants Sarah Oltjenbruns, Grace Longe, and Claire Krepel.
Wayne opens its season Jan. 18 at Pierce, with regular-season meets at Boone Central, Hartington/Hartington Cedar Catholic, David City, Wausa, and Schuyler rounding out the calendar.
A highlight of the year will happen as they play host to the seventh annual Wayne High/Wayne State Classic, to be held on the WSC campus on Saturday, Feb. 8. Almost 30 schools are slated to compete in the event, one of the largest speech meets in northeast Nebraska.
The Blue Devils will then travel to the Mid-State Conference Meet on Saturday, March 1 in Battle Creek and in Districts on Saturday, March 22 in Schuyler. Class B State Speech will occur Wednesday, March 26 at Kearney High.