Winning the state championships is not a surprising feat for Eastern Michigan University's Forensics team. Their outstanding performance is only a preview of what to possibly expect at the National Forensics Association National Tournament.
After they won the Michigan Interscholastic Speech League State Championship Feb. 29, Ray Quiel, director of EMU's Forensic team, said the team plans to win the national championships.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Members of the
EMU Forensics team put together a
food and beverage supply they will
take with them to the National
Forensics Association National
Championships, which begin April 24
in Nashville, Tenn.
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Quiel expects a strong performance at the national competition from novices — first-year competitors — as they have been closely watching the seniors throughout the season. Quiel said the defending champions, Western Kentucky University, will present a good fight and, after finishing fifth last year, he expects Bradley University to attempt a comeback. The national championships are scheduled to begin April 24 in Nashville, Tenn.
"We are the strongest in public address for several reasons," said Amy Johnson, assistant director of forensics. "We search and use only relevant topics. Students have a genuine connection with their topic and our commitment to research and revision is phenomenal."
This victory is the team's sixth consecutive state title. They finished second at last year's national competition. The team has finished in the top 10 at the national championships every year since the competition began 38 years ago.
"We won one of the largest state championships we've had with 14 teams. (The) University of Michigan and U of M Flint showed up. We always go into a championship planning to win," Quiel said.
Individuals in eight of 12 categories won state championships, including a freshman, Jon Stowell, in extemporaneous speaking, which Quiel said was impressive. Other first-place winners included: Marisa Dluge, informative speaking and after dinner speaking; Richard Brophy, rhetorical criticism; Chris Blackford, dramatic interpretation; Adam Rzepka, poetry interpretation; Blackford and Kristin Becket, dynamic duo; Richard Brophy, individual sweepstakes. The team won the team sweepstakes category.
Other key finishers were: Rzepka and Dluge, prose interpretation; Mike Schafer and Doug Crandall, extemporaneous speaking; Thom Munger and Crandall, informative speaking; John Stonewell, oratory; and Blackford, Rzepka, Brophy and Dluge, dramatic duo.
