Columbia Falls aims for 10th straight speech crown

The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team this weekend looks to continue its reign as state champion, pursuing a 10th consecutive title.

Another Wildcat triumph would mark the 18th state title overall for Columbia Falls.

Columbia Falls is hosting the Class A state tournament Friday and Saturday. 

There are 207 students entered in speech and debate and 118 entered in drama events from 20 schools including other Northwest A schools Whitefish, Polson and Libby. There will be 544 people judging events at both the high school and junior high.

As host of the state tournament, Columbia Falls may have hometown advantage, but team members have put in the time and the practice required of champions.

“We definitely put in the work,” Meredith Stolte said. “We can do it.”

Stolte has been leading the team for most the season, consistently taking titles each week in two events: Impromptu Speaking and Original Oratory.

The Wildcats had a slow start this season, losing to Hamilton in an early meet. Impromptu speaker Henry Chisholm said the experience was an eye-opener — no one was going to hand Columbia Falls a title; the students would have to earn it.

“But the harder teams push against us, the better we’ve responded,” extemporaneous speaker Cody Phillips said.

Since then, the team has beaten Hamilton several times, but in the state tournament Columbia Falls also will be up against strong Eastern Montana schools such as Billings Central. Anything can happen, they caution, but still there’s confidence.

“We expect everyone to bring their best,” debater Colter Norick said.

Columbia Falls Head Coach Tara Norick said the top teams to beat are Laurel, Belgrade and Hamilton. Norick said her team has yet to compete against the eastern teams. 

“I know there are strong teams in the east that have been performing well all year, but I believe we are ready for any level of competition,” Norick said. 

Columbia Falls routinely competes in Class AA tournaments.

Columbia Falls has 24 state qualifiers, six of whom are entered in two events.

Competitors to watch at state include Stolte, divisional runner-up in Impromptu Speaking and Original Oratory; Bailey Duke, divisional champion in Memorized Public Address and second at divisionals in Serious Oral Interpretation; Annabel Conger and Colin Norick, divisional champions in Policy Debate; and Colter Norick, third at divisionals in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

The coach added that Whitefish has a large team of strong competitors.

“They are definitely an up-and-coming team to watch,” Tara Norick said.

Whitefish Head Coach Sara Muller said she is proud of the team’s accomplishments this season. Whitefish has qualified 22 speakers and debaters at state.

The team will be led into state by defending state champion Sam Benkelman in Expository; Hira Ramay and Hunter Cripe in Original Oratory; Jordan Reese in Memorized Public Address and Abbie Belcher in Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speaking.

Mueller said the team set a goal early on in the season.

“WHS set the goal early to break into the top three in state. We have practiced with this goal in mind,” Mueller said. “We wish good luck to all Northwest A teams and look forward to intense competition in Columbia Falls this weekend. 

The first debate round begins at 10 a.m. and the first speech round begins 11 a.m. Friday. The first round on Saturday begins at 9 a.m. for both speech and debate.

The awards ceremony is approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Columbia Falls High School gym.