The speech and debate team after the competition.
The speech and debate team after the competition.
The TCHS Speech and Debate Team spent their long weekend at the Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Blue Key is the largest national circuit tournament in the southeast and over 100 schools competed. Robert Clark and Elizabeth Eskin are pleased to announce the following results:

*Champion-Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate-Brandon Manbahal
*2nd place-Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate-Alex Noegel
*3rd place Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate-Alberto Remy
*5th place-Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate-Tyler Richards
*6th place-Varsity Public Forum Debate-Xavier Ortega and Matt Laird
*7th place-Varsity Public forum Debate-Matt Smekens and Danny Cajigas
*7th place-Novice Public Forum Debate-Leyla Rehm and Selena Zhao
*Semifinalist(Top 40) Congressional Debate-Matt Iandoli
*Semifinalist (Top 40) Congressional Debate-Alex Kee
*2nd place Speaker-Varsity Public Forum Debate-Matt Laird (There were almost 400 students in this event)

The Varsity Public Forum Debate team of Reed Flory and David Kirwan advanced to the first elimination round. The Novice Public Forum Debate Team of Tom Roarty and Ankit Vishnubhotla advanced to the first elimination round.

**4th place Overall School Sweepstakes** (We were the top placing public school in the sweepstakes award)

Brandon won a $500 scholarship to the Florida Forensic Institute.

The following team members picked up a bid to the Tournament of Champions: Xavier Ortega and Matt Laird, Matt Smekens and Danny Cajugas, Matt Iandoli, and Alex Kee.

In addition, Tyler Richards finished 2nd in Lincoln Douglas Debate at the Round Robin.