Defending champs upset in finals
Flathead High School speech and debate’s Dawson Lynch won the state title in the Memorized Public Address in 2009. This year he came in second, finishing behind his teammate Tierney Strandberg, who was a double state champion in that event and Original Oratory. Flathead finished in third place at the Class AA state championship this weekend, behind first-place Bozeman High School and their cross-town rivals, Glacier High.
Kalispell’s speech and debate teams were disappointed this weekend after coming in second and third to Bozeman High School at the Class AA speech and debate state tournament.
Bozeman recaptured the state title after losing it to Flathead in 2009. One of those two teams has won every state championship since 1982.
This year, Flathead came in third place, ending the meet with 113.5 points. Second-place Glacier High School finished with 118.5 points, just five points ahead of their cross-town rivals.
Bozeman, which hosted the state tournament, scored 153.5 points.
“Obviously we were bummed. We wanted to win a state championship,” Glacier head coach Greg Adkins said.
“But the kids did everything we asked. They came out and competed. They gave it their all.”
Flathead was disappointed, too, head coach Kala Lougheed said.
“It’s obviously not how we wanted our season to end,” she said. “But we are proud of all our kids. ...
“Of all the teams I’ve had the privilege of working with, this group is the most dedicated and hard-working.”
Hard work paid off for junior Tierney Strandberg, who earned two state titles over the weekend. Strandberg won in Memorized Public Address and Original Oratory.
Glacier didn’t have any individual champions, but as a team scored enough points in enough events to propel them to second place.
Their efforts weren’t enough to top Bozeman, however. Although they hadn’t bested Flathead or Glacier at a meet all season, Adkins said Bozeman was probably the favorite going into state.
“Not beating us this year [during the regular season] doesn’t mean that they couldn’t have,” he said. “They’re a great program and a class act.”
The teams’ season is officially over, but some local competitors may choose to compete in the National Forensic League’s District Tournament in Missoula in two weeks. The top two or three students in that meet’s events compete at the national tournament in Kansas City over the summer.
Local results from the Class AA state tournament are as follows:
n Lincoln-Douglas Debate — 2. Mary Snipstead, Glacier; 3. John Patrick, Glacier; 4. Emily Stoick, Flathead; 5. Hannah Wilson, Flathead; 7. Sam Watson, Flathead; 8. Zac Parker, Flathead
n Policy Debate — 2. Brianna Walling and Brandon Simpson, Glacier; 3. Brigitte Baake and Kelsie Leu, Flathead
n Public Forum — 7. Hannah Wahlert and Natalie Pursell, Flathead
n Legislative Debate — 3. Montana Ziglar, Glacier; 4. Jason Ritchie, Flathead; 5. Logan Warberg, Glacier; 6. Kenzie Weber, Flathead
n Extemporaneous Speaking — 2. Maxine Sugarman, Flathead; 7. Quinn Maroney, Glacier; 8. Elena Musz, Flathead
n Memorized Public Address — 1. Tierney Strandberg, Flathead; 2. Dawson Lynch, Flathead; 3. Caroline Houser, Glacier; 6. Megan Larsen, Flathead; 7. Accacia Gardner, Flathead; Brianna Larson, Glacier
n Original Oratory — 1. Tierney Strandberg, Flathead; 4. Abby Connolly, Glacier
n Duo Interpretation — 6. Kyle Decker and Peter Hoag, Flathead
n Humorous Oral Interpretation — 2. Clayton McDougall, Glacier; 4. Kyle Decker, Flathead; 8. Natalie Griffin, Flathead
n Serious Oral Interpretation — 3. Caroline Houser, Glacier; 4. Peter Hoag, Flathead; 6. Natalie Griffin, Flathead; 7. Amanda Frasier, Glacier
n Expository Speaking — 4. Kayla Nelson, Glacier; 5. Danyelle Moore, Glacier; 7. Tess Barker, Flathead; 8. Sonja Brosten, Glacier
n Impromptu Speaking — 2. Abby Connolly, Glacier; 4. Maxine Sugarman, Flathead; 7. Molly Benedetto, Glacier