Speech, debate team settles for 2nd place

It was another tough competition for the Green River High School Speech and Debate Team this past weekend.

Despite their best efforts at the Cheyenne South Tournament, the team couldn’t outtalk Cheyenne East, which took first with 112 points. GRHS claimed the second spot with 98 points and Rock Springs grabbed third.

“We seem to be going back and forth this year with (Cheyenne) East, however we had a lot of first and second-place finishes; and we know where our strength lies going into state,” head coach Carina White said. “We were also missing several of our key players this weekend and that may have pushed us over the top to a win.”

As the tournaments pass by, the team continues to become stronger.

They assess where they need improvement and make those changes for the next round of competition.

“All of the students have shown improvement, but our novices have really stepped up and have been closing the gap beating difficult students from other schools preventing those students from breaking to elimination rounds,” White said.

The cross-examination debate team members are coming on strong; and they closed out finals this weekend.

The Lincoln-Douglas debate teams have really taken off. White said team members in interpret, specifically humor and duet continue to do well.

Abigail Grubb won the Lincoln-Douglas debate and made it to finals in the informative category.

With three tournaments left in the regular season, the pressure is on to do well at each of them. The team will travel to Rawlins; and once again Cheyenne East will be in attendance.

“Our goal is to beat (Cheyenne) East, no small task; but they can do it,” White said.

“There are a lot of limits for entries this weekend so we will only be bringing around 50 students. The team feels confident and is ready to finish this season with a strong showing.”

Cheyenne South results

Duet: Morgan Burbank and Sarah Kropf, first place, Amy Grass and Phaedon Jones, third place, Lynzi Johnson and Karlee Cutler, fourth place, Leslie Patterson and Reina Kropf, semifinalists, Colt Parson and Shelbi Jenkins, semifinalists, Emma Nathan and Kayla Gibson, semifinalists 

Drama: Elaine Comer, semifinalist, Savannah McCauley, semifinalist, Hannah Thomas, semifinalist 

POI: Leslie Patterson, fourth place 

Cross examination: Jessie Lauze and Hayley Lauze and Victoria Allen and Atlin Johnson, first-place tie

Lincoln Douglas: Abigail Grubb, first place

Informative: Abigail Grubb, fifth place

Extemporaneous: Michael Montoya, semifinalist 

Congress: Jessie Lauze, sixth place, Kyle Thomas, semifinalist, Caleb Ragsdale, semifinalist, Allison Kloepper, semifinalist, Atlin Johnson, semifinalist

Poetry: Karlee cutler, first place, Leslie Patterson, sixth place, Elaine Comer, semifinalist, Lynzi Johnson, semifinalist, Amy Grass, semifinalist 

Oratory: Victoria Allen, second place, Kayla Gibson, fifth place

Humor: Dallin Hoyt, first place, Colt Parson, second place, Emma Nathan, sixth place, Morgan Burbank, semifinalist, Reina Kropf, semifinalist, Phaedon Jones, semifinalist