05/30/12 Several Plymouth High School Speech and Debate Team members traveled over the Memorial Day holiday weekend to compete in the NCFL (National Catholic Forensic League) tournament in Baltimore, MD. The contest, which attracted students from 775 high schools all across the country making up 2,705 competitors, is a difficult tournament that challenges all competitors through four preliminary rounds. There were 2,114 entries with over 250 per event.
After the results first four rounds are tallied, the top forty-eight in each event advances to one round of octa-finals. Twenty-Four of the forty-eight advance to quarter-finals for one round before the survivors are narrowed down to twelve in semi-finals. Only the top six compete in the final round for the national championship titles.
Travis Tredway (sophomore) competed in Declamation at the quarter-finalist level and placed 13th in the event in the nation.
Octa-finalist for Plymouth included:
Pauline Dagaas (junior)-Oral Interpretation- 25th in the nation
Rebecca Brumbaugh (senior) and Shelby Pratt (sophomore) Duo-31st in the nation
Ellen Smith (sophomore)-Original Oratory-35th in the nation
April Bowen sophomore)-Declamation-40th in the nation
Jason Pickell (senior) and Kyle Barry (sophomore)-Duo-40th in the nation
Other PHS competitors included:
Olivia Hilliard (senior)-Oral Interpretation-75th in the nation
Kelsey Shaffer (senior)-Extemp-78th in the nation
Michaila Nate (junior) competed in Congress. There are three preliminary sessions that last three hours each in the competition. The top 56 students advance to one semi-final session where they compete for an additional three hours. The top twenty-four advance to the final session. Nate placed 33rd in the nation.
Coaches traveling with the team included David McKenzie, Jane Faulstich, Daphne Stapleton, David Stapleton, and Regina Warren.
Carol Anders Correspondent
