February 9, 2016
MARSHALL, Texas (2/02/16) - The East Texas Baptist University Debate Team competed at the Southern Forensics Classic Debate Tournament January 30-31 in Shreveport, La. and won its second division championship in as many tournaments.
Junior Shayne Davis of Marshall won the tournament's Junior Varsity Division Championship, besting 30 other competitors in the division field. Davis posted a 3-3 preliminary record, entering the elimination rounds as the 12th seed. Davis became dominant in the elimination rounds, however, defeating his opponents in the octofinal round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds to take the division championship.
This is the second championship ETBU Debate has won in as many tournaments. ETBU debater Harleigh Parrish, a sophomore from Huntington, won the Novice Division Championship at the Mississippi College Debate Tournament in December 2015.
Other ETBU debaters were also successful at the Shreveport tournament. In the Novice Division, sophomore Telema Blackman of Alexandria, La., posted a 5-1 preliminary record and advanced through to the division semifinals before facing elimination. Parrish earned a 4-2 preliminary record and completed the tournament as an octofinalist.
In the professional division, Dr. Cole Franklin, coach of the ETBU squad, also earned a 4-2 preliminary record and advanced into the semifinals before being eliminated by the eventual tournament champion.
Other ETBU competitors at the tournament included freshman Joshua Moreno of Fort Worth, freshman Sheldon McGowan of Tyler, and sophomore Charles Quigley of Houston. McGowan and Quigley also completed preliminary rounds with even 3-3 records, but missed advancing to elimination rounds based upon speaker points awarded in each round of competition. Overall, the ETBU squad posted a winning percentage of .576 at the tournament.
"We had another successful tournament," Dr. Franklin said. "We had competitors participate in the semifinal or final rounds in three of the four competition divisions. We have room for growth, but we are experiencing significant accomplishments at each competition. We're looking forward to the rest of the season."
The ETBU squad will next compete at the Bossier Parish Community College debate tournament Feb. 20-21.