Bobcat Speech and Debate team earn first at Big Horn tourney

The Hot Springs Speech and Debate Team captured the 1A/2A Champion at the Big Horn Speech and Debate Tournament held at Big Horn High School on January 31-February 1, 2025. The Bobcats brought 15 students to compete in the tournament that hosted 10 schools including large teams from South Dakota. 

Junior Dean Bihr built on his strong season, capturing the champion plaque for Congressional Debate in a heavily populated field. Bihr also finished third in Impromptu Speaking, and went 3-1 in Lincoln-Douglas Debate - tying for fifth place overall.  

Sophomore Jackson Coates and Junior Kass Chavez also performed well in Impromptu, breaking into semifinals.  Coates ended in ninth, while Chavez placed thirteenth overall. 

Sophomore Teancum Gevas brought the laughs with his Humorous Interpretation, taking second place. Gevas and Sophomore Riley Crowder also finished in the top twenty of Informative Speaking. Chavez and Freshmen Lucy Wiley both finished in the top ten of Humor as well. 

Senior Onyx Kraushaar completed a strong tournament with a third place finish in Dramatic Interpretation, while Freshman Allyssa Hough also impressed with a sixth place in Drama. 

Senior Rosalie Willson finished in the top thirty in a huge Extemporaneous Speaking field.

Sophomore Annalyn Sharp placed in the top fifteen in Original Oratory. 

Freshman Clayton Keller and freshman Rylee Simpson continued to grow,  finishing in the top twenty-five of Congressional Debate and filling competitive rounds in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Sophomore partners, Aubriana Layman and Hayden Franklin, concluded competition in eighth place in Duo Interpretation in a very impressive overall tournament performance.

Both Layman and Franklin were finalists in Poetry too; Layman took third place, while Franklin took fourth.

Franklin additionally took third fourth in Program Oral Interpretation, and Junior Luci Andreen placed in sixth place in Program Oral Interpretation.  

In his seventh year as head coach, Lyle Wiley was quick to praise his team’s efforts.

“The team is really coming together, working hard every week, and embracing the learning process. I see so much learning and growth happening with our team every week, and we’re so proud of them all,” said Wiley.

Next up, the Bobcat debaters will be competing online on Saturday, February 15 and then the team will split for next weekend. 

Debaters will travel to Star Valley, while interpretative performers will travel to Greybull on February 21-22.