The Speech and Debate Team picked up four more National qualifiers this weekend at the North East Indiana district tournament held at Plymouth High School. Zack Stemer (12) and Jackson Fox (11) qualified in humorous interpretation, Melissa Penfold (12) qualified in original oratory, and Samantha Kattalia (12) qualified in dramatic interpretation. They will join the nine debaters who qualified in three different events back in January. The NFL National Tournament will be held in Las Vegas in June.

The team also won the district championship for garnering the most rounds of competition at both the speech and debate qualifying tournaments. Sixteen schools and 120 students took part in Saturday’s twelve-hour tournament. Most students competed in three preliminary rounds, with the top twelve advancing to semifinals and the top six advancing to the final round. The top two in each of the six national events qualified for the national tournament.

“Overall we had a good day, with fifteen of our twenty-two entries making it into the final round. We had a number of kids come so close to qualifying – four in third place - but we are definitely happy with the four we got through. While it was our upper classmen who got through, I was very impressed with the poise and performance of some of our freshmen and sophomores,” said coach Bob Kelly.

Finalists for CHS included Adam Potrzebowski (10), third place, and Tyler Fabbri (10), fourth place, in international extemporaneous speaking.

Tom Geairn (12), third place, Megan Adamczewski (10), fourth place, and Kailey Paglia (11), seventh advanced in domestic extemporaneous speaking.

In oratory Elisabeth Kindmark (9) was third and Elizabeth Gerometta (11) finished fourth. Drama contestants Zack Stemer (12) and Melissa Penfold (12) placed third and fourth. Jack Deuberry (11) and Lauren Ingram (12) were fourth in duo interpretation, and Deuberry was fourth in humor.

Semifinalists for the team included Dan Leopold (10) in international, Samantha Kattalia, in oratory, and Britta Ringas (9), Matt Keeley (10), Ann Thompson (9), and Ashley Ouellette (11), in duo.

Former students Lianne (Wojnarowicz) Mink, Jeff Corso, Ryan Anderson, and A.J. Rodriguez joined coaches Bob Kelly, Jim Cavallo, Scott Woodhouse, Amy Pavlock and Chris Lowery to help with judging and tournament duties. Also helping with judging was community member, Nancy Stillion, and parent, Mary Fox.

The team has three weeks off to prepare for defending its state championship at the state tournament on March 29.

The state tournament will be held at Lafayette Jefferson this year.

Posted 3/11/2008