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News staff writer
October 11, 2006
Twenty members of the Hood River Valley High School Speech and
Debate Team traveled to Sam Barlow High School on Saturday, Oct.
7, for a full day of speech and debate competition.
The big win of the day was the cross-examination debate team of
August Jackson and Kieran Lerch, who took first place in what is
arguably the toughest event in high school and college speech
competition, according to advisor Regena Rafelson.
Two levels of competition were offered: novice, for students
with no competitive speech experience prior to this school year;
and open, for students with one or more years of experience.
Eleven students advanced to finals in 14 events. “Our novices
rose to the competition,” noted Lerch, a team co-captain, “with
five freshmen advancing beyond the preliminary rounds at their
first tournament, the Speakin’ Eagles are well on their way!”
“Twenty-two schools participated,” co-captain August Jackson put
in, “at one of the largest and most well-run tournaments of the
year. One novice public debate team and two novice dual
interpretation teams found themselves competing in front of an
audience in the final round.”
One novice, Claire Smith, finaled and placed in both her events.
Claire is a junior at HRVHS, participating in competitive speech
for the first time.
In the novice class, the dual interpretation team of Leo Dorich
and Patrick Sadil advanced to finals with their interpretation
of Shel Silverstein’s short play, “No Skronking.” Roberto Nunez
and Eliot Woodrich performed “Variations on the Death of
Trotsky” in finals.
Sadil and Woodrich teamed up to advance to finals in public
debate out of a field of 25 teams. Claire Smith advanced to
finals in both poetry reading and prose reading. She earned
second and third place, respectively, in two of the most highly
competitive events.
In the open class, the public debate team of Chase Drum and
Marcus Fridley advanced to finals.
The dual interpretation team of Lauren Merge and Michelle Tilley
advanced as well, performing “The Apology of Socrates.”
Next up for novices is the Hood River Valley Apple Cup, held on
Oct. 28 at Hood River Valley High School. Experienced team
members will have their next chance at the Whitman College
Invitational, a tournament for high school speech competitors
during the weekend of Nov. 2-4. |
