Cave Classic

P-Russ's recap:

SUBJECT: Gavelin' Eagles light up La Cueva at the Cave Classic!

Good afternoon, all,

This weekend, 18 Gavelin' Eagles headed down to Albuquerque to compete at New Mexico's second-to-last normal speech and debate tournament of the season, La Cueva High's Cave Classic. Once again, there's plenty to celebrate!

• Kaycie Muneta was a finalist in Informative Speaking, the tournament's most competitive normal Speech event, and she placed 5th overall!

• The team of Natashia Anderson and Nalanaya Austin were finalists and placed 3rd overall in Competitive Impromptu Duo Nightmare Interp! CIDNI is an unusual event that is just as unhinged as it sounds (ask them about it!), but it's quite popular, especially as it's generally only offered once per season.

• Daykiin Draper was a finalist and placed 6th overall in International Extemporaneous Speaking!

• The team of Kiara DeChee and Kaycie Muneta placed 2nd in Duo Interpretation, their first time trying the event! They were also the Top Novice Speakers for that event.

• Addyson Salazar placed 2nd in Poetry/Storytelling!

• Nalanaya Austin placed 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation, her first time trying the event!

• Danica Becenti placed 3rd in Poetry/Storytelling!

• The team of Hailey Thomas and Jairus Benally-Begaye placed 3rd in Duo Interpretation! They also placed 8th in CIDNI!

• Natashia Anderson placed 4th in Program Oral Interpretation!

• Ashleigh Mitchell was the Top Novice Speaker in both Poetry/Storytelling and Program Oral Interpretation and placed 4th and 5th respectively in those events!

• Lola Williams was the Top Novice Speaker in Dramatic Interpretation, placing 4th overall!

• In her speech and debate debut, Crystal Tsosie placed 5th in Poetry and was that event's second-highest-ranked novice speaker!

• The team of Rodericka Hale-Toledo and Marissa Mullin placed 7th in CIDNI, narrowly missing finals!

• Kaleb Jones placed 10th in both Impromptu and Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate!

Please congratulate these kids and the whole team, especially as we prepare to head to Rio Rancho in two weeks for our final normal season tournament of the year. After that comes the postseason! 

Big thanks to our volunteer assistant coach Malyssa Egge, who came all the way from Bluff to chaperone and judge, as well as to Louise Atene for getting us there and back safely. Thanks also to all our judges, and to assistant coach Jen Kaskalla, who still managed to support us on Saturday despite having to shuttle Gavelin' Eagle wunderkind Aspyn around for All-States! 

Best,

Russell