McKendree Speech and Debate Take 2nd at Loyola, Southwest Baptist

Preparation Pays Off atTwo Recent Tournaments

(LEBANON, Ill., October 6, 2014) — McKendree University’s speech and debate team took second place at tournaments on consecutive weekends, taking home 18 individual awards.

“These two weekends were remarkably successful for us,” said Joe Blasdel, coach. “This is a direct result of the work these students did during the summer and continue to do this fall.”

Six colleges and universities attended Loyola University’s debate tournament, including Appalachian State, Missouri Western State and Cedarville University, on Sept. 26-28. Representing McKendree were senior Trent Boyer; junior Quinn McRoberts; sophomores Mary Makarishcheva and Rodney McBride; and first-years Alex Baldwin, Beth Graham, David Junge, and Gage Simmons.

At the first half, in the open division, the teams of Makarishcheva-McBride and Boyer-McRoberts went 3-1 to finish as quarterfinalists. In the novice division, Baldwin-Simmons posted a 4-0 record, winning both the semifinal and final round, to finish as novice champions. The team of Graham-Junge went 3-1 and finished as semifinalists. Graham won top novice speaker, while Simmons took fourth place.

At the second half, the teams of Makarishcheva-McBride and Baldwin-Simmons each went 4-1, finishing as quarterfinalists. Boyer and McRoberts, as well as Graham and Junge, went 3-2 to finish as octofinalists. Baldwin won top novice speaker, while Simmons took second place.

Eleven colleges and universities attended Southwest Baptist University’s speech tournament, including Bowling Green State University, the University of Central Missouri and Cameron University on Oct. 4. Representing McKendree were seniors Rebecca Blake, Josh Fleming, Spencer Marcum, and Caleb Vines; sophomores Katie Reining and Taylor Rossi; and first-years Emeri Farnam, Briar North and Hannah Zickefoose.

Marcum won first place in programmed oral interpretation, second in drama, third in prose, fourth in poetry and fourth in individual sweepstakes. Reining took first in informative speaking and second in informative speaking. Blake finished third in after dinner speaking and sixth in drama, while winning fifth place with Fleming in duo. Fleming also placed fourth in programmed oral interpretation. Farnam and Zickefoose finished fourth in duo and were the top novices in the event. Zickefoose was also the top novice in programmed oral interpretation. North won fifth place in drama and top novice, while also finishing sixth in informative speaking. Rossi took sixth in persuasive speaking.

McKendree will compete in its home debate tournament on Oct. 17-19 and in speech at the University of Central Missouri on Oct. 18-19.

Celebrating its success at the Loyola University tournament were (back row) McKendree University debate coach Joe Blasdel and team members Quinn McRoberts, Trent Boyer, Alex Baldwin, Gage Simmons, Rodney McBride, Mary Makarishcheva and Brent Nicholson; front row, David Junge and Beth Graham.

McKendree University speech team members bringing home awards from the Southwest Baptist University were: front row, Hannah Zickefoose, Emeri Farnam and Katie Reining; middle, Taylor Rossi, Spencer Marcum, Rebecca Blake; and back, Briar North, Caleb Vines and Josh Fleming.