For the first time in its 14-year history, La Salle’s Speech & Debate Team seized the state championship title at the OSAA 5A state tournament, held April 24 to April 26 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon.

With around 250 students in attendance from schools across Oregon, five Falcons pushed forward to the final rounds, each contributing to the team’s success.

Along with the major team accolade, five students each brought home individual awards as well.

Junior David Sharyan earned first place in Congressional Debate.

Senior Avari Brocker took home a first place medal in two separate events: Poetry Reading and Impromptu Speaking, and made history by being the only Falcon to achieve a state championship twice, having previously won in her sophomore year.

Junior Gabrielle Jones won fourth place for Radio Commentary.

Senior Michael Doran earned third place in both Informative Speaking and Radio Commentary. He also received the prestigious “4-year award,” given to those who advance to the state tournament every year of their high school career. 

Sophomore Ryan Lengkeek secured fourth place for Original Oratory.

Each of these individual achievements played a pivotal role in La Salle’s success, as each finalist victory added to the team’s point total and ultimately, the state championship title.

“I’m very proud of all the competitors. It’s a team effort,” Mr. Mike Doran, the team’s head coach, said. “It’s not just the kids who are up there from the final rounds, but it’s all the team, all year, helping each other, encouraging each other.”

Once a week on Tuesdays, teammates gather in Mr. Doran’s classroom to prepare for tournaments each Saturday. During these practices, students share prepared speeches and receive feedback, not just through the team’s Speech & Debate coaches themselves — Mr. Steve Root, Travis Root, and Mr. Doran — but also through their peers. 

For Brocker, peer-coaching is “actually one of the things I love most about Speech & Debate: being able to use my skills to help other people.”

While Speech & Debate is generally an individual activity, feedback through the community and coaches plays a major role in improvement — from early tournaments to the state stage. 

“If I could do anything important as a teacher, it would be to help students to grow in their self-confidence, to realize their full potential,” Mr. Doran said. “We’re here as coaches to help you achieve whatever goals you’ve set out.”

Mr. Doran often compares the activity to skiing. “You are likely going to get knocked down,” he said. “That’s when you’re learning, and then getting back up.”

Doran finds motivation through this learning process to keep attending tournaments. “I knew that I could do better and I had more potential to show,” he said.

According to Jones, throughout the season, La Salle’s team members consistently supported each other during tournaments.

“Everyone builds you up until the moment you perform,” she said. “You have everyone supporting you 24/7, and then you take all of that and you go compete. It’s just a great time because everyone’s there. No matter how well you did, they’re there to just say, ‘good job, you did the best you could, and congrats.’”

It’s common for tournaments to span longer than nine hours. For Jones, it’s these long days that help strengthen team relationships. 

“Every competition — every Saturday I’ve spent at some random high school for 13 hours — I come away with new conversations with friends, I come away with great memories and great time spent with the people on my team,” she said. “I’ve grown so much closer to people I wouldn’t have in the first place.”

In addition to bonding with teammates, participants often formed close connections with competitors from other teams — many of whom they saw week after week during the regular season.

“More so than any other activity I do, you get to know your competition so well. I’ve had my biggest competitors over to my house,” Lengkeek said. “We’re such close friends because we spend a lot of time, you know, many hours every Saturday in the same room.”

When the tournament reached its final stages, the moment was unforgettable for the team.

“I don’t think anyone will ever forget what it felt like to be part of hearing who was advancing to finals, and being at finals, and seeing so much success for our team,” Mr. Doran said.

Sharyan, who witnessed the win, recalled the moment, saying, “Mr. Doran was smiling like there was no tomorrow.”

For the Falcons, this victory marked the culmination of countless hours of practice, teamwork, and perseverance.

Correction: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the placing of junior Gabrielle Jones in radio commentary.