The Mercer High School speech team on Saturday captured its 11th Erie Diocesan championship in the last 12 years.

The Catholic Forensic League of Erie's annual national qualifying tournament at Gannon University's Palumbo Center, Erie, was Mercer's sixth tournament title of the year and its second district-level championship in two weeks.

The top four winners in each category earned a trip to Catholic Forensic League's Grand National Tournament set for Memorial Day weekend in Arlington, Va. Thirteen Mercer entries earned trips to nationals as the school qualified at least one speaker in each individual events category.

Mercer also won three sweepstakes award and captured the overall team title with 72 points. The school won the rhetorical sweepstakes award for overall excellence in the speaking categories of original oratory and extemporaneous speaking; and the interpretation sweepstakes award for outstanding performance in the interpretation categories of dramatic, duo and oral interpretations and declamation.

Mercer, for the third consecutive year, swept the top four national qualifying spots in dramatic performance.

Becky Lopuh, a junior, won her fourth tournament championship of the season in the category and was named best performer by six of her nine judges. Lindsay Kimes, a senior, won second place with first- or second-place rankings from eight of her nine judges. Becky and Lindsay tied for first place with Becky gaining top honors based on a higher reciprocal point total. Woody Dixon, a junior, won third place with five top rankings out of nine ballots.

Justine McCullough, a junior, placed fourth with first- or second-place ranks from six of her nine judges.

Mercer won two of the four national spots in extemporaneous speaking.

Leah Acker, a senior, won her sixth tournament title and her third consecutive Erie Diocesan championship as she was named best speaker by all nine of her judges.

Tyler Love, a junior who will be making his third consecutive trip to Catholic nationals, won third-place honors, being named top speaker on six of nine ballots.

Melissa Smith, a senior, won her third tournament of the year in original oratory as she was named best speaker by seven of nine judges.

She will be making her third straight trip to nationals. Jessica Thompson, a senior, will make her second nationals trip after placing fourth in the category. She ranked first or second on six of nine ballots.

Mercer interpreters won two of the qualifying positions in oral interpretation of prose and poetry. Deidre Klaiber, a junior, won second-place honors with six top rankings and three seconds in her 12 marks.

Kimberly Gathers, a freshman, captured the fourth-place award with nine firsts or seconds out of 12 ballots.

Mercer students placed third and fourth in duo interpretation. Alison Earnhart and Samantha Rock, both seniors, teamed up for a third-place win with seven second-place rankings out of nine ballots. Erica Powell, a junior, and Wylie Earnhart, a sophomore, received the fourth-place award with four first-place rankings and two seconds out of nine ballots.

Sophomore Alexis Burton placed fourth in declamation, a category open only to freshman and sophomores.

A national qualifier last year in dramatic interpretation, she was given firsts or seconds on six of nine ballots this year.

The tournament's national qualifiers are eligible to receive annually renewable scholarships from Gannon.

The awards are $2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second, $1,000 for third and $750 for fourth.

School news is published as space permits. Send written information to The Herald, Box 51, Sharon 16146. Information: (724) 981-6100 or (800) 981-1692, Ext. 242.