Class AA Speech and Debate: Flathead takes 2nd, Glacier 3rd at state tourney

After putting up a good fight in the battle of words, Kalispell’s Class AA high school speech and debate teams finished a consistent season in second and third place behind Bozeman — the season’s undefeated champion.

State runner-up Flathead High School achieved 163.5 overall points in the virtual tournament hosted by Butte last Friday and Saturday. Glacier High School earned 139.5 points to finish in third. State champion Bozeman High School shot to the top of the competition with 206 overall points.

“It has been a remarkably consistent season,” Flathead Head Coach Shannon O’Donnell said. “The Bozeman and Flathead rivalry has a long, 40-year history, and we can only tip our caps to their remarkable season. I’m proud of every one of our kids; they gave it their all in every round and fought to the last ballot.”

“Despite our second-place finish, Flathead came away with the most event wins and the greatest number of individual champions,” O’Donnell said, also noting the Flathead Braves closed out the top three slots in Duo Interpretation and the top two placements in Duo Interpretation.

Flathead’s individual champions are: Annelise Mason in Legislative Debate; James Francis in Humorous Interpretation; Carson Robison and Ella McGuffiein Duo Interpretation and Neila Lyngholm, who placed first in two events — Informative Speaking and in Impromptu Speaking.

“All three teams were in the running late Saturday afternoon, but Bozeman's dominance in debate and Flathead's late surge in the final round of the speech events was just too much to overcome,” Glacier Head Coach Greg Adkins said. “We scored nearly 20 points higher than we did last weekend, but it just wasn't enough.”

Individual champions from Glacier include: Aryana Allred in Memorized Public Address; Dresden Allred in Original Oratory; Mason Fauth and Alexandra Houseworth in Policy Debate; and Jane Trina in Dramatic Interpretation.

“This team never gave up, and in the end, that grit is really what matters,” Adkins said. “This was a tough, tough season, and I am so proud of this team and our coaches.”

Finalists for Class AA debate and speech coaches of the year were announced during the awards ceremony on Saturday. Glacier’s Seaghan Herron is up for the Steve Reardon AA Speech Coach of the Year award. Josh Munro, also of Glacier, is a finalist for the Anne Sullivan AA Debate Coach of the Year award. Winners will be announced later this month.

Flathead and Glacier now set their sights on nationals. Both teams will compete in the Montana West District Tournament on Feb. 12-13, which will decide who qualifies to compete at the national level in June.

Following are local individual results. To view the full awards ceremony visit https://bit.ly/36tZkvI.

Policy Debate

1. Mason Fauth and Alexandra Houseworth, Glacier
2. Braden Anderson and Evan Sevaly, Flathead

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

1. Eva Bruce, Flathead
2. Kait Giffin, Glacier

Public Forum Debate

1. Garrett Hinzman and Kyler Knutson, Glacier

Legislative Debate

1. Annelise Mason, Flathead
2. Jake Keller, Glacier
3. Simon Roston, Glacier
4. Kelvin Dixon, Flathead
5. Rylee Houser, Flathead

Memorized Public Address

1. Aryana Allred, Glacier
2. Alexa Wilton, Glacier
3. Avram Bingham, Glacier
4. Sayla McCulley, Flathead

Original Oratory

1. Dresden Allred, Glacier
2. Mac Adkins, Glacier
3. Carson Robison, Flathead
4. Isabella Shinn, Flathead
5. Isabella AuClaire, Glacier
6. Sydney Fletcher, Glacier

Informative Speaking

1. Neila Lyngholm, Flathead
2. Hailee Williams, Glacier
3. Mason Hermann, Flathead

Extemporaneous Speaking

1. Scout McMahon, Flathead
2. Leah Spangler, Flathead

Impromptu Speaking

1. Neila Lyngholm, Flathead
2. Leah Spangler, Flathead
3. Olivia Baker, Glacier
4. Scout McMahon, Flathead
5. Sydney Fletcher, Glacier
6. Maayana Satler, Flathead

Program Oral Interpretation

1. Isabella Shinn, Flathead
2. Alexa Wilton, Glacier
3. Jasmine Anderson, Flathead
4. Bethany Nairn, Flathead

Duo Interpretation

1. Carson Robison and Ella McGuffie, Flathead
2. James Francis and Kadence Johnson, Flathead
3. Avram Bingham and Kaelin Holt, Glacier
4. Dresden Allred and Yayne Myers, Glacier

Humorous Interpretation

1. James Francis, Flathead
2. Jasmine Anderson, Flathead
3. Bauer Hollman, Flathead

Dramatic Interpretation

1. Jane Trina, Glacier
2. Kadence Johnson, Flathead
3. Jarrod Wutke, Glacier
4. Sydney Barcus, Glacier
5. Brenna Ernst, Glacier

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.