Forensic Falcons Earn National Honors

–Team Places 1st in Individual Events and 3rd in Overall Sweepstakes–

The Southeastern Illinois College Forensic Falcons claimed top team honors in individual events on Saturday at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in Denver. The team placed first in the Wheeler division (teams with 15 ½ – 30 entered speeches) at the week-long tournament. Second place went to Texas’s LSC-North Harris, while Tyler Junior College (Texas), Tallahassee Community College (Florida), and Harper College (Illinois) rounded out the top five. The Falcons finished third overall among all community colleges in the nation.

Team members brought home five individual gold medals, one silver, and ten bronze. “It feels good to be a national champion,” remarked Jeremiah Brown, a sophomore from Harrisburg who earned a gold medal in persuasive speaking. “I still can’t believe it.”

“This team worked very hard,” noted Director of Forensics Paul Cummins. “We are proud of what they accomplished in Denver.”

SIC’s Forensic Falcons have a long history of success, placing first overall in 1986, 1997, and 2005. The 2014 national tournament marks the end of the Falcons’ 2013-14 season, which also included a state championship and a regional championship.

Individual results from the tournament are as follows:

Corrine McDaniel, Harrisburg – Gold informative speaking, gold in communication analysis, and bronze in persuasive speaking.

Zachary Hanks, Harrisburg – Gold in speech to entertain, bronze in dramatic interpretation, bronze in duo interpretation (with partner Hannah Rudin), and bronze in poetry interpretation.

Meredith Wolf, Harrisburg – Gold in in dramatic interpretation, silver in duo interpretation (with partner Dylan Comer), and bronze in communication analysis.

Jeremiah Brown, Harrisburg – Gold persuasive speaking and bronze in communication analysis.

Dylan Comer, Carrier Mills – Silver in duo interpretation (with partner Meredith Wolf), bronze in dramatic interpretation.

Hannah Rudin, St. Louis – Bronze in duo interpretation (with partner Zachary Hanks).

Nicole York, Omaha – Bronze in impromptu speaking.

Benjamin McGuire, Eldorado – Bronze in speech to entertain.

Other team members include Tre Ingram from Harrisburg, Sarah Birkla from Carmi, and Hannah Rodgers from Harrisburg.

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