Milbank Debaters Start Third Season

According to Kathy Tyler, debate coach for MHS, the debate year is divided into three seasons with a separate resolution for each season. The second season ended on Saturday, January 23, at the Watertown Speech Fiesta tournament. Tyler says, “January proved to be an unlucky month for the novice debaters—illness and other commitments took it’s toll and resulted in reduced participation.”

At the virtual CFC tournament, Raul Berrones flew solo, and because mavericks can’t win, he ended with a 0-3 record. Camila Monroy and Lydia Street each won one round of the three. Street also participated in Congressional Debate (Student Congress) and placed second out of 12.
Street was the Bulldogs’ only participant in the Lincoln Silver Bowl.  She placed fourth out of nine in Varsity Congressional Debate.

At Watertown’s annual Speech Fiesta last weekend, Street placed fifth out of fourteen in Varsity Congressional Debate, and the team of Monroy and Street won one round of the four. Tyler says, “Brooke Schwagel was debating from home and Raul from school, which might have led to their disappointing day and 0-4 record.”

Tyler says, “We head into the final season of the year with tournaments scheduled with Harrisburg, Yankton, Lennox, State, and National Qualifiers. The new resolution reads: Resolved: On balance, the benefits of urbanization in West Africa outweigh the harms. Tyler says, “It will be a challenge, but nothing the debaters can’t handle. By the end of February, they will know more about West Africa than they thought possible.”
Max Lightfield and Aiden Ludvigson will be returning for the final season. Peyten Wiese and Ivy Lewno will also return to enter the original oratory competition.

Tyler adds, “I give kudos to Raul Berrones for his participation this year. He was not in the debate class and had to learn the debate process basically on his own. Because Milbank can take only two teams to the state tournament, he has decided to put debate on hold for the rest of the season. She also gives kudos to the debaters who participate from home. “They make it work!”
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