(Milford)– Led by five seniors, Okoboji-Spirit Lake debaters brought home a record 5th straight state championship in Public Forum debate and finished 3rd behind Des Moines Roosevelt and Ankeny High School at the Iowa High School Speech Association State Tournament January 7th-8th.
OSL had four entries in public forum debate. After preliminary rounds, all four qualified for the elimination rounds. The team of Nick O’Brien and Sara Mayer finished as octo-finalists. The team of Erin Richey and Clare Huntress finished in the quarter-finals and the teams of Kaela Prachar and Maggie Rohlk and Joe Bartlett and Connor Ave met in the final round and were declared champions. Bartlett, Ave, Prachar, O’Brien and Rohlk finished the tournament as the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th speakers earning all-state speech medals.
Rohlk is now a two-time state champion. She is the 5th Okoboji-Spirit Lake debater to have accomplished that feat.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, OSL was led by strong performances by Jordan Hanson and Abbie Shew. Both advanced out of preliminary rounds and finished in the octo-finals. Hanson also earned all-state honors, finishing 3rd in speaking. Jackson Ave tied for 11th but didn’t qualify for elimination rounds because of the third tie breaker. Also debating well enough to score team points were Clare Eckard, Jay Oldenkamp, and Casey Daws who all finished with two wins and three losses in their first varsity competition ever.
In student congress, Katie Johnson and Dallas Clark led OSL by speaking their way in to the Awards House where they both earned excellent senator awards.
OSL will host the West Iowa District Tournament February 11th and 12th. The winners will qualify for the national tournament in Dallas, Texas this summer.
