Northwood Competitive Speech Team Places Second at Bowling Green

Northwood University’s Competitive Speech Team (Forensics) competed in the Forensics is Beachin’ themed tournament February 22-23 hosted by Bowling Green State University. The team took two second place finishes out of 15 teams on Saturday and 14 teams on Sunday. They took home two specially made tournament trophies, one of which was hand-carved out of wood only grown on the island of Oahu.On Saturday, February 22, seven students made it to the finals. Cody Colella, a senior from Pittsburgh, PA, placed 3^rd in long form impromptu and 5^th in both informative and persuasion; David Valentine, a senior from Detroit, placed 3^rd in impromptu; Taryn Rubino, a junior from Dryden, placed 5^th in dramatic interpretation and 6^th in both prose and programmed oral interpretation; Kirk Longuski, a junior from Bay City, placed 1^st in long form impromptu, 3^rd in informative and 5^th in after dinner speaking; Joshua Gammon, a junior from Midland, placed 4^th in long form impromptu and 5^th in rhetorical criticism; McKenzie Terwillegar, a sophomore from Highland, placed 6^th in long form impromptu, rhetorical criticism and extemporaneous; and Cherell Granger, a sophomore from Gaylord, placed 4^th in informative and 5^th in long form impromptu. Kirk Longuski was named tournament champion in long form impromptu and Cherell Granger was named top novice in both informative and long form impromptu.

In addition, six students made it to the finals on Sunday, February 23. Cody Colella placed 3^rd in long form impromptu and informative, 4^th in impromptu and 7^th in persuasion; Taryn Rubino placed 6^th in programmed oral interpretation; Kirk Longuski placed 1^st in long form impromptu, 2^nd in persuasion and 4^th in after dinner speaking and informative; Joshua Gammon placed 2^nd in rhetorical criticism and 6^thin long form impromptu; McKenzie Terwillegar placed 3^rd in rhetorical criticism, 4^th in long form impromptu and 5^th in impromptu; and Cherell Granger placed 5^th in long form impromptu. Kirk Longuski was named tournament champion in long form impromptu for the second time, along with Cherell Granger as top novice in both informative and long form impromptu. Top novice was also awarded to Miranda Kennedy, a sophomore from Unionville, in impromptu and Amber Osburn, a sophomore from Tecumseh, in poetry.

The students kick off their championship season on Friday, February 28, at Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League States hosted by Central Michigan University.