The Bainbridge High School debate team had great success at the annual Wilcox High School tournament.

The tourney was held Friday, Nov. 8 to Sunday, Nov. 10 at Whitman College in Walla Walla.

Within the ranks of traditional Lincoln-Douglas (LD) format debaters, first-year team member Cedar Williams successfully defeated 34 competitors to win the Junior LD event.

BHS teammate Nathaniel Mahlum also performed well and qualified for one of the final 16 Junior division spots.

In the more experienced Open LD division there were 67 entries.

Team co-captain Jacob Reiter made it to the elite final eight group by posting an impressive 5-1 event record in the preliminary rounds. He was ultimately

beaten by Sarah McDonagh of Centennial

High School (Boise, Idaho) who went on to be named champion of the tournament with a final event record of 9-0.

The Spartan team’s second co-captain James Maltman qualified for one of the Open LD final 16 spots, but was also defeated by McDonagh.

The topic being debated was “Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, truth-seeking ought to take precedence over attorney-client privilege.”

Two Spartan debaters placed very well in individual speech events.

Brian Messing placed second out of 36 competitors in the Junior Impromptu event. Clio Batali placed fourth in the same category.

More than 330 students from Washington, Idaho, Utah and British Columbia participated in the event.

The BHS debate team meets every Wednesday after school. Interested students should contact Head Coach Jordan Hudgens though the school office.