South Haven News

By Michelle Tevington

These are the freshman and sophomores participating in South Haven FFA in 2024-2025.

Sophomores:

Maddy Ferguson

Maddy Ferguson is a third-year FFA member and secretary. Ferguson has had lots of success in FFA. She competes on various teams, so why not list a few of them? She was on the third-place greenhand rituals team as the president, the third-place greenhand team at the South Barber Livestock judging contest, and seventh-place individual senior state land. Ferguson is not only successful through FFA. She is also involved in math relays, volleyball, and softball. As a freshman, she pitched her first-ever no-hitter for the South Sumner Softball team. After high school, she plans on studying agribusiness.

A few fun facts about Ferguson that you should know: she is deathly afraid of chickens, she had a pet raccoon (they’re also her favorite animals,) and she ate the hottest wings at Buffalo Wild Wings after a livestock judging contest.

Seth Hallman

Seth Hallman is a sophomore member of South Haven FFA.

Mason Noll

Mason Noll is a member of South Haven FFA.

Maddox Pond

Maddox Pond is a third-year FFA member. Pond is involved in football, basketball, track, and 4-H. Pond has been on many teams and has several individual accomplishments. His goals for this year are to place high in his contests and to bring home lots of trophies for his shelf. He can’t wait to hit the road and enjoy his post-livestock judging lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings. A few fun facts about Pond include the following: Pond is better known as “Hotdog” in the AG shop. He performs karaoke at the end of every chapter banquet. Last but not least, he is “a dawg at livestock judging.”

Cole Spencer

Cole Spencer is a third-year FFA member. He is involved in football, basketball, and track. Over the summer, Spencer raised and showed his first set of pigs. After high school, he plans on getting an Agribusiness degree. He is looking forward to being able to attend more contests and events this year. Before the end of his time in FFA, he’d like to be a chapter officer. Spencer has made lots of memories through FFA. He said his favorite was “Hotdog [Maddox Pond] singing at our first-year chapter banquet.” Spencer has made lots of improvements over the last few years and plans to continue to keep becoming his best.

Avery Strickland

Avery Strickland is a third-year FFA member, this year’s junior advisor, and head of the scrapbook committee. Strickland is also involved in Math Releys, Scholars bowl, NASA, Band, FCCLA, JETS, and is the vice president of her class. Not only is she in a bunch of clubs, she also runs track and cross country. She is also a member of the South Sumner cheer team. Strickland brings home quite a few trophies for the South Haven FFA chapter. She won a scholarship to attend the Washington Leadership Conference, won fifth place at the South Central District Creed Speaking, was a part of the third place junior rituals district team, and the third place South Barber Livestock Judging Team. Strickland enjoys helping younger students with their contest prep, so much so that she has considered being an Agricultural Teacher after high school. Stickland is most excited about having an Entomology team this year. #Shelovesbugs

Michelle Tevington

Michelle Tevington is a member of South Haven FFA this year.

Tony Trillo

Tony Trillo is a third-year FFA member. Trillo is involved in track, basketball, and football. He enjoys land judging and was on the state team this year. Trillo takes two class periods of welding. He wants to help new students get better #mentoring4life. He also wants to help kids study so they win and follow in his footsteps of success. He plans on going to every contest Mr. Stroman takes a team to.

Freshmen:

Emmalee Burden

Emmalee Burden is a freshman participating in FFA this year.

Tyson Byers

Tyson Byers is a second-year South Haven FFA member. He likes FFA and would like to continue to do it throughout high school. Byers plans on participating in all events possible. He wants to try his hardest and hopefully place in the top 10. He is taking Animal Science and Welding this year. He is looking forward to dipping his toes into both worlds and learning more about them. His favorite memory from FFA is Stroman’s German song.

Dax Dark

Dax Dark is a second-year South Haven FFA member. He loves medium-rare steak. Dark also likes to go fishing and hunting. Dark is also a member of baseball, track, basketball, and wrestling. He enjoys meeting new people and going to Freddy’s after contests. During Welding this year, he wants to learn how to mig-weld. He can’t wait to get back into contests. Dark will never forget when he looked at Will Theurer in the middle of a contest and they both started laughing when the room was dead silent.

Brody Heater

Brody Heater is a freshman member of FFA.

Adalyn Irey

Adalyn Irey is a member of FFA this year.

Carley Russell

Carley Russell is a second-year FFA member. Russell is a member of Math Relays, Scholars Bowl, Student Council, JETS, and is the president of her class. She also does basketball, volleyball, and cheer. Last year Russell placed third at District Land Judging as a greenhand. This year in the senior division she placed ninth. Her biggest goal is to make it to National Land Judging. Her favorite post-contest lunch is a Freddy’s chicken sandwich.

Will Theurer

Will Theurer is a freshman member of FFA in the 2024-2025 school year.

Ely Tompkins

Ely Tompkins is a second-year South Haven FFA member. He likes fishing and claims “the rest is classified.” Tompkins is also a member of the South Sumner Football. Last year he placed second in Agronomy. Tompkins has also had success in livestock and land judging. He is taking welding this year.

Sage Vanzant

Sage Vanzant is a second-year member of the South Haven FFA. Last year, she dipped her feet into the world of FFA and competed in lots of contests. This year she is going to slow down and focus on a few contests that she is passionate about. Vanzant is also involved in Math Relays, FCCLA, Softball, Basketball, and Volleyball. Vanzant showed swine at the Sumner County Fair. This year she was very proud of herself for winning a ribbon at the county fair. Vanzant enjoys selling Blue and Gold meat and fruits and can’t wait to do it again this year.

Kody Wartick

Kody Wartick is a member of South Haven FFA.