Talkin' Tigers continue strong season

Mountain Home High School's Talkin' Tigers speech and debate team continued its strong season after posting wins during a tournament at Highland High School on Nov. 11 and 12.

The Talkin' Tigers won two of the seven speech events the team entered.

A total of 18 high schools attended the event in Pocatello with Mountain Home's 15-person squad finishing fourth overall.

Logan Potter, the team's overall captain, earned perfect scores in Impromptu speaking for an easy win over 89 competitors. In addition, senior Kat Blackwell won in original oratory.

Other Talkin' Tigers finishing in the top five includes Liz Stephens, who was third in dramatic interpretation; Jessie Page, who finished third in original oratory in addition to being a finalist in Congressional debate; Lexie Ogaard, who was fouth in dramatic interpretation; and novice Liberty Underwood, who came in fifth in dramatic interpretation. Meanwhile, Katheryn Lohmeier was second in after-dinner speaking and fifth in humorous interpretation while Potter and Ogaard were fourth in duo interpretation.

During the debate rounds, novice Ethan Ingram moved into the final round of Lincoln Douglas debate and lost a split decision to finish second overall. Ogaard was a quarter finalist in varsity Lincoln Douglas debate.

A week earlier, the Talkin' Tigers finished second in four events during the Rocky Mountain Tournament. Kat Blackwell was second in original oratory while Lexi Ogaard placed in dramatic interpretation and Logan Potter was a finalist in impromptu speaking. Ogaard and Potter combined to finish second in duo interpretation.

In related news, junior Dante Haeberle finished second in the Idaho State Soil and Water Conservation District Speech Contest, held Nov. 16 in Pocatello. Earlier, Haeberle won in local-level competition in Mountain Home before moving on to compete in the regional-level event in Sweet, Idaho.

Haeberle's speech focused on the need for the conservation of trees.