HURON — The Huron Speech & Debate Team traveled to the Mitchell McGovern Tournament on Nov. 17-18. 
The tournament is named after the great senator from South Dakota, George McGovern. George McGovern served as a pilot in World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He served 18 years in Congress. Senator McGovern ran for president in 1972., but lost to Richard Nixon. George McGovern died in 2012 at the age of 90.

Top finishers from Huron were:
• In Program Oral Interp, Tessa Gogolin placed second.
• In Duet Interp, Green Ta Bah and Antony Sorto placed fifth and Samantha Swanson and Mylie Byrd placed 12th.
• In Readers Theater, Lily Halter, Tessa Gogolin, Cameron Cutshaw, and Antony Sorto placed sixth.

• In Novice LD Debate, Kmui Paw went 3-2 and placed seventh
• In Humorous Interp, Tessa Gogolin placed 8th and Keara Gabriel placed 13th.
• In Nonoriginal Oratory, Chi, Muepae placed 10th.
• In Poetry, Lily Halter placed 10th.
• In Student Congress, Lily Halter placed 13th and Cameron Cutshaw placed 16th.

“As we get our Debate Team started, it was nice to see Kmui get a winning record on her first tournament out this year,” said head coach Mitch Gaffer. “We had other debaters who didn’t place at this first tournament opportunity, but it’s good to be out there competing. Now, we work on improving our performances.”

Overall, the HHS Speech & Debate Team was able to finish 10th out of 29 teams at the tournament.

“Huron had many people place well at this tournament,” Gaffer added. “Our Interp program is performing well and really anchoring the team right now. Coaches Laura Iverson and Ben Halbkat have done a great job motivating the students to practice hard and focus on quality perforemances at the tournament.

“I believe the Interp Team is positioned well for the upcoming State Oral Interp Tournament coming after the Thanksgiving break in Harrisburg,” he added.

The next tournament will be the State Oral Interp tournament held in Harrisburg on Dec. 1-2.