The Moorpark College speech and debate team competed in a state wide forensics tournament on March 12-16 with great results.

Moorpark won first place overall at the California Community College Forensics Association’s State Championships tournament hosted by Solano Community College and brought home 37 medals, 10 of which were gold.

“We couldn’t be more excited and thankful,” 21-year-old Noelle Anderson said.

This tournament is bigger and considered more important than the ones earlier in the season because schools from the entire state brought some of their best competitors, according to Anderson.

Last year, Moorpark hosted this competition and came in fifth. The team improved by a margin of almost 130 points between the seasons.

“The team this year is stronger, more focused and driven,” Anderson said.

The location also seems to make a difference. Since the competition was closer last year, students did not have as much commute time to mentally prepare.

“We drove six hours to get to the hotel,” Anderson said. “Last year we drove 20 minutes.”

This competition brought a lot of anxiety for some of the speakers, since they competed in events they had not previously presented. They took the challenge, however, and prepared thoroughly to bring in large wins.

“Within the last two weeks before this tournament we practiced longer and more strenuously,” Anderson said.

A star at this tournament was returning debater Sean Kolkey, 20, communications major. He participated in four events and achieved three gold standings and one bronze.

Two of his Gold medals were in speaking events, which he finished with unanimous scores of one, the best score possible. The other two were debate tournaments. Kolkey received a bronze medal in Lincoln-Douglas debate and a gold in parliamentary debate.

Parliamentary debate also brought along a perfect score of 12-0 for Kolkey and his debate partner, Emma Mitchell, 21. Kolkey was the top debater in the same event and was presented with the Wyman award.

In parliamentary debate, every judge can award up to 30 points for each speaker per round. The total points for each debater are added up to find overall standings.

This is a highly prestigious award, and this is the first time it is coming to Moorpark, according to the director of forensics Jim Wyman.

“It was an absolutely incredible honor,” Kolkey said.

Kolkey was honored to be the one who brought the Wyman award to Moorpark, but recognizes the team’s important role in this win.

“It was awesome to finally take that one back to our school,” Kolkey said. “I couldn’t have done it without my partner, and it would have been tremendously more difficult without Jim as my coach.”

The team is now looking forward to the national championships, the biggest tournament of their season. The state results made Moorpark students confident going into the nationals, but they are remaining diligent.

“We’re taking precautions not to get too comfortable,” Anderson said.

The team is preparing for some steep competition while keeping their sights fixed towards the title.

“If we work hard, Moorpark definitely has a chance at another national title,” Kolkey said.

Nationals will take place in Denver on April 4-12.