After competing over the summer at the National Speech and Debate Competition in Kansas City, the Wenatchee High School speech and debate team is off and running for the 2014-15 season, already placing at tournaments statewide.

This weekend, four students from WHS traveled to Spokane for the Bear Brawl debate tournament. Senior and captain of the debate team Serena Fitzgerald, senior Wallace O’Donnell, junior Abby Davison, and sophomore Vivian Noyd competed at this tournament. Being a very competitive tournament, the debaters placed in the top five in more than two categories. O’Donnell placed fourth in Extemporaneous Speaking, Fitzgerald placed fourth in Oratory, Davison placed fourth in Humorous Interpretation, and the partnership of Noyd and O’Donnell placed third in Public Forum.

“The tournament is very competitive, we don’t travel unless we can get team success,” debate head coach Dave Carlson said.

The weekend of Halloween, the team of Noyd, Davison, seniors Kiana Wilson and junior Arturo Diaz, traveled to Eisenhower to place second in a small team. This tournament was the  first of the season and the team performed at a very high level, according to Carlson.

“With that low of team members it was pretty good to place that high,” Carlson said.

“Vivian Noyd is a fantastic debater, she competes in partner debate but, all are really really talented,” Fitzgerald said.

For Noyd, this tournament was a good start to the season as she placed first in two individual events, Oratory and Extemporaneous Speaking. Also placed first in a partner debate with Wilson in the public forum debate.

“I definitely have a ton to improve, I want to compete nationally and not just regionally,” Noyd said.

As for this season, the whole team has high hopes and feel like they will do well. “This season will be a strong one, I feel that you determine your own season with the amount of events you do,” Noyd said. “Our team is more spread out in events so thats better for the team.”