By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High drama, debate and forensics team hit record or near-record levels of reaching finals at a recent DDF tournament in Juneau.
And a number of Mt. Edgecumbe High students saw success in their events, while others got out of their comfort zone by trying new events or pieces.
Thunder Mountain High School was the host school in the tournament that drew competitors from throughout the region.
Sitka High
Coach Christian Litten, who coaches with Amy Ainslie, said the 23 individuals and teams that reached finals might be a record for “most placings,” and he was pleased to see the kids do well.
“We’re halfway through the season so we’re starting to get more serious, and kids are having to figure out what they want to do for state,” he said. “They’re working to get things polished and solidified the next few weeks.”
Each school can take 15 competitors to the state tournament in February, out of the 21 on the team.
Litten pointed to such performances as Izzy Williams’ humorous interpretation of “A Dozen Red Flags.” She placed first and was invited up for a command performance before the students and coaches.
Litten said senior Darby Osborne “dominated every event,” including the duo interpretation event where she and partner Addie Poulson, another senior, took first. Teammates Eliot Holloway and Sally Everson placed fourth.
Osborne’s and Poulson’s duo piece was a selection of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” which Osborne described as “high energy.” But she added that they still have a lot of work to do to get it fine-tuned before the next meet.
The debate topic, where she and Poulson took first and Asa Dow and Isabelle Schmetzer took fifth, was “Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states.”
SHS Results
Extemporaneous commentary: 2. Eliot Holloway; 4. Logan Kluting
Extemporaneous speaking: 3. Felix Myers; 4. Darby Osborne
Informative Speaking: 1. Osborne; 2. Schmetzer; 4. Izzy Williams
Dramatic interpretation: 4. Rita Christianson
Humorous interpretation: 1. Williams; 2. Aiden Lafriniere; 3. Sagan McLaughlin; 5. Pia Knischewski
Duo Interpretation: 1.Osborne and Poulson; 4. Holloway and Sally Everson.
Duet acting: 3. Everson and Danica Majeski; 4. Ben Hedrick and Eliot Holloway
Solo acting: 3. Everson; 5. Pia Knischewski
Mime: 1. Addie Poulson, Asa Dow, Felix Myers and Jamison Dunn; 4. Danica Majeski, Pia Knischewski, Rita Christianson and Zoe Trafton
Readers Theater: 1. Aiden LaFriniere, Ben Hedrick, Danica Majeski, Maia Capp and Sagan McLaughlin
Public forum debate: 1. Osborne/Poulson 5. Dow/Schmetzer
Mt. Edgecumbe
Braves Coach Lynn Bastoky said students overall had an excellent tournament, with a few taking their first steps into the DDF world.
“Several students performed in new events for this tournament, such as original oration and dramatic interpretation,” she said by email. “Competition was definitely more intense this tournament, and it was the first time that all the schools were able to make it.”
Bastoky submitted a few comments from the students in her email:
“It’s been really exciting to have in-person tournaments again,” said Fiona Raasch, a senior from Sitka. “The competition is definitely better this year, and that is most likely because of being able to compete in person.”
Students last year competed online, with pieces performed live or recorded for the tournament.
April Wyatt commented, “This tournament was a good opportunity to engage in friendly competition and improve our critical thinking skills.”
In the results:
– Blake Anthony and Ethan Merculieff earned a 3rd place in pantomime (“A Hitman’s Tragic Adoption”)
– Emily Hill received a 3rd place for dramatic interpretation (“The Window”)
– Cash Arrington placed 2nd in extemporaneous speaking
– April Wyatt, Jones, and Fiona Raasch placed 2nd in Reader’s Theater (“Fifteen Reasons Not to Be in a Play”)
– Hailee Wallace earned 1st place on her solo (“Cold Blooded Murderer”)
– Fiona Raasch and Hayden Raasch placed first on their duet (“Mutually Assured Destruction”)
The coach said Fiona’s and Hayden’s duet was selected for a command performance, which they performed in front of all competitors and coaches in the tournament.
