Glacier speech and debate slides into second, Flathead finishes third at Class AA state tourney

Glacier High School speech and debate team was edged into second place at the Class AA state tournament Saturday night by a difference of 6.5 overall points from the state champion team, Bozeman.

The state runner-up team scored 156 overall points to Bozeman’s 162.5. Flathead placed third with 138.5 points.

Glacier head coach Greg Adkins said that it was the final moments of the two-day tournament at Billings Skyview High School that determined the winners.

“When a tournament is this close, and you lose, it really hurts. It stings the seniors especially. It is easy to play the ‘what if’ game. … But I couldn’t be prouder of this team and this group of students, especially the seniors,” Adkins said, adding that Bozeman has a remarkable team program.

Glacier’s individual state champions included Lane McKoy, Informative Speaking, for the second year in a row, and Ethan Grant, Original Oratory and Ellie Fiala, Memorized Public Address. Adkins said this year’s team also drew strength from the Original Oratory and Memorized Public Address competitors, which swept the top three spots in each event.

Flathead’s individual state champions are Jasmine Anderson, Humorous Interpretation; Bethany Nairn, Program Oral Interpretation; Neila Lyngholm, Extemporaneous Speaking; Taylor Pooton, Impromptu Speaking; and Aiden DeLong, Legislative Debate.

“This year's team was really a special group of kids. They fought hard, they won five events — earning them the most individual champions of any team — and they supported each other like family every step of the way,” Flathead head coach Shannon O’Donnell said. “I couldn't be more proud.”

Following are complete individual results.The Montana High School Association also recognizes the top four finishers in each event with the All-State designation.

Informative Speaking

1 Lane McKoy, Glacier

2 Hailey Hendrickson, Flathead

3 Sarah Weingart, Glacier

4 Anna Wiseman, Bozeman

5 Quinn Fastnow, Bozeman

6 Annabeth O'Shea, Glacier

7 Braelynn Anderson, Flathead

8 Katie Clark, Glacier

Original Oratory

1 Ethan Grant, Glacier

2 Mac Adkins, Glacier

3 Bella AuClaire, Glacier

4 Sophia Marsolek, Hellgate

5 Maci Moon, Senior

6 Anna Wiseman, Bozeman

7 Raven West, Bozeman

8 Noah Krumdieck, West

Memorized Public Address

1 Ellie Fiala, Glacier

2 Bella AuClaire, Glacier

3 Lane McKoy, Glacier

4 Amelia Frisque, Bozeman

5 Laine Banziger, Hellgate

6 Kenna Anderson, Flathead

7 Ainsley Barton, Bozeman

8 Layli Virostko, Senior

Duo Interpretation

1 Iazzy Zalenski and Graham Szudera, West

2 Mac Adkins and Alden Lamson, Glacier

3 Siarah Holden and B Poitra, Flathead

4 Collin Olson and Adina Lockwood, Flathead

5 Jasmine Anderson and Tag Schow, Flathead

6 Erik Armstrong and Noah Everett, Big Sky

7 Ethan Grant and MaKenzie Nordness, Glacier

8 Hugh Burroughs and Chandler May, Bozeman

Humorous Interpretation

1 Jasmine Anderson, Flathead

2 Emily Mowat, West

3 Bauer Hollman, Flathead

4 Graham Szudera, West

5 Adina Lockwood, Flathead

6 Erik Kalvig, Glacier

7 Claire Ennis, Glacier

8 Kaylin Stein, Glacier

Dramatic Interpretation

1 Hugh Burroughs, Bozeman

2 Alyx McAdam, GFHS

3 Annabeth O'Shea, Glacier

4 Ryan Tiet, Flathead

5 Emily Mowat, West

6 Lilly Feist, Skyview

7 Brenna Ernst, Glacier

8 Miakoda Brien, Skyview

Program Oral Interpretation

1 Bethany Nairn, Flathead

2 Rowdy Sims, Skyview

3 Tag Schow, Flathead

4 Sparta Evans, Bozeman

5 Ellie Fiala, Glacier

6 Anya Rountree, Glacier

7 Alyx McAdam, Great Falls

8 Ada Milner, Flathead

Extemporaneous Speaking

1 Neila Lyngholm, Flathead

2 Jude Wolfe, Bozeman

3 Max Arvanetes, West

4 Rachel Ottman, Flathead

5 Avery Stephens, Sentinel

6 Rylan Wilde, Flathead

7 Logan Ranney, West

8 Devon Hanley, Gallatin

Impromptu Speaking

1 Taylor Pooton, Flathead

2 Max Arcanetes, West

3 Jude Wolfe, Bozeman

4 Noah Cory, Bozeman

5 Rylin Wilde, Flathead

6 Nevica McCarvel, Hellgate

7 Brenna Ernst, Glacier

8 Lia Thompson, Gallatin

Legislative Debate

1 Aiden DeLong, Flathead

2 Lukas Schubert, Glacier

3 Ava Ragsdale, Bozeman

4 Kenna Sandler, Glacier

5 Kaylee Hampton, Flathead

6 Robert Holman, Butte

7 Hunter Gregor, Skyview

8 Layla Riggs, Helena

Public Forum Debate

1 Maxine Hanson and Kyla Pertuit, West

2 Ellie Dula and Izzy Bryant, Hellgate

3 Melina LaPlante and Julien Alviar, Hellgate

4 Asa Hadley and Brady Foster, Bozeman

5 Ryan Webster and Ethan Woods, Glacier

6 Jack Syverson and Kennady Garvin, Glacier

7 Hailey Hiller and Josephina Moretti, Sentinel

8 Thomas Konopka and Brett Pesola, Flathead

Varsity Policy Debate

1 Kaylie Tedesco and Nela Ward, Bozeman

2 Molly Forney and Teagan Sahli, West

3 Ian Becker and Caitlin Williams, Bozeman

4 James Hadley and Ryan Tomich, Butte

5 James Day and Ray Roberts, Bozeman

6 Kiara Tooley and Alyssa Westrich, West

7 Isabel Watson and Jesse McCormick, Sentinel

8 Carsten Bowen and Madelyn McInnis, Big Sky

Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate

1 Myeongmin Choi, Bozeman

2 Cameron Taylor, Bozeman

3 Homa Masood, Skyview

4 Emmary Faerber, Flathead

5 Gaby Allred, Glacier

6 Aidan Walker, Glacier

7 Kevin Fortin, Glacier

8 Ravenor Davion, Gallatin