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Talkin' Tigers win UBus2Us tournament
The Mountain Home High School Speech and Debate Team defeated 17 other high schools last weekend while winning the Second Annual U-Bus-2-Us Speech and Debate Tournament in Mountain Home.
The Talkin' Tigers used a strong finish in the debate and student congress sections of the tournament to defeat last year's winner, Eagle High School. Bishop Kelly High School placed third.
A total of 437 participants representing 18 high schools crowded Mountain Home Junior High last weekend for the two-day tournament.
"I think it's really nice because we get to show off our school and put on a good tournament," said freshman novice Joann King about her school hosting the tournament.
With the addition of judges (made up of former tournament participants), competitors' parents and many volunteers from Mountain Home Air Force Base, along with coaches and onlookers, more than 575 people were at the junior high for the event.
Eli Holland and Bridget Sinerius each won two events to lead the Mountain Home team.
Holland earned perfect scores on all six of his ballots to easily win the Retold Story event. It was the second straight year Holland has won the event at the U-Bus-2-Us tournament. In addition, the senior was the Top Speaker in Saturday's Student Congress and was voted the Top Presiding Officer.
Junior Bridget Sinerius won Dramatic Interpretation for the seventh straight tournament this year. In addition Sinerius and her partner, Chasity Custer, won the prestigious Varsity Division of Public Forum Debate.
The freshman team of King and Christina Trouten won the Novice Division of Public Forum Debate, heading a strong finish in that event by the Talkin Tigers who had four of the eight quarterfinalists.
Freshman Alyssa Cannavo and partner Jenna Knutson, along with sophomores Jessica Bott and J.C. Richelieu, were quarterfinalists. The freshman team of Alyssa Sato and Amanda Klitzke finished third. In all, the Talkin' Tigers posted 15 wins against four losses in Novice Public Forum debate.
Freshman had a big impact on the win by Mountain Home.
Marissa Aiken defeated more than 35 upperclassmen to win the Expository Speaking contest while Alyssa Cannavo was fifth (behind three senior teammates) in Retold Story.
"I think it's really good, because we don't have to go and wake up early in the morning going to other schools. I like making people feel welcome to our school, and it makes me happy to be a part of our debate team," said Cannavo, following her Retold Story presentation of the children's book, "Not Warren."
Nick Duvall and Christina Trouten also added to the Tigers scoring with Duvall finishing fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking and Trouten sixth in Humorous Interpretation.
Senior Ali Howe was the top Friday Student Congress Speaker, and combined with Holland's win Saturday, Mountain Home swept the top Student Congress Award each day.
The Duo Interpretation team of Yrsa Moe and Chase Bennet finished second while Holland, T.J. Billinger and Alycia Crandall finished 1-2-3 in Retold Story.
Mountain Home also had three of the six finalists in Panel Discussion as Jacob Larson, Jenna Thompson and Rodrigo Main finished fourth through sixth.
In Original Oratory, Thea LeFevre was third while Dani Lord finished sixth.
Marita Spealman was fifth in Radio Speaking and Chelsea Wegrzyniak was third in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate.
"I'm just ecstatic that the tournament went so well. I'm so proud of how well the kids did in winning the tournament and a special thanks to the Air Force base and to the parents, they did a great job as well," said debate team advisor John Petti.
The Talkin' Tigers will next compete in the National Forensics League District competition this coming week with winners earning a spot in the NFL National Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., in June.