For the first time in Metea Valley’s speech history, the Mustangs won the regional tournament that took place at Neuqua. Placing five points above the host school, Metea started  the postseason with considerable momentum. As sectionals approach, some competitors have felt nervous and even anxious over the tournament and what it entails.

“This sectional tournament will probably be the hardest in terms of the categories we will be participating in,” speech captain Zainab Shaikh said. “We have some pretty tough opposition we are going up against.”

Despite the tough competition, the speech team has still remained optimistic about how they will place in the tournament. In fact, there has been an immense amount of positivity throughout the postseason participants in all schools.

“I got ten DMs from people from other schools wishing me luck every Friday night,” Shaikh said. “The community extends beyond Metea and beyond what ranks you get.”

However, ranks still matter as they will determine which sectionals competitors will advance to state. For some, this may be their last chance to have the opportunity to present their schools at a state tournament. The only way to reach that point would be to do distinctly well at the sectionals tournament, which is objectively difficult to do.

“I am trying to take it all one step at a time,” senior Tinu Sathya said. “What really matters right now is sectionals. Do good there, and I will have time to worry about state, I suppose.”

With many of the participants being seniors, the sectionals tournament on Saturday could be the final time they laugh, perform, and enjoy their time with the friends they made on the speech team.

“It’s not sad to me,” Sathya said. “All good things must come to an end. It is what it is.”