The debate team earned multiple bids to the Tournament of Champions, continuing its season of multiple wins.
So far this season, the Harvard-Westlake team has more Tournament of Champions bids for Lincoln-Douglas debate than any other school in the nation.
Five debaters competed at the Glenbrooks Speech and Debate Tournament Nov. 19-23 in Northbrook, IL.
Connor Engel ’17 reached the semifinals and Evan Engel ’17 won the tournament, each earning bids to the Tournament of Champions.
“I was pretty happy with how it went overall; I was fourth speaker and second seed and 7-0 going into elimination rounds,” Evan Engel said. “Winning was great, especially since I had lost finals of an almost equally big tournament two or three weeks before.”
Eight team members debated at the Alta Silver and Black tournament Dec. 1-3 in Utah, with three debaters earning bids, while five competed at the College Prep Lincoln-Douglas Invitational Dec. 17-18. Evan Engel won the Alta Silver and Black tournament, but lost the College Prep Lincoln-Douglas Invitational finals on a 2-1 decision, ending his 32 round winning streak.
Across the two tournaments, Evan Engel, Connor Engel, Alexandra Mork ’20, Spencer Paul ’19 and Matthew Gross ’19 all earned bids to the Tournament of Champions.
Evan Engel is also currently leading in points in the National Debate Coaches Association Dukes and Bailey Cup Standings.
The cup, given by the NDCA, tallies points awarded for strong performances in debate tournaments for the year and awards a cup to the highest point winner at the end of the season.
A school-hosted tournament will be held at the Upper School and the LA Marriott Burbank Hotel Jan. 12-16.
The tournament will include competitions in middle school parliamentary debate, varsity Policy Debate, novice and varsity Lincoln-Douglas debate, a Lincoln-Douglas Round Robin and World Schools debate.
Additionally, the Harvard-Westlake tournament will share a hotel block with Oakwood Secondary School, which will host a competition in Varsity Public Forum debate.