Art of speech used to get 1st-place finish

Another long weekend is done; and another first-place finish accomplished.

This past weekend the Green River High School Speech and Debate Team made its way to Jackson for its tournament.

Green River was not the only Sweetwater County chool in attendance, but that did not stop them from taking first place with 66 points. Rock Springs grabbed second place with 51 points, and Natrona County took third with 35 points.

“The team is excited and motivated about the last few wins we have had. As we move closer and closer to the end of the season, the goal is to ultimately win state,” head coach Carina White (formerly Stulken) said. “It is going to be a tough road this season; all of the 4A schools have stepped up their game and have real talent.”

Traveling every weekend has started to take its toll on the kids. Some of them have gotten sick a lot, but the team is still trying to push through.

“We still have four regular season tournaments remaining; we travel to Cheyenne South this weekend,” White said. “The students are all working towards state and districts. Cheyenne South this weekend will be tough with most of the schools in attendance including all the Cheyenne schools.”

The coaches are also getting tired of the travel, but they are focused and ready to see what this team can do.

“All of the coaches on this team love what we do; we are inspired every week by their level of dedication and talent,” White said. “All four coaches have children competing on the team and it is really awesome to be able to share this experience with them.”

This weekend several students stood out. Dallin Hoyt made it to finals in both humor  and Lincoln-Douglas debate, Abigaile Grubb won informative and Patrick and Gregory Marchal beat some very difficult teams and won cross examination debate.

With a team close to 100 members, the coaches need all of the help they can get. 

White said captains Kalya Gibson, Morgan Burbank, Hayley Lauze and Vabsi Ibarra have been amazing.

“They have taken on everything this year from mentoring to coaching for us,” White said. “We rely heavily on them with this size of a team.”

Jackson Results

Humor: Dallin Hoyt, third place, Raymond Garcia, sixth place, Morgan Burbank, semifinalist

Oratory: Kayla Gibson, semifinalist

Extemporaneous: Hannah Thomas, Mike Montoya, semifinalists

Poetry: Karlee Cutler, Leslie Patterson, Elaine Comer, Vabsi Ibarra, semifinalists

Drama: Nina Dodd, semifinalist

Duet: Amy Grass and Phaedon Jones, third place

Colt Parson and Shelbi Jenkins, Leslie Patterson and Reina Kropf, semifinalists

Congress: Patrick Marchal, fourth place, Jesse Lauze, fifth place, Atlin Johnson, sixth place, Kolbi Schnazenbach, semifinalist

Lincoln Douglas debate: Dallin Hoyt, second place

Public forum debate: Patrick and Gregory Marchal, first place, Vabsi Ibarra and Maggie Tallifero, third place

Informative: Abigaile Grubb, first place, Massive Burge, sixth place

Program oral interpretation: Rachel Heisinger, fourth place, Megan Golightly, sixth place