February 6 - 7, 2010 The Debate Team closed out last weekend’s debate tournament at Ben Franklin High School, taking home the top three medals in Lincoln-Douglas debate.  Sophomore Logan Williams won the first-place medal, Senior Micah Boyd claimed the second-place medal, and pre-freshman Jim Huang took home the third-place medal. Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work and continued success. January 26 - 27, 2010 The Debate Team went their separate ways last weekend, competing in two tournaments for similar trophies. In a fantastic team showing locally at St. Aug HS, pre-freshman Jim Huang won the first-place medal in Lincoln-Douglas debate; sophomore Robert Dyer won the second-place medal; senior Micah Boyd won the third-place medal; and pre-freshman Reuben Hogan won the fifth-place medal. Farther away, sophomore Jacob Pritt cleared to the elimination rounds at the Barkley Forum for Debate at Emory University, winning the ninth-place medal in Lincoln-Douglas debate.  Congratulations to the Debate Team. January 19 - 20, 2010 The Debate Team had another “New Orleans Saints-like” performance last weekend, taking their spread offense on the road to the Pine Crest Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Junior Alex Hotard won the 9th place medal after getting “chop-blocked” by his own teammate in the octofinals round. But Senior Nick Falba and sophomore Jacob Pritt ran perfect routes to the semifinal round, but couldn’t hold onto the ball after what was obvious pass interference from their opponents. However, Nick and Jacob’s appearance in the semifinal round meant that they earned bids to the TOC tournament in Kentucky in May, which is like the Super Bowl for high school debaters.  “Who Dat!” to the Debate Team, and may the Saints prevail on Sunday.

A few weeks ago on January 4th, senior Nick Falba returned from Los Angeles, California, and walked straight into his room to cross off something that he had written there last May.  What he crossed off was the most important goal that he had set for himself for his senior year: to qualify for the Tournament of Champions (TOC), the most prestigious high school debate tournament in the country, which occurs each May in Kentucky. Senior Nick Falba             Nick Falba, the captain of this year’s Debate Team, qualified for this year’s TOC tournament by placing in the top sixteen of the 2010 Victory Briefs Tournament, which was held at UCLA’s campus over the Christmas Holidays.  The VBT tournament fielded over 100 debaters from more than 12 states across the country. To qualify for the TOC tournament in Kentucky, one has to earn two “bids” from specified tournaments held throughout the calendar year.  Not every debate tournament grants bids to the TOC; in fact, only one tournament in Louisiana grants debaters bids to the TOC: the Isidore Newman Forensic Classic in December, which is where Nick received his first bid when he made it to the final round.    “It feels really good to achieve something that I set out to accomplish last May,” Nick Falba said recently, smiling coyly.  “But now I have to work even harder so that I can be competitive at this years TOC tournament.” To accomplish his goal, Nick attended two debate camps over the summer, and he even sacrificed some of his time over the Christmas Holidays to attend another one, a mini-debate camp, in Houston, Texas, which concluded two days prior to the VBT tournament. At the VBT tournament at UCLA, Nick debated the following topic: “Resolved: economic sanctions ought not be used to achieve foreign policy objectives.”

At last weekend’s debate tournament at Isidore Newman (December 11-12), Jesuit's debate team had its best showing of the year, winning the Debate Sweepstakes Award for the third straight year. Blue Jays show off their hardware from the Newman Debate Tournament. Earning individual honors in the Lincoln-Douglas debate division were senior Nick Falba, who won the second-place medal; sophomores Robert Dyer and Jacob Pritt, who tied for the third-place medal; and junior Alex Hotard, who won the fifth-place medal. In the Public Forum division of debate, juniors Scott Tilton and Austin Speaker won the fifth-place medal; and pre-freshmen Jim Huang and Reuben Hogan won the third-place medal, reaching the semifinal round before being bested by the tournament's eventual champion. Jim Huang also won the Second-Place Speaker Award, a huge accomplishment for a pre-freshman. Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work as they closed out the calendar year in memorable fashion.

At this past weekend's debate tournament at Riverdale High School (December 4 - 5, 2009), junior Alex Hotard shocked the world with his wit and persuasive arguments by winning seven straight rounds and the first place medal in Advanced Lincoln-Douglas debate. Senior Nick Falba won the third place medal.

Congratulations to the Jesuit Debate Team for their hard work and continued success.

Last weekend, the Jesuit Debate Team travelled to Apple Valley, Minnesota, to compete at the Apple Valley Invitational, a tournament that draws nearly 300 competitors from over 16 states.

Juniors Austin Speaker and Scott Tilton won the ninth-place medal after breaking to the elimination rounds in Public Forum debate.

More strangely, however, senior Nick Falba won the storied yet bittersweet "Crabapple Award," which is given to the debater who just missed breaking to the elimination rounds. However, never one to be upstaged by anyone, Nick Falba was told by the real Dogg the Bounty Hunter at the Minneapolis airport that "he has a bright future."

Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work and continued success.

The Jesuit Debate Team took their best arguments to Dallas, Texas, over the weekend to compete at the prestigious Heart of Texas Invitational at St. Mark's High School, a tournament that featured over three-hundred competitors from over 15 states.

Sophomore Jacob Pritt finished ninth in the preliminary rounds and won the 14th place Speaker Award after making it to the Double-octofinal round. Senior Nick Falba also won a medal by making it to the octo-final round.

Congratulations to the Debate Team.

Jesuit's Debate Team had another strong showing this weekend as they travelled to Lafayette to compete in the Teurlings Catholic High School Invitational. The team did best in the Novice Lincoln-Douglas division, winning the top three medals and closing out finals. Sophomore Logan Williams won the first-place medal, pre-freshman Jim Huang won the second-place medal, and pre-freshman Reuben Hogan won the third-place medal. In the advanced division, sophomores Mikey Falba and Robert Dyer won the fifth and third-place medals, respectively.

Pre-freshman Jim Huang shows off his awards from the James A. Furlong Debate in Montgomery, Alabama.

Travelling to Montgomery, Alabama, this weekend to compete in the James A. Furlong Debate Tournament at St. James High School, Jesuit’s Debate Team had their best showing of the year, winning multiple medals. Pre-freshman Jim Huang won the Top Speaker Award in Debate, as well as the second place medal in Novice Lincoln-Douglas debate. Eugene Kim, another pre-freshman, won the third-place medal in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Sophomore Jacob Pritt won the third-place medal in the advanced division, Senior Nick Falba won the fifth-place medal in the advance division, and sophomore Logan Williams won the fifth-place medal in the novice division. Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work and continued success.

Freshman Jacob Pritt took second place in the Lincoln- Douglas debate  at the state tournament.

Jesuit’s debate team travelled to Lafayette High School to compete at the LHSSL Tournament of Champions, which is the state tournament for Louisiana debaters. While William Simoneaux, Alex Hotard, Ed Wu, Nick Falba, and Scott Tilton each won individual awards, freshman Jacob Pritt placed highest among the team, winning the second place medal in Lincoln-Douglas debate. His victory capped a very successful year that saw him defeat the reigning national champion in debate, as well as achieve more awards than any other freshman debater in the history of the forensics program. Congratulations to all the Blue Jays who participated this year in debate program.

The Debate Team won top honors this weekend (January 31, 2009) at St. Augustine High School's Speech and Debate Tournament, winning each medal available in Advanced Lincoln-Douglas debate. Junior Ed Wu won the 1st place medal, Junior Micah Boyd won the 2nd place medal, and Freshman Jacob Pritt won the 3rd place medal.

Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work and continued success.

The Debate Team had another successful weekend  (December 5-8) in Austin, Texas, at the Longhorn Invitational Debate Tournament at the University of Texas.

Competing in a field of over 130 debaters from across the country, freshman Jacob Pritt won the fifth place medal in Advanced Lincoln-Douglas debate and junior Nick Falba won the seventh place medal.

Congratulations to the Debate Team for their hard work and continued success.

Jesuit's Debate Team had one of its finest performances of the year the weekend of November 14th at Riverdale High School's Forensics Tournament, winning the Debate Sweepstakes Award for the third straight year.

Winning individual medals were junior Micah Boyd, who won the first place medal in the Advanced Lincoln-Douglas debate division; senior Will Simoneaux, who won the second place medal; and juniors Nick Falba and
Ed Wu, who tied for the third place medal.

In the Novice Division, freshman Robert Dyer and pre-freshman Peyton Fine tied for the third place medal.

Six members of Jesuit's debate team hopped on a planet to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to participate in the "Minneapple" Debate Tournament, a tournament which draws the best debaters in the country from over fourteen states.

Earning tropies in the junior varsity division were Alex Hotard and Ben Wicker, who tied for eighth place medal; and freshman Jacob Pritt won the Overall Team Medal for defeating the reigning National Catholic Forensic League debate champion in round four.

In a split-squad weekend, the rest of the team travelled to a tournament at Lafayette High School, which junior Ed Wu won the fifth place medal in Advanced Lincoln-Douglas Debate and freshman Robert Dyer won the second place medal in Novice Division.

Jesuit's debate team hit the road the weekend of October 10th to participate in the Rebel Classic Debate Tournament at Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. 

Freshman Rob Dyer won the tournament outright, winning eight straight rounds, as well as the Top Speaker Award.

Jesuit's debate team had a successful performance at the St. James High School National Debate Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. The Jays competed against teams from six other states.

Earning the top award was junior Micah Boyd, who won the second place medal in Advance Lincoln-Douglas Debate, a prize which also earned him a quailifying leg to the prestigious Tournament of Champions in Kentucky this Spring.

Also winning medals were senior William Simoneaux and sophomore Alex Hotard, who tied for the fifth place medal.

Winning the Speaker Awards were Edward Wu, Nick Falba, and Jacob Pritt, who won third, fourth, and fifth place Speaker Awards, respectively.