For the Cats, a decade of dominance
For Columbia Falls senior Colter Norick, the smile on his face said everything.
“It was great to go out with a decade of dominance,” Norick said after helping lead the Wildcat speech and debate team to an unprecedented 10th straight Class A at home title Jan. 31. “We pulled it together and got state. It’s fun to see the (underclassmen) grow and become competitors, too.”
Norick nabbed the championship in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
The Wildcats’ performance was truly dominant — one of the best ever — as they racked up 245 points. Belgrade came in a distant second with 145 points and Hamilton, which had beaten the Cats in meets earlier in the season, came in third with 87 points.
Including Norick, the Cats scored five individual state championships. Senior Meredith Stolte won titles in impromptu speaking and original oratory, and Bailey Duke won titles in memorized public address and serious oral interpretation.
“You’re always hoping you’re going to do well,” Stolte said after the meet, alternating between tears of joy and laughter. “But you never assume. It’s nice it worked out.”
For Duke, one title came as a complete surprise.
“I was definitely surprised at MPA,” she said. “It was completely unbelievable. The kid next to me (Sam Benkleman of Whitefish) is a good friend.”
Benkleman took second.
Coach Tara Norick said it was a total team effort. The team also has a lot of strong underclassmen.
“They’re a strong team, and they work very well together,” she said. “We have a lot of seniors. We’re going to miss them.”
Norick thanked all the volunteer judges and the support from the community to pull off the event. It took 544 judges to host the tournament, she said, but even toward the end of the tournament volunteers were calling to see if she needed help.
The win gives the school its 17th state Class A title overall, making it the most successful program in school history.
Policy debate
2. Colin Norick and Annabel Conger
3. Monique Schoech and Anna Nicosia
Lincoln-Douglas debate
6. Mikel Knutson
Extemporaneous
speaking
2. Cody Phillips,
4. Danny Morgan
Impromptu speaking
1. Meredith Stolte
4. Henry Chisholm
7. Casey Shea
Original oratory
7. Casey Shea
Expository
speaking
2. Samantha Gilk
3. Emily Getts
Memorized
public address
1. Bailey Duke
5. Breanna Friar
8. Chloe Foster
Humorous oralinterpretation
2. Ava Chisholm
5. Jenna Smith
6. Jerelyn Jones
Serious oral
interpretation
3. Jenna Smith
7. Estevon Torres