COLUMBIA FALLS WINS 13TH CONSECUTIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP

By HILARY MATHESON Daily Inter Lake

The 2018 Columbia Falls speech and debate championship squad, front row, from left: Lara Erickson, Emmalee Hellen, Paige Moriarty, Danielle Rosenbaum, Shyane Williams, Haileigh Bayee, Jesse Rusche, Calie Jo Johnson; middle row, Madeline Jarvis, Ava Chisholm, Ave’ McDonald, Emma Erickson, Gabby Merell, Jordyn King, Danielle Schwalk, Ella Hutcheson, Kennedy Payne, Chloe Coberley, Noah Golan, Sam Lovering; back row, Lizzy Olsen, Jacob Hohman, Ian McKenzie, Tre’ Finley, Cassidy Norick, Kelsey Wright, Laney Conger, Maggie McKeon, Kayla McDowall. (Chris Peterson photo)

Columbia Falls High School Speech and Debate propelled itself to a 13th consecutive state title in Corvallis on Friday and Saturday..

“We had a much younger team this year, but they put in an amazing amount of work and that dedication paid off,” Columbia Falls Head Coach Tara Norick said.

Six Columbia Falls competitors brought home the hardware with first-place finishes: Ava Chisholm, Impromptu Speaking; Jacob Hohman, Humorous Interpretation; Jordyn King, Memorized Public Address; Paige Moriarty, Original Oratory; and Shyane Williams and Danielle Schwalk, Policy Debate.

Columbia Falls racked up 244 sweepstakes points to retain its title. State runner-up, Whitefish High School Speech and Debate, held its own, earning 172 total points. Polson High School finished third with 65 points.

Whitefish Head Coach Sara Mueller said it was a “tight tournament to the end” and was proud of the young team’s performance.

Whitefish had three individual champions: Mary Hooks and Hayden Brandt, Public Forum Debate and Naya Brigette, Dramatic Interpretation.

Polson’s Taylor Bloomfield placed first in Informative Speaking.

Following are individual results:

Public Forum Debate: 1. Mary Hooks and Hayden Brandt, Whitefish; 3. Joe McDonald and Davis Smith, Polson; 4. Delaney Conger and Maggie McKeon, Columbia Falls; 7. Cassidy Norick and Kelsey Wright, Columbia Falls.

Policy Debate: 1. Shyane Williams and Danielle Schwalk, Columbia Falls; 2. Zach Ade and Ian Caltabiano, Whitefish; 4. Ian McKenzie and Ella Hutcheson, Columbia Falls; 6. Calie Jo Johnson and Tre Finley, Columbia Falls.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate: 4. Lilly Butts, Whitefish; 7. Gabby Merrell, Columbia Falls.

Impromptu Speaking: 1. Ava Chisholm, Columbia Falls; 3. Paige Moriarty, Columbia Falls; 6. Madeline Jarvis, Columbia Falls; 8. Taylor Bloomfield, Polson.

Extemporaneous Speaking: 3. Madeline Jarvis, Columbia Falls; 4. Noah Golan, Columbia Falls; 5. Abigail Bowden, Whitefish.

Memorized Public Address: 1. Jordyn King, Columbia Falls; 3. Grace Benkelman, Whitefish.

Memorized Public Address: 6. Emma Erickson, Columbia Falls; 7. Aidan Reid, Whitefish.

Dramatic Interpretation: 1. Naya Brigette, Whitefish; 2. Lucy Schindler, Whitefish; 5. Jordyn King, Columbia Falls; 6. Ave’ McDonald, Columbia Falls; 7. Nathan Depoe, Polson; 8. Ella Shaw, Whitefish.

Humorous Interpretation: 1. Jacob Hohman, Columbia Falls; 2. Ava Chisholm, Columbia Falls; 5. Danika Tintzman, Whitefish; 7. Danielle Rosenbaum, Columbia Falls; 8. Jasmine Reese, Whitefish.

Informative Speaking: 1. Taylor Bloomfield, Polson; 2. Jacob Hohman, Columbia Falls; 3. Tintzman, Whitefish; 6. Brendan Gibson, Whitefish; 7. Elizabeth Campbell, Whitefish.

Original Oratory: 1. Paige Moriarty, Columbia Falls; 6. Violet Anderson, Polson; 7. Geneva des Lions, Polson.