Six Mercer High School speakers won awards Saturday as seventh- through 10th-graders took part in the annual freshman and sophomore tournament at Keystone Oaks High School in Pittsburgh.

Competition was held in six individual events categories and trophies were presented to the top winners in each. Certificates of achievement were awarded to speakers placing fourth through eighth in their respective categories.

Mercer speakers individually won two of the six categories with 13 Mercer students were recognized for placing in their events. Team awards were not presented in the tournament.

Samantha Nan, an eighth-grader, placed first in poetry interpretation with first-place speaker rankings from all five of her judges. Samantha, the top overall performer among Mercer speakers, was the only speaker in the tournament to receive all firsts as she won her category by five points.

Alexis Burton, a sophomore, picked up her first tournament championship of the year in dramatic interpretation. She received first-, second- and third-place rankings in the preliminary rounds and was given top rankings by both judges in the "hidden final" or fourth round. She won top honors by two points. Mariah Ruffing, a freshman, was recognized for placing fourth in the category when she received two top rankings in the preliminary rounds.

Polly Kyle and Michael Shomin, both freshmen, won second place awards in duo interpretation as they ranked first or second by half of their judges. Jonah Klixbull and Tela Knauff, both freshmen, placed third with a second, three thirds and two fourths from their judges in the category. Renee Staul and Molly McElrath, both sophomores, placed fifth overall.

Megan Zigo, a sophomore, won fourth place in original oratory with a top ranking and three seconds from her five judges. Alex Morin, an eighth-grader, received a top ranking and two seconds in the category's early round before finishing sixth overall.

Grace Hall, an eighth-grader, was given a first and a second in preliminary rounds, which helped her place eighth in prose interpretation.

Wylie Earnhart, a sophomore competing in student congress for the first time, was nominated as one of the tournament's top five speakers.