Southeast Forensics Starts Strong
by Gary Leiker
The Southeast Forensics Squad got its season off to a strong start at the Neodesha tournament on January 26. Eight students attended the tournament. Despite lacking a full entry, Southeast finished as a team tied for fourth place, with 124 points. Seventeen schools were in attendance.
Senior Bethany Burns advanced to finals twice, earning a third place finish in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Original Oration. Junior Brandon McGehee also made it to finals in his two events. Brandon collected a first place finish in Humorous Interpretation to go along with his second place finish in Improvised Duet Acting. CJ Clauson, sophomore, and Ashley Selby, freshman, each broke to finals in a single event. CJ, partnered with Brandon in IDA, earned second place, and Ashley ended her first forensics tournament experience with a sixth place finish in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Brandon and CJ are the first squad members of the new season to qualify for the state forensics tournament. To qualify for the state tournament, a competitor must typically finish in the top two in a particular event. Brandon's two top-two finishes have already made him a two-event state qualifier, while CJ's second place finish has earned her a spot at the state tournament being held in Wichita on May 3.
"It's always a rush to get prepared for the first tournament of the season," commented coach Gary Leiker. "No one is as prepared as they would like to be, but everyone showed up and competed hard." Southeast next competes at tournaments in Winfield and Arkansas City on February 1-2.
