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tocTwo weeks ago, three Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champion (TOC) qualifying tournaments took place across the state of Texas. Lamar Consolidated, Plano West Senior High School, and St. Mary’s Hall hosted competitons in International and United States Extemp and the top three placing extempers in each category earned a TOC leg.

At Lamar Consolidated, Seven Lakes High School (TX) swept the extemp categories as Smriti Ahuja won a two rank victory over teammate Simbai Mutandiro in International Extemp, and Shreetika Singh went straight 1’s in finals to win United States Extemp over teammate Xixi Wang. Six extempers earned TOC legs through the Lamar Consolidated High School Tournament and they are indicated in italics in the results listing.

At the Plano West Hungry Like the Wolves Classic, Abhinav Sridharan of Plano Senior High School (TX) won International Extemp by one rank over Davis Larkin of the Parish Episcopal School (TX). The victory is Sridharan’s second in a TOC qualifying tournament this season, as he won the International Extemp competition at the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational the week prior to his appearance at Plano West. In United States Extemp, Katherine Hu of Jasper High School (TX) won a two rank victory over Sankalp Singh of Plano Senior High School. Four competitors earned their first TOC leg at the competition and they are indicated in italics below.

The largest of the three tournaments took place at St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas. Fifty-eight competitors entered International Extemp, where Nader Syed of Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” High School (TX) took the title by going straight 1’s in the final round. Kenneth Logan Williams of Robert E. Lee High School finished second. Syed secures his TOC qualification as he earns his second leg to go with the one he earned at St. Mark’s. Seventy-eight competitors entered United States Extemp and Rachel Evans of Salado High School (TX) won the championship by one rank over Jami Tanner of Klein High School (TX). Five competitors earned their first TOC leg at the tournament and are indicated in italics in the Saint Mary’s Hall results listing.

Here are the results of the October TOC Texas Swing: