From Great Bend High School forensics coach Kim Heath...
The Great Bend High School Forensics Team has brought home team sweepstake trophies and many individual medals from each of their four opening tournaments. There are 31 students competing for the Panthers. They can select from twelve different individual speaking, interpretation, debate and acting events to prepare for competition.
In the opening weeks of the season, seven GBHS students have already qualified for the 5A KSHSAA tournament in May in 11 different events. In order to qualify for the state tournament, a student must finish in the top two at an invitational tournament.
Forensics coach, Kim Heath, said, “I am immensely proud of each participant's dedication, hard work, and leadership throughout the early tournaments. They have all been working hard to prepare. I am looking forward to a great season.”
Kinsley -- 1st Place
The Great Bend High School Forensics Team won the Kinsley Forensics Tournament during the opening weekend of the season. The competition, held on January 27th, brought together talented actors and speakers from the local area.
Reese King, a Junior, won 1st place in Informative Speaking and 2nd place in Oration. Another Junior, Darcy Feist claimed 1st place in both Oration and Impromptu Speaking. Additionally, Feist and King stepped out of their comfort zone and tried their hand at acting, securing 5th place in Improvised Duet Acting.
Juniors, Analeah Ochs and Dixie Gallant competed in Duet Acting, earning 3rd place together. Ochs also earned a 6th place finish in Poetry. Jordan Sander won 1st place in Humorous Solo at his first forensics tournament ever. Sander also secured 6th place in Oration, demonstrating versatility in both speaking and acting.
Sophomore, Rhys Froetschner claimed 3rd place medals in both Informative and Impromptu, along with a 4th place finish in Oration. Froetschner's consistent performance across diverse speaking categories underscore his continued growth. Quinton Heath won Serious Solo and placed 4th place in Poetry and 6th in Impromptu Speaking
Freshmen Parker Coleman and Hunter McClanahan earned 4th place and 5th place medals in Informative, while Sophomore Kaitlyn Froetschner had a 5th place finish in Oration.
Newton -- 2nd Place
During the second weekend of the season, the Panthers demonstrated excellence and skill at the Newton Forensics Tournament, held on February 3rd. They brought home the 2nd place trophy falling just behind Buhler. Last year, the Panthers also finished in second place to Buhler.
Chrisangel Adame, Senior, claimed 1st place in the Prose category, showcasing his ability to captivate audiences with compelling storytelling. Adame also secured 4th place in Duo Interpretation with partner Ellie Damm.
Another Senior, Milena Carbajal, won 1st place in Dramatic Interpretation, 2nd place in Poetry, and 3rd place in Program Oral Interpretation (POI). Carbajal's consistent success across multiple categories showcases her versatility and dedication.
Anna Bitter took first place in POI, 4th place in Humorous Interpretation, and 5th place in Informative. Bitter’s diversity reflects her well-rounded skills as a forensics competitor. Quinton Heath, placed 5th in both the Serious Solo and Poetry.
Medicine Lodge -- 5th Place
A group of junior varsity and novice forensicators traveled to Medicine Lodge for a two-round evening tournament on February 8. The small squad returned home with a 5th place sweepstakes trophy from the 20-school field.
The team was led by Rhys Froestschner who placed 2nd in extemporaneous speaking and 3rd in informative speaking. Parker Coleman placed 5th in informative, and Dominik Zimmerman placed 6th in extemp.
On the acting side, Zimmerman and Kyra Lewis took home 4th place medals in duet.
Wichita Southeast -- 3rd Place
On Saturday, February 10, the Varsity Panther Forensics Team won 3rd place sweepstakes in a very large tournament at Wichita Southeast. Andover High School won first and Jenks, Oklahoma, placed second. Breaking into the top six took exceptional talent because some events had more than 60 entries.
Darcy Feist led the Panthers by placing 1st in POI and 2nd in Oration. Bitter won 3rd place in Humorous Interpretation
In Informative speaking, Reese King placed 5th and Chrisangel Adame was 6th. Adame and Ellie Damm finished in 6th place in Duet Acting, and Damm was also 6th in Dramatic Interpretation.
Looking Forward
Several members of the Forensics team will be performing on stage next weekend. The Great Bend High School Theatre will present “The Play That Goes Wrong” on February 16th and 17th at 7 PM, and February 18th at 2 PM. The cast and crew invite the community to come out for tons of laughs.
The Great Bend High School Forensics Team will be hosting over 20 schools of all sizes on Saturday, February 24th. The team is currently looking for judges for their tournament. If you would like to help judge, please contact Kim Heath at the high school or by emailing [email protected].