The Southmont FFA senior crops judging team placed first at the State Crops Contest at Purdue on Dec. 9, giving the school its 34th state title in crops judging.
There were 52 teams and 187 individuals in the contest. First place team members are Cole Rhoads, Natalie Rhoads, Kylee Reeves and Kelsey Thompson. Southmont also had the third place team in the state. The third place team members are Trent Reeves, Lennon Woods, Ethan Smith and Caden Allen. Daniel Simpson, Kale Vaught and Madelyn Roberts made up the 19th place state team.
Each member of the first place team will receive a $500 scholarship given by the Southmont FFA Chapter.
Southmont FFA had five members in the top eight at the contest. Cole Rhoads placed first with 631 points out of 700 points possible. Natalie Rhoads placed second, Kylee Reeves placed fifth, Kelsey Thompson placed sixth, Trent Reeves placed eighth and Lennon Woods placed 17th.
The senior team went undefeated this year placing 1st at all the competitions. Their first contest was at the Triton Invitational where they placed first and second; at the Purdue contest the teams placed first and third; at Indian Creek the teams placed first and second; and then at the area contest the teams placed first, second and fourth.
The Southmont FFA Junior High Crops team also won the state championship. There were a total of 17 junior teams and 63 individuals. Champion team members are Hunter Thompson, Cassidy Dittmer, Emily Simpson and Danika Ward. Individually, Hunter Thompson placed first, Cassidy Dittmer placed seventh, Emily Simpson placed ninth, Danika Ward placed 18th and Grant Reeves placed 24th.
The junior teams, placed third at the Triton contest; placed second and fourth at Purdue;placed first and third at Indian Creek; and place first and third at the area contest.
Crops judging requires participants to identify 25 crop and weed plant specimens out of a list of 68, 25 weed and crop seeds out of a list of 70 that are common in Indiana, 20 disease, damages and insects from a list of 41, and finally identify 10 types of machinery and equipment. They also learn to grade six grain samples according to the US grain grading standards and recognize grain diseases and damage factors that might lower grain quality and, therefore, market value. The final part of the contest consists of a multiple choice quiz over weed control, crop production practices and pesticide application techniques common in Indiana.
Members worked hard this year staying after school for more than 2 1/2 hours every day during the season. The senior teams won every contest this year continuing Southmont’s winning tradition. During the last 45 years Southmont has won the state contest 34 times and placed second in the state 12 times.
