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Government and law major Joe Borland ’06 (Wilkes Barre, Pa.) won the extemporaneous speech competition as part of a strong performance by the Forensics Society last weekend in its last event of the fall season, Ohio State’s Holiday Frolic Tournament in Columbus.
Five Lafayette students competed at the tournament, which had 28 teams and a pool of debaters larger than the national championship tournament debate pool.
Borland’s final question asked, “What must the United Kingdom do to stabilize its current pension crisis?”
“It’s important that as a team we go out to these Midwestern tournaments,” says Borland, who also competed in impromptu speech and persuasion. “It is where the best competition in the nation is and it allows us to grow as competitors so we are ready when we see them at nationals.”
Paul Kritzler ’05 (Monkton, Md.), a government & law major, was a Lincoln-Douglas debate semi-finalist and competed in extemporaneous, impromptu, and informative speech. Marquis Scholar Kim Moore ’05 (Longwood, Fla.), a psychology major, was a debate octa-finalist and competed in extemporaneous speech and persuasion.
“The level of competition at Ohio State University has always been high,” says Moore. “But it is a testament to our team to have three people do well, considering the last time we went we only had one person in the quarterfinals.”
Marquis Scholar Jeremy Bennett ’05 (Riverside, Pa.), a neuroscience major, also competed in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Marquis Scholar Mark Kokoska ’08 (Bloomsburg, Pa.) competed in debate, extemporaneous speech, impromptu speech, and informative speech.
Director of Forensics Scott Placke and debate coach Jon Honiball accompanied the students. Both agree that the team’s results at such a high-quality tournament reflect the hard work all of the members are dedicating to each competition.
“I am very proud of Joe, Paul, and Kim,” Placke says. “This was the biggest tournament that we have attended so far this season. Their hard work and skill definitely got them their trophies this last weekend. I think this weekend taught us that our team is in good shape right now and what we need to do to win nationals this year.”
The team’s next competition will be a tournament hosted by the University of Texas, Austin, Jan. 8-9.
Forensics Society members are active in other campus groups as well.
Bennett is president of the Social Gaming Network; a member of Haven, a student group stressing an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle, Society for Creative Anachronism, and Lafayette Society for Neuroscience; a tutor for the Academic Counseling Center; a former McKelvy Scholar; and a squad captain for the varsity fencing team.
Moore is secretary for College Democrats, serves as a campus tour guide and a March After-School Help tutor through the Landis Community Outreach Center, and is a member of the orchestra, the Psychology Club, the Biology Club, and the Dry Surfers, a technology-oriented and substance-free living group.
Kritzler is a member of Haven and the Social Gaming Network, and participates in intramural sports.
Kokoska is a member of the Table Tennis Club.
Prior tournaments
Last season’s national tournament and links to all 2003-04 articles