First-rate speech competitors Damion Lopez and El Thompson earn runner-up finishes at state tournament

Carmen Thomas
onwardtrojans.com

When Damion Lopez and El Thompson made finals at the state speech tournament in Fishers, they had no idea they would end the day as runners-up. Breaking out of semifinals is tough, and both received the news chaotically.
“I was running to my coach…when a judge nearby was like, ‘you made it in, it’s OK,’” said Thompson, who competes in Original Oratory and spoke on “authenticity in a discriminatory world.”
Lopez found out about one final round during another.
“When I found out I made OP finals, I was actually just finishing up my radio final,” he said. In OP, or Original Performance, students can write about anything they want. Lopez placed third with a piece about a feud between Captain Crunch and Long John Silvers, showing that “vengeance is not the answer.”
Students compete all day with the hopes of joining five others in final round. Both Thompson and Lopez felt confident about their respective finals.
“The round was filled with a lot of observers and we had our panel of judges. It just had a really good energy,” said Thompson. “I felt good about my performance.”
Lopez felt likewise, except he had something of a fan club.
“A lot of people were there to see my piece specifically,” he said. “It honestly gave me a lot of confidence.”
Speech competitors don’t find out their final placings until awards, at around 9pm. Standing onstage, Thompson couldn’t contain his excitement.
“Once I heard that our name wasn’t called yet and it was up to the top two…I was grinning ear to ear,” Thompson said. “It was amazing – that gasp from the audience.” Names are announced from 6th to 1st. The later your name is announced, the better.
Lopez felt a mix of excitement and redundancy, though.
“I’d never stood on the state stage before. But then again, it felt not all that special,” Lopez said. “You stand up onstage for awards at every tournament.” Post-high school, Lopez plans on pursuing a career in broadcasting, which he hopes his state runner-up title will bolster.
The team, which placed third overall in the AAA division, was over-the-moon about their finalist placings.
“Everyone was just celebrating,” Thompson said. “The coaches were so proud. It was just real recognition for all the work we’ve done all year. I don’t think there’s quite a feeling like that.”
Co-Program Director Aaron Drew, who helped coach both state runner-ups, commented on the work ethic of his team.
“Every success this team has been able to achieve has come from the unrelenting efforts of the students on the team,” he said. “No matter the situation, they are able to do what is needed to achieve the success they strive towards.”
At the end of the day, Thompson and Lopez were both runners-up in events with more than 40 entries.