Piedmont Debaters Excel

The Piedmont Academy speech and debate team competed Saturday in the First Annual Warrior War of Words Tournament at Grovetown High School along with 16 other public schools, private schools, and homeschool associations.

Sophomore Morgan Leach and freshmen Nick Maynard, Danny Ramsdell, and Will Tillman competed in the open division of the public forum debate, arguing both the pro and con side of this month’s national resolution, “Resolved: Immigration reform should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States.”

Although the team of Leach and Tillman and the team of Maynard and Ramsdell were competing in their first debate tournament, this particular tournament placed novice debaters in this same division as junior varsity and varsity debaters.

Overall, the team of Leach and Tillman finished in sixth place out of 18 teams with a record of 4-1 in the preliminary rounds, and they advanced to the quarterfinal elimination rounds where they lost to a Fayette County varsity team of Gray and Sharker. Out of all novice teams who competed at the tournament, Leach and Tillman finished with the best novice record and received the first place novice trophy.

{{more}}

The team of Maynard and Ramsdell finished the preliminary rounds with a record of 2-3 in the open division finishing twelfth overall, but they had the third best record for a novice team competing against more experienced debaters. They received the third place novice trophy.

Additionally, Miss Leach received the top novice speaker medal in public forum debate, and Mr. Ramsdell received the third place novice speaker medal.

Junior Abigail Hyde competed in dramatic interpretation with her performance of Bluebird Student from the Jonathan Dorf play, “Thank You for Flushing My Head in the Toilet and other rarely used expressions.”

Narrowly missing the top spot by only one point, Miss Hyde finished second in her division which had nine competitors. When Miss Hyde received her second place trophy, the team learned that Miss Hyde received her first qualifying bid for the Georgia Forensic Coaches Association (GFCA)’s Varsity State Tournament in March.

Seniors Katie Odegaard and Ashley Young competed in duo interpretation with a selection from the short play, “Driver’s Test,” by Don Zolidis. The team of Odegaard and Young finished second in a field of seven duo performers.

Competing in the events of extemporaneous speaking and impromptu speaking, senior Gabe Hestad wrote and delivered eight different speeches at the tournament with topics ranging from drone strikes to popular song lyrics.

Mr. Hestad finished sixth in extemporaneous speaking and eleventh in impromptu speaking, missing the top ten by only one point. Thirty students competed in the two speaking events.

The speech and debate teams are coached by Mrs. Catherine Jones and Ms. Bobbi Sauls, with valuable debate coaching and judging assistance from Dr. David Leach.

Reigning GISA dramatic interpretation champion and Piedmont alumna Samantha Ramsdell traveled with the team and provided valuable judging skills at the Grovetown tournament.

Attending the tournament with Ms. Sauls, parents David Odegaard and Mary Ramsdell provided transportation, encouragement, and moral support to all team members.

Next month the speech and debate team plans to compete in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Invitational Tournament at Grady High School in Atlanta, and the debate team will compete at the GISA state debate tournament at Mercer University in Macon.