C-N Forensics Takes Two of First Three Tourneys in Spring Season

 

 

Team C-N – Members of the 2012-13 C-N Forensics are (l-r, first row): Michael Lugo, Jeremy Hayes, Jordan Rasnic, Alex Davis, (second row) Rachel Lee Hicks, Sara McHenry, Melanie Meade, Taylor Rasnic, Luke Willoughby, (third row) Callie Booher, Faith Rader, Kate Doyle, Rebecca Bird, Abbie Moody (fourth row) Coach Chip Hall, Rheannah Summers, Laura Kate Gonyea, and Mary Collins.

Carson-Newman’s 14-member forensics team began its spring season with two wins in its first three competitions. The squad returned from Pensacola, Florida as champion of the University of West Florida’s Marks Invitational Tournament after splitting a pair of Oxford, Ohio contests the first week of the season.

The Oxford trip saw the squad take a second place finish on day one and winning the next day’s tournament. Junior Callie Booher won the informative speaking category with a speech that considered the future of transplants with bioengineered organs. Senior Faith Rader captured the after-dinner title by condemning playgrounds that are too safe – so much so that a child’s emotional development is thwarted.

At UWF, C-N’s 343 total points dwarfed the 199-point, second place finish by the University of Alabama and Florida State University’s third place total of 197. Four team members brought home five event titles as part of the impressive performance.

“It was a particular thrill to see the team fare so well there,” said coach Chip Hall, a West Florida alumnus. “Most importantly, this group is coming together at the right time. Each member won at least one award that led to a dominant performance by the team as a whole. It’s exciting to see what they’re able to accomplish together.”

Rader continued her early success by winning titles in prose interpretation and in dramatic interpretation, during which she portrayed a Bar Mitzvah celebrant with Downs Syndrome. Other championship feats were accomplished by Booher (informative speaking), junior Michael Lugo (extemporaneous speaking), and junior Luke Willoughby (forensics criticism).

Individual awards at the Marks Invitational were:

Faith Rader:

CHAMPION: Prose Interpretation

CHAMPION: Dramatic Interpretation

6th place Duo Interpretation

7th place Program Oral Interpretation

3rd place overall speaker

Luke Willoughby:

CHAMPION: Forensics Criticism

2nd place Extemporaneous Speaking

3rd place Impromptu Speaking

4th place overall speaker

Michael Lugo:

CHAMPION: Extemporaneous Speaking

2nd place Informative Speaking

Callie Booher:

CHAMPION: Informative Speaking

4th place Rhetorical Criticism

Kate Doyle:

2nd place Duo Interpretation

3rd place Prose Interpretation

5th place Dramatic Interpretation

Sara McHenry:

2nd place Forensics Criticism

4th place Extemporaneous Speaking

6th place Persuasive Speaking

Alex Davis:

2nd place Duo Interpretation

Rheannah Summers:

3rd place Duo Interpretation

4th place Poetry Interpretation

4th place Prose Interpretation

Jordan Rasnic:

3rd place Duo Interpretation

5th place Poetry Interpretation

Taylor Rasnic:

4th place After Dinner Speaking

6th place Prose Interpretation

Quarter-finalist Parliamentary Debate Team

Rebecca Bird:

4th place Persuasive Speaking

6th place Novice Impromptu

Lea Arwood:

6th place Duo Interpretation

Laura-Kate Gonyea:

6th place Rhetorical Criticism