Starting today and running through Sunday, Extemp Central will be providing detailed profiles of the sixteen extempers that have been invited to this year’s Extemp Round Robin at Montgomery Bell Academy.  These extempers will be competing for 150 National Points Race points and the opportunity to add their name to a distinguished list of champions at arguably the most prestigious extemp tournament of the year.

Just like last year, Extemp Central will provide live coverage of the event by providing pairings for rounds as well as Exhibition Round participants when they become available on Sunday afternoon.  Results will also be provided after the tournament concludes.

Extemp Central will also be having a contest where readers will have the opportunity to win prizes by guessing the exact placing of the top five extempers at the tournament.  This contest will open Monday and run through mid-day Friday.  Further details will be provided on Monday.

The profiles of the sixteen extempers attending will be grouped into fours and will be listed in alphabetical order.

KEY:  DNA = Did Not Attend; DNC = Did Not Clear (Break); DNF = Did Not Final; NR = Not Ranked

Shahid Ahmed
*School:  Plano Senior HS (Plano, TX)
*Class:  Senior
*NFL Points:  1,611
*Previous Invites to MBA:  None
*National Points Race Rank:  T17th (32.5 pts.)
*Last Year’s National Points Race Rank:  NR
*Notable Finishes This Season:  3rd-St. Marks USX; 5th-St. Marks IX
*National Finishes Last Season:  CFL-DNA; NFL (IX)-QF
*Notes:  Enters as one of the lowest ranked extempers in the National Points Race since he only was able to acquire points based on his finishes at St. Marks…Third extemper from Plano Senior High School to receive a bid to the Round Robin (fourth bid in school history)…Semi-finalist at TFA State in International Extemp…Is the first of three Texans in this year’s tournament field (which is tied with California for sending the most extempers to this year’s tournament.  Last year Texas had four)…Likely received this bid for being the highest ranked extemper at St. Marks behind Dillon Huff when the USX and IX portions were combined…A victory might propel Plano Senior HS into the top spot in the National Team Points Race.

Jacob Baker
*School:  Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, CA)
*Class:  Senior
*NFL Points:  1,069
*Previous Invites to MBA:  None
*National Points Race Rank:  3rd (85 pts.)
*Last Year’s National Points Race Rank:  12th (100 pts.)
*Notable Finishes This Season:  2nd-Glenbrooks
*National Finishes Last Season:  CFL-DNA; NFL (IX)-3rd
*Notes:  Will attempt to follow in former teammate Evan Larson’s footsteps and place in the top two at this year’s tournament…Third extemper from Bellarmine College Prep to receive a bid to the Round Robin (fifth bid in school history)…Semi-Finalist at last year’s California state tournament in International Extemp…Was one of three Bellarmine College Prep finalists in extemp at last year’s NFL National tournament which put the team second in last year’s National Team Points Race…Third place showing at NFL Nationals locked up this bid, but a second place finish at Glenbrooks to Steven Elliott of Lakeville North HS helped…One of three Californians in the field (although only two schools are represented)…Is the second highest ranked person in this year’s field from last year’s National Points Race standing…Potential matchup to watch for NFL is how he fares in rounds with National Points Race leader Dillon Huff.

Gabriela Barahona
*School:  Spring HS (Spring, TX)
*Class:  Senior
*NFL Points:  2,023
*Previous Invites to MBA:  None
*National Points Race Rank:  NR
*Last Year’s National Points Race Rank:  T45th (25 pts.)
*Notable Finishes This Season:  2nd-St. Marks IX; SF-Yale; QF-George Mason
*National Finishes Last Season:  CFL-DNA; NFL (IX)-9th
*Notes:  Top ten finish at NFL Nationals in International Extemp likely gave her a berth in this year’s Round Robin field…Joined by fellow International Extemp semi-finalists Bhargava and Zewail in this year’s field…Second place finisher at the Texas UIL tournament last year in extemp and a semi-finalist in International Extemp at the TFA state tournament…Competed in George Mason’s Extemp Round Robin last month but finished outside of the top three behind Huff, Lutkowitz, and Kessner…First extemper from Spring High School to compete in the Round Robin…Has the second largest amount of NFL points in this year’s field.

Rohan Bhargava
*School:  Jackson HS (Massillon, OH)
*Class:  Senior
*NFL Points:  1,244
*Previous Invites to MBA:  None
*National Points Race Rank:  T15th (35 pts.)
*Last Year’s National Points Race Rank:  T45th (25 pts.)
*Notable Finishes This Season:  2nd-Wake Forest; SF-Glenbrooks
*National Finishes Last Season:  CFL-DNA; NFL (IX)-12th
*Notes:  Semi-final placing at NFL put him in position to get a bid, but a runner-up finish at Wake Forest and semi-final finish at Glenbrooks after impressive preliminary performances helped to push him off the bubble and into the tournament after George Mason…Last year’s Ohio state champion in International Extemp…Took the majority of 1’s in the Wake Forest final from a five judge panel…First bid given to Jackson High School for the Round Robin tournament, but he represents Ohio for a third consecutive year at the Round Robin after Alex Draime of Howland High School competed last year…Looking to be the first Ohio extemper to ever make the Exhibition Round (the highest placing Ohio extemper was Gwen Arnold, who placed sixth place in 1999).