After a seven-week hiatus from competition, the SC Debate and Forensics Team returned to action at the Gorlok Gala hosted by Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and did not disappoint. Sterling College started the second semester by winning the Gala, the largest regular season tournament in the nation.

Sophomore Gage Brookman, already one of only two sophomores in the nation to be in the top 10 nationally last semester, captured the tournament championship by beating out competitors from 41 other schools across the nation. Brookman of Hutchinson, Kansas, was victorious over the likes of Texas State University, John Carroll University, Truman State University, Western Kentucky University and Central Michigan University to name a few.

Assistant Coach David Bowers said, “If this doesn’t put a target on his back, I don’t know what will.”  

Brookman was named the sixth overall speaker in Lincoln Douglas debate and fourth overall speaker in parliamentary debate. Senior Cody Campbell of Buckeye, Arizona, was a quarterfinalist, taking fifth place in Lincoln Douglas debate. The freshman duo of Amanda Del Toro of Manhattan, Kansas, and Zach McElfresh of Kechi, Kansas, finished in quarterfinals of JV parliamentary debate, earning fifth overall. Del Toro was named eighth overall speaker in parliamentary debate.

While the SC Debate Team was in St. Louis, a small contingent representing the SC Forensics Team attended the Zombie Apocalypse tournament at Hutchinson Community College. Sophomore Lindy Smith of Sharon Springs, Kansas, earned sixth place in dramatic interpretation while senior Sarah Julian of Yoder, Kansas, earned fourth place in impromptu speaking.

Julian competed on Feb. 6 at Kansas Wesleyan University in the Border Wars Tournament. She earned second place in extemporaneous speaking and in impromptu speaking, followed by a fifth place finish in informative speaking. Her second place finish in impromptu speaking earned her enough points to qualify for the American Forensic Association national tournament in Florida in April.

Bryce Harner of Hutchinson, Kansas, also competed at Border Wars, placing fifth in Lincoln Douglas debate.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.

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