The George Mason University Patriot Games, which is the last National Points Race tournament of the first semester, was held this past weekend and when it ended, Isabelle Taft of Henry W. Grady High School in Georgia defeated National Points Race leader Nathan Leys of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa. This is Taft’s third career national circuit victory, which goes with her Wake Forest and Barkley Forum titles earned last season. Ben Constine of Yorktown High School in Virginia fought his way to a third place finish. Des Moines Roosevelt continued its impressive showing on the national stage this year, by also placing Lily Nellans in the final round. Nellans finished fifth. The round robin that GMU holds before the general tournament followed the same result order, as Taft defeated Leys and Constine finished third.
The semi-finalist and quarter-finalist results will be typed in over the next couple of days, as all competitors who made these elimination rounds received bids to the 2012 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Since George Mason is a third tier tournament in the National Points Race, Taft will earn 100 points for her victory and all competitors who made elimination rounds will earn points for themselves and their respective schools.
On another note, GMU is the last major tournament held before bids to the Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin are sent out. When we get word about the complete field for this year’s 2012 Round Robin, we will post it here on Extemp Central.