Columbia Falls takes top spot at speech and debate tournament

Columbia Falls High School speech and debate swept up the competition on home turf this weekend.

The Class A team amassed 209 overall points for the first-place finish. Whitefish High School speech and debate finished second with 92 points. 

Fifteen schools attended the Saturday tournament hosted by Columbia Falls, which featured 228 entries. 

In Class AA, Flathead High School’s junior varsity team scored 159 overall points to win first place followed by Glacier High School’s junior varsity team in second with 126 points. Among all competing schools, the two Kalispell high schools ranked second and third, respectively. 

Columbia Falls speech and debate head coach Dawn Roe expressed her gratitude for the community support in helping the school host the tournament which included 180 volunteer judges. 

“Thank you to the Wildcat community for the use of your buildings and classrooms.  Thank you to the Columbia Falls community for the clothing donations to replace our giving closet and for the donation of your time to judge,” Roe said.   

Following are local results. 

Dramatic Interpretation 

1. Kory Moran, Columbia Falls 

3. Rozylinn Ray, Glacier 

4. Fallon Maas, Flathead 

5. Lynne Beisel, Flathead 

8. Von Blanchard, Columbia Falls 

Humorous Interpretation 

1. Eli Sanderson Strutz, Glacier 

2. Bayliss Cummings, Flathead 

4. Tia Marie Poor, Columbia Falls 

5.  Jayden Astley, Flathead

6. Szonja Czinner, Flathead  

7. Miles Kuss, Flathead 

Duo Interpretation 

1. Carson Settles and Reed Wollenzien, Columbia Falls 

2. Brandon Widhalm and Kory Moran, Columbia Falls 

4. Allycyn Palmer and Merrick Fairchild, Columbia Falls 

6. Reid Sanders and Tesla Liebe-Cohen, Glacier 

8. Hannah Heward and Kyla Turley, Glacier 

Program Oral Interpretation 

1. Ada Milner, Flathead 

2. Carson Settles, Columbia Falls 

3. Natalie Young, Flathead 

4. Nahla Love, Glacier 

6. Faith Fernandez, Glacier 

5. Keelan Moore, Flathead 

Original Oratory 

2. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

3. David Losee, Whitefish 

5. Yris Hadziomerovic, Glacier 

7. Abby Lawhead, Columbia Falls 

8. Annie Hartle, Flathead 

Informative Speaking 

7. Annabelle Church, Glacier 

8. Greyson Pfeifle, Columbia Falls 

Impromptu Speaking 

1. Eleanor Smiley, Columbia Falls 

2. Cheyanne Kesteleyn, Flathead  

7. Chris Clostio, Flathead 

8. Sage Petioni, Columbia Falls

Extemporaneous Speaking 

1. David Losee, Whitefish 

2. Selah Heinzen, Columbia Falls 

3. Lincoln McElwain, Flathead 

4. Wyatt Jensen, Glacier 

5. Derek McDonough, Flathead 

6. Mason Loeffler, Whitefish 

8. Erek Benson, Flathead 

Memorized Public Address 

1. Kira Shanks, Columbia Falls 

2. Merell Cooley, Columbia Falls 

4. Unity Loveless, Whitefish 

5. Makinzie Taylor, Columbia Falls 

7. Toviah Graham, Flathead 

8. Logan Covey, Whitefish 

Policy Debate 

1. Boon Shanks and Lauren Rogers, Columbia Falls 

2. Jake Dunker and Avery Sorensen, Whitefish 

4. Vana Fortune and Ethan Hunsaker, Whitefish 

5. Mikayla King and Cayden Porter, Flathead 

6. Teyvia Davis and  Elizabeth Easley, Flathead 

8. Elle Sauer and Thomas Dunlap, Flathead 

7. Andrew Gibbs and Cohen Gates, Whitefish 

Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

1. Maya Graham, Flathead 

4. E Ratchye, Whitefish 

6. Melody McNally, Columbia Falls 

Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

1. Noah Elliott, Glacier 

2. Anouk Lee, Flathead 

3. Jude Sparkman, Glacier 

4. Johan Axelsen, Flathead 

5. Dominic Hall, Glacier

6. Tucker Buls, Glacier 

7. Josie Ekholt, Columbia Falls 

Varsity Public Forum Debate 

1. Kaya Carlburg and Quinn Caudle, Columbia Falls 

2. Keegan West and Jack Blodgett, Flathead 

3. Brynn McDonald and Solvei Gundersen, Whitefish 

4. Garrison Burger and Fin Reed, Flathead 

8. Abigail O'Connell and Vikram Vatti, Flathead 

Novice Public Forum Debate 

1. Olivia Kufa and Lindsey Lemler, Glacier 

2. Huzhao Miele and Olivier Casey, Glacier 

3. Josie Morrison and Padmaja Vatti, Flathead 

4. Griffin Ingersoll and Camden Knutson, Glacier 

5. Ed McNeil and Wyatt Sharp, Glacier 

6. Alton Olson and Stimson Dolesh, Columbia Falls 

7. Jay Carlin and Chloe Kinsella, Columbia Falls