The Southeastern Illinois College Forensic Falcons started the new semester with a bang, taking first place at the Butler University Bulldog Battle speech tournament in Indianapolis last weekend against major university competitors.
Southeastern captured the team championship with 202.5 points, besting second place Ball State University (173.5 points) and third place Illinois State University (106 points). Other teams in attendance included McKendree University, Eastern Michigan University, Ohio University, and Marian University. Southeastern was the only community college in attendance.
“This team is dedicated to excellence,” said Dr. Tyler Billman, coach. “The team met over their winter break in order to prepare for this tournament. It’s always a risk to travel to a tournament in the first week of a new semester, but this team showed that they can handle the challenge.”
The team is also coached by Paul Cummins and Jenny Billman.
The Bulldog Battle marks another step toward the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in Costa Mesa, California in April.
Individual results from the tournament are as follows:
Preston Boone (Harrisburg): tournament champion in program oral interpretation, second place in poetry interpretation, and second place in duo interpretation (with partner Gabe Motsinger)
Shay Wood (Shawneetown): tournament champion in dramatic interpretation and tournament champion in novice impromptu
Carrice McDaniel (Harrisburg): fourth overall speaker, second place in communication analysis, fourth place in persuasive speaking, and sixth place in after dinner speaking
Cassi Watkins (Harrisburg): tournament champion in informative speaking, sixth place in extemporaneous speaking, and sixth place overall speaker
Adam Wasson (Herod): third place in duo interpretation (with partner Caleb Abbott) and fifth place in dramatic interpretation
Alli Haley (Carmi): fourth place in dramatic interpretation and fourth place in duo interpretation (with partner Zeb Sanderson)
Cassidy Maynard (Harrisburg): third place in communication analysis
Gabe Motsinger (Harrisburg): second place in duo interpretation (with partner Preston Boone)
Haley Rushing (Marion): second place in novice prose
