New Trier debate team members (l-r) Celia Buckman, AJ Byrne, Will Kirby, and Connor Warshauer celebrate their co-championship at the Niles Township Invitational.
WINNETKA – The New Trier High School debate team had a strong start to the season September 10-12, earning a co-championship, several individual honors, and two team qualifying bids to the Tournament of Champions at the University of Kentucky.
New Trier competed at the Niles Township Invitational at Niles West High School, which included 58 teams from over five states and 116 individual debaters. This was the first tournament of the year for New Trier.
Seniors AJ Byrne and Will Kirby debated their way to a 6-0 record in preliminary rounds. They advanced to elimination rounds and were victorious over teams from Glenbrook South, Whitney Young, and Glenbrook North on their way to finals, where they met two fellow Trevians: juniors Celia Buckman and Connor Warshauer. Kirby won the 2nd place individual speaker award, and Byrne took 5th place.
Meanwhile, the junior partnership of Buckman and Warshauer also went undefeated in their preliminary rounds, 6-0. They successfully advanced through four elimination rounds to make the finals. Out of 116 speakers, Warshauer earned 8th place, and Buckman was awarded the 10th individual speaking award.
The four students closed out the final round as co-champions; Buckman and Warshauer did not lose a single ballot throughout the tournament. Both teams have earned a qualifying bid to the Tournament of Champions in April.
Other New Trier debaters also had a strong showing at the tournament. Juniors Charlie Hansell and Jack Scullion ended preliminary debates with a 4-2 record, advancing to the elimination rounds, where they defeated a talented Walter Payton College Prep team. They met Buckman and Warshauer in the round of 16 and finished in 15th place overall.
The senior/junior team of Cameron Dehmlow-Dunne and Jonathan Silverstein finished also preliminary debates with a 4-2 record. They qualified for elimination rounds, where they finished in 17th place.
The debate team will travel to The Greenhill School in Dallas, Texas for their next competition.
Submitted by New Trier Township High School