On Thursday, Jan. 7, following a great flurry of activity to reprint and reconstruct an entire Continent in the Extemp Files, the R-MA Speech and Debate Team competed in the Shenandoah Valley Forensics League Tor Johnson Championship Tournament, hosted at Sherando High School. Though the Shenandoah Valley sounds like it may be an easy walk in the park, this league is one of the most competitive of the mid-week leagues ... with four state championship and runner-up schools all vying for the championship.
This year, R-MA was able to retain its championship in the season and final tournament against the hard and magnificent competition of our friendly rival, Madison County (a 13-year VHSL Speech and Debate Championship school). Through pushing past Madison by a mere 3 points at the championship, R-MA was able to take home the ShenVaFL Tor Johnson Championship Cup, as well as its third ShenVaFL Season Cup for Large Schools. Yes, though R-MA is almost the smallest school in the league, due to the size of our team, we are the largest in the state.
Though Bus 24 was laid up in the shop for a shreded belt, we were able to get one of the new bus for the short trip to Sherando. Though the bus had a bit more zip, we had grown accustomed to Bus 24 and its cushioned ride with easy-access files. But, helped by Mr. Pratt who purchased supplies for us, we were able to transport all the files, trophies, ballots, and everything necessary to run a large 16-school tournament.
The results were impressive:
Impromptu
1st.. Tyler Solley
Domestic Extemp
2nd.. Martha Galewski
Foreign Extemp
1st.. Brennan Morris
Constitutional Comm.
2nd.. Gigi Baughman
3rd.. Xing Zhang
Declamation
2nd (tie).. Xing Zhang and Apryl Sands
Poetry
3rd.. Apryl Sands
LD Novice
3rd.. Katherine Hoptiak
Public Forum Novice
1st.. Gerber/ Nell
2nd.. Pionkowski/ Collins
Public Forum Open
1st.. Dungan/ Dungan
2nd.. Pratt/ Morrow
3rd.. McCotter/ McCotter
Congress
5th.. Jackson McGraw
Original Oratory
1st.. Martha Galewski
4th.. Tyler Solley
5th (tie).. Brennan Morris and Gigi Baughman
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