For the third consecutive year, a student from Glacier High School has placed in the top 10 at the National Forensic League tournament.  

Tanner Maroney, who graduated from Glacier in early June, placed ninth in Dramatic Interpretation last week at nationals.

In previous years, Brandon Simpson (2011) and Ian Hollander (2012) had top 10 finishes at the national speech meet. 

Maroney and 11 other Glacier students competed in the weeklong tournament in Birmingham, Ala. Also competing were seniors Ian Hollander and Izaak Castren (Public Forum Debate), Lukas Dregne (Lincoln Douglas Debate), Hunter Garbarcz and Reece Erickson (Congressional Debate) and Keckeley Habel (Original Oratory).  

Sophomores Ruben Castren and Noah Hill (Public Forum Debate), Grant Germann (Congressional Debate), Ben Habel (Humorous Interpretation) and freshman Abby Van Allen (Humorous Interpretation) also competed at nationals. Nick LaGranduer qualified but did not compete at nationals.  

Maroney’s national performance finished a remarkable four year-career.  

He was recognized at the Alabama tournament as the first Montana student to qualify for the national tournament all four years in his high school career.  

Maroney also is a back-to-back Montana Class AA champion and earned 2013 NFL All American status.

Hollander and Castren advanced to the 10th round in Public Forum Debate at the National Forensic League meet. They won 15 of their first 18 ballots before losing in rounds nine and ten.

Qualifiers also are allowed to enter supplemental and consolation events at the tournament. Ruben Castren advanced to the sixth round in the double-elimination Extemporaneous Debate, while Reece Erickson, Noah Hill and Lukas Dregne advanced to elimination rounds in Extemporaneous Debate. Hunter Garbarcz and Izaak Castren advanced in Impromptu.

Glacier coaches Ivanna Fritz, Richard Gross and Marcy Maroney also attended the national tournament.

“It was a phenomenal week, the kids were great, and it’s the best we’ve ever done in those main events and it was really exciting to be a part of it,” Fritz said.

The speech trip, which was made possible by fundraising efforts, was “a huge success,” Glacier head coach Greg Adkins said. “I want to thank our parents’ group and the Kalispell community who really made this trip possible. What a great experience for our kids!  Kalispell should be proud of how well our kids represented themselves at the national tournament.”