First to Florida: Spuds send four debaters to Nationals

Pictured from left to right: Coach Tichy, Joey DiSpirito, Simon Beach, Tate Gilbertson, Jack Entzion

Although the start of the 2018 speech season is still weeks away, the Spuds are already booking flights to Fort Lauderdale and the NSDA National Tournament. For the first time in more than a decade, Moorhead will send debaters to Nationals after securing the top two spots in Public Forum at the Northern Lights National Qualifier held earlier this month.

Senior Simon Beach and his partner, Junior Joey DiSpirito, along with Sophomore partners Jack Entzion and Tate Gilbertson, swept the category en route to clinching a ticket to the June 2018 tournament. Beach and DiSpirito finished the qualifying tournament undefeated against non-Moorhead opponents while Entzion and Gilbertson secured their spot with a 2-1 decision in the final round of competition. Both teams finished with a 6-1 record.

The debate season concludes early next month as the same four speakers travel to Roseville HS for the MSHSL Section 5 tournament on January 6. If they finish in the top six, they'll join Sophomore Claire Stoltenow (Congress) at the MSHSL State Tournament held at the University of Minnesota on January 12 and 13. Stoltenow earned her spot at state with a fourth place finish at sections. This is the first year of Congressional Debate at the MSHSL State Tournament. The Spuds last appeared at State in 2008.