Laughs and chatter echo throughout the hallway as Bowie students filter out of the school at the end of the day on Friday, the last day of September. Many students file out with plans to relax, finish up homework, or spend time with friends. Members of the JBHS Speech and Debate team had specific plans for that Saturday- not one, but two 16 hour tournaments.

Now, at the start of the season, the JBHS Speech and debate team have kicked off with double sweepstakes in both tournaments, each 1st place out of 31 schools.

“Just getting through one 16-hour tournament is tough- but, two tournaments going on simultaneously can be brutal,” Coach Marco Bazan said. “Luckily, the students overall thrived in the environment and were still successful.”

Based on the challenge of these two tournaments and what they had to offer to newcomers, future tournaments lay ahead for the team that has already achieved a great start to the year.

“Like every year, the first tournament helps us identify what programming we need to be looking at and see if it is going to work for audiences/judges in the future,” Bazan said. “All aspects of the program- debate, public speaking, and oral interpretation- started off strong, which helps people get and stay motivated and focused on future tournaments.”

Pflugerville HS 2018 TFA tournament results:

• 1st place team sweepstakes out of 31 schools
• 1st place in Duet Acting: Maria San Esteban and Connor Snow
• 1st place in Humorous Interpretation: Kaedon Solana
• 2nd place in Duo Interpretation: Jaden Davis and Connor Snow
• 2nd place in Congressional Debate: Amy Shreeve
• 2nd place in US Extemporaneous Speaking: Rasheek Huq
• 3rd place in Duet Acting: Luke Evans and Morgan Sanders
• 3rd place in Congressional Debate: Brianna Rodriguez
• 3rd place in International Extemporaneous Speaking: Amy Shreeve
• 4th place in Duet Acting: Maya Armand and Kaia Pierce
• 4th place in Duo Interpretation: Luke Evans and Kaedon Solana
• 4th place in US Extemporaneous Speaking: Brianna Rodriguez
• 4th place in Poetry Interpretation: Maria San Esteban
• 5th place in Congressional Debate: Ashlyn Dahl
• 6th place in Diet Acting: Jaden Davis and Alyssa Shumaker
• 6th place in US Extemporaneous Speaking: Ashlyn Dahl
• Semi-finalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate: Tate Weston

Hendrickson HS 2018 TFA tournament results:

• 1st place team sweepstakes out of 31 schools
• 1st place in Duet Acting: Luke Evans and Morgan Sanders
• 1st place in Duo Interpretation: Luke Evans and Kaedon Solana
• 2nd place in Poetry Interpretation: Maria San Esteban
• 2nd place in International Extemporaneous Speaking: Amy Shreeve
• 3rd place in Duet Acting: Maria San Esteban and Connor Snow
• 3rd place in US Extemporaneous Speaking: Jack Maedgen
• 4th place in Duet Acting: Kamryn Morales and Sydney Reinhart
• 4th place in US Extemporaneous Speaking: Tate Weston
• 5th place in Duet Acting: Kaedon Solana and Gwen Stacy
• 6th place in Duet Acting: Jaden Davis and Alyssa Shumaker
• 6th place in Duo Interpretation: Jaden Davis and Connor Snow
• Quarterfinalists in Public Forum Debate: Payton Bellman and Jack Maedgen
• Quarterfinalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate: Tate Weston

To find out more about the JBHS Speech and Debate teams, or how to support or contact them, you can check out their website here.