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The Marshall Speech Spectacular, formerly known as the Schwan’s Speech Spectacular, is a fifth tier tournament in this year’s Extemp Central National Points Race. The event typically attracts some of the best competitors in the Midwest and as has been the case in previous years, Minnesota dominated the competition. Haley Williams of Chanhassen High School (MN) captured the tournament title by four ranks over Rishabh Gupta of Eastview High School (MN). Williams received two first place ranks among the three judges in the final round to win the first Extemp TOC qualifying tournament of her career.

Noah Eckberg, who won last week’s Chanhassen High School Speech Tournament, took third place.

The final round featured five extempers from Minnesota, all of whom placed in the top five. Cooper Christiancy of Lincoln Southwest High School (NE) was the sixth place finisher.

All of the extempers who reached the semi-fina round earned a qualifying leg to the 2015 Extemp TOC at Northwest University. Two extempers – Eckberg and Apoorva Malarvannan of Eastview – finalized their at-large qualifications. Six other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. Those receiving a qualifying leg at the tournament are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2015 Marshall Speech Spectacular (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Haley Williams (Chanhassen High School, Minnesota)
2nd: Rishabh Gupta (Eastview High School, Minnesota)
3rd: Noah Eckberg (East Ridge High School, Minnesota)
4th: Collin Westgard (Eagan High School, Minnesota)
5th: Alex Baker (Eastview High School, Minnesota)
6th: Cooper Christiancy (Lincoln Southwest High School, Nebraska)

Semi-Finalists

*Daniel Drane (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Alex Fenner (East Ridge High School, Minnesota)
*Mylan Gray (Sumner Academy of Arts & Science, Kansas)
*Apoorva Malarvannan (Eastview High School, Minnesota)
*Olivia Shoemaker (Lakeville North High School, Minnesota)
*Jacob Thompson (Des Moines High School, Iowa)

Extemp Central thanks Marshall High School for putting the results of the tournament online.