During this past weekend, Forensics competitors started their season off successfully with a total of two top point-getters, two top speakers and eight placements, four of them being first.

Having gone to Shawnee Heights for this tournament, the students competed in Congress on Friday and the other, more known, events Saturday.

“The kids did well,” coach Ben Sutherland said. “All in all, it was a fun and successful weekend.”

In their House of  Congress, junior Sean McGimpsey and sophomore Douglas Kim both were the top two point-getters. In the other House that hosted Manhattan representatives, sophomore Lily Colburn and senior Cathy Lei received top speaker points, Lei also being the Presiding Officer.

“It’s always strange, the first one. You never really know what people are looking for because it’s such a subjective event that you just kind of go out there the first time and hope that the best happens,” McGimpsey said.

On Saturday, seniors Nathan McClendon, Toula Sweeney and Michaela Hayes all won first in their individual categories; McClendon in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking and Original Oratory, Sweeney in Humorous Interpretation and Hayes in Poetry Interpretation.

“Getting first is pretty cool, that’s probably what I felt about it,” Sweeney said.

Additionally Kim double-broke in Prose and Impromptu, winning third and sixth place respectively, Colburn gaining third in Informative Speaking, and Lei with fifth in Domestic Extemporaneous.

“It was exciting to get out and compete again,” Colburn said. “I think we were happy with how we did individually, we all did pretty well.”

This past tournament has given the team confidence and hope for the results for the rest of the season.

“I think we definitely have some strong people on the team,” Sweeney said. “I think like any other year, it’s just practicing and getting better at everybody’s individual events.”