With the end of the speech and debate season slowly approaching, Park Hill South has traveled and succeeded lately.
Park Hill South’s Jonah Hicks, Avery Swanson, Riley Delles and Zach Hilzinger (left to right) hold up their awards won in the novice level competition at William Chrisman High School on the weekend of Dec. 3.
Park Hill South traveled to William Chrisman and the University of Central Missouri to compete on the weekend of Dec. 3. The varsity level competed at the college, while the novice level competed at the high school.
At UCM, Timmy Tasler and Benjamin Shepherd took third place in Policy Debate after winning all four preliminary rounds. Tasler also moved to semifinals in International Extemporaneous Speaking and ended in fourth place in the Original Oratory, while also winning an award for best speaker in Policy Debate.
At William Chrisman, Park Hill South had two students – Avery Swanson and Zachary Hilzinger – become tournament champions in their respective events. Swanson won all seven rounds of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, while Hilzinger collected first place in Student Congressional Debate.
Additionally, Swanson made semifinals in Humorous Interpretation and Hilzinger ended in third place in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Hilzinger tied with Jonah Hicks, who finished in fifth place in Student Congress and third place in Lincoln-Douglas.
Riley Delles took sixth place in Humorous Interpretation, as Eliott Belt went 3-1 in Lincoln-Douglas – narrowly breaking into quarterfinals – and made semifinals in USX. Leona Dalakishvili found herself in semifinals again for Original Oratory, while Emerson Slayden and Amalie Gile went 3-1 in Public Forum Debate.
“Lincoln-Douglas was our bread and butter at this tournament — three of the four students competing in semifinals were from our school,” Park Hill South speech and debate team coach Hannah Townsend said. “All three students won quarterfinals on 3-0 decisions advancing them to semifinals. During semifinals, Jonah (Hicks) was just short of a win against a Rockhurst debater which earned his third-place award, but Avery (Swanson) and Zachary (Hilzinger) had to face each other in semifinals.”
Typically, schools do not play themselves, but that was the case in this situation when Swanson moved forward to the finals on a 2-1 decision and then beat a Rockhurst debater. The three debated the resolution: ‘Resolved: China should prioritize environmental protection over economic growth,’ with Swanson coming out victorious.
“Our three standouts at the novice level were definitely Avery, Zach and Jonah. Avery’s racked up two first places and a third place and Zach’s received a first place in Student Congress, third place in LD and fifth place in Student Congress. Jonah has won first place in Radio Speaking, third place in Public Forum Debate and in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, along with fifth places in Informative Speaking and Student Congress,” Townsend said.
Park Hill South took a dozen students to a varsity tournament in Raytown on Dec. 10. Hicks and Benjamin Cat went 3-1 in LD, while Henry Van Asselt and Roberto Shepherd finished in fourth place in Policy Debate.
Tasler ended in third place in International Extemporaneous Speaking as the Park Hill South duo of Presley Davis and Cat advanced to supersession in Student Congress. Park Hill South will have one more tournament this year.