Category: National Circuit Results Page 1 of 12

2024 Extemp TOC: Morel Returns Plano West to the Winner’s Circle, Beats 40 Other Competitors to Win the Season’s Second Major

On May 21, 2024

This year’s Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking, hosted by Northwestern University, attracted a disappointing field of only 41 extempers for the national extemp circuit’s second major championship.

Sasha Morel of Plano West Senior High School (TX) won a decisive victory, beating Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC) by eight ranks in the final round. Morel earned five of the seven available first place ranks.

Devarsh Borah of Edina High School (MN) rounded out the top three with a third place finish. Borah finished four ranks behind Parmar.

#12 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA) was the highest ranked competitor in the field and made the final round, placing sixth. The only other ranked competitor in the National Points Race who made elimination rounds was #18 Kate Liu of Plano East Senior High School (TX), who dropped in semi-finals.

Even though the field did not attract many of the extempers in the top 25 of the National Points Race, the final round featured extempers from five states.

Plano West had two extempers in the final as Abraham Zhang took fifth.

Morel is the first Plano West extemper to win the TOC since Jacqueline Wei in 2019. Plano West has had three champions at the event, including Morel, since 2018. The school also won the tournament’s sweepstakes award.

All of the extempers that reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points.

Here are the results of the 2024 Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions: Reitman Wins Second National Points Event of the Year; Haider Takes Second

By Logan Scisco

On April 25, 2024

In National Circuit Results, UK TOC

The national circuit resumed after taking a two-month pause for state championship competitions. 89 competitors attended this year’s University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC), kicking off the post-season phase of the National Points Race.

#17 Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL) won her second National Points Race tournament of the season, winning the final round over #4 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX) by two ranks. Nick Pienkos of Marquette University School (WI) finished third, one rank behind Haider and three back of Reitman.

Reitman is the first Florida extemper to win the UK TOC since Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School, who won in 2016.

The final round was close as five extempers each received a first place rank. What clinched the title for Reitman was receiving two second place ranks while other competitors received a worse mixture of ranks from the panel.

#15 Tyler Crivella of Seven Lakes High School (TX) finished fourth and #19 Ellie Sohn of Flintidge Preparatory School (CA) took fifth. Crivella was appearing in his third National Points Race final round of the year while Sohn was appearing in her fourth.

Arya Goyal of Scarsdale High School (NY) finished sixth.

Several other extempers in the top 25 made the trip to Lexington for last weekend’s event. #9 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) dropped in semi-finals while #2 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory, #12 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA), and #16 Austin Bauman of Bellarmine College Preparatory made it to the quarter-final round.

Since the UK TOC was a third tier event, Reitman will receive 100 points for winning and all competitors who reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points. The next National Points Race competition will take place next weekend in Evanston, Illinois when Northwestern University hosts the Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking, the season’s second major championship.

Here are the results of the 2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 California Invitational: Bauman Retains Bellarmine’s Hold on Championship, Spoils Tsoi’s Bid for Two National Points Race Wins by 1 Rank

By geniao44446

On February 29, 2024

In National Circuit Results

Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) has made it a habit of winning the California Invitational, taking three of the last five titles and this year was no different as Austin Bauman outlasted 129 other extempers to win the last National Points Race tournament of the regular season.

The tournament was cumulative from prelims and Bauman’s lead going into the final round allowed him to take the title as he won by one rank over #13 Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA), who was appearing in her third National Points Race final round this season. Tsoi, who won the United States Extemp half of the James Logan MLK Invitational last month, won the final round but that was not enough to claim the overall tournament title even though Bauman took fourth in finals.

Like last year’s tournament, the final rankings of the tournament were close as #15 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine, the winner of the International Extemp half at MLK, was a mere three ranks behind Tsoi. And Katherine Peckham of Westwood High School (TX), the only non-Californian in the final round, was one rank behind Rana. Peckham was runner-up to Tsoi in the final round after taking three first place ranks from the five judge panel and they made the biggest leap in the tournament from prelims to finals after they only cleared into elimination rounds by two ranks. Only a fourth and fifth place rank in the final round kept them out of the top three.

Bauman’s win was the second in a row for Bellarmine at the tournament after #7 Rohit Vakkalagadda won last season. Vakkalagadda’s bid for a second consecutive title, a feat that has not been done in 11 years, ended in prelims as he missed the break to elimination rounds by one rank.

Ethan Chen of Monte Vista High School (CA) took fifth place, finishing six ranks behind Peckham. And #17 Ellie Sohn of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) reached her third National Points Race final round of the year and placed sixth. Sohn led the tournament after prelims.

Isaiah Sohn of Redlands High School (CA) and Ali Malik of Monta Vista High School (CA) were not able to replicate their final round finishes at last year’s California Invitational. Sohn dropped in quarter-finals and Mailk in octa-finals.

#23 Joy Hu of the Harker School in the tournament field but was not able to reach elimination rounds. Like Vakkalagadda, she missed the break by one rank.

Since the California Invitational was a third tier event, Bauman will receive 100 points for his victory and all extempers who reached quarter-finals will receive points. New National Points Race standings will be posted by next weekend.

Here are the results of the 2024 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Harvard National Speech & Debate Tournament: Peddi Breaks Through at Last Regular Season National Points Race Tournament, Wins Final Four Against Three National Points Race Champions

By geniao44446

On February 27, 2024

In National Circuit Results

239 extempers made up the largest field of a National Points Race this season when Harvard University hosted its annual National Speech and Debate Tournament on February 17-20 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a result of the high number of entries, the tournament was a second tier event.

#1 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) won the championship in commanding fashion, earning a six-rank final round victory that saw her earn four of the five available first place ranks. It is Peddi’s first National Points Race title this year after she made four previous final round appearances. Her victory marks the second consecutive time that an Arizona extemper has won Harvard as McKinley Paltzik won the title last season. And the 150 points she earned with this victory will enlarge her National Points Race lead.

Peddi won a final round against three other National Points Race winners. Second place was earned by #11 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX), who won the United States Extemp half of the University of Texas Longhorn Classic in December. Haider swept up a majority of the second place ranks in the final round and was five ranks clear of the rest of the competition.

George Mason University Patriot Games winner Siri Ural of Shrewsbury High School (MA) earned a third place ranking, three ranks ahead of #18 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA) and four ranks ahead of Stanford International Extemp winner #2 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Burris and Cheng were separated by a mere rank for fourth place. Burris made her third National Points Race final round of the season while Cheng made his fifth.

Paul Fertig of Mounds Park Academy (MN) finished sixth, reaching a National Points Race final round for the second time this season. Fertig also finished sixth at the Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament two weeks before Harvard.

While the final round featured a good number of previous winners this season, many ranked extempers were found in earlier elimination rounds and will earn National Points Race points. #12 Skyler Burrus of the American Heritage School – Palm Beach (FL) and #14 Kate Liu of Plano East High School (TX) made semi-finals, Glenbrooks champion #6 Lishore Kumar of Tomball Memorial High School (TX) and #25 Ishika Kothari of Plano East reached quarter-finals, and #3 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) qualified for octa-finals.

Due to the large number of competitors at Harvard, a few ranked competitors missed qualifying for elimination rounds. These included #10 Amy Cao of Ridge High School (NJ) and #19 Ronak Patel of American Heritage School – Broward (FL).

Here are the results of the 2024 Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Stanford Invitational: Flintridge Preparatory’s Cheng and Sohn Have Impressive Performances; Cheng and Abrams win IX and USX in Online Event

By geniao44446

On February 15, 2024

In National Circuit Results

The 37th annual Stanford Invitational took place online last weekend, hosted by Stanford University’s Stanford Student Enterprises division. The online nature of the tournament made it accessible to extempers throughout the country and 76 competitors battled in International Extemp and 58 entries did the same in United States Extemp.

Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) had a great tournament. #4 Brandon Cheng and Ellie Sohn led the way, taking the top two spots in International Extemp. The duo also placed second and fourth, respectively, in United States Extemp, giving them the best performances across both extemp categories.

Cheng captured his first National Points Race title in four final round appearances, beating Sohn by five ranks in the final round. Cheng only took one first place rank but his consistency was much better than other competitors, solidifying the win.

Second through sixth place in International Extemp was separated by a mere four ranks, attesting to how judges split in their decisions. Nathan Cai of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ) was third, Prajval Kesireddy of Solon High School (OH) was fourth, James Logan MLK United States Extemp winner #16 Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA) was fifth, and Joy Hu of the Harker School (CA) placed sixth.

Kesireddy captured two of the five available first place ranks in the final round but scooped up fifth and sixth place ranks from the other three judges, dooming their composite score.

In United States Extemp, Matthew Abrams of George Washington High School (CO) won a four-rank win over Cheng.

The battle for second through fourth place was tightly contested as Cheng finished second by one rank over Hu and Hu was two ranks ahead of Sohn. Aside from Cheng and Sohn, Hu was the only other extemper to final in both extemp categories.

Robert Fields of the Harker School (CA) and Samuel Ma of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) had a tight battle for fifth, with Fields finishing ahead by one rank.

#1 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale was in the field but dropped in the semi-finals of both categories. #13 Kate Liu of Plano East High School (TX) entered International Extemp but did not clear to elimination rounds and #14 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), who won James Logan’s MLK tournament last month in International Extemp, was eliminated in the semi-final round of International Extemp.

All of the finalists will receive National Points Race points since Stanford was a fifth tier event this year. To prevent double counting, an extemper’s highest finish will be awarded points. Due to the number of entries and if the tournament is online for 2024-2025, it is in the running to move up a tier because of the wide geographic participation of this year’s event compared to prior editions.

Here are the results of the 2024 Stanford Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament: Lee and Zylstra Notch First National Circuit Wins of the Season

By geniao44446

On February 15, 2024

In National Circuit Results

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):

2022 Extemp TOC: Roberts Wins First Major Championship; Veluvali Notches Another Runner-Up Finish

By geniao44446

On May 3, 2022

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

This year’s Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking, also known on the circuit as the Extemp TOC, attracted a field of forty-four extempers. The competition was hosted by Northwestern University and had to be held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

#9 Cameron Roberts of Jack C. Hays High School (TX) won her second National Points Race event of the season, defeating #6 Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN) by four ranks in the final round. The victory is Roberts’ first major championship and earns her 100 points in the National Points Race. Roberts has reached five National Points Race tournament final rounds this year, the second-most of any extemper in the country.

Veluvali, who already has a major championship, finished runner-up for the third consecutive time in a National Points Race tournament. He has also notched runner-up finishes in the season’s first two majors.

Kevin Li of Ridge High School (NJ) finished third, seven ranks behind Veluvali and eleven behind Roberts.

Fourth place went to Raghav Ramki of Plano East Senior High School (TX), who finished four ranks ahead of Pierce McDade of Normal University School (IL).

#21 Phoena Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX) was the third ranked extemper to reach the final round. She finished sixth in her second national circuit final of the season.

As with the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) there were a few notables who did not reach finals. These included #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL), who missed the final round by one rank after taking two sixth place ranks in semi-finals. #24 Theodore Gercken of College Preparatory School (CA), the lone California extemper in the field because this year’s TOC clashed with the California state tournament, dropped in quarter-finals. And #14 Olivia Wetzel of Whitmer High School (OH) missed clearing to quarter-finals by one rank.

#16 Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) did not attend the tournament to defend her champinship.

The TOC awards a sweepstakes trophy, which was won by Edina High School. Second place went to Plano East and third was taken by Ridge High School.

Since the TOC is a third tier event in the National Points Race, all extempers who reached elimination rounds will receive points. New standings will be released later this week.

All non-senior extempers who cleared to elimination rounds are automatically qualified for next year’s TOC.

Here are the results from the 2022 Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions: Paltzik Wins Fourth National Points Race Championship of the Season, Jin Takes Second

By geniao44446

On April 28, 2022

In National Circuit Results, UK TOC

The University of Kentucky hosted its annual Tournament of Champions (TOC) last weekend, drawing a crowded and distinguished field of ninety-seven extempers from around the country. The tournament took place in an online environment due to ongoing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic.

#3 McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ), who won last month’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, won her second consecutive national circuit event, defeating #19 Michelle Jin of the Harker School (CA) by three ranks. It is the fourth National Points Race tournament that Paltzik has won this season and keeps her perfect record of winning tournaments intact when she reaches the final round.

Jin notched her second top three finish of the season and her fourth National Points Race final round appearance, tying a host of other extempers for fourth-most on the year.

Defending NCFL National Champion #10 Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN) took third, finishing one rank behind Jin and four behind Paltzik. Veluvali notched a close second finish to Paltzik last month at MBA. His three National Points Race final rounds this year have all been top three finishes.

Three more ranks separated Veluvali from James Cullen of Chaminda High School (NY), who finished fourth. On his heels were Alex Sorgini of La Salle High School (PA) and Kush Narang of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), who finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

A consequence of the strong field at this year’s TOC is that there were many top ranked extempers that fell before reaching the final round. #5 William Chien of the Harker School, #16 Olivia Wetzel of Whitmer High School (OH), and #23 Majid Shabbeer of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) dropped in semifinals. #2 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL) and #18 Natasha Banga of Coppell High School (TX) dropped in quarter-finals. And #12 Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School (TX). #13 Thomas Vandenberg of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA), and #21 Francis Olakangil of Bellarmine dropped in octa-finals.

Since the UK TOC is a fourth tier tournament in the National Points Race, all extempers who reached the semi-finals and beyond will earn National Points Race points. The large participation in this year’s TOC, as well as the quality of its field, will upgrade its standing in next year’s National Points Race.

In addition, all of the non-senior finalists at this year’s TOC earn an automatic invitation to next year’s tournament.

Here are the results of the 2022 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin: Paltzik Fends Off Veluvali, Captures the Season’s First Major Championship

By geniao44446

On March 8, 2022

In MBA Coverage, National Circuit Results

The MBA top six (from left to right): Gabriel Frank-McPheter, Katelyn Cai, Daniel Kind, McKinley Paltzik, Ananth Veluvali, and Peter Alisky. Photo is courtesy of Daniel Kind.

Last weekend’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin was a close contest throughout as a ten rank differential separated the winner from sixth place. #7 McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ) fended off a late surge by reigning NCFL National Champion Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN), winning the first major championship of the season by two ranks. Over the last three rounds of competition, Veluvali took seven of nine available first place ranks, moving from fourth place to second in the process, but Paltzik closed with three first place ranks of her own to retain possession of first place

National Points Race leader Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL) finished third, six ranks behind Paltzik. Like Veluvali, Kind made a late charge in the tournament as well but was undone by a handful of 3’s and 4’s early Saturday morning.

#10 Katelyn Cai of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) followed up a runner-up at Harvard with a fourth place finish at MBA, running a mere rank in front of #18 Peter Alisky of Smoky Hill High School (CO) and #6 Gabriel Frank-McPheter of Gabrielino High School (CA). Alisky and Frank-McPheter tied for the fifth place spot, which was broken on a second tiebreaker of reciprocals because they tied on six ballots head-to-head.

Paltzik is the first Arizona extemper to win the Round Robin and is the first junior to win since Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt (IA) in 2013. Her win at MBA is her third National Points Race tournament championship of the season. Paltzik has won every National Points Race tournament final round that she has advanced to this year.

#12 Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) was a late scratch from the tournament, replaced by teammate Elizabeth Wong.

MBA only announces the top six at awards, so the other participants in the tournament are listed in alphabetical order. Only the recognized top six will receive National Points Race points. New standings will be released Thursday evening.

Here are the results from the 2022 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin:

2022 California Invitational: Vandenberg Thwarts Chien’s Back-to-Back Bid; Bellarmine College Preparatory Has Two Finalists

By geniao44446

On February 24, 2022

In National Circuit Results

The University of California-Berkeley hosted eighty-two extempers this year in a virtual environment for its California Invitational, one of the largest and most competitive tournaments on the West Coast. In the cumulative tournament, Thomas Vandenburg of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) defeated #7 William Chien of the Harker School (CA) by two ranks to claim the title. Chien was attempting to win back-to-back titles after capturing the Palm Classic’s International Extemp Championship a week earlier.

Vandenburg will earn 100 points in the National Points Race for his win as the California Invitational is a third tier event.

#24 Natasha Banga of Coppell High School (TX) was the only out of state finalist. She reached her second National Points Race final round of the year and finished fourth.

Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) had two finalists. Majid Shabbeer was third and #21 Francis Olakangil was fifth.

Akul Murthy of Lynbrook High School (CA) rounded out the final, taking sixth.

#14 Michelle Jin of the Harker School was the defending champion but her run in the tournament ended in quarter-finals.

Other National Points Race notables who dropped in the quarter-final round included #18 Vansh Mathur of Cupertino High School (CA) and #22 Theodore Gercken of the College Preparatory School (CA).

All elimination round participants earned a qualifying leg to the Extemp TOC at Northwestern University, while all semi-finalists and beyond earned a qualifying leg to the UK TOC.

Here are the results of the 2022 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Harvard National Forensics Tournament: Zavarro Thwarts Kind’s Back-to-Back Bid, Becomes Third Floridian to Win in Four Years

By geniao44446

On February 22, 2022

In National Circuit Results

Harvard’s 48th annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament lived up to its reputation as the biggest high school regular season tournament as 184 extempers dueled in an online environment last weekend and Monday. When the dust settled, #3 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL) won a tightly contested final round over Katelyn Cai of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) and #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL). Zavarro defeated Cai and Kind by one rank and was the only competitor to capture two first place ranks among the final round’s five judges. Cai defeated Kind due to judge’s preference, three to two.

Zavarro’s victory keeps the Harvard title in Florida, albeit at a different school, becoming the third Floridian in the last four years to win Harvard. His victory prevented Kind from winning consecutive Harvard titles, something that has not been done since at least 2002, and broke Kind’s six-tournament winning streak in National Points Race events.

Florida had the most final round participants with three, with #24 Jack Ververis of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) placing fifth.

Other finalists included Iesh Gujral of Eden Prairie High School (MN), who placed fourteenth at last year’s NSDA National Tournament in International Extemp, and #9 Gabriel Frank-McPheter of Gabrielino High School (CA), who was participating in his fourth National Points Race final round this year and was coming off of a runner-up finish in U.S. Extemp at the Palm Classic. Gujral placed fourth, while Frank-McPheter finished sixth.

There were many notables that made the other elimination rounds. #8 Gabriel Bo and #19 Phoena Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX) reached semi-finals. #6 Kyle Letterer of Plano West and #13 Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) made it to quarter-finals. And #4 Cameron Roberts of Jack C. Hays High School (TX), #5 McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ), #15 Charles Hou of Plano West, #17 Swadesh Sistla of ModernBrain (CA), and #24 Madeline Tsao of Plano West dropped in octo-finals.

All quarter-finalists and beyond earn bid legs to UK TOC and the Extemp TOC. And all elimination round participants will earn points in the National Points Race, with new standings released by Sunday.

Here are the results from the Harvard National Forensics Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Palm Classic: Chien Wins Narrow IX Victory; Sistla Captures USX With Three First Place Ranks in Finals

By geniao44446

On February 15, 2022

In National Circuit Results

Although the Stanford National Invitational was cancelled this year, the Palm Classic emerged as a late replacement for the annual event in Palo Alto, California. The tournament offered International and United States Extemp categories, with eighteen extempers competing in IX and thirty-four competing in USX.

In International Extemp #15 William Chien of the Harker School (CA) defeated Vansh Mathur of Cupertino High School (CA) by one rank. Judges were split across the final round, with Chien, Mathur, and Lakshya Chaudhry of Vancouver Debate Academy (Canada) each earning a first place ranking.

In the United States Extemp portion of the tournament Swadesh Sistla of ModernBrain (CA) defeated #14 Gabriel-Frank McPheter of Gabrielino High School (CA) by four ranks. Sistla took three of the five available first place ranks in the final round. Chien placed third, making him the best performing extemper in the tournament if results from each category were taken into account.

Other notable finalists in the tournament included a fourth place finish for #14 Michelle Jin of the Harker School (CA) in IX. And Luccia Yacoub of Gabrielino High School (CA), who sits just outside of the National Points Race Top 25, placed sixth in IX.

Some other prominent names dropped in the semi-final round of USX, just missing out on National Points Race points. These included #13 Praveen Kumar of the Hawken School (OH) and #20 Theodore Gercken of College Preparatory (CA).

Since the Palm Classic is a fifth tier tournament in the National Points Race all extempers who made the finals of IX and USX will earn points. In Chien’s case, his victory in IX will count but not his third place finish in USX to avoid double counting.

With regards to TOC qualifications, all semi-finalists and finalists earn a bid to the Extemp TOC. The top three in IX earn a bid to the UK TOC, while the top six in USX earn a bid to UK TOC.

Here are the results of the 2022 Palm Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Barkley Forum: Kind Breaks National Points Race Record With Victory; Bo and Letterer Give Plano West Two Finalists

By geniao44446

On February 1, 2022

In National Circuit Results

Last week Emory University hosted its annual Barkley Forum, which was held online for the second straight year. #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) won his sixth consecutive National Points Race event – a new record – and successfully defended his title against a field of 66 extempers. Kind took three first place ranks in the final round, defeating #21 Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School (TX) by three ranks. Natasha Banga of Coppell High School (TX) placed third, five ranks behind Bo.

Two other finalists were ranked in the top 10 of the National Points Race. #5 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL) placed fourth and #8 Kyle Letterer of Plano West, who won United States Extemp at the Longhorn Classic last month, was fifth.

Theodore Gercken of College Preparatory School (CA) placed sixth.

Other notable finishes saw #14 Praveen Kumar of the Hawken School (OH) and #18 William Chien of the Harker School (CA) make the semi-final round. #14 Phoena Lin of Plano West reached quarter-finals.

Since the Barkley Forum is a fourth tier tournament in the National Points Race all extempers who reached semi-finals will receive points and new standings will be released later this week.

In terms of TOC qualifications, all finalists receive a bid to the University of Kentucky TOC while all semi-finalists receive a bid to the Extemp TOC.

Here are the results of the 2022 Barkley Forum (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 James Logan MLK Invitational: Olakangil Narrowly Wins IX; Frank-McPheter Dominates USX

By geniao44446

On January 18, 2022

In National Circuit Results

The National Points Race moved to the West Coast for last weekend’s James Logan MLK Invitational, hosted by James Logan High School in Union City, California. This year’s tournament was hosted virtually due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and offered split extemp categories, with thirty-three competitors clashing in International Extemp and fifty-three in United States Extemp.

In International Extemp the winner was Francis Olakangil of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA). Olakangil, a quarter-finalist earlier this season at Glenbrooks, defeated Vansh Mathur of Cupertino High School (CA) by three ranks in the cumulative tournament. #21 Michelle Jin of the Harker School (CA), the only ranked extemper in the field, placed third, just one rank behind Mathur.

The United States Extemp category was not as close as Gabriel Frank-McPheter of Gabrielino High School (CA), a finalist earlier in the year at Glenbrooks, cruised to an eleven-rank victory over Swadesh Sistla of ModernBrain (CA). Third place finisher William Chien of the Harker School (CA) finished seven ranks behind Sistla.

Nathan Tamkin of George Washington High School (CO) and Luccia Yacoub of Gabrielino High School (CA) made finals in both extemp categories. Tamkin placed seventh in IX and fifth in USX, while Yacoub finished sixth in IX and seventh in USX.

The MLK Invitational was a fifth tier event in the National Points Race, so Olakangil and Frank-McPheter will earn forty points for their victories and the top six in each category will receive points. Tamkin and Yacoub will receive credit for their highest finish.

All extempers who reached semi-finals in each category earn a bid to this year’s Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. The top seven finishers in each category receive a qualifying bid to the University of Kentucky TOC.

Here are the results of the 2022 James Logan MLK Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Sunvitational: Kind Continues Impressive Run; Kumar Places Second

By geniao44446

On January 11, 2022

In National Circuit Results

At last week’s Sunvitational, held online, #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) continued his impressive run through the national circuit, winning his fifth major national circuit event of the year against sixty-one other competitors. As has been customary in recent months, Kind won the final round in impressive fashion by taking four of the five available first place ranks and defeating Praveen Kumar of the Hawken School (OH) by eleven.

Behind Kind and Kumar were Jack Vervis of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) and Faye Zhang of Eastview High School (MN). Ververis tied Kumar for second place but lost on a judges preference tiebreaker, with Kumar preferred by three judges to Ververis’ two. Zhang finished only one rank behind both of them.

The last two finalists were Michelle Park of Solon High School (OH), who was fifth, and Elizabeth Wong of Durham Academy (NC), who placed sixth.

Other notables who reached elimination rounds included #10 Olivia Wetzel of Whitmer High School (OH), who dropped in semi-finals, and #5 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL), who dropped in quarter-finals.

Defending champion #9 Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy did not participate in this year’s contest.

Kind will earn seventy points in the National Points Race for his win at the Sunvitational, as the tournament is a fourth tier event. All extempers who reached the semi-final round will earn points.

In terms of TOC qualifying bids, all extempers who made finals and semi-finals earned a bid to the Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. All finalists receive a bid to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2021 Sunvitational (Click here for tab sheet):