By Dan West, John A. Cassese Director of Forensics
Published Monday, February 23, 2009

ATHENS, Ohio (Feb. 23, 2009)-The Ohio University Bobcat Forensics Team dominated competition at the Ohio Forensic Association Varsity State Championship hosted by the University of Akron Feb. 20 and 21. The Bobcats came home with 6 individual state titles and top honors in Individual Events Sweeptakes and Quality Sweepstakes.

Ohio University earned 550 points while 2nd place Miami earned 260 and the University of Akron posted 238 points to place third.

Additionally, Bobacts were named the top overall speakers in the state and junior Dan Glaser won Trithon, or top speaker in the state, for the third time.

The top two speakers in Persuasive Speaking at the state tournament qualify to compete at the Interstate Oratory Championship Tournament. Dani Bernat will represent Ohio University at the contest at the University of Mississippi in April this year.

This ends the regular season for the team members, who will now prepare for the AFA District Qualifying Tournament March 6-8.  The team will also partcipate in the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention in Shreveport, La., March 17-22.

Complete results from the Ohio Forensic Association Varsity Tournament are as follows:

CUMULATIVE SWEEPSTAKES
1st Place - Ohio University

OPEN DIVISION INDIVIDUAL EVENTS SWEEPSTAKES STATE CHAMPIONS - Ohio University

OPEN DIVISION QUALITY AWARD
STATE CHAMPIONS - Ohio University

DEBATE SWEEPSTAKES
3rd Place - Ohio University

TRITHON (Top Individual Events Speaker)
STATE CHAMPION - Dan Glaser
2nd Place - Dani Bernat
3rd Place - Ted Dacey
4th Place - Austin Temple

TOP DEBATE SPEAKER
2nd Place - Hassan Sheikh

AFTER DINNER SPEAKING
STATE CHAMPION - Annie Farinella
2nd Place - Ted Dacey

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
STATE CHAMPION - Dan Glaser
5th Place - Ted Dacey
6th Place - Daniel Leister

DRAMATIC DUO
STATE CHAMPIONS - Jeremy Frazer & Tony Sylvester 2nd Place - Jeremy Frazer & Austin Temple 3rd Place - Dani Bernat & Jill Flauto 5th Place - Nadine Ajaka & Annie Farinella 6th Place - Nadine Ajaka & Austin Temple

IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
3rd Place - Spark Tabor
5th Place - Daniel Leister

INFORMATIVE SPEAKING
2nd Place - Daniel Leister
3rd Place - Mike Catlos
5th Place - Tony Sylvester
6th Place - Dan Glaser

POETRY INTERPRETATION
5th Place - Annie Farinella
6th Place - Jeremy Frazer

PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION
STATE CHAMPION - Nadine Ajaka
4th Place - Kori Zanin

PROSE INTERPRETATION
STATE CHAMPION - Dani Bernat
2nd Place - Dan Glaser
3rd Place - Jill Flauto

RHETORICAL CRITICISM
2nd Place - Dan Glaser
4th Place - Mike Catlos
5th Place - Ted Dacey

SPORTS EXTEMP
STATE CHAMPION - Ted Dacey
2nd Place - Austin Temple
6th Place - Daniel Leister

PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
2nd Place - Dani Bernat