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Speech and debate wins last meet of the regular season

by Hungry Horse News
| January 22, 2025 8:35 AM


The Columbia Falls speech and debate team edged Whitefish last week to round out the regular season by just three points in an impromptu meet hosted by the Bulldogs.

“Whitefish agreed to host the tournament after last minute changes left the Western A division schools without a tournament for the weekend.   The competition was fierce, and the results were the closest yet this season with just three sweeps points separating first-place Columbia Falls and second-place Whitefish,” coach Dawn Roe said. “Thank you to Whitefish head coach Sara Mueller and her team for putting together the tournament with such short notice.”

The Divisional tournament is in Polson next Saturday. 

Teams can have three entries per event as they compete for a spot on the State team.  Top 12 in each event for the Western Division will continue on to State in Laurel Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

The Wildcats are hoping to secure their 25th state A title in school history. It’s the winningest program at the school by a large margin.

The following Columbia Falls students placed in their events:



Quinn Caudle and Kaya Carlburg 1st in Public Forum Debate

Tia Marie Poor, 1st in Humorous Interp

Carson Settles, 1st in Program Oral Interp

Eleanor Smiley, 2nd in Impromptu

Kory Moran, 1st in Dramatic Interp

Sage Petioni, 2nd in Extemporaneous

Tia Maria Poor, 2nd in Dramatic Interp

Kira Shanks, 2nd in Memorized Public Address

Greyson Pfeifle, 3rd in Informative

Celestine Young, 3rd in Lincoln Douglas Debate

Carson Settles and Reed Wollenzien, 3rd in DUO Interp

Alston Olson and Stimson Dolesh 4th in Public Forum Debate

Merell Cooley, 3rd in Original Oratory

Boone Shanks and Lauren Rogers, 3rd in Policy Debate

Eleanor Smiley, 3rd in Memorized Public Address

Josie Ekholt, 4th in Lincoln Douglas Debate

Logan Emerson and Kendal Moultray 4th in Policy Debate

Merell Cooley, 4th in Memorized Public Address

Kira Shanks, 4th in Program Oral Interp

Abby Lawhead, 5th in Original Oratory

Reed Wollenzien, 5th in Humorous Interp

Cheyenne Dear-Ruel and Loren Connors, 5th in Policy Debate

Von Blanchard, 5th in Dramatic Interp

Adrien Sandon-Thompson, 6th in Humorous Interp

Melody McNally, 6th in Lincoln Douglas Debate

Sage Petioni, 6th in Impromptu

Brandon Widhalm, 6th in Informative

Selah Heinzen, 7th in Extemporaneous

Abby Lawhead, 7th in Impromptu

Emma Wilcox, 7th in Program Oral Interp

Elizabeth Burton, 8th in Informative

Merrick Fairchild, 8th in Extemporaneous

Mady Walker, 8th in Dramatic Interp

Miles Colliander, 8th in Memorized Public Address