Great Bend High School’s forensics team will begin post-season competition this weekend. Coach Kim Heath reports District finals will be April 19-20, followed by the Forensics Coaches Invitational Showcase on April 27 and the 5A State tournament and festival on May 4. 

The following students have been chosen to represent the Panthers at the West Kansas District National Qualifier Individual Events Tournament this Friday and Saturday at McPherson High School: Milena Carbajal - Dramatic and Duo Interpretation; Chrisangel Adame - Dramatic Interpretation; Darcy Feist - Duo and Program of Oral Interpretation; Anna Bitter - Humorous and Program of Oral Interpretation; Reese King - Original Oratory and Informative Speaking; Zach Hart - Humorous Interpretation and International Extemporaneous Speaking; Ellie Damm - Dramatic and Program of Oral Interpretation; Rhys Froetschner - Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking; Quinton Heath - Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation; Dominik Zimmerman - Duo Interpretation and Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking; Hunter McClanahan - Informative Speaking; Parker Coleman - Informative Speaking; Kyra Lewis - Original Oratory and Duo Interpretation; Kendra Scheideman - Original Oratory

Coach Heath also shared results from five of the Panthers’ latest events.

Hays Forensics

On March 21, the Junior Varsity team traveled to Hays and finished in third place at the Arrowhead Invitational. Individual placings included: Ellie Damm - 1st in Program of Oral Interpretation (Qualifying for State); Lea Nokes - 2nd in Program of Oral Interpretation (Qualifying for State); Ellie Damm - 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation (Qualifying for State); Kaitlyn Froetschner - 3rd in Original Oratory; Chanler Riley - 6th in Informative Speaking; Hunter McClanahan - 5th in Informative Speaking; Parker Colemen - 4th in Informative Speaking and 7th in Extemporaneous Speaking; Rhys Froetschner - 6th in Impromptu Speaking and 7th in Informative Speaking; Lea Nokes - 5th in Dramatic Interpretation; Kyra Lewis - 4th in Original Oratory and 6th in Extemporaneous Speaking.

Hoisington Forensics

On March 23, almost the whole team competed at the Hoisington tournament. The Panthers won a 2nd Place Sweepstakes trophy.  Several students earned medals including: Milena Carbajal - 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation and 1st in Poetry Interpretation; Quinton Heath - 6th in Dramatic Interpretation; Kyra Lewis - 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking; Rhys Froetschner - 5th  in Extemporaneous Speaking and 6th in Informative Speaking; Keaton Kruckenberg - 6th in Extemporaneous Speaking; Quinton Heath - 3rd in Prose Interpretation and  5th in Poetry Interpretation; Darcy Feist - 1st in Original Oratory and 1st in Program of Oral Interpretation; Darcy Feist and Milena Carbajal - 3rd in Duet Acting; Dominik Zimmerman and Kyra Lewis - 3rd in Duet Acting; Anna Bitter - 3rd in Program of Oral Interpretation; Lea Nokes - 6th in Program of Oral Interpretation.

Salina South Forensics

A small group of seven varsity students went to Salina on March 30th and finished 5th in a very large tournament. Individual medalists were: Darcy Feist - 3rd in Original Oratory and 1st in Program of Oral Interpretation; Milena Carbajal - 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation; Milena Carbajal and Darcy Feist - 2nd in Duo Interpretation; Ailey Williams - 6th in Informative Speaking; Chrisangel Adame - 4th in Prose Interpretation; Reese King - 3rd in Informative Speaking and 4th in Original Oratory; Anna Bitter - 4th in Program of Oral Interpretation.

Ellinwood Forensics

The Junior Varsity students were in competition at Ellinwood on April 3rd. Many students medaled and qualified for state including: Kyra Lewis - 1st in Extemporaneous Speaking and Original Oratory (Qualifying for State in both events); Hunter McClanahan - 2nd in Impromptu Speaking (Qualifying for State) and 4th in Informative Speaking; Kyra Lewis and Dominik Zimmerman - 2nd in Duet Acting (Qualifying for State); Dixie Gallant - 2nd in Poetry Interpretation (Qualifying for State)  and 4th in Prose Interpretation; Parker Coleman - 3rd in Informative Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking; Ailey Williams - 6th in Informative Speaking and Impromptu Speaking; Chanler Riley - 5th in Informative Speaking and Impromptu Speaking; Rey Portillo - 6th in Extemporaneous Speaking; Analeah Ochs - 4th in Poetry Interpretation; Kaitlyn Froetschner - 3rd in Prose Interpretation and in Original Oratory; Majestic Maher - 6th in Poetry Interpretation; Dominik Zimmerman - 3rd in Humorous Interpretation; Analeah Ochs and Dixie Gallant - 5th in Duet Acting

Halstead Forensics

On Saturday April 6, the Panthers won a 2nd Place Sweepstakes trophy at Halstead. The following students placed: Milena Carbajal - 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation and 2nd in Program of Oral Interpretation; Darcy Feist - 2nd in Original Oratory and 4th in Program of Oral Interpretation; Kyra Lewis - 5th in Original Oratory; Lea Nokes - 6th in Program of Oral Interpretation; Reese King - 2nd in Informative Speaking