Westminster Wins County Debate League Championship

In a tight huddle, they whisper encouragement and strategy and speculate about the outcome of the day. Their shoulders touch, and a nervous energy bounces around the circle as each member extends a hand into the middle.

“One…two…three…WESTMINSTER!” Their hands fly up, and the huddle disperses.

Though the scene may seem akin to a halftime huddle of a Friday night sporting event, the students turn to meet the eyes of opponents dressed in slacks and ties rather than shoulder pads or mud-caked cleats. These students rely on the speed of their thought rather than the speed of their legs to win, and they spent their weekend not on a turf field, but in the cafeteria of Winters Mill for the Carroll County Debate League Finals.

“We’re going for Westminster dominance,” explained junior Morgan Eichensehr of her team’s high energy at the final competition of the season.

Huddling between every round and matching shirts ended up paying off for Westminster when sophomore Shobhit Kumar and junior Sam Wallace swept the final round against the Century pair of juniors Patrick Komiske and Joey Gadberry by a 5-0 decision from the judges.

After their win, Westminster students huddled around the champions, and one teammate commented, “You guys are superstars!”

Kumar and Wallace, both first year debaters, cite the support from their team as a major factor in their success. “A lot of people think it’s just us,” said Wallace. “But we couldn’t have done it without our team.”

Westminster was one of 22 teams from the eight county schools to participate in the two-day tournament on March 11-12 in which competitors argued the statement: “Resolved: North Korea poses a more serious threat to United States national security than Iran.”

The tournament consisted of ten total rounds, and though every team participated in the first six, the next three single-elimination rounds narrowed down the two pairs for the finals. Because teams could end up arguing the pro side of the topic during one round and the con side the next, debaters relied heavily on their partners and entire team to supplement research and share ideas found during individual preparation.

For this reason, the research process for the tournament began on the first of February, when debaters received the topic.

Jake Ballinger, a junior at Westminster, commented, “You don’t want to risk [the other team] having information you didn’t know or couldn’t find.”

Researching, however, is just the first step in preparing for a tournament.

 “I don’t think that people who don’t debate understand the commitment it takes,” said Burke Stanton, a junior at Winters Mill. “After doing the research, you have to run dialogues and figure out what you’re going to say.”

After-school practices aid in this process, but that's not their only function. Through sharing research and bantering about the topic, debaters form close bonds with teammates.

“A majority of my friends do debate,” claimed Eichensehr.

Stanton, who plays baseball for Winters Mill, echoed her sentiment, saying, “I’ve felt different connections for the past two years on debate team than I have through sports. I think that’s because of  the dedication and rigor involved.”

The familial atmosphere carries from practice to tournaments. As Wallace noted, “This is more than a competition—it’s a social event.”

Though every team keeps its fingers crossed that one of their own teams will win the final round, relations between teams from opposing schools remain friendly.

“Things might get heated during a round,” said Stanton’s partner, sophomore Megan Frye, “but you laugh it off at the end because you’re probably on a first-name basis with the other team.”

Though each team focused on the goal of the county title, the tournament was pervaded not only by an air of competition, but of comradery within and among teams. At the finish, amid a sea of hand shaking and congratulations, it was obvious that though students beamed over their new titles and trophies, the less tangible reward, friendship, was the true triumph of the season.