FSHS Tiger forensics squad doubles up on championships

Rarely can a high school forensics team have more success than the Fort Scott High School Tiger forensics squad did in the second weekend of the season.

Traveling to two different tournaments, the squad managed to win the first place sweeps award at both while compiling 55 medals and qualifying for 21 more events in the state championship tournament later this year. At Iola, Lena Sweyko was a double champion in both Serious Solo Acting (SSA) and Prose. However, she was not alone in winning events as Nick Wilson claimed the Extemp speaking title along with a third place Poetry finish, Andrew Benage the Poetry title, Tom Gregory (fourth Poetry) and Brad Parsons the Duet title, and AnnRene Braun the Oration title. Other placers were Julie Jackson (second HSA, third Prose), Kenda Lee (fourth Informative), Keifer Cruse (second Oration, second Extemp), Dana Ballou (third SSA), Jason Phillips (third HSA) and Trinnady Sale (sixth SSA).

At Pleasanton, the squad earned ever more honors as they won eight of the nine offered events. Champions included Kandyce Beerbower (Oration), Bret Heiser (Informative), McKale Uttinger (SSA), Samantha Anderson (Poetry), Jake Allen (Extemp), James Lipscomb (HSA), Kait Wilson (Prose), and Wes Wiggins and Jessica Shapiro (Duet). Again, as with Iola, there were many more medalists: Alex Pemberton (third Oration), Andy Reichard (third Informative, fifth Prose), Joe Reichard (fourth Informative, fourth Duet), Wes Wiggins (second Informative), Morgan Gillispie (second SSA, third Prose), Kira Dugan (third SSA, fifth Duet) Desiree Waller (sixth SSA, fifth Poetry), Angela Love (fifth SSA), Levi Weilert (sixth Extemp), Carly Hyer (second Poetry), McKale Uttinger (third Poetry), Bret Heiser (third Extemp), Kandyce Beerbower (second Extemp), Kait Wilson (fourth HSA), Marcus Rodriguez (sixth HSA), Laila Al-Shawish (third HSA, sixth Duet), Angel West (sixth Duet) Nicolette Carpenter (fifth HSA), James Lipscomb (fourth Duet), and Samantha Anderson (fifth Duet).

Forensics coach Brian Weilert said he was proud of his team's performances.

"Never in my coaching career has a weekend gone like this," he said. "We now have won our first three tournaments by an average of 60 sweeps points and have qualified for 26 events to state. I am so excited to see what the rest of the season holds."