As soon as school resumes from spring break Plymouth High School Speech and Debate students will begin preparations for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Tournament in Dallas. The Plymouth High School administration and the team’s coaches are proud of their overall performance this season. The team advanced 36 entries to the Indiana High School Forensic Association (IHSFA) State Speech Tournament in Indianapolis last month on March 9, 2019. Plymouth High School finished 2nd place in the Class 2A Indiana State Championship and overall in the entire tournament finished in 3rd place. Of the 36 entries, 31 of those entries advanced to the top 24 in Indiana – 21, to the top 12, and 13 made it to the final round and finished with top six placings. The PHS team was led by its two IHSFA state champions, senior Jada Anglin, came in first place in Dramatic Interpretation and senior Katy Smith brought home first place in Humorous Interpretation.
PHS Speech and Debate coach David McKenzie said it was a great performance by all for his PHS Speech and Debate students. “This year’s senior class graduates with four consecutive 2nd place finishes behind national powerhouse Munster. The difference this year was the much closer point differential.” Munster High School scored first place win with a total of 187 points, in second Fishers tallied 155 points and Plymouth had a total of 149 points. McKenzie said, “Regardless of school size, our Plymouth students defeated all of the large schools in the state except the large school championship team from Fishers. Individuals compete against students from every school in the state regardless of class size, so all finalists were in the top six in the entire state.” The NSDA tournament in Dallas takes place the week of June 16-21, 2019.
Plymouth High School students with Top Three Finishes and First Team All-State Honors include the following students:
- Jada Anglin -State Champion in Dramatic Interpretation
- Katy Smith -State Champion in Humorous Interpretation
- Madison Smith – 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation
- Bridget Schafer – 2nd place in Original Oratory
- Trent McKenzie – 3rd place in International Extemporaneous Speaking
- Rylee Tostevin – 3rd place in Dramatic Interpretation
Other finalists for Plymouth High School were as follows:
- Bridget Schafer – 4th place in Dramatic Interpretation
- Madison Smith and Rylee Tostevin – 4th place in Duo Interpretation
- Edgar Garcia – 4th place in Informative Speaking
- Levi Crawford – 4th Place in Programmed Oral Interpretation
- Jacob Moreno – 5th Place in Programmed Oral Interpretation
- Jada Anglin – 5th Place in Prose Interpretation
- Levi Crawford and Andrew Haines – 6th place in Duo Interpretation
PHS semi-finalists included the following students:
- Andrew Haines – Dramatic Interpretation
- Austin Kizer – Humorous Interpretation
- Elizabeth Mendez – Informative Speaking
- Fernanda Cortes -International Extemporaneous Speaking
- Edgar Garcia – Original Oratory
- Josie Edwards – Original Oratory
- Katie Buckland and Austin Kizer – Original Performance
- Katy Smith – Programmed Oral Interpretation
PHS quarter-finalists included the following students:
- Leslie Dorantes – Broadcasting
- Jack Garner – Discussion
- Trent McKenzie – Impromptu Speaking
- Holly DeSalle – Original Performance
- Josie Edwards – Poetry Interpretation
- Ana Baca – Program Oral Interpretation
- Holly DeSalle – Prose Interpretation
- Katie Buckland – Prose Interpretation
- Ana Baca – Prose Interpretation
- Brenna Large – United States Extemporaneous Speaking
Non-advancing PHS students in additional events contributing to the team’s point total included the following students:
- Emma Kruyer – Discussion
- Nathan Filson and Liam Fort – Duo Interpretation
- Jacob Moreno – Humorous Interpretation
- Elizabeth Mendez – Original Oratory
- Autumn Baird – Poetry Interpretation
Photo Captions:
(L-R Front Row)
Katy Smith, Bridget Schafer, Josie Edwards, Elizabeth Mendez, Leslie Dorantes, Madison Smith, Rylee Tostevin, Jada Anglin
Middle Row – Anja Houin, Jack Garner, Holly DeSalle, Katie Buckland, Ana Baca, Fernanda Cortes, Edgar Garcia, Autumn Baird, Jacob Moreno, Emma Kruyer, Brenna Large
Back Row – Levi Crawford, Austin Kizer, Trent McKenzie, Andrew Haines, Liam Fort, Nathan Filson
Individual State Champions
(L-R)
Katy Smith and Jada Anglin
