Flathead speech team honors top performers

The Daily Inter Lake

Five members of the Flathead High School speech and debate team were recognized as National Forensic League Academic All Americans at the team's awards ceremony Tuesday night.

Jesse Brenneman, Ken Grinde, Neil Hilton, Treza Hirsch and Sara Hyde all earned the All-American award.

To be eligible, students need to earn 750 National Forensic League points, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.7 and achieve excellent ACT or SAT scores.

Thirty-four Flathead varsity students earned Montana High School Association academic all-state honors for earning at least a 3.5 GPA during the season.

The state team's overall average was 3.71, and the entire team had a cumulative 3.53 GPA.

Six freshmen earned varsity letters, a Flathead speech and debate record. Brigitte Baake, Abby Connolly, Justine Klein, Maxine Sugarman, Connor Tice and Hannah Wahlert were the freshmen first-time letter winners.

Individual awards are as follows:

. T.R. Richardson Outstanding Speech & Drama Award: Jesse Brenneman, Ken Grinde and Mara Mercer

. Outstanding Debater: Annika Heinle and Cailin Rogers

. Outstanding Speaker: Treza Hirsch and Mara Mercer

. Career Pride Award: Sara Ebert, Josh Henning, Treza Hirsch and Katie Seidel

. Connie Wagner Inspirational Award: Jesse Brenneman and Larkin Lane

. Sue Brown Leadership Award: Katy Allen-Schmid and Treza Hirsch

. David M. Hashley Most Improved Award: Bethany Denton, Katie Hoag, Larkin Lane, Mara Mercer and Cailin Rogers

. Bruce Riley Newcomer Award: Katy Allen-Schmid, Justin Mailman, Gaelyn Moore and Carinna Torgerson

Jamie Heinle was recognized with the Friend of Flathead Forensic Award and was honored for leading the Parents of Forensics Booster Club.

The awards ceremony wrapped up Flathead's fifth-straight state-championship season.

This year's Flathead team took the title for the ninth time in 10 years and captured seven individual first-place finishes at the State AA Championships in January.