Students get dramatic at State A meet
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POLSON — Travel began early for the Sydney Eagles as they began their cross-state trek to the State Class A Speech, Debate and Drama meet in Polson Jan. 25 for competition beginning on Jan. 27. Bad roads sidelined the Havre Blue Pony team in Browning for three hours before they rolled on down the highway, and the Browning Indians teams took the long way around, through Choteau, Augusta and Lincoln.
Eventually everyone arrived, and teams from all around the state contributed about 400 district finishers, the top Class A high school speakers, actors and debaters in Montana. All the students competed in three rounds on Friday and two on Saturday morning before the highest-scoring 16 students in each event in Montana were winnowed out for semifinals. Then the top eight speakers fought it out for the top spots.
Judges commented that the quality of competition was high, Petersen said, as well as the polite and respectful behavior of the students. Custodians in all three buildings also had good things to say about the forensic competitiors, noting they picked up their belongings and trash and were polite.
As well as finishing a brutal four-month season with speech meets most weekends, the Class A State meet filled Polson and area motels and restaurants.
The KwaTaqNuk Resort and Casino opened a meeting room for students on Friday evening. Libby coaches and competitors took advantage, head coach Shelly Fisher said. They played dice and card games for candy, and some students strummed guitars.
Jon Petersen, head coach for the Polson Speech, Debate and Drama teams, had nothing but thanks for community members who volunteered about 700 judging hours. Among the many people who also contributed time were former PHS speech coaches Judie Woodhouse, Janis Jette, Tamara Fischer, Chris Strom, Berl Tiskus and Mac Swan.
PHS administrators, parents and Petersen’s neighbor Pat Cross were also among the many hands that joined the PHS students, Petersen and his assistant coaches Bonnie Petersen and Michael Schwabenbauer to make the meet a success.
