JACKSON, Wyo. —In its last regular season meet, the Jackson Hole High School Speech Team placed 3rd among 36 schools, cementing a successful regular-season run. The competition took place on Mar. 6-7, at the Worland Invitational Speech Meet hosted by Worland High School.
The team finished with 34 sweepstakes points compared to first-place Rock Springs’ 62 points and second-place Natrona County’s 40 points.
“We are very excited to see so many team members reaching their strides right before our State and District meets. With our State tournament less than a week away, we will be bringing the experience and confidence necessary to make a strong showing there,” said Coach Londe Gagnon.
Junior William Aepli placed first in the Congressional Debate at every Wyoming tournament he has competed at in 2021. This weekend proved no different as he came away with the championship in the event once again. He was followed closely by junior Carter Worcester who finished in 2nd place. Senior and team captain Josh Hansen found success again as well in the event with his 6th place finish while sophomore Sophie Lamb finished in 10th place.
Aepli and Hansen teamed up in Duo Interpretation where they finished in 6th place. Aepli went on to partner with junior Lily Briggs in PF Debate where the pair finished in 5th. Worcester and junior Sarah Schweitzer paired up in the event also, finishing in 6th place. Sophomores Jheili Montiel Huerta and Alexis Hernandez paired up as well and had the strongest showing of the impressive Jackson squad with their 3rd place finish.
Senior and fellow team captain Preston Harmon finished in 5th place in Extemporaneous Speaking while sophomore Blanca Sartillo Mejia found success in Program Oral Interpretation with her 6th place finish. Hansen and Hernandez impressed in Impromptu Speaking where they reached the semifinals of the event. Sophomore Julieta Anaya Aguilar also found great success in both Poetry Interpretation and Humor Interpretation where she reached the semifinals in both events.
The team’s final meets of the year hold special significance. On Mar. 11-13, 33 teams will assemble for the annual State Tournament. This will be the second time the State tournament will be held online since the in-person tournament last year was canceled only one hour before it was slated to begin. The Wyoming Forensics Association pivoted and held the tournament online a month later. This year’s tournament should prove to be very competitive as teams have now been competing online all year.
In two weeks, teams from the Wind River District of the National Speech and Debate Association will gather online to qualify selected students for the National Tournament which will be held virtually this June.
