Havre speech wins at Shelby invitational

Editor's note: This version corrects that Dartanion Kaftan and Riley Klein are seniors.

Press release

Havre speech and debate saw success over the weekend at the second-to-the-last meet before it hosts the Class A eastern divisional.

Havre traveled to Shelby Saturday to compete, and brought back a first-place trophy in the Class A sweepstakes competition with Browning High School taking second.

Havre's debate led the way Saturday, with both its public forum squad and its Lincoln-Douglas debate squad facing off against full squads from Three Forks.

Seniors Dartanion Kaftan, a fourth-year debater, and Riley Klein, a second-year debater, went 2-1 in prelims to earn a rematch against the sole Three Forks team to give them a loss in preliminary rounds. Kaftan and Klein won a close round on a split decision in finals to take first place.

Havre's first-year public forum debate team of Caitlyn "Corbyn" Ehry, a junior, and Carinna Kline, a sophomore, went 1-2 in close rounds and ended in fifth place.

In Lincoln-Douglas, Junior Sterling Shelton, a first-year competitor, went 2-1 and ended in third place at the tournament. Third-year debater Paige Bertelsen, also a junior, went 1-2 and ended in fourth.

In impromptu speaking, freshman Sienna Dennis improved her scores in each preliminary round and also did well in finals to end up in sixth place at the Shelby tournament.

In dramatic oral interpretation of literature, Havre's squad of first-year competitors also did well. Freshman Isabelle "Izzy" Hagen took seventh and junior Sophia Dawson took eighth. Freshman Piper Huston also competed for Havre in the event but did not break into finals.

Havre next travels to Simms for the Simms/Power-Dutton-Brady invitational Saturday before hosting Class A divisionals Jan. 22.

Head coach Tim Leeds said that tournament will bring some 150 competitors to Havre, from Park High School in Livingston, Fergus High School in Lewistown, Billings Central, Laurel, Lockwood, Custer County High School in Miles City, Dawson County High School in Glendive and Sidney High School.

Leeds said the team is in the process of lining up judges, and anyone interested in judging can contact him at [email protected] or register online at http://bit.ly/2022HavreDivisionals .