Speech and Debate Team
Overview
The RRCA High School Speech and Debate Team was formed in 2008-2009 to provide a venue for students to compete in forensics competitions. The speech and debate tournament events that students compete in include speaking, reading, acting, and debate. RRCA competes in public and private school invitational tournaments from September onward in preparation for district and state competition for TAPPS and the NFL. RRCA has active membership in the National Forensic League, the speech and debate honor society for public and private schools. In the fall of 2010, our school was designated with Chapter status by the organization, the highest of four rankings a school can obtain.
The Speech and Debate Team is coached by Cathleen Ferose.
2017-2018 Highlights
Hurricane Debate Tournament, September 9, 2017
Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate: 4th place - Rebecca Rasmussen, 1st place - Matthew Tweden, Top Speaker - Rebecca Rasmussen
Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate: 5th place - Sophia Fernandez, 1st place - Perry Williams
Extemporaneous Debate: 5th place - Matthew Tweden, 4th place - Perry Williams, 3rd place - Morgan Whitley, 1st place and Top Speaker - Danny Tomlin
Impromptu Speaking: 6th place - Morgan Whitley, 4th place - Christian Gonzales, 2nd place - Danny Tomlin
Public Forum Debate: 5th place - team of Anna Jacks/Christian Gonzales, 4th place - team of Caleb Roark/Morgan Whitley, 2nd place - team of Rebecca Rasmussen/Matthew Tweden, Top Speaker - Matthew Tweden
2016-2017 Highlights
Academic All American
The National Speech and Debate Association recently recognized RRCA seniors Sarah Koshy and Cole Sutton with the title of Academic All American. This award is granted to students who have demonstrated both academic and competition excellence.
Celtic Invitational, January 28, 2017
Congratulations to students in 4th-9th grade who competed at the Celtic Invitational Speech & Debate tournament. RRCA won 1st place Sweepstakes against 13 other schools.
Tournament Results:
Solo Acting: 4th place - Danny Tomlin, 1st place - Morgan Whitley
Impromptu Speaking: 4th place - Christian Gonzales, 1st place - Matthew Tweden
Poetry: 4th place - Douglas Chaiken, 3rd place - Morgan Whitley, 2nd place - Alex Chaiken
Prose: 5th place - Alex Chaiken, 3rd place - Caleb Roark, 1st place - Sophia Fernandez
6th/7th grade Prose: 4th place - Douglas Chaiken, 2nd place - Kiera Dixon, 1st place - Sarah Benitz
4th/5th grade Prose: 6th place - Rachel Millikan, 1st place - Mahlet Messay
Duet Acting: 2nd place: Livie Russell/Morgan Whitley
Oratory: 6th place - Rebecca Rasmussen, 4th place - Sophia Fernandez
Storytelling: 6th place - Douglas Chaiken, 4th place - Caleb Roark, 3rd place - Alex Chaiken, 2nd place - Sarah Benitz
Bible Interpretation: 6th place - Caleb Roark, 5th place - Douglas Chaiken, 4th place - Morgan Whitley, 1st place - Alex Chaiken
Lincoln Douglas Debate: 5th place - Rebecca Rasmussen, 4th place - Christian Gonzales, 2nd place - Sophia Fernandez, 1st place - Matthew Tweden
Group Improv: 6th place - team of Alex Chaiken, Douglas Chaiken, Sarah Benitz, 3rd place - team of Morgan Whitley, Christian Gonzales, Caleb Roark
Record Mime: 5th place - team of Alex Chaiken, Douglas Chaiken, Sarah Benitz, 1st place - team of Morgan Whitley and Caleb Roark.
In addition to winning Sweepstakes, we had three students recognized with "Best of" Awards -
Best Reader - Alex Chaiken
Best Speaker - Matthew Tweden
Best Actor - Morgan Whitley
El Campo Invitational, January 13-14, 2017
Crusaders Speech & Debate sweeps the competition at El Campo Invitational. Here are the tournament results -
Bible Reading: 3rd place - Alex Chaiken, 2nd place - Cole Sutton, 1st place - Livie Russell
Novice Extemp: 6th place - Christian Gonzales
Senior Extemp: 6th place - Sarah Koshy
Novice Prose: 9th place - Caleb Roark, 7th place - Alex Chaiken, 5th place - Hannah Feldman, 2nd place - Christian Gonzales, 1st place - David Withey
Senior Prose: 4th place - Livie Russell, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Novice Poetry: 6th place - Charity Alexander, 5th place - Caleb Roark, 3rd place - Hannah Feldman, 2nd place - Christian Orred, 1st place - Alex Chaiken
Senior Poetry: 2nd place - Cole Sutton
LD Novice Debate: Quarterfinalist - Charity Alexander, Semi-finalist - Sophia Fernandez,
Co-champs - Christian Gonzales and Jenna Kim
LD Senior Debate: Quarterfinalist - Perry Williams, 1st Place - Sarah Koshy
Storytelling: 6th place - Alex Chaiken, 5th place - Livie Russell, 4th place - Anna Jacks, 3rd place - Caleb Roark, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Soapbox Speaking: 5th place - Sarah Koshy
Duo Interpretation: 1st place - team of Anna Jacks and Cole Sutton
Dramatic Interpretation: 4th place - Hannah Feldman, 1st place - Livie Russell
Humorous Interpretation: 3rd place - Andy Cato, 2nd place - Cole Sutton
Program of Oral Interpretation: 2nd place - Anna Jacks, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Oratory: 6th place - Perry Williams, 3rd place - Sarah Koshy
Auditioning: 2nd place - Livie Russell, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Record Mime: 1st place - team of Andy Cato, Cole Sutton, Anna Jacks, Livie Russell, and David Withey
Group Improv: 2nd place - team of David Withey, Livie Russell, Anna Jacks, and Caleb Roark
Readers Theater:
5th place - team of Sophia Fernandez, Alex Chaiken, Sarah Koshy, Charity Alexander, and Hannah Feldman
3rd place - team of Christian Gonzales, Caleb Roark, and Cole Sutton
2nd place - team of David Withey, Andy Cato, Christian Orred, and Sarah Koshy
1st place - team of Cole Sutton, Livie Russell, and Anna Jacks
Best of Awards:
Best Actor - Livie Russell
Best Reader - Anna Jacks
Best Novice - Christian Gonzales
Best All Around - Cole Sutton
Bay City Tournament December 2-3, 2016
Congratulations to Crusader Speech & Debate for winning Sweepstakes at the Lee Polk Invitational at Bay City HS over the weekend. Congrats to Cole Sutton for being named Best All Around competitor.
Tournament Results
Senior Poetry: 6th place - Livie Russell, 3rd place - Cole Sutton
Novice Poetry: 6th place - Christian Orred, 3rd place - Hannah Feldman
Dramatic Interpretation: 8th place - Livie Russell
International Extemp: 2nd place - Sarah Koshy
Humorous Interpretation: 4th place - Cole Sutton, 3rd place - Morgan Whitley
Senior Prose: 5th place - Emily Fenwick, 2nd place - Livie Russell
Novice Prose: 5th place - Hannah Feldman, 4th place - Morgan Whitley, 2nd place - Chris Gonzales,.1st place - Caleb Roark
Music Interpretation: team of Emily Fenwick/Anna Jacks - 4th place
Lincoln Douglas Debate: Quarterfinalist - Esteban Casterena, Semifinalist - Sophia Fernandez and Sarah Koshy, 2nd place - Christian Orred
Duet Acting: 1st place - team of Livie Russell/Emily Fenwick
Duo Interpretation: 4th place - team of Livie Russell/Morgan Whitley, 3rd place - team of Cole Sutton/Anna Jacks
Storytelling: 2nd place - Anna Jacks, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Record Mime: 3rd place - team of Caleb Roark/Morgan Whitley, 1st place - team of Anna Jacks, Cole Sutton, Andy Cato, Diana Perez, David Withey
Friday Storytelling: 6th place - Caleb Roark, 4th place - Livie Russell, 2nd place - Alex Chaiken, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Friday Solo: 5th place - Anna Jacks, 4th place - Hannah Feldman, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Program of Oral Interpretation: 7th place - Anna Jacks, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Auditioning: 1st place - Cole Sutton
Senior Impromptu: 4th place - Cole Sutton
TV Commercials: 4th place - Christian Gonzales
Reader's Theater: 4th place - team of Andy Cato, Christian Orred, David Withey, Sarah Koshy, 3rd place - team of Sophia Fernandez, Charity Alexander, Diana Perez, Hannah Feldman, Andy Cato, 2nd place - team of Christian Gonzales, Caleb Roark, Morgan Whitley, 1st place - team of Cole Sutton, Anna Jacks, Livie Russell, Emily Fenwick
Cedar Ridge Classic, November 12, 2016
Congratulations to the Speech & Debate team for their success at the Cedar Ridge Classic, against 20 public schools:
Prose Interpretation: 6th place - Emily Fenwick, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Novice Prose: 6th place - Allie Cermak, 5th place - Caleb Roark, 4th place - David Withey
Poetry Interpretation: 6th place - Livie Russell
Novice Poetry: 3rd place - Alex Chaiken, 2nd place - Allie Cermak
Humorous Interpretation: 3rd place - Cole Sutton
Duet Acting: 6th place - team of Emily Fenwick/Livie Russell
Duo Interpretation: 6th place - team of Morgan Whitley/Allie Cermak, 5th place - team of Cole Sutton/Anna Jacks.
Trinity Classic, October 22, 2016
Congratulations to the Speech & Debate team for their Sweepstakes win over the weekend. A shout out to Cole Sutton for being named Best All Around competitor and for Anna Jacks being named Best Actor of the tournament. Here are the results:
Bible Reading: 6th place - Emily Fenwick, 5th place - Hannah Feldman, 3rd place - Anna Jacks, 2nd place - Andy Cato, and 1st place - Cole Sutton
Impromptu Speaking: 4th place - David Withey, 2nd place - Andy Cato, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Poetry: 8th place - Allie Cermak, 6th place - Alex Chaiken, 5th place - Hannah Feldman, 4th place Anna Jacks, 2nd place - Cole Sutton
Prose: 5th place - Emily Fenwick, 3rd place - Caleb Roark, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Soapbox Speaking: 6th place - Sarah Koshy, 4th place - Cole Sutton
Improv: 3rd place - team of David Withey/Anna Jacks, 2nd place - team of Morgan Whitley/Caleb Roark, 1st place - team of Anna Jacks/Morgan Whitley
Oratory: 4th place - Sophia Fernandez, 3rd place - Perry Williams, 1st place - Sarah Koshy
Duo: 4th place - team of Anna Jacks/Cole Sutton, 2nd place - team of Morgan Whitley/Allie Cermak
Lincoln Douglas Debate: Quarterfinalists - Perry Williams, Christian Gonzales, and Sophia Fernandez, Semifinalist - Sarah Koshy
Solo Acting: 7th place - Anna Jacks, 6th place - Andy Cato, 5th place - Hannah Feldman, 2nd place - Morgan Whitley, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Journey Tournament, September 24, 2016
Crusader Speech & Debate won Sweepstakes against 10 other schools at the Journey Tournament in Temple on Saturday, including: Academy ISD, Burnet HS, CTCS, China Springs HS, College Station HS, Hillsboro HS, Holy Trinity Catholic HS, Lake Belton MS, New Braunfels HS, and St. Dominic Savio Catholic HS. There were 13 events. These are the results:
Lincoln Douglas Debate: 6th place - Perry William, 1st place and Top Speaker - Sarah Koshy
Public Forum Debate: 3rd place - team of Andy Cato/Esteban Castorena, 2nd place - team of Cole Sutton/Christian Orred
Humorous Interpretation: 6th place - Morgan Whitley, 4th place - Andy Cato, 2nd place - Cole Sutton
Dramatic Interpretation: 3rd place - Hannah Feldman, 1st place - Livie Russell
Duo Interpretation: 6th place - team of Livie Russell/Anna Jacks, 2nd place - team of Cole Sutton/Anna Jacks, 1st place- team of Morgan Whitley/Allie Cermak
Oratory: 3rd place - Sophia Fernandez, 2nd place - Sarah Koshy, 1st place - Perry Williams
Prose: 5th place - Andy Cato, 4th place - Livie Russell, 2nd place - David Withey, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Poetry: 6th place - Hannah Feldman, 3rd place - Anna Jacks, 2nd place - Cole Sutton
Informative Extemporaneous Speaking: 6th place - Jenna Kim, 5th place - Christian Gonzales
Persuasive Extemporaneous Speaking: 2nd place - Christian Orred, 1st place - Sarah Koshy
Hurricane Debate Tournament, September 10, 2016
The Crusaders Speech and Debate team competed at the Hurricane Debate Tournament in Temple at Holy Trinity Catholic HS. It was a small tournament with 5 events and 7 schools competing, including: Stone Gate Christian, Grapevine Christian, New Braunfels HS, St. Mary's Catholic School, Holy Trinity Catholic HS, Vanguard Prep, and RRCA. Here are the results:
Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate:
4th place - Jenna Kim, 3rd place - Sophia Fernandez, 2nd place - Christian Gonzales
Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate:
The following students also qualified for the NDTA State Tournament in Lincoln Douglas Debate
5th place - Perry Williams, 3rd place - Sarah Koshy
Impromptu Speaking:
4th place - Andy Cato, 3rd place - Allie Cermak, 1st place - Cole Sutton
Extemporaneous Debate: (all competitors listed had a 3-0 record)
6th place (tie) - Cole Sutton and Perry Williams, 4th place - Morgan Whitley, 1st place - Sarah Koshy
Public Forum Debate:
6th place - Team of Anna Jacks/Emily Fenwick, (the following had a 4-0 record) 4th place - Team of Christian Orred/Christian Gonzales, 2nd place - Team of Andy Cato/Esteban Casterena, 1st place - Team of Cole Sutton/Sarah Koshy.
2015-2016 Highlights
ACSI Central Texas Elementary Speech Meet, April 15, 2016
TAPPS Academic and Speech Tournament, April 4-5, 2016
Congratulations to students competing at the TAPPS Academic & Speech tournament for repeating as overall State Champions and three times being named speech champions in 3A.
Here are the results:
Spanish: 2nd Place - Christian Varela
Current Events: 6th place – Sarah Koshy, 4th place – Phillip Pergande
Calculator: 5th place – Haley Nelson, 3rd place – Phillip Pergande
Advanced Math: 4th place – Haley Nelson
Prose Interpretation: 3rd place – Cole Sutton
Solo Acting: 3rd place – Aria Flores, 2nd place – Cole Sutton
Duet Acting: 3rd place – Abby Counts/Livie Russell, 1st place – Aria Flores/Cole Sutton
Poetry Interpretation: 4th place – Cole Sutton, 2nd place – Aria Flores
Persuasive Speaking: 2nd place – Sarah Koshy, 1st – Phillip Pergande
Oratory: 1st place - Madeline Tweden
Lincoln Douglas Debate: 1st place tie – Phillip Pergande and Sarah Koshy