Wilber-Clatonia, Norris and David City Headed for State Land Judging
Oct 3, 2007
Land judging teams from Wilber-Clatonia, Norris and David City qualified for state competition after placing in the top tier at the East Central Land Judging Contest, held Oct. 3 at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center near Ithaca.
The annual Land Judging contests are regional field competitions where FFA students compete to identify soil characteristics and suggested land practices at four different sites chosen by a soil scientist. Students work individually but are scored in teams of four, and the top teams in each region advance to state competition in November.
Wilber-Clatonia put on a dominating performance at the East Central contest, fielding four out of the top five teams, including the 1st place state-qualifying team of Lonnie Poland, Jason Mammen, Kelsey Homolka, and Kelsie Musil. That team scored 916 out of a possible 1,000 points, and Musil was also the top finisher in individual competition with 360 out of a possible 400 points.
In 2nd place with 906 points was the Wilber-Clatonia team of Andrew Holsing, Bryce Horak, Preston Pospisil, and Barrett Huneke. Huneke took 2nd place in individual competition with 353 points.
The second state-qualifying team (because only one team from each school is eligible for state) was from Norris, coming in at 3rd place overall with 892 points. Team members included Gatlin Schlake, Garret Schrock, Madison Lee, and Will Devine. In individual completion Schlake placed 3rd with 332 points and Schrock was 5th with 321 points.
L-R: Norris students Gatlin Schlake, Garret Schrock, Madison Lee, and Will Devine made up the 2nd state qualifying team (3rd place overall) at the East Central Land Judging Contest.
The 4th place Wilber-Clatonia team included Jenny Birkett, Derek Filipi, Karl Erdmann, and Bailey Horak. They scored 858 points and Birkett came in 4th in individual completion with 322 points.
In 5th place was the Wilber-Clatonia team of Shelby Hajek, Hillary Korinek, Tim Warta, and Lynette Pallas, scoring 844 points. Hajek was 6th in individual completion with 319 points.
The third state-qualifying team and 6th place overall was from David City, with team members Travis Lindt, Megan Romshek, Dana Rasmussen, and Shelby Sidel. They scored 835 points and Rasmussen was 10th in individual competition with 298 points.
The third state-qualifying team and 6th place overall was from David City, with team members (L-R) Travis Lindt, Megan Romshek, Dana Rasmussen, and Shelby Sidel. They scored 835 points and Rasmussen was 10th in individual competition with 298 points.
The 7th-place Conestoga team of Kent Nutzman, Ryan Noerrlinger, Glenn Spangler, and Kalby Wehrbein also scored 835 points but lost a tiebreaker against the 6th-place David City team for the chance to go to state. Spangler placed 9th in individual competition with 300 points.
Rounding out the top ten in individual competition were Folkert van de Waardt of David City in 7th place (318 points) and Andrew Filipi of Waverly in 8th place (309 points).
One hundred and fifty-four students on 40 teams competed in the contest. Schools participating were Conestoga, David City, East Butler, Norris, Prague, Raymond Central, Waverly, and Wilber-Clatonia. The contest was sponsored by the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District and the Saunders County Natural Resources Conservation Service and hosted by the Agricultural Research and Development Center.