BAR HARBOR — The Mount Desert Island High School speech team was crowned state champion Sunday, in only its second year of existence.

The six-member MDIHS team competed some teams nearly five times its size.

“The team accomplished something most thought statistically impossible: with six members they prevailed over 28-member powerhouse Skowhegan, who has consistently been state champ for a decade,” said the team’s coach, Marjory Russakoff.
Skohegan finished second, followed by Cape Elizabeth in third. Fourteen teams competed.

Taylor LaCasse took two first-place awards, one for Novice Prose and one for an original work. Maddy Johnson placed first in Novice Poetry and second in Oratorical Declamation. Anna Rose Keefe took a first-place for Prose and third place in Humorous Interpretation.

Continuing the winning streak, Stephen Palazola placed first in Oratorical Declamation and third for Novice Prose. Sean Keady placed second in Prose fifth in Poetry. Zach Dewey missed the final round by one point.

Ms. Russakoff was a finalist for coach of the year.