MHS Debaters Win Fourth Class A Sweepstakes Trophy This Season

The MHS forensics team brought home their fourth Class A’ sweepstakes trophy of the season last weekend, January 26-27. Nine students attended and competed in 14 events in the Lewis and Clark Tournament in Yankton. Milbank won first place in Class A. They placed sixth overall in a field of 20 schools.

Izabella Glomstad took third place in novice Lincoln-Douglas. Max Schuelke placed third in varsity Lincoln-Douglas. Taylor Hallquist also made the stage with her partner from Brookings. They placed fourth in novice Public Forum. (Taylor’s MHS partner was unable to attend the tournament; a Brookings debater was in the same situation. They teamed up to compile a 4-1 record and placed fourth overall.)

Bri Hicks moved to varsity Lincoln Douglas. She ended the day with a 3-3 record. Kathy Tyler, head coach for MHS, says “That was amazing, considering it was her first tournament as a varsity L-D debater.” Tyler also noted the only Bulldog debater who received perfect speaker points was Schuelke, but Max accomplished the feat three times.

The duo of Dana Chan and Charlotte Street, finished the tourney at 1-4. Shane Spiering and Trixie Coalter ended at 2-3 in novice Public Forum.

The Individual Event (IE) portion of the tournament was held on Friday. Milbank’s individual event entries included: Shane Spiering, International Extemp; Dana Chan and Bri Hicks, Informative Oratory; Trixie Coalter, Programmed Oral Interp; Max Schuelke, Domestic Extemp Speaking; and Keira Steffen, Congressional Debate (Friday and Saturday). Schuelke earned fourth place.

What’s next for Milbank? The Bulldogs travel to the Cavalier Invitational at Sioux Falls Jefferson High School on February 1-2. The last regular tournament of the season is the Rushmore Challenge February 9-10 in Harrisburg. The National Qualifier, or Quals, will be conducted February 16-17 in Harrisburg. South Dakota’s state tournament is scheduled for March 1-2 in Watertown.

According to Tyler, the Yankton tournament was the end of the novice season for the debaters. Novice debaters will move to the junior varsity or varsity level for the remaining two regular tournaments and step up to varsity for Quals.” It’s worrisome for some,” she says, “but I have no doubt that all are up to the task.”