Here are the final results from the 2013 Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament that was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over the weekend. Half of this year’s final round was composed of finalists from the previous year. Winner Gabe Ferrante of Iona Preparatory School in New York took sixth in last year’s final. Allison McKibban of El Dorado High School in Kansas took third, the same place that she took in last year’s tournament, and Robert McDonough of Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Pennsylvania improved his performance by one placing and finished fourth. Jake Ethe of Half Hollow Hills High School took second, giving New York the top two extempers in this year’s tournament. Ferrante becomes the first New York winner of the CFL extemp championship since at least 1997.
Defending national champion Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School in Iowa was not in attendance to defend her title.
Here is the complete listing of elimination round results. All elimination round participants have qualified to next year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions at Northwestern University (Rankings for the tournament can be viewed at this link):
Champion: Gabe Ferrante (Iona Preparatory School, New York)
2nd: Jake Ethe (Half Hollow Hills High School, New York)
3rd: Allison McKibban (El Dorado High School, Kansas)
4th: Robert McDonough (Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Pennsylvania)
5th: Omkar Mahajan (James Logan High School, California)
6th: Dylan Adelman (Lakeville South High School, Minnesota)