Category: National Circuit Results Page 2 of 13

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

On February 15, 2024

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):

2024 Barkley Forum: Lee Rolls to a Second National Points Race Victory; Burrus Wins Tiebreaker over Reitman for Second

By geniao44446

On February 1, 2024

In National Circuit Results

Last weekend the 69th edition of the Barkley Forum took place on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. 88 extempers from all regions of the country came to compete in a fourth tier National Points Race event.

#9 Katherine Lee of Plano West Senior High School was the highest ranked competitor in the field and she lived up to her ranking, winning the tournament by nine ranks. Lee took four of the five available first place ranks in the final round, defeating Skyler Burrus of American Heritage School – Palm Beach (FL).

The victory was Lee’s second of the season as she was the winner of the International Extemp half of the University of Texas-Longhorn Classic in early December.

#13 Charlotte Reitman of the University School (FL) notched her third top three placing in a National Points Race event in as many final round appearances. Reitman tied Burrus in the final round with a 17 rank composite score but lost a judges preference tiebreaker 3-2.

Southern competitors made up the bottom half of the final round. Noah Darby of St. Thomas More Catholic High School (LA) was fourth, Al Zaidi of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (FL) was fifth, and Charlie Hui of Westwood High School (TX) was sixth. Darby finished three ranks ahead of Zaidi and Hui and Zaidi earned a fifth place tiebreak through another 3-2 judges decision.

Plano West maintained its strong record on the national circuit, placing three competitors in the top 12. No other school matched that mark or had more than one competitor reach semi-finals.

Lee will earn 70 points toward the National Points Race for winning, and all of the competitors who reached the semi-final round will be credited with points. New National Points Race standings will go up tomorrow.

Here are the results of the 2024 Barkley Forum (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 James Logan MLK Invitational: Rana Defeats Teammate D’Souza via Tiebreaker in IX; Final Round Victory Propels Tsoi to USX Championship

By geniao44446

On January 18, 2024

In National Circuit Results

The West Coast swing of the National Points Race began last weekend at James Logan High School in Union City, California. The school’s James Logan MLK Invitational attracted a wide variety of California schools, with a few Texas extempers mixed in.

The tournament split extempers into International and United States Extemp categories. International Extemp was dominated by Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), which had three of the seven finalists. Teammates Abhijay Rana and Shamit D’Souza tied for first with an all-tournament cumulative score of 39 ranks. They also tied with a composite score of 15 in finals. When tiebreakers were applied, Rana defeated D’Souza to win the championship.

Isaiah Sohn of Redlands High School (CA) was runner-up last year at the MLK in International Extemp. This year he finished third, two ranks back of Rana and D’Souza.

The battle for fourth place was tightly contested by Ali Malik of Monta Vista High School (CA), Fiona Yan of the Harker School (CA), and Ellie Sohn of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Each extemper was separated by only one cumulative rank, with Malik placing fourth, Yan fifth, and Sohn sixth.

United States Extemp was not as closely contested as its global counterpart. Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA) claimed a six-rank victory over Kevin Lu of Bellarmine College Preparatory, winning the final round by that same margin.

Third place was taken by Sovia Villagra of Gabrielino High School (CA), who was ten ranks back of Tsoi.

The fight for fourth place was also fierce in United States Extemp. Yan, the only extemper to final in both categories, won the spot over Aadi Chauhan of Bellarmine College Preparatory.

While none of the finalists at the MLK Invitational were ranked in the top 25, there were a few extempers in the field that just missed out on claiming points. #4 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge was eliminated in the quarter-final round of International Extemp and #9 Katherine Lee of Plano West Senior High School (TX) went out in the quarter-final round of United States Extemp.

This was the first year that the MLK Invitational counts as a fourth tier tournament in the National Points Race. All of the competitors who reached the semi-final and final rounds will receive credit in the standings. To prevent double counting, an extemper’s top finish will count toward this year’s standings.

Here are the results of the 2024 James Logan MLK Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin: Zhang Closes Out Peddi for Illinois First Round Robin Championship

By geniao44446

On January 11, 2024

In National Circuit Results

The first major tournmament of the season, the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, took place last weekend on the campus of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament is one the most prestigious on the calendar as sixteen of the nation’s best extempers are invited to compete each year.

As expected, this year’s tournament went down to the wire. #13 April Zhang of Neuqua Valley High School High School (IL) became the first extemper from her state to win the Round Robin, defeating #3 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) by two ranks. Peddi made a spirited charge over the last two rounds of the tournament, collecting four first place ranks from six judges. However, Zhang never earned a rank lower than a two over those last two rounds, blunting Peddi’s momentum.

It was the second National Points Race top six placing for Zhang this year after finishing runner-up at the Yale Invitational.

#17 Rohit Vakkalagadda of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) was the tournament’s third place finisher. After a rough start in the tournament, Vakkalagadda found his footing and tore through the last three rounds of the tournament with six first place ranks. He “picket fenced” his eighth and ninth rounds but was not able to do so in round ten. In the last round his cumulative score was eight ranks and that prevented him from winning the title.

Meghana Kunapareddy of Tompkins High School (TX) was unranked going into the Round Robin but will be after earning a fourth place finish. Kunapareddy tied Vakkalagadda’s cumulative score of 60 ranks at the end of the tournament but lost out on a standard deviation and reciprocal tiebreaker.

National Points Race leader Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) took fifth, nestled in his own spot with 67 ranks between Kunapareddy and #4 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Zhang finished three ranks ahead of Cheng.

What made this year’s Round Robin unique compared with past edition is that the top six was made up of extempers who did not place in the top six at the previous year’s tournament.

At the award’s ceremony, Dr. Steve Moss and Sandip Gupta, who have judged and assisted in prior Round Robins were recognized as honorary participants of the tournament. This is the first time that honor was bestowed.

April Zhang will earn 150 points for winning the season’s first major tournament. All of the extempers who placed in the top six, which were recognized at MBA’s award ceremony, will receive National Points Race points. Due to the fact that the old Round Robin rules advanced the top five to an Exhibition Round, the top five will receive credit for “finaling,” which could become useful in tiebreakers near the end of the season.

Here are the results of the 2024 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin:

2023 University of Texas-Austin Longhorn Classic: Lee is Sole Finalist in Both Extemp Categories and Wins IX; Haider Defeats Zhang by Judges’ Preference for USX Championship

By geniao44446

On December 14, 2023

In National Circuit Results

This year was the silver anniversary of the University of Texas-Austin’s Longhorn Classic. Held on December 1-3, the tournament drew a wide field of extempers from Texas, Louisana, Utah, California, and Florida.

In International Extemp, Katherine Lee retained the title for Plano West Senior High School (TX), beating #6 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) by three ranks. Lee’s is the fourth Plano West extemper to win the Longhorn Classic’s International Extemp title since 2019. She was also the only extemper at the tournament to final in both extemp categories, taking fifth in United States Extemp.

Cheng was appearing in his third National Points Race final round of the season. He last appeared in a National Points Race final at the New York City Invitational in October.

Plano East Senior High School (TX) had two finalists in the International Extemp category. Kate Liu took third and Ishika Kothari took fourth.

Two ranks behind Kothari was Daniel Rupawalla of Tompkins High School (TX). The sixth place finisher was Pranav Kalakuntla of Plano West.

Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX) won the United States Extemp category. Haider tied #4 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) with a composite of seven at the end of the final round and was awarded the title via judges’ preference 2-1. It was Zhang’s third final round appearance at a National Points Race tournament that he has attended.

Haider’s win broke a three-year winning streak by Plano West Senior High School in the category.

#8 Tyler Crivella of Seven Lakes High School (TX) finished third, two ranks behind Haider and Zhang. Crivella had a path to win with two judges awarding him second place ranks but a fifth place rank from the third final round judge doomed his title hopes. It is the second time that Crivella finished behind Zhang in a National Points Race contest as the two also clashed at the Glenbrooks.

Glenbrooks winner #2 Lishore Kumar of Tomball Memorial High School (TX) placed fourth. Kumar has made three National Points Race final rounds this season.

Sophia Wei of Plano West Senior High School (TX) reached her first National Points Race final round of the season, taking sixth.

#11 Ronak Patel of American Heritage School – Broward (FL) was in the field as well. He was a semi-finalist in United States Extemp and a quarter-finalist in International Extemp

All of the elimination round participants will earn National Points Race points because the Longhorn Classic was a third tier event for the first time. Lee and Haider will be awarded 100 points for their victories. To avoid double counting, an extemper’s highest finish will be credited for points, so Lee will not receive points for her finish in United States Extemp.

Here are the results of the 2023 University of Texas-Austin Longhorn Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

2023 George Mason University Patriot Games: Ural Denies Burris a Second Title; The Potomac School Has Two Finalists

By geniao44446

On December 12, 2023

In National Circuit Results

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia hosted 55 extempers for its annual Patriot Games tournament on December 2 and 3. Siri Ural of Shrewsbury High School (MA) denied #14 Taylor Burris‘ attempt to repeat as champion, winning the final round by three ranks to take the title.

Ural is the first extemper from Massachusetts to win the Patriot Games title in seven years. Marshall Sloane of Milton Academy won the championship in 2016.

Burris, who competes for the Potomac School (VA), finished runner-up for the second time at a National Points Race tournament this season. She was runner-up at the Florida Blue Key in October. Burris was also the only final round finisher who is ranked in this year’s National Points Race.

Navya Raju of Ridge High School (NJ) finished third, one rank ahead of Meredith Vorndran of the Potomac School. Vorndran took one of the five available first place ranks in the final round, with the others going to Ural (three) and Burris (one).

Jack Anderson of Lincoln Southwest High School (NE) and Logan Mitchell of Martin County High School (FL) finished further back in the final round. Anderson’s final round composite was 12 ranks behind Vorndran but was enough to beat Mitchell by one rank for fifth.

#3 Amy Cao and #20 Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School (NJ) were in the field but dropped in quarter-finals.

All of the finalists earn National Points Race points as the Patriot Games is a fifth tier tournament. Ural will receive 40 points for winning.

Here are the results of the 2023 George Mason University Patriot Games (Click here for tab sheet):

2023 Glenbrooks: Kumar Defeats 100 Competitors to Claim Championship, Denies Peddi Championship Final Round Return

By geniao44446

On November 25, 2023

In National Circuit Results

101 extempers converged on Northbrook, Illinois to participate in the 44th edition of the Glenbrooks Speech and Debate Tournament, the first third tier tournament in this year’s National Points Race.

After four rounds of preliminary competition and three outrounds, #14 Lishore Kumar of Tomball Memorial High School (TX) emerged victorious, defeating #2 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) by three ranks. Kumar took three of the five available first place ranks in the final round, while Peddi took three of the five available second place ranks. Both competitors also had a fourth and fifth place rank dot their final composites.

This was Kumar’s second final round appearance at a National Points Race tournament this year. Kumar placed fourth at the New York City Invitational last month.

Peddi finish second at last year’s Glenbrook as well. Her finish this year marks the third time that Peddi has been in a National Points Race final round, more than any other extemper in the country. Her finishes have gradually improved as she took fourth at the UK Speech and Debate Season Opener in September and third at Yale.

Kumar is the first Texas extemper to win the Glenbrooks in five years. Kate Fisher of St. Mary’s Hall won the tournament in 2017.

Texas had two other final round participants. #11 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX), who took third at the Florida Blue Key last month, finished third and Tyler Crivella of Seven Lakes High School (TX) finished fourth. Crivella was just one rank back of Zhang for third place.

Like Peddi, Crivella was in last year’s Glenbrooks final round and he placed third at that competition.

NSDA International Extemp finalist Rohit Vakkalagadda of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), who finished seventh in last year’s National Points Race, finished fifth in his first National Points Race final round appearance this season.

Sixth place was earned by Claire Han of Munster High School (IN). Although Han ended up at the back of the final round she was only three ranks away from Zhang’s third place finish, showing how close the final round was after Kumar and Peddi absorbed most of the top ranks.

The Harker School (CA) also had an impressive showing for its team, placing three extempers in semi-finals. This strong showing was put together by Joy Hu, Kashish Priyam, and Gordy Sun.

Some ranked extempers were in the Glenbrooks elimination rounds but fell short of finals. These included #15 Skyler Burrus of American Heritage School-Palm Beach (FL), #15 Arya Goyal of Scarsdale High School (NY), #15 Elizabeth Ovelil of Desert Vista High School (AZ), and #20 Sumedh Seetharam of Scottsdale Preparatory Academy (AZ), all of whom were knocked out in quarter-finals.

Since Glenbrooks was a third tier tournament, all of the extempers who reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points. Kumar earns 100 points for winning.

Here are the results of the 2023 Glenbrooks Speech and Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Yale University Invitational: Paltzik Three Peats; Tubb Takes Close Second Place over Lee

By geniao44446

On October 6, 2022

In National Circuit Results

After two years online, the Yale University Invitational resumed its tournament in past last weekend in New Haven, Connecticut. Despite the change of venue, the tournament champion remained the same as McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ) won her third straight Yale championship, besting Jonathan Tubb of St. Mary’s Hall (TX) by eight cumulative ranks.

Paltzik becomes the first person in the history of the Yale University Invitational to win it three consecutive times. Prior to this year there had been three extempers in Yale’s history to win back-to-back titles: Josh Bone of Milton Academy (MA) in 2002 and 2003, Daniel Rauch of Millburn High School (NJ) in 2004 and 2005, and Kate Fisher of St. Mary’s Hall (TX) in 2017 and 2018.

It is also the sixth straight time dating back to last year’s Yale tournament that Paltzik won a National Points Race event after reaching the final round.

Katherine Lee of Plano West Senior High School (TX) was the third place finisher, ending up one cumulative rank behind Tubb. If not for Yale’s tabulation system that counts all ranks from prelims to finals, Lee would have finished second as she placed one rank behind Paltzik in the final round and beat Tubb by eight ranks.

Lee’s teammate, Kyle Letterer, finished fourth, while Kevin Li of Ridge High School (NJ) was fifth, and Dana Ko of Pine Creek High School (CO) was sixth.

There were seventy-eight extempers competing at Yale, so all extempers who reached the semi-final round earn a bid leg to the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC). Although the Extemp TOC has not released its qualification system for 2022-2023 it can also be assumed that all semi-finalists earn a bid leg to that tournament as well.

Yale is a fourth tier event in the National Points Race. Paltzik will earn seventy points for her victory and all extempers who reached the semi-final round will earn points. New National Points Race standings will be released on Friday.

2022 National Speech and Debate Season Opener: Reitman Wins First National Points Race Event of the Year in a Tiebreaker Over Tsoi

By geniao44446

On September 14, 2022

In National Circuit Results

For the third straight year, the National and Debate Season Opener, hosted by the University of Kentucky, took place in a virtual environment. The first national circuit event in the country in the National Points Race drew a field of twenty-eight extempers, representing ten states.

Charlotte Reitman of the University School (FL) won a very close final round, winning the tiebreaker of judge’s preference two-to-one over Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA). Guhan Krishnan of Mason High School (OH) finished one rank behind Reitman and Tsoi.

Lahari Donepudi of Dublin Jerome High School (OH) and Matthew Abrahms of George Washington High School (CO) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, and each earned a first place rank in the final round.

Sam Kang of the Hawken School (OH) rounded out the final round, finishing sixth.

Reitman’s victory nets her forty National Points Race points as the Season Opener is a fifth tier tournament. The first National Points Race standings will be released after the Yale Invitational in early October.

Here are the results of the 2022 National Speech and Debate Season Opener (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):