Moeller Speech and Debate Takes the Stage

Moeller’s Speech and Debate team is in full swing, having already competed in multiple events this year.

Led by Mr. Eble and team captains Emmet Pease ‘25 and Gavin Vaughan ‘25, Moeller Speech and Debate works both individually and as a team to research topics, form arguments, and argue points in many different formats. From formal debates to persuasive speeches, students can present their arguments in a number of ways to place well in competition.

Moeller Speech and Debate Team after the Olentangy Liberty Classic.

The results from the first several competitions for this year are below:

Princeton’s Barton Classic - November 11, 2023

• The squad finished 11th (out of 17) at the first varsity tournament of the season.

• Junior Gavin Vaughan won his chamber in Student Congressional Debate

• Junior Emmet Pease took third in his Student Congressional Debate Chamber

• Senior Nick Mallow reached the award stand by taking fourth in Humorous Interpretation

• Junior Mason Ross recorded 3 wins in Lincoln Douglas Debate

Notre Dame Academy Tourducken - November 18, 2023

• The team finished 6th (out of 13) at this competition.

• Junior Emmet Pease won first place in Student Congressional Debate

• Junior Gavin Vaughan took 6th in Student Congress, reaching the award stand

• Sophomore Ryan Limbacher won first place in Humorous Interpretation

• Senior Nick Mallow took fourth in Humor, also reaching the stage

• Sophomore James Lauver won runner-up in Informative Speaking

Olentangy Liberty Classic – December 2, 2023

• The team finished in 9th place

• Junior Emmet Pease won his chamber in Congressional Debate

• Junior Gavin Vaughan took 4th in the same chamber

• Freshman Calvin Wisniewski placed 5th in his chamber and won Best Novice

• Junior max Milbourn placed 4th in his Congressional Debate Chamber.

• Sophomore James Lauver won runner-up in Informative Speaking

• Sophomore Ryan Limbacher placed 5th

• Senior Nick Mallow took 6th in Humorous Interpretation

With these performances, the team is now a top ranked team in the state, and there is potential to send some students to the national championship for the first time in team history. With a top performance in the tournament, a student can get what's called a bid. A bid is similar to a point, and four bids are required to qualify for the state championship.

The following students have received bids:

• Nick Mallow ‘24

• Gavin Vaughan ‘25

• Emmet Pease ‘25

• Max Milbourn ‘25

• Ryan Limbacher ‘26

• James Lauver ‘26

• Calvin Wisniewski ‘27

Two Moeller students have already 'bid out,' which means they received enough bids to qualify for state. Those two students are the team captains, Pease and Vaughan.

Their next event is the Moeller New Year’s Resolution Tournament being hosted at Moeller on January 27. Good Luck to the Speech and Debate team as they continue their season and go on to state.