Category: National Circuit Results Page 3 of 12

Extempers converged on Atlanta, Georgia last weekend for the Barkley Forum, a fourth tier event in the National Points Race that typically attracts top competitors throughout the South. However, this year it was a Northeast extemper, Christopher Maximos of the Delbarton School (NJ), who blew through the competition and won the tournament title, going straight 1’s across the final round’s panel of five judges. Maximos became the first Northeastern extemper to win the Barkley Forum since Aaron Mattis of Scarsdale High School (NY) won the tournament in 2008.

Maximos was the third place finisher at the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin earlier in the month and his victory was his first at a National Points Race event this season.

While Maximos swept all of the first place ranks in the final, the ranks were less uniform for the other five competitors. Nikolas Kirk of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ), coming off the heels of a victory in international extemp at the James Logan MLK Invitational, was the runner-up, finishing eleven ranks behind Maximos. Saskia Reford of Saint Mary’s Hall (TX) and Jake Pellett of Berkeley Carroll School (NY) tied for third with a total of eighteen ranks, with Reford receiving third place due to a judges’ preference tiebreaker.

The final round was rounded out by Lauren Huttner of Kent Denver School (CO), who placed fifth, and Meghana Vattigunta of Ardrey Kell High School (NC), who finished sixth.

All of the extempers that made it to the semi-final round at the Barkley Forum will receive points in the National Points Race. New standings that encompass the results of Barkley, the MLK Invitational, and the Marshall Speech Spectacular will be released late tomorrow evening.

Here are the results of the 2019 Barkley Forum (Click here for tab sheet):

2019 Marshall Speech Spectacular: Wu Wins Final Round Full of Minnesota Extempers; Marks Finishes Third to Close Gap in the National Points Race

By geniao44446

On January 30, 2019

In National Circuit Results

This was Wu’s first National Points Race final round and championship this season. The final round was also Brachio’s first at a National Points Race event, who was a quarter-finalist at Glenbrooks in November.

Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA) was the highest ranked competitor in the final round. Marks captured one of the five available first place ranks in the last round of the tournament but was unable to accumulate enough ranks to defeat Wu, finishing five ranks behind her and four ranks ahead of fourth place finisher Seamus Duffy of O’Gorman High School (SD). Nevertheless, Marks notched her first top three finish in her sixth National Points Race final round showing this year, and the points earned her helped her trim the National Points Race lead that is currently held by Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA).

Minnesota extempers Sam Padmanabhan of East Ridge High School and Alli Hering of Eastview High School were the fifth and sixth place finishers, respectively.

Since the Marshall Speech Spectacular was a fifth tier event in the National Points Race, Wu earned forty points for her victory. All of the competitors in the final round earned points.

Here are the results for the 2019 Marshall Speech Spectacular (Click here for tab sheet):

2019 James Logan MLK Invitational: Kirk Notches Second National Points Race Victory of the Season; Roy Triumphs in USX

By geniao44446

On January 24, 2019

In National Circuit Results

Last weekend James Logan High School in Union City, California hosted its MLK Invitational, the first West Coast tournament in this year’s National Points Race. The tournament usually features a vast array of California competitors with a few out of state extempers sprinkled in and this year one of those extempers, Nikolas Kirk of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ), captured its international extemp championship. Kirk defeated Rubin Roy of Monte Vista High School (CA) by two cumulative ranks, a margin helped by Kirk’s five rank victory in the final round. Nicholas Panyanouvong of James Enochs High School (CA) placed third.

Kirk’s victory was his second at a National Points Race event this season as he was credited with a victory for being the best overall extemper at the University of Texas Longhorn Classic last month. That makes he and Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) as the only extempers with more than one National Points Race victory in 2018-2019. Kirk earned forty points for winning the MLK, moving him into fifth place in the National Points Race.

In the United States Extemp portion of the tournament, Roy triumphed over teammate Arham Habib, who was a semi-finalist at the Glenbrooks in November, by one rank despite losing the final round by six ranks. Habib won the final round with two first place ranks but an errant fourth place rank put him one behind Roy when the cumulative ranks were tallied. Arshia Mehta of Dougherty Valley High School (CA) was the third place finisher.

The top six finishers in each extemp category earned National Points Race points and Roy was credited with a victory in USX, giving him his first points of the season. However, he will not receive points from the IX portion of the tournament to prevent double counting in the standings.

Here are the results of the 2019 James Logan MLK Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2019 Sunvitational: Mullen Dominates Final Round; Quinones Finishes Second and Moves Up in the National Points Race

By geniao44446

On January 15, 2019

In National Circuit Results

Last weekend, the NSU University School in Davie, Florida hosted eighty extempers as part of its annual Sunvitational. The tournament is a fourth tier event in the Extemp Central National Points Race due to its regional reputation, and in this year’s competition Joseph Mullen of Cypress Bay High School (FL) demolished the final round, going straight 1’s to secure the championship. Mullen defeated teammates Jose Quinones, Susana Davis, and Tristan Wertanzl in the final round, with Quinones taking second, Davis finishing fourth, and Wertanzl placing fifth.

The only non-Floridian in the final round was Avi Gulati of the Harker School (CA), who placed third.

Marco Munoz of A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts (FL) rounded out the final round field in sixth place.

Mullen will earn seventy points in the National Points Race for his victory and all extempers who finished in the semi-final rounds and beyond will earn points. The biggest mover after the tournament was Quinones, who now occupies the third position in the National Points Race behind Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) and Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA). Updated National Points Race standings will be released near the end of the week.

Here are the results of the 2019 Sunvitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2019 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin: Wei Captures Second Major Championship; National Points Leader Rollins Finishes Second

By geniao44446

On January 8, 2019

In MBA Coverage, National Circuit Results

Sixteen of the nation’s best extempers, including a good number of the top ten extempers in this year’s Extemp Central National Points Race, converged on Nashville, Tennessee as part of the twenty-first edition of the Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) Extemp Round Robin. The Round Robin features ten rounds of competition with extempers paired off into four rooms of four. The tournament is staggered so that each competitor gets two rounds against another and each round features three minute cross-examination.

When the tournament finished on Sunday evening, reigning National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) United States Extemp National Champion Jacqueline Wei of Plano West Senior High School (TX) defeated National Points Race leader Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) by six ranks. Wei’s victory, her second major championship, keeps the title in Plano as her teammate, Nikhil Ramaswamy, triumphed in last year’s tournament. This is the third time that Plano West has walked away with the Round Robin title, matching Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA) and Milton Academy (MA) for the most victories at the prestigious competition.

MBA only recognizes the top six competitors at awards, with the others receiving participation trophies. Christopher Maximos of the Delbarton School (NJ), who finaled at the Yale Invitational in September, took third, while Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA) was credited with her fifth National Points Race final round appearance this season by placing fourth. Nikolas Kirk of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ), who shared first place points in the National Points Race with Vivian Zhao of Plano Senior High School (TX) at the University of Texas Longhorn Classic, was fifth. Yale semi-finalist Jack Silvers of Scarsdale High School (NY) also surprised national circuit observers with a sixth place finish.

Wei will receive 150 points for her victory in the Round Robin, which was the first of three second tier tournaments during the second semester. National Points Race standings will be updated near the end of the week so extempers know where they stand heading into the Sunvitational.

Here are the results of the 2019 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin:

2018 University of Texas-Austin Longhorn Classic: Mummaneni and Zhao Capture IX and USX Titles; Zhao and Kirk Share National Points Race Points

By geniao44446

On January 6, 2019

In National Circuit Results

The University of Texas-Austin hosted its Longhorn Classic on December 7-10. The tournament attracted its usual Texas-heavy field, with 104 extempers competing in international extemp and 102 extempers competing in United States Extemp.

In International Extemp, Anurima Mummaneni of Westwood High School (TX) defeated Nikolas Kirk of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ) via judges preference when both competitors tied with cumulative scores of eight. Mummaneni captured two first place ranks in the final round, allowing her to avoid a loss when the other judge in the final round gave her sixth place. Angela Wang of Jasper High School (TX) took third.

In United States Extemp, Vivian Zhao of Plano Senior High School (TX) emerged victorious over Pranav Pattatathunaduvil of Jasper High School (TX) by a mere one rank. Zhao did not capture a first place rank in the final round, but her consistency of scores, which included two second place ranks and one third place rank, helped her triumph in a fractured room where no competitor assembled more than one first place score. Mackenzie Matheson of Lake Travis High School (TX) finished third.

Due to the fact that the Longhorn Classic allows extempers to compete in both extemp categories, the scoring system used for Florida Blue Key was used to determine National Points Race points. UT was a fourth tier tournament and when the results of both competitons were assembled, Zhao and Kirk tied for first place. Both competitors will share first and second place points in the National Points Race and the top twelve competitors at the tournament will receive points in the competition.

Here are the results of the 2018 University of Texas Longhorn Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 George Mason University Patriot Games: Rollins Seizes Control of the National Points Race; Cypress Bay Extempers Secure Three of Six Final Round Slots

By geniao44446

On January 2, 2019

In National Circuit Results

(Note: We do not have extemp round robin results from this year’s Patriot Games. If you have these results, please send them to us at [email protected])

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia hosted its 15th Annual Patriot Games Classic on December 1-2. Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) captured three first place scores in the final round to triumph by three ranks over Jose Quinones of Cypress Bay High School (FL), thereby allowing her to also seize control of the National Points Race. She also became the first sophomore to win the tournament and the first Virginia to accomplish the feat since at least 2006.

Cypress Bay extempers appeared in four National Points Race final rounds before the Patriot Games and they nearly doubled that total at the tournament since they took up half of the final round field. In addition to Quinones runner-up finish, Gus Lanz finished third and Blue Key international extemp winner Tristan Wertanzl finished fifth.

Another notable in the final round was Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA). Marks entered the Patriot Games in fourth place in the National Points Race and her tournament result mirrored that placing.

Kishan Gandham of Ridge High School (NJ) rounded out the final round with a sixth place finish. This was his first National Points Race final round appearance for the year.

All of the extempers who cleared to elimination rounds earned National Points Race points. Rollins earned 100 points for her victory because GMU is a third tier tournament. Semi-finalists earned twenty-five points and quarter-finalists earned fifteen points.

Here are the results of the 2018 George Mason University Patriot Games (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 Glenbrooks: Zheng Catapults Into the National Points Race Lead; Cypress Bay Places Two in Finals

By geniao44446

On January 1, 2019

In National Circuit Results

The Glenbrooks, a third tier event in the National Points Race, took place at Glenbrooks North and South High School in Northbrook, Illinois between November 17-19. Brian Zheng of Naperville North High School (IL) used home field advantage to its maximum extent to win the tournament and move into the top spot in the National Points Race. Zheng won by two ranks over Tristan Wertanzl of Cypress Bay High School (FL). Wertanzl won the international extemp portion of the Florida Blue Key several weeks before the Glenbrooks.

Zheng only took one first place rank among the five judges in the final round, but no judge ranked him lower than third. This helped him triumph over Wertanzl who took two first place ranks but also took one fourth and one fifth place rank, thereby hurting his composite score.

Daniel Chao of Kent Denver School (CO) made his first National Points Race final round this year and took third.

The final round had a significant number of other National Points Race notables as Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) finished fourth, Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA) finished fifth, and Jose Quinones of Cypress Bay High School (FL) finished sixth.

All of the competitors who reached elimination rounds earned National Points Race points.

Here are the results of the 2018 Glenbrooks (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 Florida Blue Key: Rollins and Wertanzl Split USX and IX Championships

By geniao44446

On December 20, 2018

In National Circuit Results

(Note: This is a corrected write up because Blue Key had a tabulation error in IX that altered the original placings)

The University of Florida played host to the 2018 Florida Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament, a fifth tier event in the National Points Race, on October 26-28, 2018. The tournament attracted its usual bevy of Florida extempers, with Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) and Tristan Wertanzl of Cypress Bay High School (FL) winning the United States extemp and international extemp categories, respectively.

Wertanzl was initially announced the tournament’s sixth place finisher in international extemp, but a tabulation error was later uncovered that made him the winner. Rollins ended up winning U.S. Extemp by one rank over Wertanzl’s teammate, Jose Quinones.

Rollins performance was the second time that she reached the final round of a National Points Race event this season, having made the finals of the Yale Invitational in September. The same was true of Brian Zheng of Naperville North High School (IL), who placed fifth in international extemp and third in United States extemp and moved into a tie for second place in the National Points Race with Rollins after this event (although Rollins owned a tiebreaker for having a victory).

Due to the fact that Blue Key had an international and United States extemp portion, competitors were awarded points based on a formula that calculates how well they did across both halves of the competition. This prevents an extemper from earning double points at one tournament. Rollins had the best performance across both categories of any extemper at the tournament and received the forty National Points Race points for the event. Quinones and Zheng were awarded second and third place points. Fourth place points were given to Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA), who was a semi-finalist in the United States extemp half and was a fourth place finisher in the international extemp portion. Wertanzl got fifth place points as he was a quarter-finalist in the U.S. Extemp portion. Finally, sixth place points ended up as a three way tie between Max Pinkiert of NSU University School (FL), New York City Invitational winner Juliette Reyes of American Heritage School (FL), and Rehan Rupawalla of Tompkins High School (TX). All three of these competitors were semi-finalists in each category.

Here are the results of the 2018 Florida Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 New York City Invitational: Reyes Narrowly Defeats Murad; Ridge High School Places Two in Finals

By geniao44446

On December 19, 2018

In National Circuit Results

The second event in the 2018-2019 Extemp Central National Points Race, the New York City Invitational, took place at the Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx on October 12-14. In the cumulative tournament, Juliette Reyes of American Heritage School (FL) defeated Rayhan Murad of Ridge High School (NJ) by one rank. Reyes won the final round by one rank over Murad, which solidified her first national circuit victory of the season. Reyes was a runner-up finisher at the University of Kentucky National Season Opener.

Aside from Reyes, two other Floridians made the final round. Gustavo Lanz of Cypress Bay High School was third and Eli Finkelstein of Trinity Preparatory School was fourth.

Ridge High School also had two competitors in the final round. In addition to Murad’s runner-up finish, James Gao placed fourth.

For winning the tournament, Reyes earned forty points in the National Points Race because the New York City Invitational was a fifth tier event. Her victory moved her into fifth place in the National Points Race standings. Murad moved into third place as he was a semi-finalist at the Yale Invitational.

Fifth place finisher Louis Savoia of Xaverian High Schol (NY) also moved up the National Points Race standings, earning sixteen points at this event to go with the eighteen he received for being a Yale semi-finalist. After this tournament he was seventh in the national rankings.

Defending champion Christopher Maximos of the Delbarton School (NJ) did not attend the tournament.

Here are the results of the 2018 New York City Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 Yale Invitational: Fisher Goes Back-to-Back to Kick Off the 2018-2019 National Points Race

By geniao44446

On December 18, 2018

In National Circuit Results

The 2018-2019 Extemp Central National Points Race kicked off in New Haven, Connecticut in late September when Yale University hosted the twenty-sixth edition of the Yale University Invitational. Kate Fisher of St. Mary’s Hall (TX) repeated as tournament champion, defeating Hannah Siegel of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) and Christopher Maximos of the Delbarton School (NJ) in the cumulative competition. Fisher’s score of thirty-five ranks across the tournament’s preliminary rounds, as well as outround competition, secured a four rank margin of victory.

Each of the final round competitors represented a different state, with Brian Zheng of Naperville North High School (IL) placing fourth, University of Kentucky National Season Opener winner Mo Marks of Theodore Roosevelt High School (IA) taking fifth, and Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) placing sixth.

Fisher became the first competitor to win back-to-back Yale championships since Daniel Rauch of Millburn High School accomplished the feat in 2004 and 2005.

Fisher earned seventy National Points Race points for winning the event. All competitors who made the final and semi-final rounds earned points as well.

Here are the results of the 2018 Yale Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2018 University of Kentucky Season Opener: Marks Edges Out Floridians Reyes and Quinones to Kick Off 2018-2019 Season

By geniao44446

On December 17, 2018

In National Circuit Results

(During the holiday, Extemp Central will be catching up on the action that has taken place on the national circuit as LSAT preparation kept these results from being posted)

On September 8-10, fifteen extempers competed at the University of Kentucky National Speech and Debate Season Opener on UK’s campus in Lexington, Kentucky. The tournament was not a National Points Race event due to its small size relative to the Wake Forest National Early Bird, which used to kick off the national circuit season. Nevertheless, the tournament did begin the 2018-2019 competitive year.

In a close tournament, Mo (Jocelyn) Marks of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) triumphed over Juliette Reyes of American Heritage School (FL) and Jose Quinones of Cypress Bay High School (FL). All three competitors tied in the final round with a cumulative score of seven but the tournament was cumulative through prelims, and Marks had a four-rank differential that separated her from Reyes and ensured her victory.

The final round featured competitors from five states, with Iowa, Florida, Virginia, Tennesse, and West Virginia included.

Here are the results of the 2018 Unviersity of Kentucky National Speech and Debate Season Opener:

2018 Sunvitational: Quinones Survives Tiebreaker With Maximos; Sunder Third

By geniao44446

On January 17, 2018

In National Circuit Results

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Last weekend at the NSU-University School Jose Quinones of Cypress Bay High School (FL) triumphed in the 2018 Sunvitational. Quinones edged out MBA invitee and New York City Invitational winner Christopher Maximos of the Delbarton School (NJ) on judges preference after both competitors tied in the final round with a score of ten. Lekha Sunder of Lamar High School in Houston (TX) was the third place finisher. The victory is the first for Quinones on the national circuit this season.

All told, Florida placed very well compared to other states that attended the tournament. Three of the finalists in the tournament were from Florida and the state made up half of the competitors that reached the semi-final round.

Quinones will earn seventy National Points Race points for his win at the Sunvitational and all competitors who reached the semi-finals will earn points per the fourth tier requirements of the National Points Race. The standings of the 2017-2018 race will be posted later in the week.

All of the extempers who reached the quarter-final round and beyond earned a bid to the 2018 Extemp TOC at Northwestern, while all finalists and semi-finalists earned a bid to the University of Kentucky TOC since there were more than seventy-three entries in the tournament.

Here were the results of the 2018 Sunvitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2016 Extemp TOC: Xu Brings the Title Back to San Marino With Three Rank Victory Over Graham

By geniao44446

On May 9, 2016

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

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The fourteenth edition of the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) was held last weekend on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and Brian Xu of San Marino High School (CA) won the second major championship of the season. Xu defeated Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), who was attempting to win two TOC tournaments in back-to-back weeks, by three ranks. Xu and Graham took all of the first place ranks in the final round.

Xu becomes the second extemper from San Marino to win the Extemp TOC. Nabeel Zewail of San Marino won the title back in 2010 and San Marino becomes the second school, other than Eagan High School (MN) to have two extempers win the tournament.

The final round featured a diverse collection of talent, with five of the finalists having competed at the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin back in January. Neil Patel of Plano West High School (TX) finished in third place, followed by Justin Cooper of Scarsdale High School (NY). Bradley Wascher of St. James School (AL) and Glenbrooks winner Marshall Webb of St. Mary’s Hall (TX) rounded out the top six.

Xu will earn 100 points in the National Points Race for his win, but Graham, who also won the Impromptu competition at the tournament and placed fourth by himself in school sweepstakes, will extend his lead since Vaikunth Balaji of Ridge High School (NJ) and Marshall Sloane of Milton Academy (MA) were not in the field. New National Points Race standings will be released on Thursday evening.

Here are the results of the 2016 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2016 University of Kentucky TOC: Graham Adds to National Points Race Lead; Sloane Wins the Final Round

By geniao44446

On May 5, 2016

In National Circuit Results, UK TOC

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National Points Race leader Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) took one step further to clinching the competition before the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament by winning the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) last weekend in Lexington, Kentucky. This was the second year of the expanded TOC tournament format and Graham, who placed third in last year’s competition, won the cumulative tournament by five ranks over Samhitha Sunkara of Ardrey Kell High School (NC).

Sunkara and Marshall Sloane of Milton Academy (MA) tied for first place in the final round, with each accumulating a total of sixteen from the round’s five judges. On judges’ preference, Sloane won, but he and Sunkara made up little ground against Graham, who finished the final round with a total of seventeen ranks. Since Graham entered the final round with a six rank lead this was enough to make him the tournament champion, while Sloane finished third.

The tournament attracted an impressive field for a second consecutive year, with five of the top ten competitors in the National Points Race attending (and four of the top five). Vaikunth Balaji of Ridge High School (NJ), who entered the tournament in second place in the National Points Race, was eliminated in the semi-final round. Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory, who sits in fourth place in the current rankings, was also eliminated in semi-finals.

All of the competitors that reached the semi-final round and beyond will earn National Points Race points. Graham will receive seventy points for winning the tournament.

Here are the results of the 2015 University of Kenucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):