Wildcats win seventh-straight speech title

The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team won its seventh state Class A title in a row last week, downing second-place Billings Central by 50 points for the victory.

Junior Blake Ladenburg and sophomore Mason Gedlaman won individual titles in the Jan. 21 event held in Polson.

But all told, 18 team members placed, and that proved to be the difference, second-year head coach Tara Norick said.

"Everyone contributed," she said. "That's why we won it. It wasn't just individuals - it was the whole group."

Norick also credited assistant coaches Leslie DiMiao and Kim Gange.

"They each coached a state champion this year," she said.

For Landenburg, the win in memorized public address was sweet.

"It was a relief knowing that I won," he said. "I put in a lot of hard work this year."

Gedlaman summed it up with one word.

"It was awesome," he said. "That's the only way to describe it."

The seventh-straight victory puts the Columbia Falls program in an elite status, assistant principal Scott Gaiser said.

"It sets you apart as one of the finest schools in the state - one of the finest schools in the nation," he said during a pep rally for the team Monday.

Norick said the team should be just as strong next year. Only seven seniors are on the team - the core of the team will be intact.

Columbia Falls has won a state Class A title in 11 of the past 13 years.

Policy debate

Fifth - Erick Franklund and Colter Norick

Sixth - Mary Gross  and Allison Foust

Lincoln-Douglas

debate

Third - Becky Griffith

Fifth - Kaitlin Barnes

Memorized

public address

First - Blake Ladenburg

Original oratory

Second - Natalie Law

Seventh - Meredith Stolte

Impromptu

Fourth - Jinise Osborne

Fifth - Chance Morine

Seventh - Mason Gedlaman

Extemporaneous

Seventh - Kevin Shea

Humorous oral interpretation

First - Mason Gedlaman

Second - Caylub Moon

Fifth - Lexi Brunz

Serious oral interpretation

Fifth - Jinise Osborne

Seventh - Britney Cotton

Expository Speaking

Second - Casey Bauer

Fifth - Baylee Brinton