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The Forensics Society wrapped up the fall season with sixth-place finishes in tournaments at University of Rhode Island and Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn.
“I am very proud of both groups that competed last weekend,” says Scott Placke, forensics director. “For teams of two and three competitors to come home with overall team sweepstakes is impressive. The awards continue to demonstrate the talent and dedication that we have here at Lafayette College.”
Accompanied by debate coach Jon Honiball, sophomores Erik Heins of Center Moriches, N.Y., and Paul Kritzler of Monkton, Md., battled eight schools at the University of Rhode Island tournament Dec. 7.
Heins was a finalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate and also took fifth in impromptu speech.
“This was my first trip to the northeastern region this year,” says Heins, a history major. “It was an important learning experience for me.”
First-year students Rodrigue Alexandre of North Miami, Fla., Colby Block of Boca Raton, Fla., and Joseph Borland of Wilkes Barre, Pa., each advanced to at least one final round of competition at the Kingsborough tournament Dec. 6-7. Placke escorted the trio to the event, where vied with teams from 12 regional schools.
Borland broke away from the pack to finish second in impromptu speech and placed fourth in impromptu sales and sixth in extemporaneous speech.
“Final rounds are a lot of fun,” says the prospective government and law major. “Everyone is nervous, but they are at their best. I’m glad that I had three opportunities this weekend to participate in final rounds. I got to see some great stuff, but I felt that I really deserved to be there.”
Block, who also intends to major in government and law, finished fourth in poetry. She calls the tournament a great learning experience and says, “I can’t wait to see what the next semester has in store for our blossoming team.”
Alexandre, who is planning to double major in history and government & law, placed sixth in impromptu speech and seventh in impromptu sales.
Forensics Society will send three students to University of Texas in Austin for a tournament Jan. 11-12.
Lafayette’s Forensics Society got off to a strong start this season as a group of nine first-year students earned the top three places in extemporaneous speech, scored the top two honors in impromptu speech, and won several other commendations in a 17-team field at the Bloomsburg Novice Tournament Sept. 28. The team went on to place third at the West Chester Rose Bowl Tournament in October and the Bloomsburg Mad Hatter Tournament in November.
Forensics Society scored its highest finish ever at the Pennsylvania State Individual Events Association Championships Feb. 16-17 last school year and continued its remarkable ascent with a second-place finish at the Collegiate Forensics Association Tournament March 2-3 in Ocean City, Md. Nine students competed in 17 speech events and eight debate events at the National Forensics Association Championship Tournament April 18-22 at Berry College in Mount Berry, Ga.