Columbia Falls wins sixth title

Columbia Falls High School brought home its sixth straight state title Saturday night from the Class A State Speech and Debate Tournament.

Buoyed by performances from three individual state champions, the team finished the weekend with 184 points and a first-place finish. Billings Central came in second with 126 points.

“It was tough competition, but the kids performed wonderful,” head coach Tara Norick said.

“They fought hard and worked hard. They kept their focus and did a great job. I’m so proud of them.”

Jesse Flickinger brought home a trophy in Extemporaneous Speaking. Casey Bauer took first in Expository Speaking. Stephanie Christensen won the title in Memorized Public Address.

Whitefish also had an individual champion. Elsa Dodds took first in Original Oratory.

“It was really exciting for freshmen to do so well,” said head coach Gary Carmichael, who was unable to attend the tournament but was kept up to speed via cell phone.

Six of Whitefish’s eight state competitors were ninth-graders, he said. The freshman Policy Debate squad, Thomas Henson and Ian MacFarlene, did not place in finals but did defeat a divisional champion team, he said.

“It’s a good sign for the future of Whitefish speech and debate,” Carmichael said. “They really learned that they could be successful at state. It was exciting.”

Individual local results are as follows:

Policy Debate — 2. Mary Gross and Allison Foust, Columbia Falls; 6. Becky Griffith and Mason Gedlaman, Columbia Falls

Lincoln-Douglas Debate — 5. Kaitlin Barnes, Columbia Falls; 6. Kevin Kuper, Columbia Falls; 8. Ariel Ramstad, Columbia Falls

Extemporaneous Speaking — 1. Jesse Flickinger, Columbia Falls; 2. Chance Morine, Columbia Falls; 3. Marissa Getts, Columbia Falls

Impromptu Speaking — 2. Marissa Getts, Columbia Falls; 5. Jesse Flickinger, Columbia Falls; 7. Chance Morine, Columbia Falls

Original Oratory — 1. Elsa Dodds, Whitefish; 2. Jinise Osborne, Columbia Falls; 4. Stephanie Christensen, Columbia Falls; 6. Natalie Law, Columbia Falls

Expository Speaking — 1. Casey Bauer, Columbia Falls; 3. Jennifer Jurva, Columbia Falls

Memorized Public Address — 1. Stephanie Christensen, Columbia Falls; 5. Nathan Trinastich, Columbia Falls

Humorous Oral Interpretation — 2. Hannah Brinton, Columbia Falls; 3. Keri Potter, Columbia Falls; 6. Emily Morison, Whitefish; 7. Ashley Carlson, Columbia Falls

Serious Oral Interpretation — 7. Keri Potter, Columbia Falls