Flathead rolls to Class AA speech championship

Flathead High School returned to the top of the Montana speech and debate ranks Saturday by winning the sweepstakes trophy at the Class AA meet in Missoula.

Seven Flathead students — seniors Wyatt McGillen, Eli Cornell, Alaina Mothershead and Michael Rutledge and juniors Maija Hadwin, Wyatt Dykhuizen and Parker Kouns — won individual state championships to help lead the team to the state title.

For Flathead, it was the school’s 23rd state speech championship. Flathead won its first state title 100 years ago and last won state in 2009.

Flathead amassed 188 points. Bozeman was second with 133.5 while Glacier, the four-time defending champion, was third with 100.

Flathead would have won the overall sweepstakes just with its 136 team points from speech events. Flathead added 52 points in debate events.

With its commanding triumph, Flathead reversed the standings from the past several years. Flathead finished second to Glacier in three of the past four state meets.

“What an amazing tournament for our kids,” Flathead Head Coach Shannon O’Donnell said. 

“When this new coaching staff took over, we set a three-year goal to bring the state championship back to FHS. Those sophomores and freshmen we recruited three seasons ago carried us to victory this weekend. It truly was our most-balanced tournament of the year as we received a huge boost from our debate squad.”

The seven first-place awards tied the most in Flathead High School’s long and illustrious speech and debate history.

McGillen won Extemporaneous Speaking, Cornell won Impromptu Speaking, Rutledge won Expository Speaking, Hadwin won Original Oratory and Mothershead won Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Dykhuizen and Kouns combined efforts to won their second state championship in Duo Interpretation.  

Flathead added four second-place individual awards: Cornell in Extemporaneous Speaking, Dykhuizen in Humorous Interpretation, senior Steele Jochim in Expository Speaking and senior Jade LeGassey in Serious Oral Interpretation.

“This victory was particularly special as it is the 100-year anniversary of FHS’s first state championship in speech and debate,” O’Donnell said. “What makes Flathead so unique is that we have such a tremendous tradition and it breathes life into everything we do as a team. This team will go down as one of the great teams in FHS history.” 

The seven individual champions will have their names listed among the 119 individual state champions in Flathead history. 

The atmosphere on the bus ride home was one of unbridled excitement and a bit of shock.

“It’s pretty crazy. They are absolutely elated,” O’Donnell said. “They are bouncing off the walls right now.”

Class AA Sweeps

1. Flathead 188

2. Bozeman 133.5

3. Glacier 100

4. Hellgate 50

5. Skyview 47

6. Helena 30

7. Sentinel 28

8. Billings West 25.5

9. Billings Senior 23

10. Big Sky 22.5

Individual placewinners for Flathead High School at the Class AA speech and debate meet.

Extemporaneous Speaking

1. Wyatt McGillen

2. Eli Cornell

4. Sarah Ward

7. Cody Bowen

Impromptu Speaking

1. Eli Cornell

3. Sarah Ward

Original Oratory

1. Maija Hadwin

6. Rebecca Vance

Expository Speaking

1. Michael Rutledge

2. Steele Jochim

4. Kodee Wagner

Memorized Public Address

6. Maddy Olson

8. Mallorie Mason

Serious Oral Interpretation

2. Jade LeGassey

5. Micah Moore

Humorous Oral Interpretation

2. Wyatt Dykhuizen

6. Ethan Hall

Duo Oral Interpretation

1. Wyatt Dykhuizen/Parker Kouns

3. Jackson Davey/Micah Moore

Legislative Debate

4. Sam Clairin

7. McKenna Marvin

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

1. Alaina Mothershead

3. Sophia Skwarchuk

Public Forum Debate

5. Stephanie Woodland/Sarang Bhattacharya

7. Connor Roettig/Meredith Wison

Policy Debate

4. Liz Stone/Eli Brown