Speech and debate making its mark

The Columbia Falls speech and debate team started the 2022-23 season on a strong note, winning the sweepstakes in Class A at the Kalispell AA kickoff on Saturday.

There were 10 A schools and five AA schools at the meet.

The Wildcats look to have a strong showing this season, second-year coach Dawn Roe said.

The Wildcats have some strong senior leadership in Brayden Crawford and Aiden Rohn who were 2022 state champions in Public Forum. Rohn was also a 2022 national qualifier. Eddie Chisholm is also a returning senior and two-time national qualifier. Also placing in their events at state last year and returning for the season are senior Zack Tillman, juniors Ruby Davis, Kai Lee Cole, Eleanor Hollingsworth, Kynsleigh Gould, and sophomores Lauren Rogers and Carson Settles.

“Our team has 16 returning members and over 20 new members who are working hard to master their events. We have had a great group of new students from all grade levels that have joined the team as first year competitors. It will be exciting to watch them at the first few tournaments as they hit their stride and settle into their events,” Roe said

Roe was pleased with the first outing.

“The Kickoff tournament was exciting for our team as we had many first time competitors breaking into semifinals and finals, including our first ever Duo team, against seasoned competitors from all classes who previously placed at state or were state champions in their events,” she said.

The team travels to Bozeman this weekend for a two-day Class AA tournament which is the biggest it will compete in all year.

Roe said it’s tough to pick who will be the team to beat this year, but she expects last year’s state champs, Frenchtown, along with Whitefish, and Laurel to be tough again.

The Broncs were second among Class A schools in Kalispell.

Last year the Wildcats took second at the state meet. Laurel was third.

At Kalispell, Eleanor Hollingsworth and Kynsleigh Gould took first at the tournament in Policy Debate.

Also placing were:

Zach Tillman and Lucas Counts - second in Duo;

Eddie Chisholm - third in Lincoln Douglas Debate

Robyn Maddux - fourth in MPA

Carson Settles - fifth in Informative

Brayden Crawford and Aiden Rohn - fifth in Public Forum Debate

Lauren Rogers and Boone Shanks - sixth in Policy Debate

Eleanor Smiley — seventh in MPA.