Bulldog speech and debate nabs second at Western A Divisional

The Whitefish speech and debate team brought a strong team Saturday in Columbia Falls to place second at the Western A Divisional tournament.

With the host Columbia Falls Wildcats taking first place with 256 sweepstake points, the Bulldogs secured second with 137 points and East Helena came in third at 87.

“We were thrilled to qualify all members of the divisional team,” said Whitefish coach Sara Mueller. “With such a young team, we knew we would need to be at our best to place in Divisionals. To walk away solidly in second was a highlight.”

Whitefish had one Western A Divisional champion in memorized public address, Iona Sarraille. In public forum debate, the team of Addie Blackaby and Zoe Tremper was second and the team of Brynn McDonald and Bjorn Bungener placed third.

Cole Pickert and Jackson Schindler teamed up for a second-place finish in duo interpretation and Charlotte Perkins was second in the Lincoln-Douglas debate. In humorous interpretation, Scarlet Burke took third while Annie Walsh finished just behind her in fourth place.

Twenty Bulldogs in total qualified for the State A tournament.

“With a very short week of practice ahead, we are excited to travel to Sidney for the State tournament to make a run at placing there, as well. We have every reason to believe the competition will be stiff, but know ourselves to be among the teams making it competitive,” Mueller said.

Whitefish will travel to Sidney for a two-day state tournament on Friday and Saturday.

Whitefish Speech results:

Policy Debate: 5. Alex Losee and Vana Fortune

Public Forum Debate: 2. Addie Blackaby and Zoe Tremper, 3. Brynn McDonald and Bjorn Bungener, 7. Jayce McDonald and May Rowles

Lincoln-Douglas Debate: 2 Charlotte Perkins

Impromptu: State Qualifier- Iona Sarraille

Extemporaneous: State Qualifier- Avery Sorensen

Original Oratory: 4. Nessa Solomon, 7. Lauren Rossi, State Qualifier- Astir Pulsifer

Memorized Public Address: 1. Iona Sarraille, State Qualifiers- Lauren Rossi and Avery Sorensen

Informative: State Qualifier- Scarlet Burke

Humorous Interpretation: 3. Scarlet Burke, 4. Annie Walsh

Dramatic Interpretation: State Qualifier- Ella Walker

Duo Interpretation: 2. Cole Pickert and Jackson Schindler, 7. Astir Pulsifer and Unity Loveless