Strong team work and a record-setting score from sophomore Peter Gentile put the four-member team over the top

CENTRAL POINT — Frustrated by a third place finish at last year’s Oregon FFA Ag Sales competition, Newberg’s advanced team dramatically stepped up its preparations this time around.

That included two weeks where Johanna DeJoria, Margaret Halstead, Madison Plummer and Peter Gentile met at 6 a.m. and after school to practice every day before both the district and state competitions.

That effort certainly paid dividends, as the foursome not only took home first place at the state meet Dec. 6 at Crater High School, but Gentile also set a new state record for his score in the sales pitch portion of the event.

“This year we decided to go all out,” DeJoria said. “Last year, we did morning practices here and there, and afternoon practices, but this year we decided to buckle down and we really very rigorously went at it. I definitely think the time that went into this ensured the results.”

Newberg finished with a team score of 807 to best runner-up Dayton, for whom a different group won the state and national championships last year, by 22 points.

The competition is broken down into four parts: individual sales pitches, a written sales and marketing exam, four practicum tasks and a team exercise.

For the sales pitch, each student selects an already available product and attempts to sell it to three judges.

Gentile, who chose cupcake-shaped bath bombs produced by his mother’s company, Gentile Soaps, was awarded 99 points out of 100 by two judges and a perfect 100 by the other to set a new state record.

“I felt like I had nailed it, but there is still the shock of it,” Gentile said. “I was really excited when that happened. It was really cool to be a part of that.”

That feat helped Gentile earn the highest overall score at the competition, and the team’s strength was reflected in fourth- and seventh-place showings by Halstead and DeJoria, respectively.

“All of our team members are strong and we each have our own areas of strength,” Halstead said. “Madi is really strong in her practicum customer relations. Johanna is really good at taking the lead for the team activity. Peter is really strong in his sales presentation and I’m also pretty strong in my practicum. I would say we are a really well-rounded team.”

DeJoria has been a member of Newberg’s advanced team for three years and joined with fellow seniors Halstead and Plummer, who have been on the team for two years, on last year’s third-place team. A sophomore, Gentile won the beginning district title as a freshman a year ago.

The group said it was beneficial that FFA advisor Bob Beckner brought in members of the community, including sales professionals and business owners, to hear the team’s pitches and provide some new perspectives.

“We learned that years ago I can only take them so far,” Beckner said. “So then you bring in the experts.”

All the time spent practicing paid off in the team exercise, in which they were given 20 minutes to brainstorm a marketing strategy, then 30 minutes to prepare a 10-minute presentation. The team is not only judged on their analysis and presentation, but how they worked together in brainstorming and preparing their pitch.

“We’ve gotten to know each other really well, so we’re able to play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Halstead said. “That was definitely beneficial in the team activity. It helps a lot that we’re so close as a team and such good friends.”

The team qualified for the national championships, which will be held in Louisville, Ky., next fall, but because FFA members can compete in nationals in just one event, it remains to be seen if they will pursue a national title.

The state title was Newberg’s first since 2008 and with Yamhill County’s strong track record, Beckner is confident this team would be a strong contender should they pursue a national championship.

“This county has had four national champion ag sales teams,” Beckner said. “We’ve had one. Dayton’s had three now. This team, if we can keep them together, will be in the hunt.”

Written by: Seth Gordon