Speech team first at Riverton

In spite of some missing team members due to illness and other commitments, the Hot Springs County Speech and Debate team brought home another first place finish for the weekend, this time from the Riverton tourney.

The Bobcats faced off against 19 teams at the tournament, including Cheyenne East, Natrona County High School, Green River and Jackson, fighting their way to the top.

Aime Robinson and Katie Burrows both broke to semi-finals in Humor with Robinson finishing the weekend in fourth place.

Robinson also broke into semis in Drama along with Kyle Mosser. Mosser brought home fourth place honors.

“I’m constantly amazed at Aime (Robinson) and Kyle (Mosser),” coach Cindy Glasson said. “These two have had their dramatic pieces less than two weeks and both are already making the stage, beating out other students that have been doing drama all season.”

Sophomore Jean-Luc Willson had another great tournament in extemporaneous speaking, bringing home a fifth place finish.

Breeze Petty continues her domination in Student Congress, too, taking first place.

“Breeze (Petty) has always been a strong competitor in debate,” Glasson said, “so her showing in congress doesn’t really surprise me. Debate has taught her to look at every side of an argument and she seamlessly brings that same kind of mindset into congress.

“What is funny, though, is she has only been doing congress less than a year. We put her in the event last year just as a filler and she turned around and qualified for Nationals. When you think about it, she, too, is beating out kids who have been doing the event all four years of high school while she’s what we would kind of call a newbie at congress.”

A lot of the success by Petty and Willson is due to coach Lyle Wiley joining the team last year. He has been coaching the extempers, debaters and congress people all season and they have been consistently making the stage and bringing home trophies.

This weekend the team will be attending the Worlando Beach tournament in Worland, their last regular tournament before State.

“Everyone is welcome to come to Worland and see these kids compete,” coach Glasson said. “Not only will you see some of the best talent in the state, you’ll get to witness how these students can go from one event to another, some of them taking on four events at a time.”

Rounds will begin for the team at 1 p.m. on Friday and resume again on Saturday at 8 a.m. at Worland High School.