C. Falls reigns supreme

For the fourth year in a row, Columbia Falls High School is home to the best Class A speech and debate team in the state.

The team won the State Class A Speech, Debate and Drama Tournament on Saturday in Butte. It is the eighth time in 10 years that Columbia Falls has won the state meet.

Whitefish High School, Columbia Falls' biggest competitor all season long, finished second at state for the second time in two years. The Bulldogs have never finished lower than third place in their past 15 years at the state tournament.

Seventeen of the 26 students Columbia Falls took to the tournament placed, head coach Michael Christensen said.

"It was another one of our team showings," he said. "And frankly, to beat the kind of team Whitefish produces every year, takes a lot of kids - the depth in our program."

Columbia Falls finished with 134 points. Whitefish ended the weekend with 92 points.

In Class AA action, Flathead High School defeated defending state champion Bozeman High School for its seventh state title in eight years. Glacier High School finished in third place.

Flathead finished with 142 points, barely ahead of Bozeman's 140.5 points.

The victory, head coach Kala Lougheed said, was a true team effort.

"It took every student, just like we knew it would," she said. "Every point that came in and every ballot that came in, literally until the very last ballot, mattered."

Glacier ended the weekend with 93.5 points.

"It was a pretty amazing day for us," head coach Greg Adkins said. "We had a lot of things go right for sure. I'm so proud of the kids."

For local results from the state tournaments, see page A2. Except for Columbia Falls, Class A tournament results were unavailable at press time.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com

Class A results:

Sweepstakes - 1. Columbia Falls, 134 points; 2. Whitefish, 92 points; 3. Havre, 69 points; 4. Billings Central, 67 points

Policy Debate - 4. Ariel Ramstad and Marissa Getts, Columbia Falls

Original Oratory - 4. Becky Griffith, Columbia Falls; 6. Renae Nelson, Columbia Falls

Impromptu Speaking - 1. Taylor Hopkins, Columbia Falls; 3. Bralyn Joubert, Columbia Falls; 7. Jon Riffey, Columbia Falls

Extemporaneous Speaking - 2. Ben Donner, Columbia Falls; 4. Jesse Flickinger, Columbia Falls

Expository Speaking - 2. Christina Nadine-Mark, Columbia Falls; 3. Jennifer Jurva, Columbia Falls

Memorized Public Address - 2. Stephanie Christensen, Columbia Falls; 4. Ryan Cox, Columbia Falls

Humorous Oral Interpretation - 2. Ashley Carlson, Columbia Falls; 5. Hannah Brinton, Columbia Falls

Serious Oral Interpretation - 4. Candance Ward, Columbia Falls; 8. Ben Burgess, Columbia Falls

Class AA results:

Sweepstakes - 1. Flathead, 142 points; 2. Bozeman, 140.5 points; 3. Glacier, 93.5 points

Policy Debate - 3. Brigitte Baake and Kelsie Leu, Flathead

Lincoln-Douglas Debate - 2. Sam Watson, Flathead; 3. John Patrick, Glacier; 4. Jonathan Watkins, Flathead; 5. Mary Snipstead, Glacier

Public Forum - 6. Andy Wilson and Kenzie Weber, Flathead

Legislative Debate - 1. Cailin Rogers, Flathead; 3. McKenzie Javorka, Flathead; 5. Justine Klein, Glacier; 7. Logan Warberg, Glacier

Extemporaneous Speaking - 1. Matt Schwager, Glacier; 3. Katie Hoag, Flathead; 5. Severn Crabtree, Flathead; 8. Maxine Sugarman, Flathead

Impromptu Speaking - 2. Katie Hoag, Flathead; 5. Elena Musz, Flathead; 7. Maxine Sugarman, Flathead

Duo Interpretation - 2. Cory Markellis and Matt Schwager, Glacier; 3. Megan Leininger and Dylan Rodwick, Glacier

Humorous Oral Interpretation - 1. Casey Brown, Flathead; 6. Will Tedrow, Glacier; 7. Dylan Rodwick, Glacier; 8. Clayton McDougall, Glacier

Serious Oral Interpretation - 1. Casey Brown, Flathead; 7. Charden Wood, Flathead

Memorized Public Address - 1. Dawson Lynch, Flathead; 2. Caroline Houser, Flathead; 3. Megan Leininger, Glacier; 8. Gaelyn Moore, Flathead

Original Oratory - 2. Gaelyn Moore, Flathead; 3. Abby Connolly, Glacier; 5. Olivia Heinle, Flathead; 7. Jordan Carpenter, Glacier

Expository Speaking - 5. Danyelle Moore, Glacier; 6. Tess Barker, Flathead; 7. Katie Weber, Flathead; 8. Abby Connolly, Glacier