IHS forensics team excels

Iola High’s forensics team earned top honors at the Pittsburg Invitational.

March 3, 2026 - 2:22 PM

Iola High School forensics members competing in Pittsburg Saturday are, front row from left, Sydney Ebberts, Taegan Noyes, Avery Strickler, Callie Sterling, Elizabeth Chriestenson, Piper Jordan, Evie Schooler, Marlee Westhoff and Aaliyah Rhodes; second row, Cameron Palmer, Jeffrey Ashworth, Bella Rahming, Broz Elbrader, Logan Belknap, Madelyn Ashworth and Lily Lohman. Courtesy photo

PITTSBURG — Iola High School’s forensics team continues to rack up top finishes in various speech and drama competitions.

On Saturday, Iola took fourth as a team at the Pittsburg Invitational, buoyed by Callie Sterling and Logan Belknap teaming to take first place in duet acting, followed by Taegan Noyes and Jeffrey Ashworth in second.

Bella Rahming, meanwhile, took first in program of oral interpretation.

Iola High School forensics teams members competing in Lyndon Feb. 21 are Madelyn Ashworth, from left, Evie Schooler, Lily Lohman, Elizabeth Chiestenson, Cameron Palmer, Ben Heiman and Brox Elbrader.Courtesy photo

Other top finishers:

Belknap in second and Madelyn Ashworth in third in oral interpretation of prose; Sterling, second in oral interpretation of poetry; Lily Lohman, second in informative speaking; and Madelyn Ashworth, sixth in both serious solo acting and original oration.

On Feb. 21, Iola took some competitors to Lyndon, but due to illness, did not field enough participants to place as a team.

Nevertheless, Lohman took first in informative speaking, while Evie Schooler took second in serious solo acting. Madelyn Ashworth and Lohman took second and sixth, respectively, in original oration. Ben Heiman took third and Brox Elbrader sixth in program of oral interpretation.

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