In a final tune-up before the divisional tournament, the Whitefish speech and debate team took second place Saturday at Bigfork.

Columbia Falls was first in sweepstakes points at 185, followed by Whitefish with 171 and Polson finished in third with 45 points.

“We are so pleased with the performance this weekend of several of our students who’ve worked incredibly hard over the last few weeks,” said coach Sara Mueller. “We also came away from Bigfork ready to put on the finishing touches.”

Kate Ehrenberg and Bergen Carloss led the team with a first place finish in public forum debate.

Mueller pointed to the third place finish of freshman Lilly Butts in Lincoln-Douglas debate in her second tournament.

“What is special about this group is a constant desire to improve and a set of very high personal expectations that motivate these kids to put in so much effort and time,” she said. “In the end, there were some exciting pay-offs for us.”

The Bulldogs head to the divisional tournament this weekend in Hamilton.

Individual results:

Extemporaneous: 2. Abbie Belcher, 4. Zach Ade, 8.Makkie Haller

Impromptu: 2. Abbie Belcher, 3. Saige Perchy

Memorized public address: 3. Austin Reese, 5. Zach Ade

Original oratory: 2. Hunter Cripe, 4. Lindsey Matulionis

Expository: 6. Regan Tintzman

Humorous oral interpretation: 2. Saige Perchy,

Dramatic oral interpretation: 3. Hunter Cripe, 4. Ella Van Vlack

Lincoln-Douglas debate: 2. Dakota Henson, 3. Lilly Butts

Policy debate: 2. Ian Caltabiano and Zach Kasselder

Public forum debate: 1. Kate Ehrenberg and Bergen Carlos, 3. Cody Casazza and Bailey McCain