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Glacier Qualifies 11 for National Speech and Debate Tournament

By Beacon Staff

The Glacier speech and debate team ended its most successful season in school history by winning the state’s National Forensics League District trophy and the speech and Congress sweepstakes for the first time. The victory came on the heels of the Wolfpack’s third consecutive Class AA state championship.

Kalispell hosted the Montana NFL District Tournament last weekend. Glacier finished undefeated in the two-day tournament. In the overall sweeps, Glacier scored 51 points to beat Bozeman, 44, and Missoula Hellgate, 29. Flathead earned third in both the Congress and Speech sweeps.

Glacier had 11 students qualify in 13 events for nationals.
The Glacier coaching staff includes Adkins, Ivanna Fritz, Josh Munro, Ryan Motley, Sara Motley, Sara Menssen, Marcy Maroney, Richard Gross, Laramy Applekamp, David Hembroff and CJ Cummings.

“The tournament was such a great finish for our program,” head coach Greg Adkins said in an email.

“What an amazing season. This team was dedicated and disciplined. I am so proud of their accomplishments.”

According to Adkins, Glacier senior Tanner Maroney became the first Montana student to go undefeated in back-to-back seasons and qualify for nationals in four consecutive years.

“He is the most talented and driven speech and debate student I have ever coached,” Adkins said. “He never backed down to a challenge, and competed at the very highest level for four seasons. I am so proud of Tanner.”

Maroney qualified for nationals in dramatic interpretation and humorous interpretation. Other Glacier qualifiers were Izaak Castren, Ian Hollander, Hunter Garbacz, Reece Erickson, Nick LaGrandeur, Keckeley Habel, Lukas Dregne, Noah Hill, Ruben Castren and Abby Van Allen.

Flathead had five students qualify for nationals. They were Barrie Sugarman, Eli Cornell, Wyatt Dykhuizen, Parker Kouns and Karl Boveng.

Columbia Falls’ Monique Schoech and Mara Barnes also qualified.

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