Category: National Circuit Results Page 1 of 7

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):

2014 Wake Forest National Earlybird: Liang Becomes the National Points Race Leader; Sapiro-Gheiler Takes Second

By geniao44446

On September 16, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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The 2014-2015 season kicked off last weekend in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the Wake Forest National Earlybird. Forty-nine extempers participated in the first national circuit competition competition of the year. In the final round, Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH) earned a three rank victory over North Carolina native Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy to claim the title. Liang, a semi-finalist at last season’s National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) nationals, becomes the first Ohio extemper in ten years to win Wake Forest. The last Ohio competitor to do so was Whitney Willits of Perry High School in 2004. The victory makes Liang the inaugural leader of this year’s National Points Race competition. It is his first national circuit victory as well.

Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) came close to succeeding his brother Miles as Wake Forest champion, but he fell four ranks shy. If he had been successful it would have been the first time that a sibling duo won a national circuit tournament in back-to-back years.

Elizabeth Kingaby of Central Cabarrus High School (NC) appeared in the Wake Forest final for the second consecutive year. She placed sixth.

Three of the finalists in this year’s tournament – Saffran, Sydney Britton of American Heritage School (FL), and Ben Tobin of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) – were semi-finalists in last year’s competition.

Of all of the schools competing at the tournament, Durham Academy had the most breaks with three. In addition to Sapiro-Gheiler’s runner-up finish, the school placed Abhishek Kodumagulla and Connor Leech in the semi-final round.

All of the finalists earned National Points Race points. Under the new qualification guidelines of the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) only the finalists earned qualifying legs. Two of the finalists – Liang and Tobin – were prequalified to this year’s TOC. The extempers that earned a qualification leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 Wake Forest National Earlybird (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Extemp TOC: Nellans Wins Third TOC Title & Breaks Major Championship Record

By geniao44446

On May 12, 2014

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

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History was made Sunday at the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC). Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) won her third consecutive TOC championship and her seventh major championship. Nellans victory over Chase Harrison of Millburn High School (NJ) gives her more major championships than any extemper in history. She has also won the second leg of the Grand Slam for the third straight year. In 2012, Nellans came just shy of becoming the second extemper in history to win a season Grand Slam when she finished third in International Extemp at the NFL (now NSDA) National Tournament. If she were to win the NSDA National Tournament this year, she would complete a career Grand Slam, something only one other extemper – Kevin Troy of Eagan High School – has ever done.

The tournament featured sixty extempers and the final round contained the top five finishers from this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin. The finalists also shared two national championships, six NSDA final round appearances, and eleven 2014 TOC qualifying championships between them. Two of the finalists, Nellans and third place finisher Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), will compete in International Extemp at the 2014 NSDA National Tournament, while the other four (Harrison, Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), and Sydney Walter of Salado High School (TX)) will compete in United States Extemp. It is very likely that elements of this TOC final round will be played out again in a month’s time in Overland Park, Kansas.

The TOC also gives out a service and coaching award each year. This year’s service award went to Harry Strong of Des Moines Roosevelt. The coaching award went to Meredith Deaton of Booker T. Washington.

Lake Braddock Secondary School was the tournament’s sweepstakes award winner, besting Booker T. Washington by ten and a half points.

According to TOC qualifying rules, all extempers reaching elimination rounds at the tournament automatically qualify for the 2015 TOC. Fourteen extempers met this criteria and earn tickets back to Evanston next season. These extempers are indicated in italics below. Extemp Central will have the 2015 TOC qualification board posted just prior to the NCFL Grand National Tournament.

Here are the results of the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Harvard National High School Invitational: Rende’s Consistency Tops a Crowded and Distinguished Field for Fourth TOC Qualifying Tournament Title of the Season

By geniao44446

On February 20, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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The Harvard National High School Invitational Forensic Tournament lived up to its billing as the largest national circuit tournament in the nation last weekend when it hosted 274 extempers on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The tournament offered a very diverse and competitive field, featuring twelve TOC qualifying tournament champions and several national finalists. The final round had four of the top five finishers from this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin and the top five finishers at this year’s tournament won TOC qualifying tournaments on the national circuit this season.

Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), the reigning NFL National Champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking, won this year’s tournament and denied Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) the historic opportunity to repeat as Harvard champion. Rende did not take a first place rank in the final round, but his consistency among the five-judge panel with a 2-2-2-3-3 composite was enough for a one-rank victory over Nellans, who went 1-1-2-4-5 in the final. Miles Saffran of Trinity Prepartory School (FL), a winner of four TOC qualifying tournaments this season, had a feast-or-famine final round, as he took three first place ranks, but also took two sixth place ranks, which caused him to finish third. Rende’s victory is his fourth TOC qualifying tournament championship of the season and it is the second time this season that he has kept Nellans from repeating as tournament champion at an event on the national circuit. Rende did the same thing in the United States Extemp category at St. Mark’s in October. Trinity Preparatory School had two finalists, which is an amazing feat considering the size and diversity of this year’s tournament.

The tournament broke to a double octo-final round, meaning that ninety-six extempers participated in the tournament’s elimination rounds. Fifteenn extempers – Talha Ahsan of Eagan High School (MN), Josh Carney of Newton South High School (MA), Maleeha Chida of Scarsdale High School (NY), William Cook of Southlake Carroll Senior High School (TX), Mohica Coscia of Montville Township High School (NJ), Addie Glickstien of Denver East High School (CO), Cody Jones of Lakeville North High School (MN), Shawn Kant and Avni Mahagaoker of Ridge High School (NJ), Christopher Lee of Regis High School (NY), Priya Patel of Foster High School (TX), Naba Rahman of Pine View School (FL), Mark Rinder of Freehold Township High School (NJ), Raj Viswaprabakaran of Plano Senior High School (TX), and Meghan Weston of Fullerton Joint Union High School (CA) – completed their at-large TOC qualification and eighteen other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. Those who earned a qualifying leg at Harvard are indicated in italics below.

This weekend will feature the last two at-large qualifying tournaments for this year’s TOC. The Robert D. Clark Invitational will be held on the University of Oregon’s campus in Eugene, Oregon and Salina High Central in Salina, Kansas will host its annual Salina High Central Invitational. There will also be automatic qualification opportunities for the finalists of state tournaments in Kentucky and Illinois.

Here are the results of the 2014 Harvard National High School Invitational Forensic Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 California Invitational: Yu Keeps Teammate Liao From Winning Second TOC Qualifying Tournament

By geniao44446

On February 20, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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Eighty-nine extempers arrived in Berkeley, California last Saturday to compete in the 2014 California Invitational. The tournament traditionally features the top schools in California and this year’s event was won by Brian Yu of Monte Vista High School (CA). The tournament was cumulative and when the tournament’s eight rounds were completed Yu was tied with teammate Charlie Liao, who won the United States Extemp portion of last week’s Stanford National Invitational. Yu defeated Liao eight ranks to eleven in the tournament final, which gave him the championship. Giancarlo Musetti of Cypress Bay High School (FL) was the only non-California extemper in the tournament’s final round and he took third.

The size of this year’s field means that all of the extempers that reached elimination rounds earned a qualification leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Aaron Baum of Miramonte High School (CA), Ian Buckman and Ethan Hu of Leland High School (CA), Steven Chen and Jamie Shen of Dougherty Valley High School (CA), Arjun Desai of St. Francis High School (CA), Clayton Jacobs of Torrey Pines High School (CA), Armand Jhala of Montgomery Bell Academy (TN), and Prachi Laud of Lynbrook High School (CA) completed their at-large TOC qualification and eleven other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. They are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic: Fitzgibbon Keeps the Title in Pennsylvania

By geniao44446

On February 19, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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Connor Fitzgibbon of Unionville Area High School (PA) defeated Sejal Waghray of Ridge High School (NJ) by one rank to win this year’s University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic, which was held last weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fitzgibbon lost the final round to Waghray, but the cumulative nature of the tournament helped him hold on and prevail sixteen ranks to seventeen. Waghray’s teammate, Cameron Montag, took third. Fitzgibbon’s victory gives Pennsylvania extempers back-to-back victories at their home tournament. In last year’s event, James DeMarshall of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (PA) ended a seven year stretch where out-of-state extempers won the tournament.

The tournament attracted twenty-five entries and broke to semi-finals. The competitors that made the final round earned a qualifying leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Two extempers – Waghray and Montag – completed their TOC at-large qualification. One extemper, Amber Yang of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), earned their first qualifying leg.

Here are the results of the 2014 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Stanford National Invitational: Eggleston and Liao Win Their First TOC Qualifier Titles of the Season; Monte Vista Captures Three of the Tournament’s Four Extemp Titles

By geniao44446

On February 11, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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Stanford University in Palo Alto, California played host to the only 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament last weekend when it held its twenty-eighth annual Stanford National Invitational. The tournament allowed extempers to double-enter in International and United States Extemp. International Extemp attracted forty-four competitors and Derek Eggleston of Archbishop Mitty High School (CA) won the cumulative tournament by two ranks over Mihir Tulpule of Saint Francis High School (CA). This was Eggleston’s first appearance in a TOC qualifier final this season. In United States Extemp, which featured fifty-nine competitors, Charlie Liao of Monte Vista High School (CA) staged a dramatic comeback by besting teammate Brian Yu by six ranks in the tournament final to win by one, nineteen cumulative ranks to twenty.

The tournament also featured a novice division for International and United States Extemp, both of which were won by Dean Swennumson of Monte Vista. Swennumson beat teammate Kevin Luo in both categories, winning International Extemp by three ranks and United States Extemp by five ranks. The novice categories are not eligible for TOC qualification.

Each varsity category broke to semi-finals and there were enough entries to award TOC qualifying legs to every competitor that reached elimination rounds. Six extempers – Eric Hagen of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL), Ann-Kathrin Merz, Anoeil Odisho and Andrew Zou of Leland High School (CA), Bryan Wang of Miramonte High School (CA), and Jimmy Xiao of Saratoga High School (CA) – earned their second TOC qualifying legs and have now qualified to the 2014 Extemp TOC. A seventh extemper – Ryan Olson of Monte Vista – took advantage of Stanford’s double-entry policy and earned both of his qualifying legs to add his name to the list of those who have made the TOC field. Nine other extempers earned their first TOC qualifying legs. All competitors that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

There are two more weeks on the TOC’s at-large tournament schedule and next week features three qualifying tournaments: The Harvard National High School Invitational in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the 2014 California Invitational in Berkeley, California, and the Alief Taylor High School Tournament in Houston, Texas. All three tournaments should attract large fields and Harvard will offer the most TOC qualification opportunities since it typically breaks to an octo-final round. Harvard is the biggest national circuit invitational of the year and is as close to an NFL warmup tournament that you can find. The California Invitational also attracts most of the big California schools and offers an insight into which competitors will be factors at the California state tournament in April and national tournaments in May and June.

Additionally, Alaska will hold its state championship tournament next week from February 13th-15th. Per TOC qualification rules, all competitors who make the final round of their state championship tournament prior to early April automatically qualify for this year’s TOC.

Here are the results of the 2014 Stanford National Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Apple Valley Minneapple: Adelman Makes Minnesota Three for Three on the Minnesota TOC Swing

By geniao44446

On February 4, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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On Saturday, Apple Valley High School played host to the third Minnesota-based Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament in as many weeks and sixty extempers competed for the tournament title. Dylan Adelman of Lakeville South High School (MN), a former teammate of three-time national champion Dylan Slinger and seventh place finisher at last year’s NFL National Tournament in International Extemp, handed Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) her third straight defeat on Minnesota turf and claimed his first TOC qualifier tournament title of the season. Adelman defeated Nellans by one rank, which marks the third consecutive week that Nellans has lost to a Minnesota extemper by that margin. Each of her defeats was to a different Minnesota competitor and in each tournament she competed in over this three week span she defeated the tournament champion from the previous week. In this tournament, she defeated Adam Stromme of Eagan High School (MN), who placed third. Stromme beat Nellans last week at the Schwan’s Speech Spectacular.

The tournament featured a novice division as well and Colin Haave of Eastview High School (MN) took first place over Olivia Shoemaker of Lakeville North High School (MN). The novice division was not eligible for TOC qualification.

Despite the large size of the tournament, it only broke to a final round. Erin Sheehan of Millard North High School (NE) was the only competitor to finish their at-large TOC qualification at the tournament and three other extempers in the final round earned their first TOC qualifying leg. All of the extempers that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.

Stanford University in Palo Alto, California is the only host of a TOC qualifying tournament this weekend. It begins a series of West Coast qualifying tournaments over the remaining three weeks of the TOC qualifying calendar.

Here are the results of the 2014 Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Pennsbury Falcon Invitational: Langan Wins in First TOC Qualifying Tournament Appearance of the Season

By geniao44446

On February 4, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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Last weekend Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania hosted its eleventh annual Pennsbury Falcon Invitational. The tournament has been an Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifier for the last several seasons and the tournament is the second to last qualifier stationed on the East Coast for the 2013-2014 season. Emmalie Langan of EL Meyers High School (PA) bested thirty-nine other extempers to win the tournament championship and became the seventh female extemper to win a TOC qualifying tournament this season. Langan defeated Collin Quigley of Holy Ghost Preparatory (PA), who qualified to this year’s TOC last week by semi-finaling at the Columbia Invitational, by three ranks in the final round. Delbarton High School (NJ) had two finalists – Thomas Abel and Abhinav Karale – who placed third and fourth, respectively.

The tournament had just enough extempers to give TOC legs to all elimination round participants. Three extempers – Mary Breen of Gwynedd Mercy Academy (PA), Nick Giuliano of Holy Ghost Preparatory, and Jack Marshall of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (PA) – finished up their TOC qualifications by earning their second qualifying leg. Giuliano’s qualification is notable because he earned his first leg last week at the Columbia Invitational, so he qualified to this year’s TOC in two weeks. Four other extempers, which includes tournament champion Langan, earned their first qualifying leg. All extempers that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 Pennsbury Falcon Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2014 Barkley Forum: Anderson Secures Third Kentucky Victory in a Decade Over Fellow TOC Qualifying Champion Ansari

By geniao44446

On January 31, 2014

In National Circuit Results

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The most notable, and biggest, tournament on last week’s calendar was the annual Barkley Forum for High Schools, held on the campus on Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The tournament is one of the more recognized regional national circuit tournaments, usually drawing a field of the best extempers in the Southeast. The tournament final featured a showdown between two TOC qualifying tournament champions and Brian Anderson of LaRue County High SchooL (KY), the winner of the Western Kentucky University Hilltopper Classic in December, defeated Nida Ansari of Riverside High School (SC), the winner of this month’s Laird Lewis Invitational, by three ranks to win the tournament title. Anderson was a sixth place finisher at last month’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin and his victory marks the third time that a Kentucky extemper has won the Barkley Forum in ten years, which is more than any other state. Isabella Paretti of Cypress Bay High School (FL), who was a participant in last year’s MBA Round Robin, placed third. Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) was the defending tournament champion, but opted not to defend his title at this year’s tournament.

With sixty-three competitors in the field, all of the extempers that reached elimination rounds received a qualifying leg for this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Three extempers – Emma Jackson of Danville High School (KY), Andrew Langford of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL), and Sanjay Supan of Nova Senior High School (FL) – earned their second qualifying legs and secured their at-large berth into this year’s TOC field. Eight other extempers earned their first leg. All of the extempers in the tournament’s final round had already qualified to the TOC.

There will be two TOC qualifying tournaments this weekend: The Pennsbury Falcon Invitational, hosted by Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania and The Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament at Apple Valley High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Of the two tournaments, the Minneapple should attract the stronger field and will feature many of the same competitors who fought it out at the Chanhassen and Schwan’s tournaments the last weeks.

Here are the results of the 2014 Barkley Forum (Click here for tab sheet):