MPHS advances to UIL CX Debate State Championships

For the seventh year in a row, Mount Pleasant High School Speech and Debate will send a team to the UIL Cross Examination Debate State tournament.

The team of seniors Anthony Orellana and Eli Rider took second place at the District meet on January 26 in Longview, qualifying them for the State meet in March. This is the second CX state qualification for Orellana and the first for Rider. Orellana currently holds a UIL State silver medal and is the reigning 5A State Top Speaker in CX Debate.

At the district tournament, Orellana and Rider defeated teams from Hallsville, Pine Tree, and Whitehouse, coming out of prelims 3-0. They defeated Tyler High School in quarterfinals, Hallsville in semifinals, and took their only loss of the day in finals against Pine Tree, the other state qualifier from15-5A.

The UIL State Cross Examination Debate Tournament is March 17-18 at the University of Texas at Austin.