AURORA - The Colorado High School Activities Association will host its 2025 3A Speech and Debate State Championships this Friday and Saturday at Niwot High School.

The 3A State Tournament offers Interpretation of Drama, Humor, Poetry, Duo Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, Combined Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Informative Speaking, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Congressional Debate, One-on-One Value Debate, Impromptu Speaking and Creative Story Telling, so long as there are enough entries for the event to be viable.
 
Entering the tournament, five students will be looking to defend their titles from a year ago, including three from Battle Mountain: Phoenix Wellbaum in Original Oratory, Eva Isaacs in Lincoln Douglas Debate and Ilya Liev in Public Forum Debate. Eagle Valley’s Audrey Tatro in Congressional Debate and Resurrection Christian’s Evan Simmons in Dramatic Interpretation also look to repeat as state champions.
 
In total, 10 schools return finalists from last year, with Battle Mountain boasting seven returning finalists, Resurrection Christian and University returning six each and Eagle Valley with five. Dawson School has three finalists on its roster this year, while DSST Green Valley, Eagle Ridge, Lotus School of Excellence, Pueblo Central and Roaring Fork have one each.
 
Six of the returning finalists advanced to the finals in two events last year, as Simmons not only won Dramatic Interpretation for Resurrection Christian but finished third in Duo Interpretation with partner Jackson Holder. Maelin Rennemeyer was also a two-time finalist for Resurrection Christian, finishing second in Humorous Interpretation and second in Duo Interpretation with partner Elijah Fauth. University’s Danica Cooper took second in Program Oral Interpretation and third in Dramatic Interpretation, while Eagle Valley’s Sam Maule finished second in Poetry Interpretation and sixth in Program Oral Interpretation last year. For Battle Mountain, both Rocco Romano and Silas Heaphy advanced to the finals in two categories, with Romano taking fourth in Creative Storytelling and sixth in Informative Speaking, and Heaphy placing fifth in Creative Storytelling and sixth in Duo Interpretation.
 
An additional highlight of the program will be in Lincoln Douglas Debate, as Dawson School’s Jake Levy – who finished second to Isaacs a year ago – also returns to challenge for the top spot in the category, while the top two finishers in Public Forum Debate also return. Dawson School’s Sage Pewterbaugh and Sophia Payvar will challenge returning champion Liev and new partner Wellbaum for the 2025 title.
 
In Original Oratory, Informative Speaking and Program Oral Interpretation, four of the six finalists from last year return. In addition to Wellbaum, the 2024 State Champion in Original Oratory, DSST Green Valley’s Ginika Chukwumah (third in 2024), University’s Abigail Conner (fifth in 2024) and Pueblo Central’s Jayla Hall (sixth in 2024) return to the category, while Battle Mountain’s Gabriella Gallegos – the runner up in Informative Speaking last year – and Romano will look to make moves in Informative Speaking, alongside University’s Hannah Newman (third in 2024) and Eagle Valley’s Iris Sheldon (fifth last year).
 
In Program Oral Interpretation, University’s Cooper and Aaliyah Lucero – who finished second and third last year, respectively – are joined by Battle Mountain’s Mars Arney (fifth in 2024) and Eagle Valley’s Maule as returners in the category.
 
Lotus School of Excellence's Hafeezat Ghaffer is the lone returner in Extemporaneous Speaking, taking second a year ago, while Eagle Valley’s Summer Hill joins Romano and Heaphy as finalists in Creative Storytelling.
 
In Humorous Interpretation, Rennemeyer is joined by Eagle Valley’s Kate Ansnes (third in 2024) and University’s Aaliyah Berrelez (fifth in 2024), and in Impromptu Speaking, Resurrection Christian’s Trace Orlando and Jonah Morris return after finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, last year.
 
Three finalists return in Poetry Interpretation, as runner-up Maule is joined by Eagle Ridge Academy’s Katherine Garcia (fourth in 2024) and Sim Rand from Roaring Fork, who finished fifth a year ago.
 
Joining Tatro – the 2024 state champion - in Congressional Debate is University’s Blake Wehrman, who took fifth last year.