Columbia Falls Speech and Debate competed well at the Western Montana Regional Speech and Debate Tournament in Kalispell over the weekend as the team matched its talents against 22 class AA and A team, and squeaked out a seven point victory over Frenchtown to take home the first place class A-B-C trophy.

The Columbia Falls coaches were pleased with how their team competed over the two days, but noted there was a lot of room for improvement.

“We had a really strong showing during the preliminary rounds, and that carried us through to the end,” assistant coach Mikel Knutson remarked. “The kids slumped during the final two rounds where the stakes were higher, and that is when the final point tally got close.”

“We need to continue to perform consistently throughout the whole day to ensure we are placing where we want to be placing,” head coach Tara Norick added.

Senior Isaac Adams led the way for the Wildcats taking first in dramatic interpretation and fourth in humorous interpretation to score 14 of the team’s 46.5 points. An additional nine Wildcats placed in the top eight in their events, and eight more placed in the top 16 to gain points for their team.

“Without those eight students who placed in the top 16, we would have gone home with the second place trophy by one point,” coach Blake Ladenburg pointed out. “These are always team victories, and everyone’s performance matters.”

Columbia Falls has one more tournament in Hamilton before the Christmas break. After Christmas break, the team will have only two more tournaments before the divisional and state meets.

Individual competitors and team results were as follows:

Policy Debate:

6th Emma Stephens & Shyane Williams

7th Calie Johnson & Tre` Finley

12th Finley Sundberg & Ava Foley

Public Forum Debate:

7th Lara Erickson & Laney Conger

16th Damon Morris & Jesse Rusche

Lincoln-Douglas Debate:

10th Eddie Chisholm

Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate:

14th Juliana MacPherson

Dramatic Interpretation:

1st Isaac Adams

4th Griffin Conger

Humorous Interpretation:

4th Isaac Adams

Program Oral Interp:

8th Chloe Cobberley

Original Oratory:

8th Julia Sowerwine

Memorized Public Address:

4th Suzanna Rosalez

6th Julia Sowerwine

13th Ave’ McDonald

Informative:

15th Aidan Judge

Extemporaneous:

4th Maggie McKeon

12th Aidan Judge

Impromptu:

11th Chloe Coberley

12th Maggie McKeon

Sweeps (team score)

1st Columbia Falls 46.5

2nd Frenchtown 39.5

3rd Polson 26

4th Whitefish 23