Parsons High School’s debate team closed out their 2024 season with a second place finish in the Class 4A Division at the State Tournament Jan. 17-18.
PHS qualified teams to compete in the 2-Speaker Debate and 4-Speaker Debate.
Team captain and anchor Madelyn Armitage and her partner Makenzi Taliaferro finished second in 2-speaker..
”They went against the best of the best and finished 7-2 in second place,” PHS debate/forensics coach Ed Workman said.
Armitage said she was happy to finish out her senior year with a second place win at state.
“We discussed that. Of all the ways this could end, it’s pretty good,” Workman said. “They lost the final round 2-1.”
“Madelyn and Makenzi would have been the backbone of the 4-speaker, but, especially this year, she deserved the chance for her and her partner to go on their own and see what they can do,” Workman said. “It obviously worked out.”
This left the 4-speaker team consisting more of novice freshmen and sophomores. They finished at state in the middle of the pack. The team did have to be in the top of their regional to qualify for state, so had earned a plaque.
Next year will be more of a challenge with the loss of the senior leadership in debate and the demonstrated strong work ethic they developed.
“Hopefully a few of your teammates will look at how you prepared at state and compare it to how they prepared and decide to do things more your way next time,” Workman said to Armitage. “When I was in college, my debate coach was always fond of saying that the more he practiced, the more he researched and the more he did, the luckier he got, because everyone would always tell him, ‘Man, you’re so lucky. You always win. You always pull it out.’ He would say, ‘Yeah, it’s the darndest thing. The harder I work, the more I do, the luckier I get.’ It’s crazy how that works.”
PHS assistant debate/forensics coach Adam Payne said the remaining members of the team who are returning next year are “young and hungry,” so he anticipates them digging in.
Moving forward, Thursday is the Novice Congressional Debate at PHS at which time schools’ seasoned Congressional members teach the novices, Payne said. Experienced debaters will be on hand from schools like Pittsburg, Fort Scott, Chanute and Parsons and will be integrated among the various Houses to assist the newby’s.
“A large part of what we do is kind of on the job training, in which they will actually go through two mock rounds with experienced debaters to give them advice and show them how it works,” Payne said. “From there, it is a collaborative experience as far as developing speeches, because there is a set docket as well as authorship for our own resolution to share, make points, speaking styles, ect.”
With the debate season behind them, the first forensics tournament is Feb. 5 in Iola. Then, Feb. 8 PHS hosts a tournament.
The first Congressional Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Tournament will be Feb. 20. Payne said PHS boasted the state champion last year in Lincoln-Douglas, Jayce Quirin. There are some students this year showing interest, so they are hopeful one of two will step up to the challenge.
“Our sophomore who is interested in it finished in the top five last year as well, Chei Tsinhnahjinnie,” Payne said.
The state forensics tournament is May 3, so all the students have a few months to hone their skills.