Sitka, Mt. Edgecumbe Score at DDF Tourney

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Created on Tuesday, 17 December 2024 14:17

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By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka and Mt. Edgecumbe high school drama, debate and forensics squads wrapped up their regular season with strong performances last weekend, and are looking ahead to the regional tournament set for Sitka next month.
Teams were from Sitka, Edgecumbe, Haines, Skagway, Metlakatla, Ketchikan and Juneau-Douglas. It was the first time in more than a decade that JDHS has hosted.
“It was a lovely tournament,” commented MEHS coach Lynn Bastoky. Her students agreed, telling the Sentinel they learned a lot, and enjoyed the level of competition.
Sitka High DDF coach Christian Litten said the Sitka team is doing well for this point in the year, with solid performances in a number of events.
“The team is a little bit smaller because we lost a bunch of seniors,”  Litten said. “They’ve hit a point where it’s all about polishing up the stuff and trying to make it as good as possible so they can improve their chances going to state.”
Litten and co-coach Amy Ainslie took 17 competitors to the Juneau tourney.
Sitka High School
Reagean Wingard, a junior, said her favorite of the pieces she performed was selections from “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” with teammates Aiden LaFriniere and Francis Myers. They placed first in readers theater, one of the more competitive categories in DDF.
Her other strong pieces for her were duet acting, in which she performed with Naomi Capp, and public forum debate, where she and teammate Sarah Todd placed second. First place in that event was another Sitka team, Francis Myers and Angela Bahna.
Wingard said her plans for the regional tournament include the readers theater, duet and debate events, and also informative speech.
Sarah Todd, a sophomore, said she was happy with the debate results partnering with Wingard, and had other points of pride from the meet.
“Not only did I have the best personal record of wins to losses ratio with five wins and one loss but I also got into the final debate for the first time, making me the youngest person to go into the final debate this season,” Todd said by text.
The solid record of both top Sitka debate teams produced a Sitka v. Sitka final.
Todd said her goals for the next meet include improving her visual aid in her informative speech, polishing her informative speech, and working on her oration.
Litten also noted the “breakout year” of Aiden LaFriniere, a senior, who placed first in duo interpretation with Francis Myers, as well as second in solo acting, first in readers theater, and first in humorous interpretation. The HI piece is from “Bad Detective,” where plays the title role.
“It’s very funny, it’s a little taboo but he did good with it,” Litten said.
SHS Results
Extemporaneous Commentary: 6. Caellum Wentzel
Extemporaneous Speaking: 1. Francis Myers; 3. Angela Bahna; 4. Sarah Todd
Informative Speaking: 4. Bahna; 5. Todd
Original Oratory: 5. Cemre Yenigelen; 6. Todd
Dramatic Interpretation: 2. Francis Myers; 4. Lazaria Kubacki; 6. Naomi Capp
Humorous Interpretation: 1. Aiden LaFriniere
Duo Interpretation: 1. LaFriniere and Myers; 5. Kubacki and Capp
Mime: 3. (tie) Ian Bagley, Liam Laybourn, and Aaron Elstad
Duet Acting: 2. Capp and Reagean Wingard
Solo Acting: LaFriniere, 5. Todd; 6. Celine Newman
Readers Theater: 1. LaFriniere, Wingard, and Myers
Public Forum Debate: 1. Myers and Bahna 2. Wingard and Todd
Mt. Edgecumbe
MEHS reached finals in several categories, and showed improvement, coach Bastoky said. Finalists were:
Extemporaneous speaking: Kasak Smyth (senior, Golovin) and Sage Martin (senior, Port Alexander). The coach said Sage earned second place amongst some tough competition.
Duo Acting: Camron Isaak (senior) and Sierra Isaak (junior) both from St. Mary’s
Reader’s Theater: Isla Teague (sophomore, Tok), Sierra Isaak, Ilana Kalke (sophomore, Galena) and Allison Boyscout (junior, Chevak). The piece earned a command – they were invited to perform  for all students and coaches at the end of the tourney.
Solo acting: Gale McCrary (senior, Noorvik)
Pantomime: Turtle Larson (senior, Koliganek) with Kaylynn Pelowook (senior, Wales) and Sierra Isaak with Allison Boyscout
Debate: Sage Martin was in the top 10 speakers, in the count of speaker points in debate.
The coach asked a few of the kids for quotes about the tournament for the Sentinel story.
“It was a fun-filled weekend with lots of good competition that always comes back stronger,” said Sierra Isaak, who finaled in almost all of her events.
Camron Isaak added, “I appreciated the organization and hosts that allowed me to put my best foot forward.”
“I love seeing all the talent,” said Gale McCrary. a senior from Noorvik.
“Debates were tough, but I’m thankful for what I learned and the opportunities from being in DDF,” said Graden Baker (junior, Yakutat).