Speech and debate take third among ABC in Kalispell

The streak is over.

After placing first among ABC schools in every tournament this year, the Columbia Falls speech and debate team took third at the Western Regional Invitational in Kalispell last weekend.

Whitefish was the top Class A school, followed by class B Loyola.

The meet featured 14 schools, including AA schools, A schools and B/C schools.

Whitefish and Loyola did well in the debate events. Whitefish had 68 of its 77 points in debate.

Columbia Falls outspoke the A, B, C competition in the individual speech events to earn 14 of their final 31 points.

“We really like hitting these big Class AA tournaments, because it really gives us a challenge and an opportunity to learn,” Columbia Falls coach Tara Norick said. “Our kids are working hard and we’re proud of how they bring their best game to these tournaments.”

Individual highlights for the team include Emma Erickson, who took seventh in memorized public address, Paige Moriarty, who placed eighth in original oratory, and Ava Chisholm, who finished fifth in Impromptu. On the debate side, freshman Chloe Coberly argued her way to seventh place in Novice Lincoln Douglas debate, Danielle Schwalk and Shyane Williams battled to seventh in varsity policy team debate, and Cassidy Norick and Kelsey Wright secured eighth place in public forum team debate.

This weekend, the Wildcats take on Whitefish and Loyola again in Hamilton.

Individual results:

Novice LD

7th Chloe Coberly

Varsity Policy Debate

7th Shyane Williams and Danielle Schwalk

PF Debate

8th Cassidy Norick and Kelsey Wright

Original Oratory

8th Paige Moriarty

Impromptu

5th Ava Chisholm

MPA

8th Emma Erickson