This season was the first that the Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament has been part of the National Points Race. The tournament took place on February 3 in Apple Valley, Minnesota and extempers had the chance to earn points in International and United States Extemp. As expected, the tournament was a big draw for Minnesota schools as well as other schools from Midwestern states like Nebraska and Indiana.
In International Extemp Eunsol Lee of Woodbury High School (MN) captured the title, defeating Mina Bhargava of Edina High School (MN) and Anish Amin of Millard North High School (NE) by two ranks. Bhargava and Amin tied for second, with Bhargava winning a judges’ preference tiebreaker 3-2.
Claire Han of Munster High School (IN), who was previously ranked in the top 25 of the National Points Race, finished fourth, three ranks back of Lee.
Devanshu Shah of Eden Prairie High School (MN) placed fifth and Soren Peterson of Stillwater Area High School (MN) was sixth.
Nick Zylstra of Eastview High School (MN) won a hard fought battle in United States Extemp, defeating Aaimah Khawaja of Lakeville North High School (MN) by one rank. Zylstra only took one of five available first place ranks in the final round but that was enough to win as a fifth place rank doomed Khawaja’s composite score.
Kate Westlake of Woodbury High School finished third, two ranks ahead of fourth place finisher Nithin Palani of Eden Prairie High School and three ranks ahead of fifth place finisher Ella Larson of Moorhead High School (MN).
Paul Fertig of Mounds Park Academy (MN) was the sixth place finisher.
Since the Apple Valley Minneapple was a fifth tier event, all of the finalists in International and United States Extemp will earn National Points Race points. Lee and Zylstra will receive 40 points for their wins.
Here are the results of the 2024 Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):
International Extemp
Champion: Eunsol Lee (Woodbury High School, Minnesota)
2nd: Mina Bhargava (Edina High School, Minnesota)
3rd: Anish Amin (Millard North High School, Nebraska)
4th: Claire Han (Munster High School, Indiana)
5th: Devanshu Shah (Eden Prairie High School, Minnesota)
6th: Soren Peterson (Stillwater Area High School, Minnesota)
Semi-Finalists
*Catriona Formby (Stillwater Area High School, Minnesota)
*Rishita Gupta (Eden Prairie High School, Minnesota)
*Zuber Mohamed (Apple Valley High School, Minnesota)
*Nayomi Paul (East Ridge High School, Minnesota)
*Amal Sastry (Mounds Park Academy, Minnesota)
*Anuj Singh (Millard North High School, Nebraska)
United States Extemp
Champion: Nick Zylstra (Eastview High School, Minnesota)
2nd: Aaimah Khawaja (Lakeville North High School, Minnesota)
3rd: Kate Westlake (Woodbury High School, Minnesota)
4th: Nithin Palani (Eden Prairie High School, Minnesota)
5th: Ella Larson (Moorhead High School, Minnesota)
6th: Paul Fertig (Mounds Park Academy, Minnesota)
Semi-Finalists
*Michael Ahearn (Eastview High School, Minnesota)
*McKinley Cherrier (Two Rivers High School, Minnesota)
*Luna Gutierrez (Munster High School, Indiana)
*Alyson Johnson (Willmar Senior High School, Minnesota)
*Param Thakkar (Eagan High School, Minnesota)
*Naan Vel (Millard North High School, Nebraska)
Extemp Central thanks Apple Valley High School for putting the results of the tournament online.