Havre competes at speech and debate national qualifiers

Press release

Although no one medaled and no one qualified for the National Speech and Debate Association national tournament, the Havre High School head speech and debate coach said he was pleased with the Blue Ponies’ performance Friday and Saturday at the Montana NSDA Eastern Division national qualifier tournament in Billings.

“This is a tough tournament, with the best from all classes of schools fighting for a chance to go to nationals,” head coach Tim Leeds said. “It was great experience for a young team, and we came close to making it to outrounds and competing to go to nationals.”

The tournament is open to any school registered with NSDA, with the top competitors in allowed events qualifying to compete in nationals, this year in June in Des Moines, Iowa.

Havre took a small, young team, with the Blue Ponies competing in relatively new events for them, with all competing in their event for the first full year.

Leading the way for Havre was sophomore Lyvia Little, who competed for Havre as a freshman but changed events this year to Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Little was 2-2 after the first four guaranteed preliminary rounds, with a shot to break into the single-elimination outround competition. But Little lost a close match in the fifth round and didn’t go forward.

Junior Trinity Olsen, another second-year Havre speaker in her first year in Lincoln-Douglas, also did well and also received comments from judges complimenting her style and arguments, but also did not break.

Senior Carinna Kline, in her third year on the Blue Pony speech team but in her first full year in informative speaking, received some good marks and complimentary comments from judges for her speech on crocheting, but did not make the cut to the top 16 in the semifinals single-elimination bracket to compete for a spot in the top eight.

Sophomore Paige Anderson, in her second year on the team, also competed in informative speaking at her first tournament in the event. Anderson competed in impromptu speaking for most of the year, qualifying for the state Class A tournament in that event, but switched to informative after state because impromptu is not offered at national qualifiers.

Anderson also received some good ranks in preliminary rounds and compliments on her speech but did not break into semifinals.

“I hoped we would have people in the outrounds; we have the talent and we came close, but it wasn’t in the cards,” Leeds said. “Still, it was a great way to end the season and the kids who will be back next year got some great experience to build on.”