Bigfork takes third place at divisionals in speech, drama

Bigfork High School’s speech, debate and drama team finished third at the Class B-C North Divisional Tournament in Malta Saturday.

Bigfork took third place in the both the speech and drama tournaments. The team was edged by Cut Bank and Malta in speech, which placed first and second, respectively. Shelby won the Class B drama tournament and Malta came in second.

It’s the second straight year Bigfork has taken third place at divisionals, but the first year the school has competed as a Class B team.

Last year Bigfork squared off against five other schools, including Whitefish and Columbia Falls, at the Northwest Class A divisional meet. This year the team battled against 16 other schools.

The competition was fierce, head coach Charlie Appleby said.

“It was way harder in B-C than it was in A,” he said. “The competition was way tougher.”

There were more competitors in each event than there had been at Class A divisionals, and each student came to win, Appleby said.

“It’s just like track and field. Those B-C kids can run just as fast, and there’s just as many, if not more, kids,” he said.

Kayla Carlson, last year’s Class A state champion in Memorized Public Address, won the divisional meet in that event. Zoe Gaiser was Bigfork’s other divisional champ, with a victory in Humorous Oral Interpretation.

Those who placed in the top six in their events qualified for the state tournament, which takes place Friday and Saturday in Missoula.

Competitors who finished in seventh or eighth place at divisionals may attend state as alternates.

Seven Bigfork students, plus four alternates, will travel to the state meet. Three competitors were edged out of finals at divisionals; according to Appleby, they were competing in events with more than 20 entries.

Bigfork’s results from the B-C North divisional meet are as follows:

Speech events

n Memorized Public Address — 1. Kayla Carlson; 7. Kate Lamm

n Humorous Oral Interpretation — 1. Zoe Gaiser

n Impromptu Speaking — 6. Alex Neu

Drama events

n Serious Solo — 1. Amber McDaniel; 7. Angie Goss

n Humorous Solo — 6. Gwendolyn Fratt

n Humorous Duo — 2. James Vale and Jacob Sefcak; 8. Ernie Cottle and Kenny Patrick