Bozeman slips past Flathead, Glacier in AA speech tourney
In an upset win, Bozeman High School won the sweepstakes trophy from defending champion Flathead High School Saturday at the Class AA speech and debate tournament in Billings.
Flathead placed second with Glacier High School in third. The two Kalispell teams won six out of 12 individual events.
Kalispell’s two high schools have dominated the state title for the past five years. Flathead claimed the title in 2015 from four-time defending champion, Glacier High School.
Bozeman won the tournament with 148 sweepstakes points — with 104 of them racked up in debate events alone. Flathead remained a dominant force, scoring 126 points, followed by Glacier High School in third netting 116.
Flathead earned one individual state title, four state runners-up, and one third-place award to drive the team into second place.
The individual state championship went to Ethan and Edgar Hall in Duo Interpretation with Wyatt Dykhuizen and Parker Kouns placing second. Sarah Ward scored a combined 12 points in two events to help lead the Flathead to their second place finish.
“It was the closest, tightest, most nail-biting finish I think we’ve had all year,” Flathead Head Coach Shannon O’Donnell said. “We knew the potential for Bozeman was there because they are a debate powerhouse, but even with Bozeman’s debate points, there was a possibility for Glacier and Flathead to overtake them, and I don’t think anybody knew how it was going to turn out until the very last results came in.”
The Glacier team had five individual champions and two runners-up and 13 finalists. The first-place winners included: Dylan Crandell, Impromptu Speaking; Anika Fritz in Expository Speaking; Adam Habel in Memorized Public Address; Aaron Robinson, in Original Oratory; and Kyersten Siebenaler in Legislative Debate.
“Plenty to be proud of,” Glacier Head Coach Greg Adkins said.
Class AA Sweeps
1. Bozeman, 148
2. Flathead, 126
3. Glacier, 116
Individual Results
Policy Debate
5. Liz Stone and Eli Brown, Flathead
7. Jenna McCrorie and Emma Trunkle, Glacier
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
3. Noah Love, Flathead
Public Forum Debate
5. Erin McHugh and Maya Buckingham, Glacier
Legislative Debate
1. Kyersten Siebenaler, Glacier
4. Makenna Marvin, Flathead
5. Will Thompson, Flathead
6. Tristen Lang, Glacier
8. Nick Brester, Glacier
Extemporaneous Speaking
4. Sarah Ward, Flathead
6. Carolina Sierra, Flathead
Impromptu Speaking
1. Dylan Crandell, Glacier
2. Sarah Ward, Flathead
4. Grace Cady, Flathead
8. Carolina Sierra, Flathead
Duo Interpretation
1. Ethan Hall and Edgar Hall, Flathead
2. Wyatt Dykhuizen and Parker Kouns, Flathead
5. Abby Van Allen and Brock Adkins, Glacier
Humorous Interpretation
7. Wyatt Dykhuizen, Flathead
8. Ethan Hall, Flathead
Serious Interpretation
2. Mason Devries, Flathead
4. Hannah Tullett, Glacier
5. Anika Fritz, Glacier
7. Renee Barker, Glacier
8. Maija Hadwin, Flathead
Memorized Public Address
1. Adam Habel, Glacier
2. Hannah Tullett, Glacier
3. Abby Van Allen, Glacier
4. Payton Keltner, Flathead
Original Oratory
1. Aaron Robinson, Glacier
2. Brock Adkins, Glacier
4. Daniel Sierra, Flathead
6. Maija Hadwin, Flathead
7. Kate Giffin, Glacier
8 Rebecca Vance, Flathead
Expository Speaking
1. Anika Fritz, Glacier
2. Tristan Phillips, Flathead
4. Kodee Wagner, Flathead