Sacred Heart students won a triple crown at the McGill High
School debating tournament this weekend.
Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach won the 54th annual McGill tournament, defeating 131 other teams from across Canada in the process. This is the largest debating tournament in Canada for high school students, and featured teams from Victoria to Halifax. Rory and Mattea achieved the win without losing a point – placing 1st in each of the six preliminary rounds (and in the semis and finals).
Andrew Morrison (Fountain Academy ‘10 — national debate champion and two-time McGill winner) has called the team trophy the “Stanley Cup of debating” because like that award, larger bases have been added over time as the names of more winners are added.
The tournament is held in British Parliamentary style, with four teams in each round. In the final round, Rory and Mattea defeated a team from Upper Canada College, a team from Richmond Hill and a team made up of students from Georgetown and Northern Collegiate.
Meanwhile, Catherine Burke and Maria Samman won the junior division of the tournament, defeating 18 other junior teams. In that final round, Catherine and Maria defeated a team from Upper Canada College, a team from University of Toronto Schools, and a team from Halifax Grammar School.
Sacred Heart has won the junior division each year the tournament has had one.
Rory Flynn repeated as the top individual debater, defeating all 263 other debaters; Catherine Burke was the runner up Junior high debater at the event. This is the 6th time in the 11 years we have taken part that a Sacred Heart student has won the individual trophy in the senior category.
Despite our success individually, this is only the 2nd time Sacred Heart has won the team trophy. Rory and Mattea’s names will join Deirdre Casey and Alison Ghosn, the 2008 winners.
Mattea Roach finished 6th individually, Jake Marchand finished 20th and Sabrina Secord 31st. To put these results in context, Mattea did better than 257 debaters, Jake better than 243 debaters and Sabrina better than 232 debaters. These are amazing results given the calibre of the other competitors.
Three of our other teams also performed extremely well this weekend, earning ten points in the five regular rounds of the competition, missing the quarter finals by less than a point.: Sabrina Secord and Anya Friesen, Jake Marchand and Andrew Mayo, and Emma McLean and Alyson Duff.
Our congratulations go out to all 17 of our debaters. Our thanks to our drivers and chaperones Bev Deal, Maya Churbaji, Brian Casey and Patricia Donnelly.
Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach won the 54th annual McGill tournament, defeating 131 other teams from across Canada in the process. This is the largest debating tournament in Canada for high school students, and featured teams from Victoria to Halifax. Rory and Mattea achieved the win without losing a point – placing 1st in each of the six preliminary rounds (and in the semis and finals).
Andrew Morrison (Fountain Academy ‘10 — national debate champion and two-time McGill winner) has called the team trophy the “Stanley Cup of debating” because like that award, larger bases have been added over time as the names of more winners are added.
The tournament is held in British Parliamentary style, with four teams in each round. In the final round, Rory and Mattea defeated a team from Upper Canada College, a team from Richmond Hill and a team made up of students from Georgetown and Northern Collegiate.
Meanwhile, Catherine Burke and Maria Samman won the junior division of the tournament, defeating 18 other junior teams. In that final round, Catherine and Maria defeated a team from Upper Canada College, a team from University of Toronto Schools, and a team from Halifax Grammar School.
Sacred Heart has won the junior division each year the tournament has had one.
Rory Flynn repeated as the top individual debater, defeating all 263 other debaters; Catherine Burke was the runner up Junior high debater at the event. This is the 6th time in the 11 years we have taken part that a Sacred Heart student has won the individual trophy in the senior category.
Despite our success individually, this is only the 2nd time Sacred Heart has won the team trophy. Rory and Mattea’s names will join Deirdre Casey and Alison Ghosn, the 2008 winners.
Mattea Roach finished 6th individually, Jake Marchand finished 20th and Sabrina Secord 31st. To put these results in context, Mattea did better than 257 debaters, Jake better than 243 debaters and Sabrina better than 232 debaters. These are amazing results given the calibre of the other competitors.
Three of our other teams also performed extremely well this weekend, earning ten points in the five regular rounds of the competition, missing the quarter finals by less than a point.: Sabrina Secord and Anya Friesen, Jake Marchand and Andrew Mayo, and Emma McLean and Alyson Duff.
Our congratulations go out to all 17 of our debaters. Our thanks to our drivers and chaperones Bev Deal, Maya Churbaji, Brian Casey and Patricia Donnelly.
