The McPherson High School debate team secured first place at the 4A Kansas State Tournament held in Coffeyville. The four-speaker team finished 10-4 in what Coach Aaron Schopper described as the closest championship they’ve won.
After the two-day tournament, the team came out on top via ballot count, which Schopper compared to winning a race by a 0.001 advantage. The two-speaker duo of Hendrix Nelson and Breckyn Bauer also finished as two-speaker runner-ups, adding to the tournament feats.
He says going in there were nerves, second-guessing, and apprehension, especially with people running new cases for the tournament. But after the first round, everything went extremely well, and everyone started to feel comfortable and confident.
This win continues a long streak for the team. This is their 10th win overall, all coming from recent seasons, with debate and forensics frequently taking back-to-back titles.
Schopper says this consistency comes from the students. It’s really the hard work, determination, and motivation that carry on from one student to the next. He says debate is about relying on each other, even other schools and coaches. In the end, it’s the students who decide how things work.
Preparation for this season’s tournament started back in October as teams were being finalized. Ever since then, they spent months reflecting on what did and didn’t work. After regionals, they took everything and made adjustments to how things were going. Much of their winter break was spent building cases, strategies, and most importantly, anticipating opponents’ arguments.
One sophomore on the four-speaker team, Stephanie Fonseca, stood out, especially as one of the younger debaters. The team itself consisted of Avery Unruh and Stephanie Fonseca on affirmative, and Brenna Sullivan and Anne-Marie Holmes on negative.
“She really proved herself,” Schopper said.
Fonseca said she felt both nervous and excited heading into the tournament. After the first day, she said, “I’m really happy with the outcome.” At the time, she and Unruh were 3-0, with all of four-speaker going 5-1. “I think that tomorrow we’ll have tougher competition, but I’m super excited and ready,”
While the team felt confident, pressure was unavoidable, especially with McPherson having a reputation as one of the strongest teams.
Some competing schools even see beating McPherson as a milestone. Schopper joked that they’re sometimes called McCheaters because their success. Beyond the competitive aspect, they’re also known for their helpfulness, including hosting a summer debate camp that has aided others in winning in their own divisions.
Despite their wins and achievements, this season wasn’t without challenges. Schopper noted one of the hardest parts was deciding who would compete at state, especially given how many students are capable. Partner chemistry also proved sometimes difficult, a natural factor in team events.
After the four-speaker team secured first place, they stayed to support the two-speaker team before heading home.
“Everyone was exhausted, but very happy,” Schopper added. “It was very cathartic. The four-speaker girls got to hit their goals, and it’s hopeful knowing they’ll be back next year.”
He added emphasis that this win wasn’t an accident or luck, but the result of the team’s hard work.
“There’s no, we just got lucky, no imposter syndrome here,”
Next season is expected to bring more competition, especially as divisions merge and new schools are brought in. With the recent win and next year being some debaters’ last, both pressure and expectations will rise.
As for how Schopper would rate the overall experience, he gave it a 7.5, citing high stress going in, but one of the best feelings after the win.
“Go eat at La Fogata,” Schopper finished with.
