Polson debaters win with words

Polson's Speech, Debate and Drama team hosted a meet of 15 teams Nov. 8 and came in 3rd in Drama.

Other Drama Sweepstakes placements were Libby, first, with 64 points; Hamilton, second, 56 points; Polson with 47 points; Corvallis, fourth, 43 points; and Bigfork, fifth, 40 points.

Loyola swept the Speech Sweepstakes competition with 155 points capturing top honors. Glacier High JV1 was second with 97 points, Flathead JV, third, with 80 points, Whitefish. Fourth, with 64 points and Columbia Falls, fifth, with 61 points,

The following Polson students placed at the meet: Second place finishers were Sierra Kohler and Beth James in Serious Duo Acting and Molly Ricketts in Serious Solo Acting.

Third place finishers were Karissa Koberg in Extemporaneous Speaking and the team of Logan Garcia and John Bishop in Serious Duo Acting.

Mary Wiedrich finished fourth in Novice Lincoln - Douglas Debate.

Becca Grant and Misty Futrell were fifth in Classical Duo Acting.

Sixth place earners were Larissa Hanson in Humorous Solo Acting and Colin Burress in Pantomime.

Earning seventh place were Bryanna Peterson in Humorous Solo Acting, Barbara Kenmille and Melissa Cisneros in Serious Duo Acting, and Delaney Kohler and Katelyn Mergenthaler in Classical Duo Acting.

Those placing eighth were Kelsey Koberg and Josie Benedetti in Novice Team Debate and Jonathan Crosby in Expository Speaking.

This was Polson's first competition of the speech season and head coach Judie Woodhouse said she is pleased with how well the team did. "We told the kids the first part of October when speech began that the coaches would be busy organizing the meet the two weeks before the meet, so they had to get their speeches, cases and selections together early so we could help them," said Woodhouse. "I was a little worried, but our team practice before the meet when well. So did the meet. Now we can spend time coaching for improvement. We see a great deal of potential with these kids."

"The Polson team and coaches would like to thank the community for its support of our team and our meet," said Woodhouse. "We could not put on a meet like this without hundreds of hours from our community judges. Polson really came through for us. The team was also thankful for the businesses that helped sponsor the Speech Team centerfold in the Leader, too. It was a great boost to morale to know that the community supports the team."

Polson's next meet is tomorrow and Saturday in Corvallis.