Speech and debate takes second at state meet

The Columbia Falls speech and debate team wrapped up a great season with a second place finish at the state A tournament in Corvallis over the weekend.

Griffin Conger was a champion in dramatic interpretation and the debate team of Aiden Rohn and Brayden Crawford took first in public forum debate.

Frenchtown won the meet with 188 points, the Wildcats racked up 153 and Laurel was third with 150.

Frenchtown and Columbia Falls had been trading first and second places at meets throughout the season.

“I am proud of this team and how they were able to work together to overcome illness and challenges to one of our debate teams that went all the way to the rules committee, which ended in our favor,” coach Dawn Roe said. “They supported each other, stood behind each other, and were a united front, willing to win or lose as a team.  It was an amazing weekend that I wouldn't change.”

The following Wildcats also did well at state:

Carter Harvey, second in Humorous Interpretation

Zack Tillman, second in Memorized Public Address

Ruby Davis, second in Informative

Raphe Salmon, third in Lincoln Douglas

Aiden Judge, third in Extemporaneous Speaking

Zack Tillman, fourth in Dramatic Interpretation

Caleb Donsbach, sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking

Lauren Rogers and Kai Lee Cole, sixth in Policy Debate

Emma Stephens and Eddie Chisholm, seventh in Policy Debate

Carson Settles, seventh in Informative

Aiden Judge, eighth in Memorized Public Address

Ruby Davis, eighth in Humorous Interpretation

Eleanor Hollingsworth and Kynsleigh Gould, eighth in Policy Debate

Conger also made it to the semis in original oratory; Colton Little did in in Extemporaneous Speaking and Reed Wollenzien made it to semis in Humorous Interpretation.