Jeff Corso and Jay Hartford both placed in the top six in the country at the National Forensic League’s National Tournament held in Wichita, Kansas, last week.

Both were competing in consolation events, which students may enter if they are eliminated from their main events. The final rounds and awards ceremony, held on Friday, wrapped up a full week of competition in the ten main events and the six supplemental and consolation events.

More than 3,000 students from across the United States took part in the week-long tournament.

Corso, who had qualified in humorous interpretation, chose to do Storytelling. The event began Thursday morning with 161 students. Corso advanced through five rounds of competition to the final round where he ended up placing fourth in the nation. Students were to tell a campfire story, and Jeff told the tale of the “Medicrin,” a Himalayan monster. This is the first time CHS has ever had a student compete in this particular event. “Jeff is a natural at this; he loves to spin a good tale and entertain his audience. His performance in final round was outstanding,” said coach Bob Kelly.

Hartford placed fifth in the nation in Impromptu. He is the fourth CHS student to advance to finals in impromptu speaking in the team’s 34 years of national competition. Hartford spoke on a movie quote from Gone with the Wind. It was Rhett Butler’s infamous, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Impromptu started out with more than 450 students, and it took nearly twelve hours of competition before the field was narrowed down to the top six. “Jay did an amazing job. He made it through 12 hours of grueling competition and made the stage; it was great,” said coach Chris Lowery.

Also competing and advancing for CHS were seniors Kristin Kalita, who was 11th in the nation in original oratory; Samantha Sangerman and Eric Schaefer, who placed in the top 60 in duo interpretation; and Beau Rajsic, who placed in the top 60 in U.S. extemporaneous speaking.

Junior Tom Geairn also advanced to the ninth round in Lincoln-Douglas debate, putting him in the top 55 in the nation, and junior Melissa Penfold advanced through five rounds of competition in prose – a supplemental event.

Competing but not advancing in their main events, supplementals, or consolation events were Ankur Chawla (10) in Lincoln-Douglas, Adam Potrzebowski (9) in congress, and Tyler DeMar (12) in policy debate.

Coaches Jim Cavallo, Barbara Funke, Bob Kelly, Chris Lowery, and Scott Woodhouse, along with Valparaiso University graduate, Corryn Short judged for the team.

Posted 6/25/2007