Today, 25 Columbia Falls High School speech and debate competitors travel to Havre in a quest for an eighth consecutive Class A state title.

This would be a milestone for head coach Tara Norick, who has coached the team for the past nine years, the last three as head coach.

The young Wildcats are not going timidly into the state tournament Friday and Saturday.

Throughout the season the students have tested their talent against AA high schools on a regular basis, Norick said.

The tough competition has set the bar for the young team, which has just two seniors and has clinched seven first-place team sweepstakes finishes and one second place this season, Norick said.  

Norick said making sure there are strengths in both speech and debate is key to a strong team.

“We really have a balanced team,” Norick said.

On Wednesday, the boisterous Wildcats wrote inspirational notes to each other as a team-building exercise.

“Before state, we do it as kind of a way to get the team rooting for each other — expand their focus from just themselves to helping each other,” Norick said. “You know, it’s an individual sport, but ultimately in order to win, it’s a team sport.”

If the team wins it all in Havre, it will mark the 13th state title since 1991 for Columbia Falls speech and debate.

“Instead of just trying to develop individual champions, we’re developing team support and team cohesiveness. We’re sharing ideas, sharing information and debating against each other,” Norick said. “Instead of withholding information that might help you win against your teammate, you share that information because it might help both of you win against a competitor.”

When asked what is the goal at state, one student shouted, “To win.”

“Our goal is to take another state championship,” Norick said. “However, the main point is to work together as a team — every individual counts.”  

The two seniors on the team are Kaitlin Barnes, who is competing in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Blake Ladenburg, who is competing in Impromptu Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Morals are up for debate in Barnes’ event. Topics — known as resolutions — are chosen bi-monthly.

“Essentially we focus on current issues that are extremely controversial,” Barnes said. “Right now we’re debating whether or not rehabilitation or retribution should be valued more in our criminal justice system.”

It’s not as easy as picking a side, either. Debaters must make a case for the affirmative and negative. When a resolution is chosen, she usually knows which side she will enjoy building a case for. For the other side, she looks for what she called a “kernel of truth” to build upon with confidence.

“We do put in a lot of research,” Barnes said. “The debate team takes a trip every year to research the final topic. We go to the Missoula library. We get access to law journals, public documents and court records as well as things like Constitutional bills.”

After winning first place at state in Memorized Public Address last year, Ladenburg decided he wanted a new challenge.

In Extemporaneous Speaking, competitors get 30 minutes to write a five- to seven-minute persuasive speech on national and international current events, social or cultural issues and citing sources and quotes from various periodicals.

“It’s difficult. You use a lot of knowledge,” Ladenburg said. “New rounds have different topics. You don’t know what you’re going to get when you walk into a room.”

In Impromptu Speaking, competitors are given three minutes to write a three-to five-minute speech about a quote or editorial cartoon. Norick said this speech should address cultural, social or moral issues implied by a quote or cartoon.

“I’m excited for the state tournament and finishing out the season strong. Hopefully, we bring back a trophy for our community,” Ladenburg said.

For junior Mason Gedlaman, practicing and competing involves a juggling act between basketball and speech. But this defending state champion in Humorous Oral Interpretation makes it work. The title of his piece this year is from the play, “Controlling Interest.”

“It’s the story about these four 10-year-old boys right about the time in their lives they are going to stop hating girls and begin liking them,” Gedlaman said.

This is the second piece Gedlaman has performed this season. Instead of performing one piece for the entire season, Gedlaman likes to start fresh in midseason.

“It can get boring doing the same piece — you’re not as excited about it. I changed it in time to polish it and do my best at divisionals and state,” Gedlaman said.

In addition to Humorous Oral Interpretation, Gedlaman will compete in Impromptu Speaking.

“I like thinking on my feet,” Gedlaman said.

He said the team’s excellence wouldn’t be possible without the coaches.

“We’ve won quite a few state tournaments in a row and that has everything to do with our coaches,” Gedlaman said.

In addition to Barnes, Ladenburg and Gedlaman, other top Columbia Falls competitors to watch for include Meredith Stolte, sophomore, Original Oratory and Serious Oral Interpretation; Mary Gross, junior, Extemporaneous and Original Oratory; and sophomores Colter Norick and Erick Franklund in Policy Debate.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.