Flathead High School speech team wins state title - again

Flathead High School's speech and debate team continued its dynasty by winning the Class AA state tournament Saturday for the seventh time in eight years.

At the two-day tournament in Helena, Flathead took the top spot with a total of 151.5 points to beat Bozeman's 128.5 tally. Billings Skyview took third with 71.5, and Missoula Sentinel was fourth with 58.5.

"We were in a dead tie with Bozeman at the end of the day on Friday," Flathead head coach Greg Adkins said. "To beat Bozeman they all had to compete well and they did. It was a workman-like effort, an amazing weekend."

Four individual championships cinched the win. Defending champion debater Trevor Hunter, a senior, kept his title with a first-place win in legislative debate.

"Trevor is such a great kid," Adkins said. "There was a lot of pressure on him to repeat as champion and he responded well."

Sophomore Sarah Harball took top honors in expository speaking, the first Flathead sophomore to win a state championship since Emily Cummings in 1997.

"She has a ton of poise," Adkins said about Harball. "She was the favorite [in expository speaking] all year."

Senior Chelsea Eickert took first in memorized public address. Adkins called her the inspirational leader of the team. She dominated her event with a 13-point lead.

Junior Ben Clanton pulled out the first-place win in serious oral interpretation by one point. After a rocky start earlier in the season, Clanton regrouped and went on to dominate his event.

Others who contributed to Flathead's win were:

Original oratory: Kerri Javorka, second; Petie Booth, third; Amanda Barker, fourth; Diana Brosten, fifth.

Expository: Allison Eudy, fourth; Vanessa Maycumber, fifth.

Memorized public address: Peter Rasmussen, fourth; Clair Graham and Vera Jones, semifinalists.

Duo interpretation: Scott Davis and Britni West, fourth; Kerri Javorka and Ryan Shearer, eighth; Erin McGarvey and Emmalee McLellan, semifinalists; Katrina Kimmel and Peter Rasmussen, semifinalists.

Serious oral interpretation: Alex Cox, fourth; Madison Monroe, semifinalist.

Humorous oral interpretation: Ryan Shearer, semifinalist.

Impromptu: Dan Bothwell, second; Nick Malinak, third; Lisa Musz, fourth; Sean Sullivan, sixth.

Extemporaneous: Dan Bothwell, second; Treza Hirsch, fifth; Mikenna Maroney, sixth; Nick Malinak, semifinalist.

Legislative debate: Joe Drury, third; Nathan Brown, fifth; Eric Fulton, sixth.

Policy debate: Carson Booth and Aaron Danno, octofinalists.

Lincoln-Douglas debate: Evan Tice, third; Harley McGlenn and Michael Schwager, octofinalists.

It was Flathead's third consecutive win. The team has won every year since 1998 except 2002 when they came in second.

Adkins, who's coached the team since 1992 and became head coach in 1995, attributes Flathead's success to a long tradition of speech and debate that dates back to the early 1970s.

"Winning breeds success," he said. "And we get so many good kids."

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com