-
Final
HAR
LOU3
13 -
Final
HAR
LOU1
13 -
Final
LOU
SH0
9 -
Mar 26, 6 pm
BAL
LOU
-
Mar 28, 430 p
LOU
OTT
-
Mar 28, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 2, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 4, 430 p
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 9, 430 p
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 11, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 16, 430 p
LOU
PIP
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
PIP
-
Apr 19, 3 pm
LOU
LAN
-
Apr 19, 430 p
LOU
LAN
-
Apr 22, 445 p
LOU
BV
-
Apr 25, 430 p
LOU
AC
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
LOU
AC
-
Apr 27, TBA
LOU
PV
-
Apr 27, TBA
LOU
CHA
-
Apr 30, 430 p
EUD
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
May 7, 430 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 7, 6 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 8, 5 pm
BL
LOU
-
Mar 25, 4 pm
FRON
LOU
-
Mar 25, 6 pm
FRON
LOU
-
Mar 26, 6 pm
BAL
LOU
-
Mar 28, 430 p
LOU
OTT
-
Mar 28, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 2, 430 p
SH
LOU
-
Apr 2, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 4, 430 p
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
WEL
LOU
-
Apr 9, 430 p
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
Apr 11, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 16, 4 pm
LOU
MAC QUAD
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
MAC QUAD
-
Apr 18, 6 pm
LOU
BVW
-
Apr 23, 430 p
FS
LOU
-
Apr 23, 6 pm
FS
LOU
-
Apr 25, 430 p
PIP
LOU
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
PIP
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
May 3, 4 pm
LOU
LAN
-
May 3, 6 pm
LOU
LAN
-
May 4, 12 pm
LOU
CHA
-
May 7, 430 p
LOU
PAO
-
May 7, 6 pm
LOU
PAO
-
May 9, 6 pm
LOU
BAL
-
Final OT
LOU
LAN2
1 -
Final
LEAV
LOU1
2 -
Final
LOU
SA7
1 -
Final
LOU
TUR5
0 -
Mar 29, 630 p
LOU
SMN
-
Apr 1, 630 pm
AUG
LOU
-
Apr 4, 6 pm
SH
LOU
-
Apr 9, 6 pm
LOU
TONG
-
Apr 11, 4 pm
LOU
BAL
-
Apr 16, 6 pm
LOU
CHA
-
Apr 23, 6 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
EUD
LOU
-
Apr 30, 6 pm
BL
LOU
-
May 2, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
May 7, 6 pm
OTT
LOU
-
May 9, 6 pm
LAN
LOU
-
Final
BAL
LOU3
1 -
Final
LOU
OLW0
2 -
Final
LOU
DES0
2 -
Final
PIP
LOU2
1 -
Final
BUR
LOU0
2 -
Final
LOU
OTT2
3 -
Final
LOU
FRON INV1st
PL -
Final
LOU
BONSP3
0 -
Final
LOU
EUD0
3 -
Final
FS
LOU0
2 -
Final
GIR
LOU1
2 -
Final
LOU
LOU INV2nd
PL -
Final
PAO
LOU0
3 -
Final
LOU
SH0
3 -
Final
LOU
OTT INV1
4 -
Final
TONG
LOU1
3 -
Final
LOU
ATCH INV2nd
PL -
Final
WAM
LOU0
2 -
Final
OLN
LOU1
2
-
Final
TONG
LOU51
53 -
Final
LOU
BUR51
63 -
Final
AC
LOU37
44 -
Final
LOU
BAL42
60 -
Final
LOU
FRON57
46 -
Final
LOU
EUD46
53 -
Final OT
LOU
SH60
57 -
Final
BAL
LOU62
46 -
Final
NEK
LOU55
54 -
Final 2OT
GIR
LOU58
56 -
Final
LOU
WAM45
56 -
Final
BON
LOU45
53 -
Final
PAO
LOU16
47 -
Final
LEE
LOU71
46 -
Final
LOU
OTT52
62 -
Final
LOU
TONG45
40 -
Final
SH
LOU44
42 -
Final
EUD
LOU52
49 -
Final
LOU
PAO46
29 -
Final
HAR
LOU57
52
-
Final
TONG
LOU48
28 -
Final
LOU
BUR38
43 -
Final
AC
LOU35
31 -
Final
LOU
BAL23
42 -
Final
LOU
FRON48
55 -
Final
LOU
EUD37
56 -
Final
LOU
SH46
59 -
Final
BAL
LOU52
31 -
Final
NEK
LOU41
49 -
Final
CHA
LOU53
36 -
Final
GIR
LOU42
34 -
Final
LOU
WAM24
63 -
Final
BON
LOU35
40 -
Final
PAO
LOU38
42 -
Final
LOU
OTT29
45 -
Final
LOU
TONG40
39 -
Final
SH
LOU43
37 -
Final
EUD
LOU38
30 -
Final
LOU
PAO39
35 -
Final
HAR
LOU33
40
Anderson, Holtzen take third at state debate
- Updated: January 30, 2017
Louisburg High School’s Isabelle Holtzen (left) and Grayson Anderson pose with their Class 4A third-place trophy following the state debate tournament on Jan. 21 at Lyons High School.
LYONS – Greyson Anderson and Isabelle Holtzen were filled with negative thoughts in one of the most important times of their season.
In most competitions, that kind of pessimism can spell doom and gloom. Not debate.
Anderson and Holtzen argued on the negative side of things during the final day of the Class 4A state debate tournament Jan. 21 in Lyons. Those arguments served them well as the Louisburg High School duo finished in third place for the second consecutive season.
When it was all over, there was nothing but positivity.
“At the beginning of the year, Grayson and I were both hoping that we would have a good year,” Holtzen said. “We were hopeful that we could make it to state again. When we got to state and made it to the semifinals, we couldn’t believe it. Grayson and I were extremely excited that we were blessed enough to take third place again.”
The road to another third place state trophy wasn’t an easy one. The LHS debate team left Louisburg around 5:45 a.m. that Friday to head to Lyons and the team didn’t return until 2 a.m. the following Sunday morning.
State didn’t get off to a great start as Holtzen and Anderson began the tournament with a 1-3 record in the preliminary rounds. On Saturday, they picked up it up by winning two preliminary rounds to even their record and advanced to the elimination out-rounds.
Holtzen and Anderson went on to win the double octofinal, octofinal and quarterfinal round that eventually helped them to that third-place trophy.
“State debate is very intense and rigorous,” Anderson said. “We suffered a pretty severe setback after the first day so that really challenged our character and tenacity. The tournament was emotionally and mentally exhausting but I was very proud of our team and coming from behind made the success that much sweeter.”
The key to the debaters’ success Saturday was arguing to their strength. Anderson and Holtzen argued the negative side in each of their rounds.
“This year being able to debate with Grayson throughout the year helped a lot because we were able to become more comfortable with each other,” Holtzen said. “On Friday we had four rounds and we argued both the affirmative and negative sides, but on Saturday we only argued the negative.
“Both Grayson and I prefer the negative side. In the state tournament we only lost one round while arguing negative. Being able to argue that all day Saturday really contributed to our success because we are better at it.”
Saturday was a long day for the entire Wildcat debate team as competition lasted from early morning until late in the evening. But the Wildcat pair got a lot of help from teammates who came up short in their competitions.
Brooke Talmage, McKenzie Vanmeerhaeghe, Calvin Cassida, Nathaniel Mason, Janae Kuhlman and Flynn Langner all did work throughout the day.
“Even though the three other teams didn’t break to out-rounds, every one of our teammates played a key role in our success,” Anderson said. “Brooke, McKenzie, Flynn, Calvin, Nathaniel, and Janae were in other rounds scouting cases and strategies for future rounds. There was a whole group of people that contributed to that trophy and I am very proud to call them my teammates.”
Holtzen couldn’t agree more.
“Throughout the day having teammates and a coach helping you stay focused is very helpful,” Holtzen said. “They were always there between rounds to keep our energy up and they were really key in our success.”