Talking Saints take gold in world debate

Group Photo of Talking Saints

The Carroll College Talking Saints forensics team continued their red hot streak in their latest outing with Carroll’s leading World Debate team winning a 55-school tournament at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, while five freshmen brought home eight trophies from Casper College in Casper, Wyoming over the October 10-12 weekend. The Portland tournament was one of the largest in Northwest history.

Juniors Ryden Meyer of Portland, Oregon, and Mark Schmutzler of Helena, Montana, won World Debate defeating Claremont College, Seattle University and Portland State in the championship round. Meyer was named the third best speaker among the 72 debaters competing, with Schmutzler finishing 10th.

In individual events at Lewis & Clark, Meyer finished fifth in extemporaneous speaking. Ian Hollander, a sophomore from Kalispell, Montana, finished fifth in junior impromptu. Freshman Becca Poliquin from Hamilton, Montana, finished second in novice prose and reached the finals in junior extemp.

At Casper, freshman Jake MacDuff of Seattle, Washington, won extemporaneous speaking, freshman Austin Graef of Missoula, Montana, finished second in prose interpretation and freshman Tori Hill of Sidney, Montana, finished second in persuasive speaking. Joining Graef in finals of prose were freshman Brandon Raffin of Junction City, Oregon, and Hill. MacDuff and Raffin reached the semi-finals of impromptu. Graef qualified for poetry finals.

“The old and the young both won recognition,” said Talking Saints coach and Carroll professor Brent Northup. “So that’s encouraging. Spirits were high in both locations. This team has a warm, unselfish chemistry that’s helping everyone.”