Tarheel Forensic League State Championship

2025 — Southern Pines, NC, NC/US

Thank you for attending the 2025 State Championship. On behalf of the TFL Executive Committee, we are honored that you chose to participate this year and hope that your entire delegation enjoyed themselves.

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Tournament Packet

Please enjoy the 2025 TFL State Tournament Packet

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Please help us in congratulation your 2025 State Champions:

In JV Congressional Debate,Victor He from Cary Academy

In Congressional Debate,Samiksha Pyndi from Ardrey Kell HS

In JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate,Riley Powell from Cary Academy

In Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Maura Stickle from Cape Fear Academy

In JV Public Forum Debate, Chloe Lin & Aviva Wang and Tess McSwain & Teagan Bolt from Cary Academy

In Public Forum Debate, Ishaan Ahsan & Austin She from Ardrey Kell HS

In Declamation, Win Kimana from North Mecklenburg HS

In Dramatic Interpretation,Tessa Fulcher from Myers Park HS

In Duo Interpretation, Navami Nair & Temiloluwa Oluokun from North Mecklenburg HS

In Extemporaneous Speaking,Anna Benjamin from Cary Academy

In Humorous Interpretation,Grace Wallace from Asheville HS

In Impromptu Speaking, Anna Benjamin from Cary Academy

In Informative Speaking, Grace Wallace from Asheville HS

In Original Oratory, Evelyn Miller from Pinecrest HS

In Program Oral Interpretation, Jahnesha Felix from Cumberland Polytechnic HS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sweepstakes

Congratulations to winners of the Steven Davis Award of Excellence in Debate:
- In Third Place, Durham Academy
- In Second Place, Ardrey Kell HS
- In First Place,Cary Academy

Congratulations to winners of the Kurt Earnest Award of Excellence in Speech:
- In Third Place, Durham Academy
- In Second Place,Cumberland Polytechnic HS
- In First Place,Cary Academy

Congratulations to the winners of the Randal Shaver Small School Sweepstakes:
- In Third Place, Research Triangle HS
- In Second Place, North Mecklenburg HS
- In First Place, Pinecrest HS

Congratulations to the winners of the Governor's Cup presented by the Institute for Speech & Debate:
- In Fifth Place,Cuthbertson HS
- In Fourth Place,Cumberland Polytechnic HS
- In Third Place, Ardrey Kell HS
- In Second Place,Durham Academy
- In First Place,Cary Academy

Click here to view calculations for the 2025 Sweepstakes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Special Awards of Recognition

Congratulations to the following winners:

- 2025 Virginia Sutherland Circle of Honor Inductee: Barbara Miller from South Mecklenburg HS

- 2025 TFL Administrative Excellence Award: Scott Pope from Jack Britt HS
- 2025 TFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award: Evan Getz, North Mecklenburg HS
- 2025 Mildred Hussey Coach of the Year Award: Michael Bischoff, North Mecklenburg HS

- 2025 John Woolen/ Tarheel Forensic League Student of the Year: Samiksha Pyndi from Ardrey Kell HS
- 2025 Jackie Foote Award of Excellence in Congressional Debate: Andrew Ye from Durham Academy

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Equity Concerns

The Tarheel Forensic League (TFL) is committed to providing participants, judges, coaches, and volunteers the opportunity to pursue excellence in their endeavors. This opportunity can exist only when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The TFL prohibits all forms of harassment and discrimination. Accordingly, all forms of harassment and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by any applicable federal, state, or local law are prohibited, whether committed by participants, judges, coaches, volunteers, and/or observers.

The TFL reserves all rights to subject violators to the full range of sanctions, up to and including removal from the tournament premises and referral to appropriate authorities. Any individual, or group of individuals, who believes they have been a victim of harassment and/or discrimination should report it to the Tournament Director or appropriate authority immediately.

Information about Implicit Bias in Speech & Debate

You can file an Equity Concern with our Equity Team by clicking here.

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Protests Concerning Rules & Procedures
Please note these important resources:
-TFL Constitution
-TFL State Tournament Manual
-NSDA Unified Manual(All Events except DEC)
-NCFL Bylaws(Only DEC)

You can file a Protest Concerning Rules & Procedures by clicking here

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PLEASE NOTE OUR IMPORTANT SUPERVISION RULE: At minimum, the Head Coach of Record must be present with his or her school for the entire duration of the tournament. If anyone other than the official head coach will be supervising the team, the school must present the TFL Executive Committee a letter to that effect signed by both the head coach and school principal. If any team is found at any time without the coach of record or officially approved adult chaperone on campus during tournament hours, the entire school will be disqualified from the tournament and a letter will be written to the school principal. All teams must be supervised at all times while they are on the host campus.

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Sincerely,
Crawford Leavoy (Durham Academy) - Chair
Keith Pittman (Asheville HS) - Vice Chair & Bidkeeper
Megan Butt (Charlotte Latin) - Treasurer
Scott Bennett (Northwest Guilford HS) - Secretary
Ben Denton (Pinecrest HS) - Historian & Tournament Host
Lynne Coyne (Myers Park HS) - Bidkeeper
RJ Pellicciotta (Cary Academy)
Angela Segarra (Cuthbertson HS)
Michael Bischoff (North Mecklenburg HS)
Thomas Surber (Mountain Heritage HS) - Alternate Member