Mind over chatter.
KY DEBATE STATE CHAMPIONS
A letter from longtime debate coach Dan Omlor, coach at 1972-1992 at Lafayette and Sayre Schools, explains that "Debate Sweepstakes" as we now know them began in 1975. However, the debate championship dates back to the first year of what we now consider KHSSL, 1921. When KHSSL Debate began, debate was a three-person team event (soon changed to two, an event much like Policy Debate.)
CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
2023-
Daksha Pillai (Dunbar)
2022-
Julianne Sharpe (Lafayette) 2021 -
Ayush Tibrewal (Dunbar)
2020 -
Christian Butterfield
(Bowling Green)
2019 –
Nasim Mohammadzadeh (Dunbar)
2018 –
Cooper Winrich (Trinity)
2017 –
Callie Freeman
(Gatton Academy)
2016 –
Harper Anderson
(Rowan County)
2015 –
Harper Anderson
(Rowan County)
2014 –
Josi Stidham (Hazard)
2013 –
Andrew McKinney (Danville)
2012 –
Nate Johnson (Danville)
2011 –
Nate Johnson (Danville)
2010 –
Jamie Mohan (Danville)
2009 -
Jared Rehberg (Danville)
2008 -
Sebastian Pyrek (Danville)
2007 -
Quentin Johnson
(Graves County)
2006 -
Kevin Smiley (Danville)
2005 -
Chad Reese (Scott County)
2004 -
Logan Scisco (Danville)
2003 -
Josh Brown (Scott County)
2002 -
Joel Meister (Danville)
2001 –
Simon Willett (Scott County)
Student Congress was not a KHSSL event until 2001, but it appears that the NFL Congress was held with the KHSSL State events many times over the years.
LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE
2023
Ariel Fader (Ryle)
2022-
Co-Champions: Chloe Sachs and Matthew Kotter
(Henry Clay)
2021-
Sadie Bograd (Dunbar)
2020-
Jack Lofwall (Henry Clay)
2019 –
Mark Hughes (Trinity)
2018 –
Lydia Cardwell (Assumption)
2017 –
Zach Sippy (Henry Clay)
2016 –
Kayla Soren (duPont Manual)
2015 –
Kayla Soren (duPont Manual)
2014 –
Kayla Soren (duPont Manual)
2013 -
Adnan Toric (Fern Creek)
2012 –
Ben Swanson (Henry Clay)
2011 –
Athie Livas (Henry Clay)
2010-
Athie Livas (Henry Clay)
2009 -
Derek VanDyke
(Fern Creek High School)
2008 -
Elizabeth Fryman (Henry Clay)
2007 -
2006 –
Derek McMahan
(North Oldham)
2005 -
Chelsea Darnell (Calloway Co.)
2004 -
Kelly Bickel
(Sacred Heart Academy)
2003 -
Joelle Perry (Boone County)
2002 -
Adam Reeves (Henry Clay)
2001 -
Emily Campbell
(Sacred Heart Academy)
2000 –
Laura Rees (Daviess County)
1999 -
Randall Ewing (St. Xavier)
1998 -
1997 -
1996 -
Jonathan Westbrook (South Oldham)
1995 –
Vanessa Varble (Russellville)
1994 -
Doug Mory (South Oldham)
1993 -
Andy Spears (South Oldham)
1993 -
Alexis Royalty (Murray)
1992 –
Alexis Royalty (Murray)
1991 –
Paul Anschel (Henry Clay)
1989 –
Scott Rose (Murray)
1988 –
Matt Yuill (Calloway County)
1987 -
Todd Couvillon (Bullitt Central)
1986 –
Bruce Brightwell (St. Xavier)
1985 –
Mike Keeling (Calloway County)
1984 –
Charles Cella (Murray)
1983 –
John Sheffield
(Jessamine County)
Began 1983
NOVICE LD
2023-
Ayeha Hamid (Dunbar)
2022-
Co-Champions:
Ines Agbekpenou and Evelyn Dyer
(Henry Clay)
2021 -
Bella Galavotti (Henry Clay)
2020-
Co-Champions:
Chloe Sachs and Matthew Kotter (Henry Clay)
2019 –
Kelly Helton (Ryle)
2018 –
Co-State Champions: Sneha Amrit and Sadie Bograd (Henry Clay)
2017 –
David Vulakh (Dunbar)
2016 –
Jacob Romines (Trinity)
2015 –
Ria Jain (DuPont Manual)
2014 –
Henry Walther (Henry Clay)
2013 –
Co-State Champions: Jack Hauersbarger and Spencer Henderson (Highlands Latin)
2012 –
Grant Forbes (James Graham Brown)
2011 –
Adnan Toric (Fern Creek)
2010 –
Ian Robinson (Beechwood)
2009 -
Aly Badinger (South Oldham High School)
2008 -
Helen Sauer (Henry Clay)
2007 -
Hunter Kendrick (Danville)
2006 -
Co-State Champions : Mallory Morehead and Ryan Kurz (Henry Clay)
2005 -
Co-State Champions : Ali Robbins and Brian Huot (Boone County)
2004 -
Chelsea Darnall (Calloway County)
2003 -
Logan Scisco (Danville)
2002 -
Josh Jones (Boone County)
2001 -
Joelle Perry (Boone County)
2000 -
1999 -
Ben Golden (Daviess County)
1998 –
1997 -
1996 -
Ashley Hay (South Oldham)
1995 –
1994 -
1993 -
Jonathan Westbrook (South Oldham)
1992 –
Ben Self (Dunbar)
1991 –
Kyra Greene (Paducah Tilghman)
PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE
2023-
Karson Whitley and Justine Lofwall (Henry Clay)
2022-
Karson Whitley and Justine Lofwall (Henry Clay)
2021 -
Karson Whitley and Justine Lofwall (Henry Clay)
2020 -
Gus Colby and Santiago O’Neil (Henry Clay)
2019 –
Co-State Champions: Samuel Clark/Jack Lofwall and Gus Colby/Santiago O’Neil (Henry Clay)
2018 -
Sahar Mohammadzadeh and Stephanie Yang (Dunbar)
2017 –
Henry Walther and Spencer Parsons (Henry Clay)
2016 –
Kailyn Deitz and Grace Gardone (Assumption)
2015 –
Anthony Survance and Robert Watson (duPont Manual)
2014 –
Jasmine Liu and Sahil Nair (Dunbar)
2013 –
Nicole Nemec and Franklin Starks (Kentucky Country Day)
2012 –
Co-State Champions: Humzah Qazi/Santiago DeLeon and Andrew Brennan/Eric Xiong (Dunbar)
2011 -
Phoebe Ross and Joe Weston (Danville)
2010 –
Nick Roller and Zach Orsello (Ryle)