Milbank High School speakers captured the Class A Sweepstakes Championship at the final invitational contest of the season held at Harrisburg High School on February 12th. MHS speakers scored 120 points while runner-up Lennox scored 75 points.
Speakers competed in three rounds of individual events and scored team-points based on their performance. Jeremy DeVaal competed in Humorous Interp. Brent Seehafer and Katie Loutsch were entered in Serious Interp. DeVaal and Amanda Lambrechts competed in Varsity Oratory while Ryan Hepper, Austin Berens, Timothy Whelan, Bailey Neidert, Bailey Slabey, and Rachel Johannsen were in Novice Oratory. Mitch Wagner was in Varsity US Extemp while Josh Grabow was in Varsity Foreign Extemp. Allwin McDonald, Brock Rudebusch, Dezmond Ward, John Ward, Jesse Nelson, Sam Grorude, Timothy Whelan, Nathaniel Steinlicht, Rebecca Schrupp, and Katie Loutsch were entries in Novice Extemp.
Taking the third place award in Novice Lincoln Douglas debate with a 3-1 record was Jesse Nelson. Josh Grabow was in Varsity LD. Competing in novice policy debate were the teams of Austin Berens and Ryan Hepper, Rachel Johannsen and Rebecca Schrupp, Bailey Neidert and Bailey Slaby, and Dezmond Ward and Brock Rudebusch. In Varsity Public Forum were Brent Seehafer and Mitch Wagner. Three MHS teams tied for third place with two other teams, all with 3-1 record. MHS teams included Timothy Whelan and John Ward, Camilla Oedling and Nathaniel Steinlicht, and Katie Loutsch and Sam Grorud.
To end the debate portion of the forensic season, some students will be preparing for the District NFL Speech and Debate contest held on February 26-27th in Brookings followed by the State contest the next weekend in Watertown.