Category: National Circuit Results Page 8 of 12

2013 Princeton Classic: Oh Takes the Championship; Montville Township Places Two in Finals

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Princeton Univesity hosted its 17th annual Princeton Classic last weekend in Princeton, New Jersey and thirty extempers braved the weather to compete for the tournament title. Cristine Oh of Montville Township High School (NJ) took the championship by two ranks over Devon Kerr of Scarsdale High School (NY). Connor Fitzgibbon of Unionville Area High School (PA) took third. Montville Township had more extemp finalists than any other school, placing two competitors in the final round.

The extempers that reached the final round earned a TOC qualifying leg. Ellis Sargeant of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (PA) completed his TOC qualification by earning his second qualifying leg. Competitors that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

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

2013 Villiger Tournament: Wartel Thwarts Harrison’s Title Defense; 15 Earn TOC Qualifying Legs

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Last week’s other Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament was the 2013 Villiger Tournament held on St. Joseph’s University’s campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The tournament is a staple of the Northeast extemp circuit and has an impressive list of past champions. This year’s tournament had 73 entries in extemporaneous speaking and Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), a finalist at last year’s NFL National Tournament in United States Extemp, thwarted Chase Harrison’s title defense. Wartel defeated Harrison, who competes for Millburn High School (NJ), in the final by four ranks. Third place went to Jasper Primack of Newton South High School (MA). Wartel is the first extemper from Virginia to win the Villiger Tournament since Brennan Morris of Randolph Macon Academy, who won the tournament in 2008.

Villiger had enough extempers in its field to give all extempers that made quarter-finals a qualifying leg to this year’s TOC. Four extempers earned their second qualifying leg and earned a bid to the TOC through category three of the qualifying process. These extempers were Sophia Deng of Millburn High School (NJ), Edric Huang of Stuyvesant High School (NY), Monica Mishra of the Ursuline School (NY), and Ben Tobin of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA). Eleven other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. The extempers that earned a TOC qualifying leg at Villiger are indicated in italics.

This weekend does not feature any TOC qualifying tournaments because of the Thanksgiving break. The following week features three qualifying tournaments, headlined by the George Mason University Patriot Games Tournament in Fairfax, Virginia, which is the last big national circuit tournament of the first semester. George Mason serves as the final opportunity for extemepers to demonstrate that they are worthy of a bid to the Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin. Other TOC tournament that will run opposite George Mason are the George C. Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invitational in Peoria, Illinois and the Princeton Classic in Princeton, New Jersey.

Here are the results of the 2013 Villiger Tournament (Click here for tab sheets)

2013 Glenbrooks: Nellans Gives Des Moines Roosevelt Back-to-Back Glenbrooks Winners; Slater Takes Second

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glenbrooksLast weekend, 96 extempers converged on Northbrook, Illinois for the annual Glenbrooks Speech and Debate Tournament, which is the largest invitational on the national circuit held by a high school program. The field featured a healthy diversity of geographic talent, which included Wake Forest and Yale champion Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), this season’s Blue Key U.S. Extemp winner Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA), and winners of Florida Extemp TOC qualifying tournaments Noah Wexler of Nova Senior High School (FL) and Daniel Greene of the University School (FL). Of this group, Nellans was the only one to reach the tournament’s final round and she won the tournament by five ranks over Gabe Slater of Denver East High School (CO). Christopher Jordan of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ), who was a runner-up at last year’s NFL National Tournament in United States Extemp, took third. This is the first time in at least eleven years that the Glenbrooks has been won in back-to-back years by different extempers from the same school. Nellans former teammate, Nathan Leys, won last year’s event. The Glenbrooks has traditionally been seen as a bellwether of the NFL National Tournament in June since four of its last five champions (Stacey Chen-2008, Dylan Slinger-2010, Bill McDonald-2011, and Leys-2012) went on to win national titles. Since 2008 every winner of the Glenbrooks has made the final round in their respective extemp category at NFL.

The large size of the tournament meant that everyone who made elimination rounds, which began at quarter-finals, earned a qualifying leg to the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Four extempers, Thomas Abel of Delbarton High School (NJ), Adam Hamilton of the Bronx High School of Science (NY), Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH), and Rohith Kuditipudi of The Harker School (CA), earned their second qualifying leg and qualified for the 2014 TOC.  Three other extempers earned their first qualifying leg.  All extempers who earned a TOC qualfying leg at the Glenbrooks are indicated in italics.

Here are the results of this year’s Glenbrooks Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2013 Florida Blue Key: Saffran and Nellans Trade Victories in Latest Showdown; Thirteen Extempers Tentatively Qualify for 2014 Extemp TOC

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Last weekend in Gainesville, Florida, more than seventy extempers participated in the thirtieth annual Florida Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament. This year’s tournament attracted one of the strongest fields in recent memory, as seventy-four extempers competed in United States Extemp and seventy-five in International Extemp. Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) , winner of this year’s Wake Forest and Yale tournaments, exchanged victories with Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA), with Saffran winning International Extemp and Nellans winning United States Extemp. Nellans defeated Saffran by two ranks in the United States Extemp competition and took three one’s in the International Extemp final, but Saffran’s consistency across all five judges helped him achieve his third victory of the year in a Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament. Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) and Isabella Paretti of Cypress Bay High School (FL) exchanged third and fourth places in United States and International Extemp as well, with Wartel taking third in International Extemp and Paretti taking third in United States Extemp. The top four in each category were participants at last year’s Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin.

Due to the impressive size of this year’s field, all extempers who reached elimination rounds earned a tentative qualifying leg for the Extemp TOC. Like St. Mark’s, extempers could earn both legs at this tournament if they managed to break in United States and International Extemp. Eight extempers, Varun Bhatia of Trinity Preparatory School, Sydney Britton of American Heritage School (FL), Daniel Greene of the University School (FL), Abhishek Kodumagulla and Connor Leech of Durham Academy (NC), Oscar Larraza of Nova High School (FL), Giancarlo Musetti of Cypress Bay High School (FL), and William Peebles of Cary Academy (NC), completed their qualifications by adding a leg from Blue Key to their performance at previous tournaments. Five more extempers, Omer Bensaadon and Kendra Blandon of Cypress Bay High School (FL), Natalia Castro of Jupiter High School (FL), Keegan Paugh of Stevens High School (SD), and Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH), acquired both of their needed qualifying legs at Blue Key to make the 2014 TOC field. Four other extempers earned their first qualifying leg.

This weekend does not feature a TOC qualifying tournament, but the weekend of November 9th will feature two qualifying tournaments on opposite sides of the country as the Remy Wilcox High School Tournament will take place at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington and the Titan Invitational will take place at Nova High School in Davie, Florida.

Here are the results from the 2013 Florida Blue Key Speech & Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheets)

2013 St. Mark’s: Sherren Posts Impressive Victory in International Extemp; Defending NFL USX Champion Rende Takes U.S. Extemp

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st. marksLast weekend, the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational featured its unique extemporaneous speaking tournament that allows extempers to compete in International and United States Extemp.  The tournament typically features the best students from Texas and a few Midwestern states and the final rounds tend to have some overlap between them.  In this year’s event, Oliver Sherren of the Parish Episcopal School (TX) won the International Extemp title by posting straight 1’s in his final round and Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK) secured a four rank victory in United States Extemp.  Rende was last year’s NFL United States Extemp national champion and he is the first Oklahoma extemper to win a championship at St. Mark’s since at least the year 2000.  Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) finished second in each category.  Nellans won both categories last year, so Dillon Huff of Southlake Carroll High School (TX) remains the last extemper to attend St. Mark’s and win consecutive titles.  Huff accomplished this feat in 2008 and 2009 by winning the International Extemp category.  Aside from Rende and Nellans, the only other extemper who made both final rounds was Ash Maholtra of Plano Senior High School (TX), who finished 4th in both categories.  Booker T. Washington High School had four finalists across both extemp categories at the tournament, the highest of any school in attendance.

International Extemp featured fifty-three competitors, meaning that all competitors who made the semi-final round and beyond earned a qualifying leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  United States Extemp featured sixty-two competitors, so all extempers who made the quarter-final round and beyond earned a qualifying leg.  In total, twenty extempers earned qualifying legs and five extempers, Sherren, Grant Bumgarner of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), Phoebe Lin of Plano West High School (TX), and Sydney Walter and Rachel Evans of Salado High School (TX), earned both qualifying legs at the tournament to earn a tentative qualification to this year’s TOC.  All extempers that earned a qualifying leg for this finish are indicated in italics.

This weekend, the Florida Blue Key Tournament, which allows extempers to double up in both extemp categories, will take place at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

Here are the results from St. Mark’s (Click here for tab sheet):

2013 Crestian Tradition: Nova’s Wexler Triumphs

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tocLast week, the Crestian Tradition, the successor of the Crestian Classic, took place at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida.  The tournament featured thirty-one extempers and Noah Wexler of Nova Senior High School (FL) emerged victorious in the final round by one rank over Daniel Greene of the University School (FL).  Wexler did not take a single first place rank in the final, but his straight 2’s were good enough to triumph, demonstrating that consistency can be a speaker’s best weapon.  The final round featured extempers from Florida, Texas, and California and Nova Senior High School placed two extempers in the final, which was more than any other school.

Due to the size of the tournament field, only the extempers that reached the final round receive a qualifying leg to the Extemp TOC.  Those extempers who earned a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.  In total, five extempers received a qualifying leg from the tournament and two of them, Wexler and Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), who placed fourth, acquired a second qualifying leg, making them the second and third extempers, respectively, to tentatively qualify at-large to the 2014 Extemp TOC.

There are no TOC qualfying tournaments this weekend, but next weekend will feature two opportunities for extempers to earn qualifying legs:  the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational in Dallas, Texas, which will allow extempers in the U.S. Extemp and International Extemp categories a chance to earn two qualifying legs, and the Cal State University-Fullerton High School Tournament in Fullerton, California.

Here are the results of the 2013 Crestian Tradition (Click here for tab sheets)

2013 Yale University Invitational: Saffran Nearly Goes Straight One’s to Claim His Second Consecutive National Circuit Title of the Year; Former Champion Harrison Finishes Second

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yaleAt last weekend’s Yale Invitational in New Haven, Connecticut, Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) won his second consecutive national circuit tournament of the season with a commanding victory over 2011 Yale champion Chase Harrison of Millburn High School (NJ) and Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA). Saffran’s margin of victory was eleven ranks in the cumulative tournament and he nearly picket fenced the entire tournament, claiming only one rank below a one all weekend. Saffran went straight 1’s in the final, which featured five judges. Saffran is the first Florida extemper to win at Yale since at least 2001 and he becomes the first extemper in the last thirteen years to win Wake Forest and Yale.

105 extempers competed at Yale, meaning that all elimination round participants have earned an unofficial qualifying leg to the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  Nineteen extempers that were not previously qualified to the next TOC received qualifying legs and one extemper, Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School, becomes the first extemper to earn an unofficial at-large bid to the tournament after breaking at Wake Forest two weeks ago.  Extempers that earned a qualifying leg are in italics.

Here are the full results from the 2013 Yale Invitational Tournament:

2013 Wake Forest National Early Bird: Saffran Takes First National Circuit Title of the Season; Wartel Second

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wakeLast weekend saw the kickoff of the 2013-2014 national circuit extemporaneous speaking season in Winston Salem, North Carolina at the Wake Forest National Early Bird Tournament.

Miles Safffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) defeated forty-six other extempers from twenty-five schools to claim this year’s title, securing a three rank victory over Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), a finalist at last year’s NFL National Tournament in United States Extemporaneous Speaking. Saffran was last year’s Barkley Forum champion and placed fourth at the Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) Extemp Round Robin.  He becomes the first Florida extemper to win Wake Forest since Varun Akula of Lake Highland Preparatory School, who won in 2003.  Trinity Preparatory School also placed two finalists, more than any other school. Defending champion Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) was in the field, but missed the semi-final break.

Since there were more than forty extempers in the field, all extempers who reached elimination rounds have earned a qualifying leg to the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. However, the 2014 TOC procedures are still being finalized, so that is subject to change.  Eight of the extempers that reached eliminated rounds earned a TOC leg.  The other six elimination round participants were previously qualified.  To check out the current TOC qualifying leaderboard, click here.

The next TOC qualifying tournament is this weekend, when the Yale University Invitational will be held on the Yale campus in New Haven, Connecticut.

Here are the results from this year’s Wake Forest National Early Bird Tournament (Those earning a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics):

2013 MBA Extemp Round Robin Results: Nellans Wins Second Championship; Leys Wins Exhibition Round

This year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin saw the field reduced back to its original size of sixteen competitors and when the tournament wrapped up today, Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa successfully defended her Round Robin championship from last season and won the fourth major championship of her career.  This is the first time in tournament history that a champion has successfully defend their title.  Nellans defeated teammate Nathan Leys by one rank in a very competitive and close tournament.  Nellans and Leys are the first teammates to take first and second in the fifteen year history of the Round Robin.

Despite losing a close battle in the tournament, Leys did capture the Exhibition Round championship with a speech about whether the Affordable Care Act would produce inflation in health care costs.

Here are the results of this year’s Round Robin:

Champion: Lily Nellans (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
2nd: Nathan Leys (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
3rd: Isabelle Taft (Henry W. Grady High School, Georgia)
4th: Miles Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
5th: Chase Harrison (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
6th (missing Exhibition Round by one rank): Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock High School, Virginia)

Exhibition Round Champion: Nathan Leys (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)

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2012 Extemp TOC: Nellans Wins Her Second Consecutive Grand Slam Tournament and Fourth National Points Race Tournament; Harrison Takes Second

Last week, the tenth edition of the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) was held at Northwestern University. Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa won the second consecutive leg of the extemporaneous speaking Grand Slam by defeating Chase Harrison of Millburn High School, this year’s Yale champion, in the final round. For Nellans to complete the Grand Slam, which has not been done since Kevin Troy of Eagan High School in Minnesota accomplished the feat in 2005, she will need to win CFL and NFL Nationals. Nellans won the MBA Extemp Round Robin earlier this year and her victory will give her 100 points in the Extemp Central National Points Race. Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa continued its impressive streak of showings on the national level this year by having two the top three extempers in the tournament. Carolyn Evans of Des Moines Roosevelt placed third behind Nellans and Harrison.

All of the elimination round participants per TOC qualification rules have already locked up a spot in next year’s Extemp TOC.

Here are the full results of the tournament (tab sheet can be found by clicking here)

2012 California Invitational: Cherian Triumphs; Bellarmine College Prep Takes Top Two

This year’s California Invitational attracted 178 extempers to the University of California at Berkeley’s campus and Bellarmine College Prep’s John Cherian, who is ranked in the top five of the National Points Race, came out on top. Cherian will earn 70 points for this victory in this year’s National Points Race. Cherian’s teammate James Thomas placed second.  Wake Forest winner Jason Singh of Green Valley High School in Nevada placed fourth.

All of the finalists and semi-finalists at this year’s California Invitational will earn National Points Race points. All of the extempers who made the octofinal round and beyond have earned a qualification leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions at Northwestern University.

Here are the full results of the 2012 California Invitational (Click here to access the tab sheet)

2012 Harvard University National High School Invitational Tournament: McDonald Captures Second Title of the Season in a Packed Final Round

At this year’s Harvard University National High School Invitational, Bill McDonald of Brophy College Prep completed a unique achievement by emerging from a field of nearly 200 extempers to take the title. McDonald’s championship goes with his Glenbrooks title earlier in the season, giving him victories in two of the largest open invitational tournaments of the year. Since Harvard is a second tier tournament, McDonald will earn 150 National Points Race points for his victory.

The final round also featured several highly ranked competitor in the National Points Race. Barkley Forum Champion Ben Constine took second in the tournament and Isabelle Taft, the winner of the George Mason University Patriot Games Tournament this season, took third. MBA Extemp Round Robin Champion Lily Nellans finished fourth.

All of the extempers who made the octofinal round will receive National Points Race points and have also received a qualification leg to the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC).

Here are the full results of the 2012 Harvard University National High School Invitational Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2012 Schwan’s Speech Spectacular: Nellans Wins Third National Circuit Tournament This Year; Leys Finishes Second

Last weekend the Schwan’s Speech Spectacular, a new tournament in the National Points Race, was held and MBA Round Robin Champion Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa bested fifty-nine other extempers to claim the title.  Nellans defeated teammate and National Points Race leader Nathan Leys in the final round to earn her third victory in a National Points Race tournament this season.  The Schwan’s Speech Spectacular is a fifth tier tournament in the National Points Race, so only the finalists earned National Points Race points.  The tournament is also a qualifying tournament for the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC).

Here are the results of the tournament (Full results can be accessed here):

TOC Qualifier Results: The Columbia Invitational

Here are the results of the Columbia Invitational tournament, held on January 20-22nd at Columbia University in New York, New York.  The tournament is a qualifier for the 2012 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University:

Champion:  Ben Constine (Yorktown High School, Virginia)
2nd:  Gabriel Ferrante (Iona Preparatory, New York)
3rd:  Joe Calder (Cary Academy, North Carolina)
4th:  Zach Klein (Montville High School, New Jersey)
5th:  Camille Petersen (Villa Walsh Academy, New Jersey)
6th:  Jake Ether, Half Hollow Hills High School, New York)
7th:  Shreyas Halvaldar, Half Hollow Hills High School, New York)
 
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2012 Barkley Forum: Constine Wins Second National Circuit Title; Defending Champion Taft Finishes Third

At least week’s Barkely Forum, 49 extempers battled for the title in the first fourth tier tournament of the second semester.  Ben Constine of Yorktown High School in Virginia scored the second national circuit title of his career, outlasting James Fishback of IB-Boyd Anderson High School in Florida and defending champion and MBA runner-up Isabelle Taft of Henry W. Grady High School in Georgia.  Since the Barkley Forum in a fourth tier tournament, all of the extempers that made the semi-final round and beyond will earn National Points Race points.  All of the extempers that broke at the tournament have earned a bid to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  The round was recorded and will be posted to NFL TV.  When it is posted, Extemp Central will provide a link to it.

Here are the full results from the Barkley Forum:

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