Talking Saints Wrap Up Semester with Strong Showing

Photo of Talking Saints at Linfield

HELENA – The Carroll College Talking Saints forensics team wrapped up their semester by finishing second behind Boise State at the Linfield Tournament in McMinnville, Oregon. Twenty-nine schools from all the Northwest states, plus Colorado and Texas, competed in the three-day championship event.

Led by first-year Eleanor Ferrone of Hastings, Nebraska, the team won 24 awards, including 10 in British Parliamentary “world” debate. Ferrone won novice impromptu and novice prose. Ferrone and her partner first-year David Lange of Ferndale, Washington, reached finals of junior debate. Lange placed third in prose, just behind first-year Taylor Potts of Great Falls who was second. Potts was third best speaker in junior debate, with six Saints winning speaking recognition.

Sophomore Josh Mansfield of Pocatello, Idaho, won junior persuasion and reached the finals of open extemp. Mansfield and senior partner Nick Taffs of Helena placed second in open debate.

Sophomore Parker Gunderson of Billings, sophomore Teigen Tremper of Kalispell and junior Michael Fuller of Helena also won recognition, as did juniors Peri Dropping of Redmond, Washington, and Kelsie Watkins of Snohomish, Washington, who reached finals of debate.

“It was a good tournament,” said coach Brent Northup. “We missed a couple seniors who were home taking the LSATs, but it was very encouraging to see the strong showing by our newest students. Most of the newcomers had little or no experience in most of their events in high school, but through hard work and openness to coaching, they are starting to catch fire. That’s exciting.”

Northup says the team had some Irish good luck, too.

“An Irish family from Portland came to watch some rounds,” said Northup. “Roisin is considering Carroll and enjoyed hanging out with our teams and eating lunch together. The team loved having her rooting them on. I learned how to pronounce her name, too: ‘Roe sheen!’”

The Talking Saints “regular season” ends in late January in Bellingham, Washington, for the final regional championship event. The team will then begin preparing for the national championships in Alabama and South Carolina in April.

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HELENA – The Carroll College Talking Saints forensics team wrapped up their semester by finishing second behind Boise State at the Linfield Tournament in McMinnville, Oregon. Twenty-nine schools from all the Northwest states, plus Colorado and Texas, competed in the three-day championship event.

Led by first-year Eleanor Ferrone of Hastings, Nebraska, the team won 24 awards, including 10 in British Parliamentary “world” debate. Ferrone won novice impromptu and novice prose. Ferrone and her partner first-year David Lange of Ferndale, Washington, reached finals of junior debate. Lange placed third in prose, just behind first-year Taylor Potts of Great Falls who was second. Potts was third best speaker in junior debate, with six Saints winning speaking recognition.

Sophomore Josh Mansfield of Pocatello, Idaho, won junior persuasion and reached the finals of open extemp. Mansfield and senior partner Nick Taffs of Helena placed second in open debate.

Sophomore Parker Gunderson of Billings, sophomore Teigen Tremper of Kalispell and junior Michael Fuller of Helena also won recognition, as did juniors Peri Dropping of Redmond, Washington, and Kelsie Watkins of Snohomish, Washington, who reached finals of debate.

“It was a good tournament,” said coach Brent Northup. “We missed a couple seniors who were home taking the LSATs, but it was very encouraging to see the strong showing by our newest students. Most of the newcomers had little or no experience in most of their events in high school, but through hard work and openness to coaching, they are starting to catch fire. That’s exciting.”

Northup says the team had some Irish good luck, too.

“An Irish family from Portland came to watch some rounds,” said Northup. “Roisin is considering Carroll and enjoyed hanging out with our teams and eating lunch together. The team loved having her rooting them on. I learned how to pronounce her name, too: ‘Roe sheen!’”

The Talking Saints “regular season” ends in late January in Bellingham, Washington, for the final regional championship event. The team will then begin preparing for the national championships in Alabama and South Carolina in April.