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Last weekend Montana became the first state of the 2013-2014 season to hold its state championship tournaments. Montana crowns state champions in three classes: A, AA, and BC.  Hamilton High School (A), Glacier High School (AA), and Glasgow High School (BC) hosted the tournaments.  Shardian Russell of Polson High School won Class A, Siriana Lundgren of Skyview High School won Class AA, and Ian Descamps of Loyola Sacred Heart High School won Class BC.  Deschamps victory continues an impressive string of extemp state championships for Loyola Sacred Heart, which has won the Class BC extemp title since 2006.  Two Montana schools placed three competitors in their respective class finals rounds as Flathead High School placed three of the top eight extempers in Class AA and Loyola Sacred Heart did the same in Class BC.

The Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) offers an automatic qualification to any extemper that makes the final round of their state championship tournament if held before a defined date (this year’s is TBA but last year was April 2nd), so any extemper that made the final round is eligible to attend this year’s TOC at Northwestern University.  Montana did not have any TOC qualifiers before, so the recent state champions will give the state twenty-four qualifiers on the next TOC qualification board.

Here are the results of the 2014 Montana High School Association State Championships:

Class A

Champion: Sharidan Russell (Polson High School)
2nd: Michael Tummarello (Stevensville High School)
3rd: Antara Mason (Hamilton High School)
4th: Elsa Dodds (Whitefish High School)
5th: Cody Phillips (Co Falls High School)
6th: Abbie Belcher (Whitefish High School)
7th: Danny Johnson (Sidney High School)
8th: Emily Heitmann (Hamilton High School)

Class AA

Champion: Siriana Lundgren (Skyview High School)
2nd: Eli Cornell (Flathead High School)
3rd: Dylan Gibson (Glacier High School)
4th: Sarah Ward (Flathead High School)
5th: Wyatt McGillen (Flathead High School)
6th: Peter Crawford-Kahrl (Bozeman High School)
7th: Cayley Boyd (Bozeman High School)
8th: Katie Weed (Flathead High School)

Class BC

Champion: Ian Descamps (Loyola Sacred Heart High School)
2nd: Mikayla Schneider (Loyola Sacred Heart High School)
3rd: Essie Hostler (Three Forks High School)
4th: Connor Campbell (Loyola Sacred Heart High School)
5th: Gunner Boose (Bigfork High School)
6th: Zachary Wright (Harlowton High School)
7th: Erica Buchholz (Three Forks High School)
8th: Tanner Dodge (Great Falls Central High School)