For the sixth year in a row, the Green River High School Speech and Debate Team walked away with the 4A State Championship trophy.
The state tournament took place in Buffalo this past weekend and Green River grabbed first with 62 points, Cheyenne Central came in second with 39 points, while Cheyenne East took third place.
“We knew that any of the 4A schools would be a threat, but we were particularly worried about Cheyenne Central and Cheyenne East, both have large competitive programs and they travel into Colorado to compete a lot during the season so they were partially an unknown,” head coach Carina Stulken said.
During the tournament, Stulken was keeping track of Cheyenne Central and Cheyenne East’s entries vs. Green River’s entries.
“I was adding points on a spreadsheet I had made as they announced the placings in each event,” Stulken said. “As soon as four of our congress finalists placed in the top six, I stopped adding because I knew we had won.”
The team knew going into state that some entries may need to be changed at the last minute due to team members who were sick, but they did not let that distract them.
“We knew that as a coaching staff we had put together the most competitive state squad that we possibly could, but then two days before the competition we had to drop a duet, a poetry, an oratory, and one member of a cross examination team due to illness and other circumstances so we had to substitute those entries at the last minute,” she said. “Thankfully we have a very successful team and we chose entries we knew could do well.”
Phaedon Jones replaced the oratory as he competed in humor, Maggie Fischer was added in oratory to replace the one we lost, she was already competing in public forum debate, and Hayley Lauze stepped up to debate with Kirsti Patterson at the last minute.
“The team knew that we had to replace entries at the last minute and they knew that they had a target on their back. We told them to go into each round and give it everything they had and leave nothing in the room meaning put it all out there and treat each round as if it were finals,” she said. “They rose to the occasion and went in with a winning spirit and carried that throughout the tournament.”
Hayley Lauze was asked to debate with Kirsti Patterson. They ended up tying with Green River’s other debate team Patrick Harvey and Alan Halverson for first place in cross examination debate. They all became state champions for their first place.
For the first time, Green River took two freshman, Gregory and Patrick Marchal to the state tourney in cross examination debate. They broke into the quarter finals, earning the team two points.
Every debater took to state broke out into other rounds and between the cross examination debate and the congress entries, the team had eight breaks to final rounds and two state championships. In those two events alone they scored 42 points.
The team also brought a few freshman team managers to help the congress and debate teams research subjects and find evidence to back up that research.
Even though the competition was over for the day, the team would head back to the hotel to create strategies and research more.
“I am so proud of this team and their hard work, dedication and commitment to each other,” Stulken said. “They take pride in being a Green River Wolf and they work to achieve success beyond what I even ask of them. Over and over they exceed expectations and they do it together. Every student contributed to that victory and we took home several state championships in individual events.”
Stulken wanted to thank the assistant coaches Dan Parson, Rich Percifield, and Ranae Johnson, the administration Darren Howard, Dennis Freeman, and Joe Hamel and activities director Tom Wilson, superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo, assistant superintendent Jamie Christensen, the school board and all of the parents for all of their support.
“We have the most supportive parents who have traveled to tournaments, judged rounds for us, provided supplies, snacks, and meals for students, and who help us with whatever we need,” she said.
“From the bottom of our hearts thank you to all of you; without your support our success wouldn’t be possible.”
State Results
Poetry: Sydney Burbank, second place
Oratory: Maggie Fischer, semifinalist
Extemporaneous speaking: Alexander Marchal, second place
Duet: Sheridan Stock and Emma Nathan, sixth place
Humor: Emma Nathan, sixth place
Cross examination debate: Kirstie Patterson/Hayley Lauze and Patrick Harvey/Alan Halverson, first-place tie and state champions
Quarter finalists in cross examination debate: Savannah Hook/Alexander Marchal and Gregory Marchal/Patrick Marchal
Lincoln Douglas debate: Kaitlyn Tyler octafinalist
Lincoln Douglas debate Quarter finalist: Victoria Gilliam
Public forum debate: Maggie Fischer and JD Richardson first place and state champions
Congress: Kirsti Patterson first place and state champion, JD Richardson second place, Savannah Hook fourth place, Victoria Gilliam, sixth place
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