2023 Sunvitational: Mester-Colon Wins Close Final Round; Lake Highland Preparatory Places Three in Finals

While the Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin was taking place two weeks ago in Nashville, Tennessee, NSU University School played host its to annual Sunvitational tournament, a fourth tier event in the National Points Race.

After seven rounds of competition, Isabel Mester-Colon of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL) emerged victorious, winning by two ranks over Siddharth Sudhakar of Nova High School (FL).

There was a three-way tie for second place as Ece Sarioglu of Lake Highland Preparatory and Connor Ennis of Durham Academy ended up with the same nine rank composite score that Sudhakar finished with. The tie was broken via reciprocals, as Sudhakar’s 1.67 total beat Sarioglu’s 1.5 and Ennis’ 1.2.

Lake Highland also placed a third competitor in the final round, Kamal Elbabaa, who took sixth. Elbabaa finished five ranks behind fifth place finisher Zachary Pan of the Washington International School (D.C.).

Since most of the competitors in the National Points were at MBA, few of them competed at this year’s Sunvitational. The lone ranked competitor in the field, #12 Sydney Carroll of Battle Ground Academy (TN), reached the semi-final round.

All of the competitors who reached the semi-finals and beyond will earn National Points Race points.

Also, all competitors who reached the semi-final round earn a bid to the 2023 Extemp TOC. All of the finalists earn a bid to the UK TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2023 Sunvitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Isabel Mester-Colon (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
2nd: Siddharth Sudhakar (Nova High School, Florida)
3rd: Ece Sarioglu (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
4th: Connor Ennis (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
5th: Zachary Pan (Washington International School, Washington, D.C.)
6th: Kamal Elbabaa (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Sydney Carroll (Battle Ground Academy, Tennessee)
*Jonah Downs (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Aadish Kachhal (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Navya Raju (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Hannah Risin (Ransom Everglades High School, Florida)
*Brae Sadler (American Heritage School – Palm Beach, Florida)
*Paul Samuel (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
*Eli Seiden (Western High School, Florida)

Extemp Central thanks NSU University School for putting the results of the tournament online.