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The Stanford National Invitational illustrated how different variations of extemp can produce very different results as only one competitor made the final round of International and United States Extemp last weekend in Palo Alto, California. That competitor, Ethan Hu of Leland High School (CA), took fourth in United States Extemp and sixth in International Extemp, and as a result of his finishes he will receive the forty National Points Race points awarded for the tournament. Stanford is the last of fifth tier tournaments in this year’s National Points Race.
Unlike previous years, Stanford was not a cumulative tournament. Instead, the final round determined competitors placing, with speaker points being used to break ties. This is the formula that proved necessary in United States Extemp where Alexander Schwartz of the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (CA) tied two-time California USX state champion Brian Yu of Monte Vista High School (CA) in the final round. Both competitors finished the round with cumulative scores of nine, each going 1-2-6 among the three finals judges. Yu won judges preference, but speaker points gave the title to Schwartz.
Things were also close in International Extemp, with Bryan Wang of Miramonte High School (CA) narrowly avoiding a tiebraker by securing a one rank win over Alejandra Larriva-Latt of San Marino High School (CA). Wang went 1-1-6 in the final round, but the errant six did not cost him the tournament.
While both final rounds were dominated by California extempers, Andrew Langford of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) was the second-best performing extemper across both categories. Langford, who finaled earlier this season at the Glenbrooks and Florida Blue Key, finished third in International Extemp and was a semi-finalist in United States Extemp.
All of the extempers who reached elimination rounds received a qualifying leg to the 2015 Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. Eight extempers – Karisa Anand of Sierra Canyon School (CA); Michelle Huang of Irvington High School (CA); Michael Ligier of Monta Vista High School (CA); Hu, Ann-Kathrin Merz, Akhil Kestur, and Cameron Loftis of Leland; and Joseph Vaysman of North Hollywood High School (CA) – completed their at-large qualifications. Anand, Huang, and Vaysman made the elimination rounds of both categories and secured both of their necessary legs at the tournament. Eleven competitors earned their first qualifying leg. Those receiving a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.
The finalists in each category also earn an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.
Here are the results of the 2015 Stanford National Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):