The Columbia Falls High School speech and debate team continued its winning streak Saturday in Stevensville.  

The Class A team amassed 239.5 points overall for the first-place finish, followed by Whitefish High School in second place with 91 points, followed by Hamilton in third with 46 points. 

“The event brought together teams from across all competitive classes, providing valuable early-season matchups against some east-side teams that ... we typically do not face until the state tournament,” Columbia Falls head coach Dawn Wheeler said. 

“While the team’s strong finish was encouraging, many top contenders from other teams were not at the competition. Their absence serves as a reminder that future matchups will likely be even more challenging as the season progresses,” she added.  

Whitefish was one of those teams, down in numbers from a typical tournament due to conflicting school events, head coach Sara Mueller said. 

 “However, this allowed the team to focus on individual competition. Averaging over seven sweepstakes points per entry allowed the team to cap off a distant second," Mueller said. “Columbia Falls is looking very strong again this year and is building up lots of new talent. We are excited for what this means for competition moving into the heart of the season after the holiday break, and we don't take lightly what this means for the work we'll need to put in.”   

In Class AA, junior varsity teams from Glacier High School placed first, scoring 110 overall points, and Flathead High School placed second. 

Following are local results (Flathead’s results were not made available by press time): 

Policy Debate 

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

2. Lily Aveson and Megan Day, Columbia Falls 

3. Bailey Combs and Phebe Smiley, Columbia Falls 

8. Ozel Peters and Adai Young, Whitefish 

Public Forum Debate  

1. David Losee and Avery Sorensen 

2. Chloe Kinsella and Malakai Shaw, Columbia Falls 

5. Madhauv Gautam and Griffin Ingersoll, Glacier  

Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

3. Loren Connors, Columbia Falls  

5. Sage Delaloye, Whitefish 

Extemporaneous Speaking  

1. Kendall Dolan, Glacier 

3. Logan Covey, Whitefish 

5. Merrick Fairchild, Columbia Falls 

Impromptu Speaking  

1. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

2. Abby Lawhead, Columbia Falls 

3. Eleanor Smiley, Columbia Falls 

5. McKenna Kelly, Glacier 

6. Sam Keim, Whitefish 

8. Kira  Shanks, Columbia Falls 

Informative Speaking  

1. Eleanor Smiley, Columbia Falls 

3. Gaia Giovenelli, Glacier  

6. Kaylynn Gates, Whitefish 

7. Zach Nases, Glacier  

Duo Interpretation  

1. Adrien Sandon-Thompson and Jacob Osborn, Columbia Falls 

2. Kajsa Mohr and Kory Moran, Columbia Falls 

4. Von Blanchard and Brandon Widhalm, Columbia Falls 

5. Madeline Pomeroy and Cy Devlin, Bigfork  

Original Oratory  

1. Astir Pulsifer, Whitefish 

2. Kendall Dolan, Glacier  

3. Meghan Amick, Whitefish 

4. Madeline Pomeroy, Bigfork 

6. Abby Lawhead, Columbia Falls 

Dramatic Interpretation  

1. Tia Marie Poor, Columbia Falls 

2. Kory Moran, Columbia Falls 

4. Brody Henion, Bigfork  

7. Adison Elie, Glacier  

Humorous Interpretation  

1. Brody Henion, Bigfork  

2. Tia Marie Poor, Columbia Falls 

3. Zach Nases, Glacier 

5. Brandon Widhalm, Columbia Falls 

7. Adrien Sandon-Thompson, Columbia Falls
  

Program Oral Interpretation  

1. Faith Fernandez, Glacier  

2. Callie Williams, Columbia Falls 

6. Payton Holtz, Glacier  

7. Nahla Love, Glacier  

Duo Interpretation  

3. Christina Eddins and Ethan Harmon, Glacier  

Memorized Public Address  

1. Tregan Blades, Glacier 

2. Merell Cooley, Columbia Falls 

3. Logan Covey, Whitefish 

4. Adison Elie, Glacier  

7. Emery Lindemann, Glacier 

Humorous Solo  

4. Riggins Jessop, Bigfork 

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