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The Ohio High School Speech League’s 2014 State Tournament saw the return of a former champion to the winner’s circle last weekend when Abhishek Bhargava, a former NFL National Tournament semi-finalist in International Extemp and MBA participant, recaptured the state International Extemp championship from Eric Wang of Solon High School. Bhargava took this year’s state title from Wang, the defending champion, by seven ranks in the final round. Bhargava’s victory is the fourth time in six years that a member of the Bhargava family has won the Ohio International Extemp title, as his brother Rohan, a former NFL finalist in International Extemp, won the title in 2009 and 2010.
In United States Extemp, James Gao of Mason High School, an octofinalist at last year’s NFL National Tournament in United States Extemp, denied two-time MBA participant and former NFL semi-finalist Jad Hamdan‘s bid for a state title with a four rank victory. The state title is Gao’s first. John DiGiacobbe of Highland High School placed third.
Seven of the thirteen finalists at this year’s state tournament earned automatic qualifications to the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. They are indicated in italics in the results listing.
The state tournament phase of the 2013-2014 calendar continues next week when six states host their state tournaments: Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas (TFA), and South Dakota. If you are attending these tournaments and have results for them, please send them our way when you can.
Here are the results of the 2014 Ohio High School Speech League State Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):