Scoring 225 points, the Whitefish High School speech and debate team took first place at last weekend’s tournament. 

Columbia Falls High School placed second with 201 points overall, followed by East Helena in third with 53 points. 

“The tournament was another in a season-long battle between Whitefish and Columbia Falls, two closely matched teams,” said Columbia Falls head coach Dawn Wheeler. 

Leading the Whitefish team to a win were individual champions: Mason Loeffler in Extemporaneous Speaking, Aiden Cubbage in Dramatic Interpretation, Scarlet Burke and Unity Loveless in Duo Interpretation, Burke in Program Oral Interpretation, Loveless in Memorized Public Address, and Shailey Green and Avery McPherson in Public Forum Debate.   

“Whitefish was able to create the balanced effort necessary to secure a tournament win for the first time this season. We see this as a sign of the competition still to come. We know the season is far from over, and it will take the combined work of all students to maintain our chances against the stiff competition from Columbia Falls, Bigfork, and East Helena.  

Columbia Falls had individual champions in three events. These included Megan Day and Lily Aveson in Policy Debate and Eleanor Smiley in both Informative Speaking and Impromptu Speaking. 

“I am proud to watch our students grow — not just in their events, but also as a team and in the development of respect for the spirit of competition against their friends and rivals.  With both teams pushing each other to improve, the road to the state tournament next month promises to be an exciting battle,” said Wheeler. 

Following are local results:

Impromptu Speaking 

1. Eleanor Smiley, Columbia Falls 

3. Samantha Keim, Whitefish  

4. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

5. Abby Lawhead, Columbia Falls 

6. Sierra Gibb, Whitefish 

Informative Speaking 

1. Eleanor Smiley, Columbia Falls 

2. Greyson Pfeifle, Columbia Falls 

4. Elizabeth Burton, Columbia Falls 

7. E. Ratchye, Whitefish 

Extemporaneous Speaking 

1. Mason Loeffler, Whitefish 

2. Logan Covey, Whitefish 

3. Merrick Fairchild, Columbia Falls 

4. Greyson Pfeifle, Columbia Falls 

5. Jay Carlin, Columbia Falls 

Dramatic Interpretation 

1. Aiden Cubbage, Whitefish 

2. Tia Marie Poor, Columbia Falls 

4. Von Blanchard, Columbia Falls 

6. Cassidy Krack, Whitefish 

Humorous Interpretation 

2. Tia Marie Poor, Columbia Falls 

3. Brandon Widhalm, Columbia Falls 

5. Lillian Nelson, Whitefish 

7. Sierra Gibb, Whitefish 

Duo Interpretation 

1. Scarlet Burke and Unity Loveless, Whitefish 

2. Von Blanchard and Brandon Widhalm, Columbia Falls 

3. Lillian Nelson and Cassidy Krack, Whitefish 

8. Allycyn Palmer and Emma Wilcox, Columbia Falls 

Program Oral Interpretation 

1. Scarlet Burke, Whitefish 

3. Merrick Fairchild, Columbia Falls 

5. Kira Shanks, Columbia Falls 

Memorized Public Address 

1. Unity Loveless, Whitefish 

2. Logan Covey, Whitefish 

3. Mason Loeffler, Whitefish 

8. Olivia Martin, Columbia Falls 

Original Oratory 

4. Meghan Amick, Whitefish 

5. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

7. Abby Lawhead, Columbia Falls 

Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

4. Sage Delaloye, Whitefish 

6. Kaya Naumovich, Whitefish 

7. Josie Ekholt, 7th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

Public Forum Debate 

1. Shailey Green and Avery McPherson, Whitefish 

2. David Losee and Avery Sorensen, Whitefish 

4. Logan Peterson and Sage Petioni, Columbia Falls 

5. Chloe Kinsella and Malakai Shaw, Columbia Falls 

6. Keian Moran and Josie Carlburt, Columbia Falls 

7. Marcus Mercer and Gracie Sliman, Whitefish 

Policy Debate 

1. Megan Day and Lily Aveson, Columbia Falls 

2. Kendal Moultray and Cheyanne Dear-Ruel, Columbia Falls 

4. Bjorn Bungener and Cohen Gates, Whitefish 

6. Barrett Clark and Hannah Szady, Whitefish 

7. Phebe Smiley and Bailey Combs, Columbia Falls 

8. Zooey Alevizos and Annika Alevizos, Whitefish

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or [email protected].