L&C forensics starts off strong at season openers

Lewis & Clark’s forensics team started off the year in style with strong performances at tournaments held at William Jewell College, San Francisco State University and Mount Hood Community College.

The individual events component of the team traveled September 26-27 to San Francisco for the Golden Gate Openers at SFSU. The team actually competed in two back-to-back tournaments during the weekend. Everyone on the L&C team experienced individual success at the tournament, with one half of all entered events placing in the top three. Jacob Wisda (CAS ’18) received top honors for the weekend as he was named the top overall speaker at both tournaments (out of over 300 competitors). He achieved this recognition by placing first in After Dinner Speaking and Persuasive Speaking at the first tournament as well as first place in Extemporaneous Speaking at the second tournament, along with four other top 3 finishes. Jacob earned a student membership to the National Communication Association convention in recognition of his outstanding work.

Lewis & Clark also had these strong showings which led to a second place overall school ranking (out of 29 schools):

• Decker O’Donnell (CAS ’18) was the champion of After Dinner Speaking and Informative Speaking at the second tournament
• Victoria Taylor (CAS ’17) advanced to finals in three events at both tournaments, finishing second in Communication Analysis at both tournaments
• Claire Crossman (CAS ’17) finished 2nd in After Dinner Speaking at the first tournament and advanced to finals in Prose Interpretation
• Zoe Pittman (CAS ’17) finished 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation at the second tournament and advanced to finals in Informative Speaking
• Ben Soleim (CAS ’17) advanced to finals in Persuasive Speaking and Impromptu Speaking

The debate season had started one weekend before at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO. Facing a deep field of 52 teams, the Pioneer debaters all finished among the top 16 teams at the tournament.

• Hannah Mathieson (CAS ’17) and Sarah McDonagh (CAS ’18) finished in third place. McDonagh was honored as the fourth best individual debater at the tournament, while Mathieson was ninth
• The teams of Carlton Bone (CAS ’18) / William Woods (CAS ’19) and Mikayla Parsons (CAS ’18) / Taylor Knudson (CAS ’18) finished among the top 16 teams. Bone was recognized as the seventh best individual debater, while Woods was honored as the second best debater among first year students

The debate team then traveled a much closer distance to compete at the Northwest Parli Warmup at Mount Hood Community College. While the tournament was smaller, it was no less competitive.

• Mathieson and McDonagh again advanced to semifinals, this time accompanied by the team of Bone and Woods.  Bone was recognized as the third place individual debater, while McDonagh was ninth
• The team of Asher Kalman (CAS ’18) and Charlie Brothersen (CAS ’19) advanced to quarterfinals, while Knudson / Parsons were among the top 12 teams at the tournament
• In junior varsity division, Kaz McKinney (CAS ’19) and Nya Phillips (CAS ’19) advanced to semifinals

The busy start to the season continues for the Pioneers. The next full squad tournament will be the Steve Hunt Classic, named after longtime Lewis & Clark Director of Forensics Steve Hunt. It will likely have over 40 schools from across the nation represented, and will take place on the L&C campus October 9-11.

Mathieson and McDonagh will travel to Salem on October 3 to compete in the 4th annual Oregon State Penitentiary Tournament. This unique tournament includes teams from local colleges and universities, teams comprised from the Prison Toastmasters club, and this year the British national debate team.

The squad also plans to enter a team in a debate tournament in Seattle on October 16-17 sponsored by NASA. Teams at that tournament will debate the legal status of extraterrestrial microbes attempting to advance to debate at the National Air & Space Museum in March.