Wildcats win seventh-straight speech title
The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team won its seventh state Class A title in a row last week, downing second-place Billings Central by 50 points for the victory.
Junior Blake Ladenburg and sophomore Mason Gedlaman won individual titles in the Jan. 21 event held in Polson.
But all told, 18 team members placed, and that proved to be the difference, second-year head coach Tara Norick said.
"Everyone contributed," she said. "That's why we won it. It wasn't just individuals - it was the whole group."
Norick also credited assistant coaches Leslie DiMiao and Kim Gange.
"They each coached a state champion this year," she said.
For Landenburg, the win in memorized public address was sweet.
"It was a relief knowing that I won," he said. "I put in a lot of hard work this year."
Gedlaman summed it up with one word.
"It was awesome," he said. "That's the only way to describe it."
The seventh-straight victory puts the Columbia Falls program in an elite status, assistant principal Scott Gaiser said.
"It sets you apart as one of the finest schools in the state - one of the finest schools in the nation," he said during a pep rally for the team Monday.
Norick said the team should be just as strong next year. Only seven seniors are on the team - the core of the team will be intact.
Columbia Falls has won a state Class A title in 11 of the past 13 years.
Policy debate
Fifth - Erick Franklund and Colter Norick
Sixth - Mary Gross and Allison Foust
Lincoln-Douglas
debate
Third - Becky Griffith
Fifth - Kaitlin Barnes
Memorized
public address
First - Blake Ladenburg
Original oratory
Second - Natalie Law
Seventh - Meredith Stolte
Impromptu
Fourth - Jinise Osborne
Fifth - Chance Morine
Seventh - Mason Gedlaman
Extemporaneous
Seventh - Kevin Shea
Humorous oral interpretation
First - Mason Gedlaman
Second - Caylub Moon
Fifth - Lexi Brunz
Serious oral interpretation
Fifth - Jinise Osborne
Seventh - Britney Cotton
Expository Speaking
Second - Casey Bauer
Fifth - Baylee Brinton