Loyola Speech & Debate are state champions after a strong performance at the Baltimore Catholic Forensics League (BCFL) State Championship last week. The tournament took place over the course of two days. The congressional debate championship was held at Loyola Blakefield on Wednesday, March 22, while the speech championship was held at Catonsville High School on Saturday, March 25.
Loyola entered the season and the championship tournament as underdogs, but pulled together a remarkable and historic team effort to take a decisive first place in the speech sweepstakes and first place overall in the tournament. It is the team's first state championship since 2014.
Loyola finished with six out of the top seven duo interpretation teams and swept the individual sweepstakes awards. Luke Scaletta ’17 and Anthony Price ’17 set a school and tournament record for most number of events qualified in. Luke turned in a performance for the ages, winning three events and finishing 2nd in the other three, breaking the school and tournament record for most individual points earned at the championship—a record previously held by Adam Conner '10. Also, Marlo Lacson '20 was the first freshman to ever win an individual sweepstakes award at the championship tournament.
Please congratulate the following students for their award-winning presentations:
Chid Nnake ’18
6th Place in Congressional Debate (Top Presiding Officer Award)
Alex Gonzalez-Capizzi ’17
5th Place in Congressional Debate
Anthony Price ’17
2nd Place in Congressional Debate
3rd Place in Dramatic Performance
Champion in Original Oratory
2nd Place in Individual Sweepstakes (Triathlon)
Patrick Redrick ’17
4th Place in Impromptu Speaking
6th Place in Dramatic Performance
Luke Scaletta ’17
Champion in Impromptu Speaking
2nd Place in Children’s Literature
2nd Place in Dramatic Performance
Champion in Oral Interpretation of Literature
2nd Place in Original Oratory
Champion in Individual Sweepstakes (Triathlon)
Joey Ghirardelli ’19
5th Place in Oral Interpretation of Literature
Will LaMoure ‘19
3rd Place in Declamation
Tre Barr ’17 & Casey Piparo ’17
6th Place in Duo Interpretation
Collin Branam ’19 & James Canal ’19
5th Place in Duo Interpretation
Anthony Price ’17 & Patrick Redrick ’17
4th Place in Duo Interpretation
Zach Durkin ’20 & Marlo Lacson ’20
2nd Place in Duo Interpretation
Luke Scaletta ’17 & Will LaMoure ’19
Champions in Duo Interpretation
Joey Ghirardelli ’19 & Jude Baffoe-Bonnie ’19
7th Place in Duo Interpretation
Jon Pejo ’18
3rd Place in Original Oratory
Marlo Lacson ’20
3rd Place in Individual Sweepstakes (Triathlon)
Gio Steckel ’17 & Alex Pongchit ’17
4th Place in Policy Debate
Chris Garliss ’17
7th Place in Lincoln-Douglas Debate
All of the above students have qualified to represent the Archdiocese of Baltimore at the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament in Louisville over Memorial Day weekend.
A note from Loyola Speech & Debate Director Charles Donovan:
"The team would like to thank Mr. Marinacci and Mr. O’Kane for stopping by to support us during the championship and Dr. Skirpan for judging for us. We are also grateful to our parents for their wonderful support, including Dr. Shomali and Mr. and Mrs. Piparo and Dr. Ghirardelli who judged for us. Also, thanks to our alumni Kurt Manion ’15 and Tyler Good-Cohn ’13 (recently accepted at Harvard Law School) who helped judge and coach and to all who came to the awards ceremony to cheer us on. It was a memorable day overall. As always, we thank you for your support throughout the season. These results would not have been possible without it. Roll, Dons, Roll!"