Stanford University in Palo Alto, California played host to the only 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament last weekend when it held its twenty-eighth annual Stanford National Invitational. The tournament allowed extempers to double-enter in International and United States Extemp. International Extemp attracted forty-four competitors and Derek Eggleston of Archbishop Mitty High School (CA) won the cumulative tournament by two ranks over Mihir Tulpule of Saint Francis High School (CA). This was Eggleston’s first appearance in a TOC qualifier final this season. In United States Extemp, which featured fifty-nine competitors, Charlie Liao of Monte Vista High School (CA) staged a dramatic comeback by besting teammate Brian Yu by six ranks in the tournament final to win by one, nineteen cumulative ranks to twenty.

The tournament also featured a novice division for International and United States Extemp, both of which were won by Dean Swennumson of Monte Vista. Swennumson beat teammate Kevin Luo in both categories, winning International Extemp by three ranks and United States Extemp by five ranks. The novice categories are not eligible for TOC qualification.

Each varsity category broke to semi-finals and there were enough entries to award TOC qualifying legs to every competitor that reached elimination rounds. Six extempers – Eric Hagen of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL), Ann-Kathrin Merz, Anoeil Odisho and Andrew Zou of Leland High School (CA), Bryan Wang of Miramonte High School (CA), and Jimmy Xiao of Saratoga High School (CA) – earned their second TOC qualifying legs and have now qualified to the 2014 Extemp TOC. A seventh extemper – Ryan Olson of Monte Vista – took advantage of Stanford’s double-entry policy and earned both of his qualifying legs to add his name to the list of those who have made the TOC field. Nine other extempers earned their first TOC qualifying legs. All competitors that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

There are two more weeks on the TOC’s at-large tournament schedule and next week features three qualifying tournaments: The Harvard National High School Invitational in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the 2014 California Invitational in Berkeley, California, and the Alief Taylor High School Tournament in Houston, Texas. All three tournaments should attract large fields and Harvard will offer the most TOC qualification opportunities since it typically breaks to an octo-final round. Harvard is the biggest national circuit invitational of the year and is as close to an NFL warmup tournament that you can find. The California Invitational also attracts most of the big California schools and offers an insight into which competitors will be factors at the California state tournament in April and national tournaments in May and June.

Additionally, Alaska will hold its state championship tournament next week from February 13th-15th. Per TOC qualification rules, all competitors who make the final round of their state championship tournament prior to early April automatically qualify for this year’s TOC.

Here are the results of the 2014 Stanford National Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

International Extemp

Champion: Derek Eggleston (Archbishop Mitty High School, California)
2nd: Mihir Tulpule (Saint Francis High School, California)
3rd: Jonas Trevethan (Turlock High School, California)
4th: Alexander Schwartz (Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, California)
5th: Carolann Duro (Redlands High School, California)
6th: Charlie Liao (Monte Vista High School, California)
7th: Cameron James Bonnewell (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Eric Hagen (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)
*Anoeil Odisho (Leland High School, California)
*Ryan Olson (Monte Vista High School, California)
*Anshula Singh (Monte Vista High School, California)
*Steven Wang (The Harker School, California)
*Brian Yu (Monte Vista High School, California)
*Andrew Zou (Leland High School, California)

United States Extemp

Champion: Charlie Liao (Monte Vista High School, California)
2nd: Brian Yu (Monte Vista High School, California)
3rd: Cameron James Bonnewell (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)
4th: Bryan Wang (Miramonte High School, California)
5th: Manasi Patwa (Archbishop Mitty High School, California)
6th: Ann-Kathrin Merz (Leland High School, California)
7th: Ben Richmond (Thomas Jefferson High School, Washington)

Semi-Finalists

*Meredith Duflock (Notre Dame High School, San Jose)
*Anoeil Odisho (Leland High School, California)
*Ryan Olson (Monte Vista High School, California)
*Jamie Shen (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
*Steven Wang (The Harker School, California)
*Jimmy Xiao (Saratoga High School, California)
*Andrew Zou (Leland High School, California)

Novice International Extemp

Champion: Dean Swennumson (Monte Vista High School, California)
2nd: Kevin Luo (Monte Vista High School, California)
3rd: Wanying Fu (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
4th: Max Yuan (Monte Vista High School, California)
5th: Leon Libeu (Analy High School, California)
6th: Ken Tanaka (Leland High School, California)
7th: Aria Fereydouni (Monte Vista High School, California)

Novice United States Extemp

Champion: Dean Swennumson (Monte Vista High School, California)
2nd: Kevin Luo (Monte Vista High School, California)
3rd: Lucas Bartell (Turlock High School, California)
4th: Leon Libeu (Analy High School, California)
5th: Max Yuan (Monte Vista High School, California)
6th: Max Cline (Skyline High School, Utah)
7th: Amir Hashemizad (Monte Vista High School, California)

Extemp Central thanks Stanford University for making the results of the tournament available online.

Connor Fitzgibbon of Unionville Area High School (PA) defeated Sejal Waghray of Ridge High School (NJ) by one rank to win this year’s University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic, which was held last weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fitzgibbon lost the final round to Waghray, but the cumulative nature of the tournament helped him hold on and prevail sixteen ranks to seventeen. Waghray’s teammate, Cameron Montag, took third. Fitzgibbon’s victory gives Pennsylvania extempers back-to-back victories at their home tournament. In last year’s event, James DeMarshall of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (PA) ended a seven year stretch where out-of-state extempers won the tournament.

The tournament attracted twenty-five entries and broke to semi-finals. The competitors that made the final round earned a qualifying leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Two extempers – Waghray and Montag – completed their TOC at-large qualification. One extemper, Amber Yang of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), earned their first qualifying leg.

Here are the results of the 2014 University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Connor Fitzgibbon (Unionville Area High School, Pennsylvania)
2nd: Sejal Waghray (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
3rd: Cameron Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
4th: Collin Quigley (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
5th: Ellis Sargeant (St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, Pennsylvania)
6th: Nick Giuliano (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
7th: Amber Yang (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Daanyal Farooqi (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Angela Jin (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Joseph Kale (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Colin Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Bryan Rooke (Lake Mary Preparatory School, Florida)
*Reid Worster (La Salle College High School, Pennsylvania)

Eighty-nine extempers arrived in Berkeley, California last Saturday to compete in the 2014 California Invitational. The tournament traditionally features the top schools in California and this year’s event was won by Brian Yu of Monte Vista High School (CA). The tournament was cumulative and when the tournament’s eight rounds were completed Yu was tied with teammate Charlie Liao, who won the United States Extemp portion of last week’s Stanford National Invitational. Yu defeated Liao eight ranks to eleven in the tournament final, which gave him the championship. Giancarlo Musetti of Cypress Bay High School (FL) was the only non-California extemper in the tournament’s final round and he took third.

The size of this year’s field means that all of the extempers that reached elimination rounds earned a qualification leg to this year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Aaron Baum of Miramonte High School (CA), Ian Buckman and Ethan Hu of Leland High School (CA), Steven Chen and Jamie Shen of Dougherty Valley High School (CA), Arjun Desai of St. Francis High School (CA), Clayton Jacobs of Torrey Pines High School (CA), Armand Jhala of Montgomery Bell Academy (TN), and Prachi Laud of Lynbrook High School (CA) completed their at-large TOC qualification and eleven other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. They are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Brian Yu (Monte Vista High School, California)
2nd: Charlie Liao (Monte Vista High School, California)
3rd: Giancarlo Musetti (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
4th: Anoeil Odisho (Leland High School, California)
5th: Karan Kolwalkar (Leland High School, California)
6th: Jamie Shen (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
7th: Andrew Zou (Leland High School, California)

Semi-Finalists

*Aaron Baum (Miramonte High School, California)
*Cameron Bonnewell (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)
*Steven Chen (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
*Arjun Desai (St. Francis High School, California)
*Ethan Hu (Leland High School, California)
*Clayton Jacobs (Torrey Pines High School, California)
*Prachi Laud (Lynbrook High School, California)

Quarter-Finalists

*Omer Bensaadon (Cypress Bay High School, California)
*Ian Buckman (Leland High School, California)
*Eric Hagen (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)
*Sam Hurd (Montgomery Bell Academy, Tennessee)
*Armand Jhala (Montgomery Bell Academy, Tennessee)
*Sneha Karkala (Coppell High School, Texas)
*Rishi Krishnan (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
*Victoria Lu (Dougherty Valley High School, California)
*Jestin Ma (San Gabriel High School, California)
*Ann-Kathrin Merz (Leland High School, California)
*Mihika Ram (Leland High School, California)
*Gerard Recinto (James Logan High School, California)
*Katia Stern (Rancho Bernardo High School, California)
*Mohan Sudabattula (Bingham High School, Utah)
*Lucas Tung (James Logan High School, California)
*Bryan Wang (Miramonte High School, California)

The Harvard National High School Invitational Forensic Tournament lived up to its billing as the largest national circuit tournament in the nation last weekend when it hosted 274 extempers on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The tournament offered a very diverse and competitive field, featuring twelve TOC qualifying tournament champions and several national finalists. The final round had four of the top five finishers from this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin and the top five finishers at this year’s tournament won TOC qualifying tournaments on the national circuit this season.

Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), the reigning NFL National Champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking, won this year’s tournament and denied Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) the historic opportunity to repeat as Harvard champion. Rende did not take a first place rank in the final round, but his consistency among the five-judge panel with a 2-2-2-3-3 composite was enough for a one-rank victory over Nellans, who went 1-1-2-4-5 in the final. Miles Saffran of Trinity Prepartory School (FL), a winner of four TOC qualifying tournaments this season, had a feast-or-famine final round, as he took three first place ranks, but also took two sixth place ranks, which caused him to finish third. Rende’s victory is his fourth TOC qualifying tournament championship of the season and it is the second time this season that he has kept Nellans from repeating as tournament champion at an event on the national circuit. Rende did the same thing in the United States Extemp category at St. Mark’s in October. Trinity Preparatory School had two finalists, which is an amazing feat considering the size and diversity of this year’s tournament.

The tournament broke to a double octo-final round, meaning that ninety-six extempers participated in the tournament’s elimination rounds. Fifteenn extempers – Talha Ahsan of Eagan High School (MN), Josh Carney of Newton South High School (MA), Maleeha Chida of Scarsdale High School (NY), William Cook of Southlake Carroll Senior High School (TX), Mohica Coscia of Montville Township High School (NJ), Addie Glickstien of Denver East High School (CO), Cody Jones of Lakeville North High School (MN), Shawn Kant and Avni Mahagaoker of Ridge High School (NJ), Christopher Lee of Regis High School (NY), Priya Patel of Foster High School (TX), Naba Rahman of Pine View School (FL), Mark Rinder of Freehold Township High School (NJ), Raj Viswaprabakaran of Plano Senior High School (TX), and Meghan Weston of Fullerton Joint Union High School (CA) – completed their at-large TOC qualification and eighteen other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. Those who earned a qualifying leg at Harvard are indicated in italics below.

This weekend will feature the last two at-large qualifying tournaments for this year’s TOC. The Robert D. Clark Invitational will be held on the University of Oregon’s campus in Eugene, Oregon and Salina High Central in Salina, Kansas will host its annual Salina High Central Invitational. There will also be automatic qualification opportunities for the finalists of state tournaments in Kentucky and Illinois.

Here are the results of the 2014 Harvard National High School Invitational Forensic Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Arel Rende (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
2nd: Lily Nellans (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
3rd: Miles Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
4th: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
5th: Jasper Primack (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
6th: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Chase Harrison (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Jonathan Kumar (Lamar Consolidated High School, Texas)
*Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Gabe Slater (Denver East High School, Colorado)
*Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Rathnam Venkat (Munster High School, Indiana)

Quarter-Finalists

*Grant Bumgarner (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Justin Cooper (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Lyubov Kapko (Tempe Preparatory Academy, Arizona)
*Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
*Graham Piro (Iona Preparatory School, New York)
*Mark Rinder (Freehold Township High School, New Jersey)
*Sidarth Singh (Munster High School, Indiana)
*Hasan Syed (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Lauren Tucker (Fullerton Joint Union High School, California)
*Will Walker (Fullerton Joint Union High Chool, California)
*Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

Octo-Finalists

*Vaikunth Balaji (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Charlie Barton (Regis High School, New York)
*Will Boling (Brentwood Academy, Tennessee)
*Haley Brahmbhatt (Chanhassen High School, Minnesota)
*Mohica Coscia (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Jack Glaser (George Washington High School, Colorado)
*Daniel Greene (The University School, Florida)
*Brinda Gurumoorthy (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Xena Itzkowitz (Freehold Township High School, New Jersey)
*Cody Jones (Lakeville North High School, Minnesota)
*Christopher Jordan (Brophy College Preparatory, Arizona)
*Shawn Kant (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Prianka Kumar (Desert Vista High School, Arizona)
*Avni Mahagaoker (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Ash Maholtra (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Param Nayar (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*John Neshiwat (Iona Preparatory School, New York)
*Cristine Oh (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Margaret Schaack (George Washington High School, Colorado)
*Harrison Stall (Southside High School, South Carolina)
*Suzanna Steele (George Washington High School, Colorado)
*Adam Stromme (Eagan High School, Minnesota)
*Marshall Webb (Saint Mary’s Hall High School, Texas)

Double Octo-Finalists

*Thomas Abel (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Talha Ahsan (Eagan High School, Minnesota)
*Varun Bhatia (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Sydney Britton (American Heritage School – Plantation, Florida)
*Josh Carney (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
*Natalia Castro (Jupiter High School, Florida)
*Teresa Chen (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Maleeha Chida (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Rahul Chopra (Concord-Carlisle High School, Massachusetts)
*William Cook (Southlake Carroll Senior High School, Texas)
*Matt Couch (Myers Park High School, North Carolina)
*Sophia Deng (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Max Dopsch (Regis High School, New York)
*Michael Formella (Southlake Carroll Senior High School, Texas)
*Addie Glickstien (Denver East High School, Colorado)
*Clare Halsey (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Edric Huang (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Darius Hunt (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Abhinav Karale (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Devon Kerr (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Elizabeth Kingaby (Central Cabarrus High School, North Carolina)
*Ryan Klobus (Syosset High School, New York)
*Abhishek Kodumagulla (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Dhanya Kumar (Shrewsbury High School, Massachusetts)
*Christopher Lee (Regis High School, New York)
*Connor Leech (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Jacob Levenson (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Sarah Malek (Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School, New Jersey)
*Ethan Matsuda (Fullerton Joint Union High School, California)
*Chase Miller (Upper St. Clair High School, Pennsylvania)
*Stephanie Miller (Desert Vista High School, Arizona)
*Priya Patel (Foster High School, Texas)
*Keegan Paugh (Stevens High School, South Dakota)
*William Peebles (Cary Academy, North Carolina)
*Dan Perry (Westlake High School, Texas)
*Naba Rahman (Pine View School, Florida)
*Haley Pierce-Ramsde (Blaine High School, Minnesota)
*Alexia Rauen (Pennsbury High School, Pennsylvania)
*Rahul Ravindra (John Champe High School, Virginia)
*Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Jonah Scharf (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Natanya Schnyer (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Jay Sirot (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Sanjay Supan (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Raj Viswaprabakaran (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Ryan Ward (Natick High School, Massachusetts)
*Meghan Weston (Fullerton Joint Union High School, California)
*Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)

History was made Sunday at the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC). Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) won her third consecutive TOC championship and her seventh major championship. Nellans victory over Chase Harrison of Millburn High School (NJ) gives her more major championships than any extemper in history. She has also won the second leg of the Grand Slam for the third straight year. In 2012, Nellans came just shy of becoming the second extemper in history to win a season Grand Slam when she finished third in International Extemp at the NFL (now NSDA) National Tournament. If she were to win the NSDA National Tournament this year, she would complete a career Grand Slam, something only one other extemper – Kevin Troy of Eagan High School – has ever done.

The tournament featured sixty extempers and the final round contained the top five finishers from this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin. The finalists also shared two national championships, six NSDA final round appearances, and eleven 2014 TOC qualifying championships between them. Two of the finalists, Nellans and third place finisher Miles Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), will compete in International Extemp at the 2014 NSDA National Tournament, while the other four (Harrison, Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), Arel Rende of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), and Sydney Walter of Salado High School (TX)) will compete in United States Extemp. It is very likely that elements of this TOC final round will be played out again in a month’s time in Overland Park, Kansas.

The TOC also gives out a service and coaching award each year.  This year’s service award went to Harry Strong of Des Moines Roosevelt.  The coaching award went to Meredith Deaton of Booker T. Washington.

Lake Braddock Secondary School was the tournament’s sweepstakes award winner, besting Booker T. Washington by ten and a half points.

According to TOC qualifying rules, all extempers reaching elimination rounds at the tournament automatically qualify for the 2015 TOC. Fourteen extempers met this criteria and earn tickets back to Evanston next season. These extempers are indicated in italics below. Extemp Central will have the 2015 TOC qualification board posted just prior to the NCFL Grand National Tournament.

Here are the results of the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Lily Nellans (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
2nd: Chase Harrison (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
3rd: Miles Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
4th: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
5th: Arel Rende (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
6th: Sydney Walter (Salado High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
*Grant Bumgarner (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
*Adam Stromme (Eagan High School, Minnesota)
*Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Drayton Willey (Salina High School Central, Kansas)

Quarter-Finalists

*Cosmo Albrecht (Robert E. Lee High School, Texas)
*Sophia Alvarez (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*David Dam (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Vinesh Kannan (Illinois Math and Science Academy, Illinois)
*Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
*Vishal Narayanaswamy (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)
*Jordan Rojas (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Jonah Scharf (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Jay Sirot (Montville High School, New Jersey)
*Marshall Webb (Saint Mary’s Hall, Texas)

Extemp Central thanks Northwestern University for putting the tab sheet online and Bill Thompson for providing us with live updates of the tournament throughout the weekend.

The 2014-2015 season kicked off last weekend in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the Wake Forest National Earlybird. Forty-nine extempers participated in the first national circuit competition competition of the year. In the final round, Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH) earned a three rank victory over North Carolina native Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy to claim the title. Liang, a semi-finalist at last season’s National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) nationals, becomes the first Ohio extemper in ten years to win Wake Forest. The last Ohio competitor to do so was Whitney Willits of Perry High School in 2004. The victory makes Liang the inaugural leader of this year’s National Points Race competition.  It is his first national circuit victory as well.

Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) came close to succeeding his brother Miles as Wake Forest champion, but he fell four ranks shy. If he had been successful it would have been the first time that a sibling duo won a national circuit tournament in back-to-back years.

Elizabeth Kingaby of Central Cabarrus High School (NC) appeared in the Wake Forest final for the second consecutive year.  She placed sixth.

Three of the finalists in this year’s tournament – Saffran, Sydney Britton of American Heritage School (FL), and Ben Tobin of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) – were semi-finalists in last year’s competition.

Of all of the schools competing at the tournament, Durham Academy had the most breaks with three. In addition to Sapiro-Gheiler’s runner-up finish, the school placed Abhishek Kodumagulla and Connor Leech in the semi-final round.

All of the finalists earned National Points Race points. Under the new qualification guidelines of the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) only the finalists earned qualifying legs. Two of the finalists – Liang and Tobin – were prequalified to this year’s TOC. The extempers that earned a qualification leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 Wake Forest National Earlybird (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
2nd: Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
3rd: Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
4th: Sydney Britton (American Heritage School, Florida)
5th: Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
6th: Elizabeth Kingaby (Central Cabarrus High School, North Carolina)

Semi-Finalists

*Ideen Ashraf (Blacksburg High School, Virginia)
*Paige Clayton (Wooster High School, Ohio)
*Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Abhishek Kodumagulla (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Connor Leech (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Bharat Modi (Cary Academy, North Carolina)

Quarter-Finalists

*Regan Copple (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Manisha Dubey (Ardrey Kell High School, North Carolina)
*Katherine Fugate (McDowell High School, Pennsylvania)
*Mary Grace Gorman (Wooster High School, Ohio)
*Eddie He (Blacksburg High School, Virginia)
*Farhan Hoodbhoy (The Lovett School, Georgia)
*Madeline Jarrard (Brentwood Academy, Tennessee)
*Zain Mehdi (North Allegheny Senior High School, Pennsylvania)
*Rachel Pomerantz (Providence High School, North Carolina)
*Thomas Rollins (The Potomac School, Virginia)
*Christopher Seven (John Champe High School, Virginia)
*Bradley Wascher (Saint James School, Alabama)

Extemp Central thanks the Wake Forest debate team for putting the results of the tournament online.

This year’s edition of the Yale Invitational attracted one of the largest fields in tournament history as 124 extempers turned out for the second tournament on the 2014-2015 national circuit calendar. Jasper Primack of Newton South High School (MA) won the cumulative tournament, as well as his second national circuit championship, by three ranks over Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy (NC). Primack, who won the George Mason University Patriot Games last season, is the first extemper from Newton South to win Yale. Primack will receive seventy National Points Race points for the win.

Sapiro-Gheiler finished runner-up at a National Points Race tournament for the second consecutive week. The last extemper to start the year with consecutive runner-up finishes was Nathaniel Donahue, also of Durham Academy, who went on to win the 2011 National Points Race.

Four of the extempers who reached the final round participated were finalists or semi-finalists at last year’s NSDA National Tournament. In addition to Primack, Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA), a two-time finalist in United States Extemp, finished third. Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School (KY), who placed fourteenth at last year’s NSDA Nationals in USX, finished fourth. And Vishal Narayanaswamy of James Madison Memorial High School (WI), who finished seventh in USX at last year’s NSDA, took fifth place.

Three of the finalists from Wake Forest found their way into the Yale final round as well. The winner of that tournament, Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH), who entered Yale as the National Points Race leader finished sixth. Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), who took third at Wake Forest, ended the tournament in fifth place.

Ridge High School (NJ) had the largest number of outround participants, sending eight extempers into elimination rounds. However, the team failed to place an extemper in the final round.

According to the new qualification procedures of the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC), all of the extempers that reached the quarter-final round and beyond earned qualifying legs. Thirteen extempers earned their first qualifying leg and four extempers – Sapiro-Gheiler, Saffran, Vaikunth Balaji of Ridge High School, and Brian Min of Trinity Preparatory – earned their second TOC qualifying leg and become the first at-large qualifiers of the 2014-2015 season.  The extempers who earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the resulting listing below. The next Extemp TOC qualifying tournament will take place in three weeks at the Crestian Tradition in Weston, Florida.

Here are the results of the 2014 Yale Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Jasper Primack (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
2nd: Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
3rd: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
4th: Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
5th: Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
6th: Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
7th: Vishal Narayanaswamy (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)

Semi-Finalists

*Vaikunth Balaji (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Shawn Kant (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Brian Min (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Mark Rinder (Freehold Township High School, New Jersey)
*Jay Sirot (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)

Quarter-Finalists

*Charlie Barton (Regis High School, New York)
*Varun Bhatia (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Alexander Hirsch (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Justin Kang (Syosset High School, New York)
*Abhishek Kodumugalla (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Sheel Kundu (North Allegheny Senior High School, Pennsylvania)
*Connor Leech (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Avni Mahagaoker (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Colin Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Bill Peebles (Cary Academy, North Carolina)
*Collin Quigley (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Marshall Sloane (Milton Academy, Massachusetts)

Octo-Finalists

*Thomas Abel (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Thilaka Arunachalam (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*David Barrs (Lake Mary Preparatory School, Florida)
*Mary Breen (Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Pennsylvania)
*Teresa Chen (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Rahul Chopra (Concord Carlisle High School, Massachusetts)
*Justin Cooper (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Daanyal Farooqi (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Michael Faucher (Regis High School, New York)
*John Fitzgerald (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Nick Giuliano (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Clare Halsey (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Alexander Hanon (Marriotts Ridge High School, Maryland)
*Justin Hsieh (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Ananya Kalahasti (Hathaway Brown School, Ohio)
*Seckin Kara (Dallastown Area High School, Pennsylvania)
*Christopher Lee (Regis High School, New Jersey)
*Jason Ma (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
*Cameron Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Naba Rahman (Pine View High School, Florida)
*Suriya Ramachandrababu (Natick High School, Massachusetts)
*Sejal Waghray (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Noah Weinflash (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Nicole Zjvkovic (Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York)

Extemp Central thanks Yale University for putting the results of the tournament online.

The 2014-2015 Extemp Central National Points Race continued last weekend at the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational. The tournament, a fifth tier contest in the National Points Race, is one of two tournaments in this year’s competition that allows extempers to compete in International and United States Extemp. In International Extemp, Abhinav Sridharan of Plano Senior High School (TX), who won the Texas Forensic Association (TFA) State Championship in International Extemp last season, finished three ranks ahead of teammate Kishan Srikanth to take the title. Phoebe Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX) tied Srikanth for second place, but fell to third place on a judge’s tiebreaker.  Sridharan is the first Plano Senior extemper to win the IX category at St. Mark’s since the 2010-2011 season.

In United States Extemp, Micah Cash of Booker T. Washington High School (OK), a quarterfinalist at last year’s Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University, successfully defended his team’s championship in the event by beating Lin by two ranks in the final round. Lin’s teammate Matthew Feng took third place.

To avoid double counting in the National Points Race, Extemp Central awards fifth tier points to the six extempers who had the best performances in each extemp category. Despite not winning either event, Lin will earn the forty first place points from St. Mark’s due to her high placing in IX and USX. She will also be credited with a victory in the National Points Race standings. Cash and Sridharan had the same point total when their finishes in both categories were calculated, so they will split the points awarded to a third and fourth place finisher in the National Points Race and receive twenty-four points each.  The six extempers who will receive points, as well as the extemper who finished next out in the competition, can be found at the bottom of the results listing.

All of the extempers who made the semifinal round of their respective extemp category earned qualifying legs to the 2015 Extemp TOC. Four extempers – Feng, Neil Patel of Plano West, Sridharan, and Srikanth – earned their TOC qualification at the tournament due to their performance in both category. Five other extempers earned their first qualifying legs. All of the extempers that earned a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.

Here are the results of the 2014 St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

International Extemp

Champion: Abhinav Sridharan (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
2nd: Kishan Srikanth (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
3rd: Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
4th: Grant Bumgarner (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
5th: Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
6th: Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
7th: Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
8th: Matthew Feng (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*William Hale (Magnolia High School, Texas)
*Neil Patel (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Rupasri Shankar (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)

Quarter-Finalists

*Marcus Ayala (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Zain Aziz (Southlake Carroll High School, Texas)
*Pearce Barringer (Saint James School, Alabama)
*Nicholas Curtis (Westwood High School, Texas)
*David Dam (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Gregory Fantin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Allee Johnson (Lake Travis High School, Texas)
*Sneha Karkala (Coppell High School, Texas)
*Emma Lin (Southlake Carroll High School, Texas)
*Brady Lu (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Michael Lupher (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Darren Pomida (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Jordan Rojas (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*McClean Stewart (Saint James School, Alabama)
*Hasan Syed (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Mark Wilson (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)

United States Extemp

Champion: Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
2nd: Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
3rd: Matthew Feng (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
4th: Kishan Srikanth (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
5th: Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
6th: Hasan Syed (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*David Dam (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Zach Falkenbury (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Neil Patel (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Abhinav Sridharan (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Nader Syed (Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, Texas)
*Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)

Quarter-Finalists

*Jordan Auzenne (Pflugerville High School, Texas)
*Yannick Bongo (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Nicholas Curtis (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Usmaan Hasan (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Michael Lupher (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Darren Pomida (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Rupasri Shankar (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*McClean Stewart (Saint James School, Alabama)
*Karna Venkatraj (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
*Bradley Wascher (Saint James School, Alabama)
*Amanda Wheelock (Norman High School, Oklahoma)

National Points Race Points

1st: Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas) – 8 pts.
2nd: Kishan Srikanth (Plano Senior High School, Texas) – 10 pts.
T3rd: Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma) – 16 pts.
T3rd: Abhinav Sridharan (Plano Senior High School, Texas) – 16 pts.
5th: Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas) – 19 pts.
6th: Matthew Feng (Plano Senior High School, Texas) – 20 pts.
——–
Next Out: Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma) – 24 pts.

The second National Points Race tournament held last weekend was the New York City Invitational, which took place at the Bronx High School of Science in New York, New York. Jasper Primack of Newton South High School (MA) won his second consecutive National Points Race tournament of the season by defeating Noah Wexler of Nova Senior High School (FL) by an eleven rank margin. Primack’s large margin of victory was owed to him taking four of the five first place ranks in the final round. With this win, Primack earns forty National Points Race points.

The final round of the tournament was very Florida heavy as four of the six finalists compete for schools in the Sunshine State. In addition to Wexler, Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School, who won both halves of the Crestian Tradition last week, placed third. Wexler’s teammate Adele Stock took fifth and Nathaniel Saffran of Trinity Preparatory placed sixth in his third final appearance at a National Points Race tournament this season.

Jack Glaser of George Washington High School (CO), who competed at last year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, placed fourth.

The New York City Invitational is not a qualifier to the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University, but it is a qualifier for the University of Kentucky TOC in April. All of the finalists at the tournament earned qualifications to the UK TOC.

Here are the results of the 2014 New York City Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Jasper Primack (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
2nd: Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
3rd: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
4th: Jack Glaser (George Washington High School, Colorado)
5th: Adele Stock (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
6th: Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Charlie Barton (Regis High School, New York)
*Peter Joyce (Syosset High School, New York)
*Jacob Levenson (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Christopher Mayer (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Jay Sirot (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Vishal Narayanaswamy (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)

Quarter-Finalists

*Eleanor Bock (Nova Senior High School, Floirda)
*John Fitzgerald (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Alexander Hirsch (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Nathan Hasslebring (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Abhinav Karale (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Christopher Lee (Regis High School, New York)
*Jason Ma (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
*Bharat Modi (Cary Academy, North Carolina)
*Giancarlo Musetti (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Ryan Naijimi (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Aaron Patel (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Sanjay Supan (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Nicole Zivkovic (Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York)

Extemp Central thanks the tab staff of the New York City Invitational for putting the results of the tournament online.

Last weekend the fifth tournament in the National Points Race, the Florida Blue Key, took place on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville. The tournament allows extempers to compete in International and United States Extemporaneous Speaking and just like last year’s edition, where Miles Saffran and Lily Nellans traded wins, different extempers won each category.

In International Extemp, Noah Wexler of Nova Senior High School (FL), who finished second to Jasper Primack at the New York City Invitational this season, edged out Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) and Wake Forest winner Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH) by one rank. Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) took two first place ranks in the final, more than any other extemper, but two fifth place ranks caused him to finish in fourth place.

In the United States Extemp portion of the tournament Graham demolished the competition, capturing four of the five available first place ranks in the final round to beat Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy (NC) by eight ranks.  This was Graham’s third win at a TOC qualifying tournament this season as he won both halves of the Crestian Tradition three weeks ago.  Jacob Levenson of Nova Senior High School, the only extemper other to Graham to make the final round of both extemp categories at the tournament, took third place.

Extempers had their finishes in each extemp category combined to determine the allocation of National Points Race points. Graham’s win in USX and his runner-up finish in IX made him the best extemper at the Blue Key. He will receive forty National Points Race points and be credited with a victory. Levenson’s finishes allowed him to receive second place points, and Wexler will receive third place points.

The extempers who reached the semi-finals and beyond in each category earned a qualifying leg for the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Six extempers – Andrew Langford of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL), Connor Leech of Durham Academy, Levenson, Adele Stock and Wexler of Nova Senior, and Thomas Rollins of the Potomac School (VA) – finalized their at-large TOC qualifications at the tournament. Three other extempers earned their first qualifying leg. All extempers that earned a TOC qualification leg are indicated in italics below.

Furthermore, all of the finalists in either extemp category earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) in April.

Here are the results of the 2014 Florida Blue Key (Click here for tab sheet):

International Extemp

Champion: Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
2nd: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
3rd: Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
4th: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
5th: Jacob Levenson (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
6th: Adele Stock (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Eleanor Bock (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Jessica Chow (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Samantha Koreman (The University School, Florida)
*Andrew Langford (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
*Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Sanjay Supan (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

Quarter-Finalists

*Shamshad Ali (Suncoast High School, Florida)
*Varun Bhatia (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Kendra Blandon (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Sydney Britton (American Heritage School, Florida)
*Brian Min (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Giancarlo Musetti (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Aaron Patel (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Naba Rahman (Pine View School, Florida)
*Bryan Rooke (Lake Mary Preparatory School, Florida)
*Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Michael Wang (Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Florida)
*Bradley Wascher (Saint James School, Alabama)

United States Extemp

Champion: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
2nd: Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
3rd: Jacob Levenson (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
4th: Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
5th: Andrew Langford (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
6th: Giancarlo Musetti (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)

Semi-Finalists

*Oscar Larraza (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Connor Leech (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
*Thomas Rollins (The Potomac School, Virginia)
*Adele Stock (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

Quarter-Finalists

*Alex Baikovitz (American Heritage School, Florida)
*Varun Bhatia (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Kendra Blandon (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Sydney Britton (American Heritage School, Florida)
*Isabella DeShepio (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
*Nathanael Hasselbring (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Samantha Koreman (The University School, Florida)
*Brian Min (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Ryan Najmi (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Naba Rahman (Pine View School, Florida)
*Sanjay Supan (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)

National Points Race Finish Calculations

1st-Justin Graham = 4 pts.
2nd-Jacob Levenson = 14 pts.
3rd-Noah Wexler = 16 pts.
4th-Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler = 18 pts.
5th-Yijia Liang = 20 pts.
6th-Andrew Langford = 24 pts.
———-
7th (Next out)-Adele Stock = 25 pts.

Extemp Central thanks the Florida Blue Key tournament staff for putting the results of the tournament online.

Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the site of the thirty-fifth annual Villiger Speech and Debate Tournament, a 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifier. Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) made a successful defense of his championship, taking three of the five available first place ranks in the final round and winning by a nine rank margin over teammate Ben Tobin. Wartel’s title defense is the first to take place at Villiger since 1987, when Michael Tidd of LaSalle College High School (PA) defended his extemp championship.

The other four finalists made their first appearance in a TOC qualifying tournament final round this year. Robby Cummins of Good Counsel High School (MD) took third, Clare Halsey of Ridge High School (NJ) placed fourth, Justin Cooper of Scarsdale High School (NY) took fifth, and Christopher Lee of Regis High School (NY) rounded out the final in placing sixth.

All of the extempers who made the quarter-final round of the tournament acquired a qualifying leg for this year’s Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. Four extempers – Charlie Barton of Regis High School, Avni Mahagaoker and Collin Montag of Ridge High School (NJ), and Collin Quigley of Holy Ghost Preparatory School (PA) – acquired their second leg of the 2014-2015 campaign and finalized their TOC qualification. Fourteen other extempers, including three of the finalists, earned their first qualifying leg of the season. All of those acquiring a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.

In addition to the Extemp TOC at Northwestern, all of the finalists of Villiger earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) in April.

Here are the results of the 2014 Villiger Speech and Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
2nd: Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
3rd: Robby Cummins (Good Counsel High School, Maryland)
4th: Clare Halsey (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
5th: Justin Cooper (Scarsdale High School, New York)
6th: Christopher Lee (Regis High School, New York)

Semi-Finalists

*Charlie Barton (Regis High School, New York)
*Michael Faucher (Regis High School, New York)
*Nicholas Guiliano (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Avni Mahagaoker (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Michael McKeon (Fordham Preparatory School, New York)
*Collin Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)

Quarter-Finalists

*Thomas Abel (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Indeen Ashraf-Khorassani (Blacksburg High School, Virginia)
*Vaikunth Balaji (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Leo Bottinger (Fordham Preparatory School, New York)
*Wally Joe Cook (Regis High School, New York)
*Shawn Kant (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Jack McCordick (Regis High School, New York)
*John McMenimon (Fordham Preparatory School, New York)
*Charlie O’Brien (Regis High School, New York)
*Collin Quigley (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Sejal Waghray (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Nicole Zivkovic (Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York)

History was made last weekend at the Glenbrooks, the first third tier National Points Race tournament of the season, as Jack Glaser of George Washington High School (CO) became the first Colorado extemper to win the tournament. Glaser, a participant at last year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin and finalist at this year’s New York City Invitational, took two of the three available first place ranks in the final round and defeated Davis Larkin of the Parish Episcopal School (TX) by two ranks to claim the title. Giancarlo Musetti of Cypress Bay High School (FL) finished three ranks behind Glaser and took third.

The final was dominated by traditional extemp powers as Texas and Florida each had two finalists. Andrew Langford of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL) participated in his second National Points Race tournament final of the season and took fourth, while Marshall Webb of Saint Mary’s Hall (TX) placed sixth.

The lone Northeast representative in the final round, Marshall Sloane of Milton Academy (MA), who is the defending Massachusetts state champion, placed fifth.

One of the bigger stories that came out of Glenbrooks, and one that is sure to shake up the National Points Race, concerned the extempers who did not reach the final round. Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), who received credit for winning Florida Blue Key, and Wake Forest winner Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH) did not make the final round. Neither did 2014 NSDA United States Extemp finalist and two-time California state USX champion Brian Yu of Monte Vista High School (CA) and last year’s Barkley Forum winner Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School (KY). All of these competitors were eliminated in the semi-final round.

National Points Race leader Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy (NC) was in the field, but did not break into the quarter-final round.

All of the extempers reaching quarter-finals at the Glenbrooks earned a qualifying leg for the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC). Two extempers – Oscar Larraza of Nova Senior High School (FL) and Musetti – finalized their TOC qualification by earning their second leg, while eleven other extempers earned their first leg at the tournament. All of the extempers earning a qualifying leg for the TOC are indicated in italics below.

The National Points Race and TOC calendar resume in two weeks. The George Mason University Patriot Games will be a third tier National Points Race event as well as a TOC qualifier. Other TOC tournaments on the calendar include the George C. Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invitational at Bradley University, the University of Texas Longhorn Classic, and the Princeton Classic.

Here are the results of the 2014 Glenbrooks (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Jack Glaser (George Washington High School, Colorado)
2nd: Davis Larkin (Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
3rd: Giancarlo Musetti (Cypress Bay High School, Florida)
4th: Andrew Langford (Lake Highland Preparatory School, Florida)
5th: Marshall Sloane (Milton Academy, Massachusetts)
6th: Marshall Webb (Saint Mary’s Hall, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
*Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
*Ethan Matsuda (Fullerton Joint Union High School, California)
*Jacob Thompson (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Brian Yu (Monte Vista High School, California)

Quarter-Finalists

*David Dam (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Addie Glickstien (Denver East High School, Colorado)
*Jarrek Holmes (Kent Denver School, Colorado)
*Vishal Narayanaswamy (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)
*Oscar Larraza (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Michael Lupher (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Rasika Ramanathan (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)
*Anna Riggs (Munster High School, Indiana)
*Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Natanya Schnyer (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Olivia Shoemaker (Lakeville North High School, Minnesota)
*Sanjay Supan (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
*Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

The 2014 George C. Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invitational, contested each year on the campus of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, followed the same script as the previous edition as Lane Hedrick of Rowan County Senior High School (KY) successfully defended her extemporaneous speaking championship. Hedrick defeated twenty-one other competitors and a final round that featured extempers from four different states. In the final, Hedrick took two of the three available first place ranks to defeat Anna Riggs of Munster High School (IN) by three ranks.

Munster High School was the strongest school at the tournament, placing two extempers in finals. In addition to Riggs, Emily Wierman placed third.

Downers Grove North High School (IL) also had two finalists – Dan Brophy and Charlie Stark – and they finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

All of the extempers who reached the final round earned a qualifying leg to this year’s 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Two extempers – Riggs and Ethan Matsuda of Fullerton Joint Union High School (CA) – finalized their at-large TOC qualification at the tournament. The other four finalists earned their first TOC qualifying leg.

All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the 2015 University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2014 Bradley University George C. Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Lane Hedrick (Rowan County Senior High School, Kentucky)
2nd: Anna Riggs (Munster High School, Indiana)
3rd: Emily Wierman (Munster High School, Indiana)
4th: Dan Brophy (Downers Grove North High School, Illinois)
5th: Ethan Matsuda (Fullerton Joint Union High School, California)
6th: Charlie Stark (Downers Grove North High School, Illinois)

Extemp Central thanks Bradley University for putting the results of the tournament online.

Princeton University was one of four colleges hosting an Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament last weekend, welcoming sixty-three extempers from across the Northeast and a few additional states. Charlie Barton of Regis High School (NY) held off a fierce final round challenge from Jasper Primack of Newton South High School (MA) to win the title in the cumulative tournament, which combines extempers preliminary and outround ranks to determine a champion. Barton took fifth in the final, but his sizable lead going in helped him defeat Primack, who won the final round by four ranks.

Syosset High School placed two extempers in the final round, more than any other school. Justin Kang finished third and Peter Joyce finished sixth.

All of the extempers making the final round at Princeton earned a qualifying leg for the 2015 Extemp TOC. Three extempers – Justin Cooper of Scarsdale High School (NY), Kang, and Brian Min of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) – earned their second and final TOC qualification leg to add their names to the TOC qual board. Joyce earned his first qualification leg at the tournament. All of the extempers earning a qualification leg are indicated in italics below.

All of the finalists also earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2014 Princeton Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Charlie Barton (Regis High School, New York)
2nd: Jasper Primack (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
3rd: Justin Kang (Syosset High School, New York)
4th: Brian Min (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
5th: Justin Cooper (Scarsdale High School, New York)
6th: Peter Joyce (Syosset High School, New York)

Semi-Finalists

*Ryan Cimmino (Regis High School, New York)
*Michael Faucher (Regis High School, New York)
*Zach Kapner (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Christopher Lee (Regis High School, New York)
*Christopher Mayer (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Noah Weinflash (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)

Quarter-Finalists

*Abigail Goldstein (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Brennan Lee (Regis High School, New York)
*Jason Ma (Newton South High School, Massachusetts)
*Jack McCordick (Regis High School, New York)
*Jack Odom (Unionville High School, Pennsylvania)
*Alexandros Pandazis (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Keshav Rastogi (Scarsdale High School, New York)
*Bill Reisman (Bronx High School of Science, New York)
*Ellis Sargeant (St. Joseph’s Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Ashwin Singh (Unionville High School, Pennsylvania)
*Namandeep Singh (Mount Lebanon Senior High School, Pennsylvania)
*Jay Sirot (Montville Township High School, New Jersey)
*Nader Syed (Claudi Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High School, Texas)
*Cassie Williams (Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High School, Texas)

Extemp Central thanks Princeton University for putting the results of the tournament online.

More than one hundred United States extempers and ninety International extempers competed last weekend at the University of Texas-Austin Longhorn Classic. The tournament allows extempers to participate in both extemp categories and it typically provides a venue for those seeking to bolster their resumes for the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin.

In the International Extemp portion of the tournament, Karna Venkatraj of A&M Consolidated High School (TX) defeated Davis Larkin of the Parish Episcopal School (TX), who took second at the Glenbrooks, by seven ranks. Venkatraj took two of the available first place ranks in the final round. Hina Uddin of Foster High School (TX) took third place.

In United States Extemp, Larkin beat Rachel Evans of Salado High School (TX) by one rank. Larkin was the only extemper at the tournament to made the final round in each category. Jordan Rojas of Hendrickson High School (TX) finished third. Venkatraj’s hopes of winning both categories ended when he was eliminated in the semi-final round.

Aside from Larkin, the only other prominent National Points Race competitor in the field was Phoebe Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX). Lin made the semi-finals of IX and did not clear into the outrounds of the USX portion of the tournament.

All of the extempers reaching the semi-final round earned a qualification leg for the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Eleven extempers locked up their qualifications for this year’s tournament, and four of them did so at the tournament based on their performance in both categories. These extempers included Nicholas Curtis of Westwood High School (TX), Evans, Zach Falkenbury of Hendrickson, Emily Hua and Hasan Syed of Plano West, Ayesha Karnik of Flower Mound High School (TX), Michael Lupher of L.C. Anderson High School (TX), Smriti Ahuja, Simbai Mutandrio and Shreetika Singh of Seven Lakes High School (TX), and Venkatraj. Twenty-four competitors earned their first qualifying leg. All of those receiving TOC qualifying legs are indicated in italics below.

Here are the results of the 2014 University of Texas-Austin Longhorn Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

International Extemp

Champion: Karna Venkatraj (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
2nd: Davis Larkin (The Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
3rd: Hina Uddin (Foster High School, Texas)
4th: Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
5th: Lindsey Li (Cinco Ranch High School, Texas)
6th: Abhinav Sridharan (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
7th: Mark Wilson (The Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
8th: Darren Pomida (Westwood High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Juan Alvarez (Harlingen High School, Texas)
*Jordan Auzenne (Pflugerville High School, Texas)
*Grant Bumgarner (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Kevin Choi (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
*Nicholas Curtis (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Rachel Evans (Salado High School, Texas)
*Zach Falkenbury (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Matthew Feng (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Emily Hua (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Ayesha Karnik (Flower Mound High School, Texas)
*Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Michael Lupher (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Nicci Mattey (Saint Mary’s Hall, Texas)
*Shiva Musapeta (Union High School, Oklahoma)
*Simbai Mutandiro (Seven Lakes High School, Texas)
*Neil Patel (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Jordan Rojas (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Shreetika Singh (Seven Lakes High School, Texas)
*Mafaaz Tanzeem (Southlake Carroll High School, Texas)
*Tiffany Wang (Guyer High School, Texas)
*Marshall Webb (St. Mary’s Hall, Texas)
*Audrey Zhang (Flower Mound High School, Texas)

United States Extemp

Champion: Davis Larkin (The Parish Episcopal School, Texas)
2nd: Rachel Evans (Salado High School, Texas)
3rd: Jordan Rojas (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
4th: Marshall Webb (St. Mary’s Hall, Texas)
5th: Matthew Feng (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
6th: David Dam (Westwood High School, Texas)
7th: Nicholas Curtis (Westwood High School, Texas)
8th: Shreetika Singh (Seven Lakes High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Mostafa Abu-Hijleh (Flower Mound High School, Texas)
*Smriti Ahuja (Seven Lakes High School, Texas)
*Sir Maxim Belov (Lake Travis High School, Texas)
*Chauncey Buckley (Ennis High School, Texas)
*Micah Cash (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)
*Sunny Daggubati (Southlake Carroll High School, Texas)
*Zach Falkenbury (Hendrickson High School, Texas)
*Angelo Gaunichaux (Westfield High School, Texas)
*Pranav Harathi (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Emily Hua (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Shishir Jessu (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Sneha Karkala (Coppell High School, Texas)
*Ayesha Karnik (Flower Mound High School, Texas)
*Michael Lupher (L.C. Anderson High School, Texas)
*Priyanka Mara (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Andres Martinez (Eastwood High School, Texas)
*Dyana Martinez (St. Mary’s Hall, Texas)
*Dru Patel (Southlake Carroll High School, Texas)
*Neil Patel (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Abhinav Sridharan (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
*Hasan Syed (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Karna Venkatraj (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
*Patrick Wilson (Booker T. Washington High School, Oklahoma)

Extemp Central thanks the University of Texas-Austin for putting the tab sheets for the tournament online.

The last National Points Race tournament of the first semester took place last weekend at the George Mason University Patriot Games, held on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) won his first National Points Race event of the season, defeating arguably the most competitive field at a national circuit tournament this season. In a final round that featured five competitors in the top fifteen of the National Points Race and the winners of four Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournaments, Wartel defeated Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) by judges’ preference after both competitors earned a cumulative total of nine ranks from the five finals judges. Wartel took three of the first place ranks in the final round, whereas Graham took the other two. The final round was largely a duel between Wartel and Graham, as their combined cumulative total was double that of the third place finisher, Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School (KY) who took second at last year’s Patriot Games.

Wartel was also the winner of the tournament’s round robin competition, becoming the second extemper in the last three years to win both the general tournament and the round robin event. In that competition, Wartel defeated Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler of Durham Academy (NC). Graham took third.

The victory at GMU is Wartel’s second national circuit win in as many weeks, as he won Villiger the week prior to competing in Fairfax.

All of the competitors who reached elimination rounds earned points toward this year’s National Points Race. National Points Race leader Jack Glaser of George Washington High School (CO) qualified for elimination rounds, but was knocked out in quarter-finals. Sapiro-Gheiler and Yijia Liang of Upper Arlington High School (OH), who took fourth, made their fourth National Points Race final of the year, which is more than any other competitor.

The Extemp TOC at Northwestern University awards qualification legs to all extempers who made the quarter-final round and beyond at GMU. Ten extempers – Thomas Abel of the Delbarton School (NJ), Varun Bhatia of Trinity Preparatory School (FL), Robby Cummins of Good Counsel High School (MD), Glaser, Clare Halsey and Sejal Waghray of Ridge High School (NJ), Jad Hamdan of Jackson High School (OH), Alexander Hirsch of Stuyvesant High School (NY), Abhishek Kodumugalla of Durham Academy (NC), and Bill Peebles of Cary Academy (NC) – completed their TOC qualification by earning a second leg. Twenty other extempers earned their first qualifying leg at GMU. All of those earning a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

All of the finalists earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April, but all of them were previously qualified.

Here are the results from the 2014 George Mason University Patriot Games (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
2nd: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
3rd: Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
4th: Yijia Liang (Upper Arlington High School, Ohio)
5th: Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
6th: Vaikunth Balaji (Ridge High School, New Jersey)

Semi-Finalists

*Thomas Abel (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Robby Cummins (Good Counsel High School, Maryland)
*Shawn Kant (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Abhishek Kodumugalla (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Connor Leech (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Collin Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Marshall Sloane (Milton Academy, Massachusetts)
*Sejal Waghray (Ridge High School, New Jersey)

Quarter-Finalists

*Varun Bhatia (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Mary Breen (Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Pennsylvania)
*Teresa Chen (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Steven Clark (Byron Nelson High School, Texas)
*Regan Copple (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Loften Deprez (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Daniel Drane (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Amos Epelman (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Gregory Fedorov (Henry W. Grady High School, Georgia)
*John Fitzgerald (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*John Giuffrida (Byron Nelson High School, Texas)
*Jack Glaser (George Washington High School, Colorado)
*Will Haftel (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Clare Halsey (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Jad Hamdan (Jackson High School, Ohio)
*Alexander Hirsch (Stuyvesant High School, New York)
*Abhinav Karale (The Delbarton School, New Jersey)
*Avni Mahagaoker (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Cameron Montag (Ridge High School, New Jersey)
*Bill Peebles (Cary Academy, North Carolina)
*Collin Quigley (Holy Ghost Preparatory, Pennsylvania)
*Max Rabb (Henry W. Grady High School, Georgia)
*Bryan Rooke (Lake Mary Preparatory School, Florida)
*Morgan Rowe (Pennsbury High School, Pennsylvania)
*Nathaniel Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Connor Sendel (Cherry Creek High School, Colorado)
*Christopher Seven (John Champe High School, Virginia)
*Ben Simonds-Malamud (Henry W. Grady High School, Georgia)
*Ben Tobin (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Saurabh Vasil (Jackson High School, Ohio)

After a series of Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifiers took place last week on university campuses, qualifying tournaments returned to high school hosting sites last week and Dowling Catholic High School was one of them. At the school’s Dowling Catholic Paradigm tournament, Jacob Thompson of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA) took the title by three ranks over Alekh Kale of James Madison Memorial High School (WI). Kale won two first place ranks in the final round, but an errant seven cost him the championship. Thompson’s teammate Daniel Drane took third.

The tournament was helpful for those extempers seeking a qualification to this year’s Extemp TOC at Northwestern University as five of the seven finalists completed their at-large applications. In addition to Thompson, Kale, and Drane, Ben Anderson of Liberty Senior High School (MO) and Olivia Shoemaker of Lakeville North High School (MN) earned their second at-large qualifying leg. Two other finalists earned their first TOC qualifying leg of the season. All of those earning TOC qualifying legs are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the 2014 Dowling Catholic Paradigm (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Jacob Thompson (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
2nd: Alekh Kale (James Madison Memorial High School, Wisconsin)
3rd: Daniel Drane (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
4th: Ben Anderson (Liberty Senior High School, Missouri)
5th: Olivia Shoemaker (Lakeville North High School, Minnesota)
6th: Matias Figari (Edina High School, Minnesota)
7th: Benjamin Pankow (Eagan High School, Minnesota)

Extemp Central thanks Dowling Catholic High School for putting the results of the tournament online.

At the Isidore Newman School Invitational, the second ExtemporaneouS Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying tournament held last week, Nova Senior High School (FL) became the second team to have two different winners at TOC qualifying tournaments this season when Eleanor Bock secured a four rank win over Kelsey England of Northland Christian School (TX). Bradley Wascher of Saint James School (AL) took third place.

The final round of the tournament was largely a showdown between Nova Senior and Saint James, as Nova had three finalists and Saint James had two.

All of the finalists at Isidore Newman received a qualifying leg for the Extemp TOC at Northwestern University. No extemper secured their at-large qualification since Bock was already previously qualified to the TOC and none of the other finalists obtained a qualifying leg prior to the tournament. The extempers receiving a qualifying leg are indicated in italics below.

The extempers in the final round also secured an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Here are the results of the 2014 Isidore Newman School Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Eleanor Bock (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
2nd: Kelsey England (Northland Christian School, Texas)
3rd: Bradley Wascher (Saint James School, Alabama)
4th: Pearce Barringer (Saint James School, Alabama)
5th: Daniel Koppel (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
6th: William Atchisson (Nova Senior High School, Florida)

Extemp Central thanks Isidore Newman High School for putting the results of the tournament online and Bradley Wascher for e-mailing us the results.

Having lost the closest Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin in history last year, Josh Wartel of Lake Braddock Secondary School (VA) left nothing to chance at this year’s event, achieving a seven rank triumph over Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School (KY) in this year’s tournament. Having led all ten rounds of last year’s competition before succombing in an Exhibition Round tiebreaker to three-time champion Lily Nellans, Wartel led nine of the ten rounds of this year’s competition, taking control of the tournament in the second round and never looking back. The title is Wartel’s first major championship and is his third consecutive victory at a prominent national circuit tournament. Wartel won Villiger for the second time in November and won both extemp competitions at George Mason last month. He will receive 150 National Points Race points for his win.

Anderson’s runner-up finish was the best performance by a Kentucky extemper at the Round Robin. His top five placing was also the first time that a Kentucky extemper had reached the Exhibition Round since 2008.

The top five competitors of the tournament were all from Southern states, creating the first all-Southern Exhibition Round in Round Robin history. In the Exhibition Round, adjudicated by the eleven competitors that did not place in the top five, Phoebe Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX) took the title, becoming the first Texas extemper to do so since 2009. Lin took third in the general tournament, placing a mere one rank behind Anderson.

Overall, the tournament was very close with the second and fifth-highest placing extempers separated by only eight ranks. Noah Wexler of Nova Senior High School (FL) finished fourth, only two ranks behind Lin and a mere three ranks behind Anderson. Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler from Durham Academy (NC) took fifth, with five ranks separating him from Wexler.

National Points Race leader Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) took next out honors and will receive National Points Race points for his sixth place finish. Graham missed the Exhibition Round by seven ranks.

Here are the results of the 2015 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin:

Champion: Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
2nd: Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
3rd: Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
4th: Noah Wexler (Nova Senior High School, Florida)
5th: Eitan Sapiro-Gheiler (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
6th: Justin Graham (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)

Richard Holland Memorial Exhibition Round Champion: Phoebe Lin (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)

Extempers from the Southwest competed against each other last week at the aptly named Southwest Championship, hosted by the Arizona State University Forensic Team. Tristan Brown of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ) was the tournament champion, securing a one rank win over Brecken Denler of Mountain View High School (AZ). Brown won two of the three available first place ranks in the final round, but an errant six place rank nearly cost him the title. Clayton Jacobs of Torrey Pines High School (CA) finished in third place.

The final round was also very close, as the top four competitors were separated by only two ranks.

The top three finishers at the tournament received legs for the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Jacobs finalized his TOC qualification, while Brown and Denler earned their first TOC qualifying leg of the season.

All of the finalists at the tournament earned an automatic qualification to the University of Kentucky TOC in April.

Tempe Preparatory Academy had three outround participants, the most of any other school at the tournament. The school’s highest finisher was Yegor Znkov, who placed sixth.

Here are the results of the 2014 Southwestern Championship (Click here for tab sheet):

Champion: Tristan Brown (Brophy College Preparatory, Arizona)
2nd: Brecken Denler (Mountain View High School, Arizona)
3rd: Clayton Jacobs (Torrey Pines High School, California)
4th: Stephanie Miller (Desert Vista High School, Arizona)
5th: Michelle Huang (Irvington High School, California)
6th: Yegor Znkov (Tempe Preparatory Academy, Arizona)

Semi-Finalists

*Che Favaro (Tempe Preparatory Academy, Arizona)
*Yaseen Hashmi (Carlsbad High School, California)
*Vincent Jasso (North Pointe Preparatory, Arizona)
*Gavin McCarthy (Carlsbad High School, California)
*Arjun Narayan (The Harker School, California)
*Rachel Neglia (Tempe Preparatory Academy, Arizona)
*Bridges Sayers (Copper Hills High School, Utah)
*Troy Tauscher (North Pointe Preparatory, Arizona)

Extemp Central thanks Arizona State University for posting the results of the tournament online.