FSHS forensics team competes in final leg of NFL qualifier

The Fort Scott High School forensics team competed in the final leg of the NFL national qualifier tournaments on April 15-16 in Derby.

Up for grabs were the events of humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, original oration and international and domestic extemporaneous. The FSHS team was well represented in each discipline.

In humorous interpretation, three Tigers earned their way to finals. Baker Weilert captured the title, claiming a national spot, while teammates Matt Carrillo and Addi Brown finished third and fifth, respectively.

The final competitor in this event was Ben Sweyko, who made it to semifinals before his day ended.

In dramatic interpretation, Brown was crowned champion followed by Jeff Durbin. Both earned spots at nationals. Allison Piatt made it to semifinals in dramatic interpretation. In original oration, Leah Casselman had a strong showing, placing third.

International extemporaneous found two Tigers in finals as Daniel Lyon and Kurtis West ended in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Tyler Slinkard came up just short dropping in the semifinals.

In the final event, both Chase Rooks and Piatt made it to semifinals in domestic extemporaneous. These new qualifiers will join those who already punched their tickets at an earlier leg of qualifying tournaments.

The complete list is: Tony Jackson and Katelyn Torres in public forum debate, Glenn Gaeke and Reed Ramsey in duo, Lyon in senate, Casselman and Carrillo in congress, Weilert in humorous interpretation, Brown and Durbin in dramatic interpretation.

This group of students will represent Kansas at the national tournament in Dallas, Texas, in June.

These students joined with others to help the FSHS team earn the NFL speech sweepstakes title, along with the overall title that included debate from last semester.

While this group of students was competing, another busload was headed to Tonganoxie. The FSHS team had success there as well, as eight finalists pushed the team to a second-place sweepstakes finish. These two tournaments conclude the regular season for the squad.