On February 3, at Pennsbury High School, the Elk Lake Forensics Team entered the Pennsbury Falcon Invitational with just three Lincoln-Douglas Debaters and one goal - make it back to finals in Varsity LD Debate at the largest debate tournament in eastern Pennsylvania.
Pictured (l-r) above, EL place-winners at Pennsbury Falcon Invitational: Austin Cohen, 4th place in Varsity LD Debate; Richard Guiton, 2nd place in Varsity LD Debate; Matthew Horvath, 2nd place in Novice LD Debate.
Not only did they make it back to finals, but the EL Forensics team placed all of its debaters and took home two team awards.
Both EL Varsity LD Debaters advanced to the elimination rounds of LD Debate by compiling 5 win and 1 loss records in the preliminary rounds.
Senior Richard Guiton defeated debaters from Briar Woods, William Tennet, Catonsville, Perkiomen Valley, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic high schools. His only loss came to a debater from Loyola-Blakefield High School.
Junior Austin Cohen compiled a 5-1 record by defeating debaters from Loyola-Blakefield, Catonsville, Broad Run and Pittsburgh Central Catholic high schools. His only loss came to a debater from New Hope - Solebury High School.
Meanwhile, EL junior Matthew Horvath compiled a 3 win and 3 loss record by defeating debaters from Meyers, Perkiomen Valley and Council Rock High Schools.
Cohen and Guiton both advanced to Octa-Finals in Varsity and Horvath advanced to a breakout Novice LD Semi-Final.
In Octa-Finals, Cohen defeated Steve Phillips from Loyola-Blakefield (MD) and Guiton defeated Noah Gordan-Leander from Perkiomen Valley. As a result of their wins, they both advanced to Quarter-Finals.
In Quarter-Finals, Cohen defeated Dwayne Coleman from Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Guiton defeated Victor Bramble from Newburgh Free Academy (NY) and they both advanced to Semi-Finals.
Meanwhile, Horvath was in the process of winning his Novice LD Semi-Final over Elliott Queale from Loyola-Blakefield.
Cohen and Guiton were paired up in the bracket for the Semi-Final. As a result of their initial seedings, Guiton advanced to Finals over Cohen. Cohen would end up placing fourth in the field.
In the Final of Novice LD, Horvath lost a split decision to Dan Spinelli from LaSalle College High School and placed second.
Guiton lost a split decision in to Kevin Lee from New Hope Solebury and placed second in Varsity LD.
As a result of their finishes in debate, Elk Lake, in a field of the toughest debate programs in the mid-Atlantic, earned the 2nd Place Debate Sweepstakes award. Beyond that, they placed 3rd in the Ultimate Sweepstakes which takes into account the quality of each competitor’s performance.
“This was an incredible performance by three of the best debaters I have ever worked with. Words simply cannot express how proud I am of these guys at this moment,” commented a stunned EL Forensics Director Keith Brosious.
