© 2020 by Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc.

  • Facebook Social Icon
  • Twitter Metallic

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, much like our current Policy Debate.)

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE

​

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. 

LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE

​

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 – 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 
 

POLICY DEBATE

​

2020

Sam Merritt / Abby Gottesman (Henry Clay)

2019

Sam Merritt / Abby Gottesman (Henry Clay)
2018  

Rebekah George / Valerie Pallos (Henry Clay)
2017  

Maverick Dziadkoviec / Brian Hinkle (Ryle)
2016  

Noah Fischer/Hunter Rice (Henry Clay)

2015

Jack Hauersperger / Spencer Henderson (Highlands Latin)
2014  

Logan Crum/Spencer Henderson (Highlands Latin)
2009

Amanda Davis/Anna Leatherbee (Ryle High School)
2008

Jacob DeLong/Andrew Muscha (Scott Co.)
2007

Derek McMahan/Harrison Holcomb (North Oldham)
1996

Javaheri / Langlitz (Covington Latin)
1993

Dalton Lyon / Ellen Lord  (Henry Clay)
1992

Tinsley / Jeffries (Pleasure Ridge Park)
1991

Kate Jones/Mary Neumann (Henry Clay)
1990

Chad Hurley / Trevor Wells (Sayre)
1989

Chad Hurley / Trevor Wells (Sayre)
1988

Chad Hurley / Trevor Wells (Sayre)
1987

Chad Hurley / John Weathers (Sayre) 
1986

Chuck McKee / John Ogden (Sayre)
1985

Chuck McKee / Mark Endicott (Sayre)
1984

Chuck McKee / Mark Endicott (Sayre)
1983

Ted McCullough / Earl Wienbrenner (St. Xavier)
1982

Ted McCullough / Earl Wienbrenner (St. Xavier)
1980

Bill Campbell / Joe Ellis (Scott County) 
1978

 Jim Carchedi / John Loheid (Covington Latin)
1977

Steve Hawke/ Bryon Thompson (LaRue County)
1976

LaRue County
1975

LaRue County 
1974

Middlesboro 
1973

Union County 
1972

Waggener 
1971

Carol Snider/Pam Todd (Madisonville North Hopkins)
1970

Madisonville North Hopkins 
1969

Jeff Lankford/Gary Scharff (St. Xavier) 
1968

Saint Xavier (Louisville) 
1967

Sacred Heart (Louisville) 
1966

Harrodsburg 
1965

Breckenridge Training 
1964

Bowling Green 
1963

Bowling Green 
1962

Paducah Tilghman 
1961

Bowling Green 
1960

Paducah Tilghman 
1959

College High ( Bowling Green) 
1958

Middlesboro 
1957

Paducah Tilghman 
1956

Hopkinsville 
1955 - Mayfield 
1954 - Madisonville 
1953 - Harrodsburg 
1952 - Frankfort 
1951 - Winchester 
1950 - Winchester 
1949 - Winchester 
1948 - Winchester 
1947 - Madisonville 
1946 - Madisonville 
1945 - Louisville (Saint Xavier) 
1944 - Shelbyville (Shelby County) 
1943 - Maysville (Mason County) 
1942 - Corbin 
1941 - Lexington (Henry Clay) 
1940 - Winchester 
1939 - Lexington (Henry Clay) 
1938 - Shepherdsville 
1937 - Middlesboro 
1936 - Augusta Tilghman (Paducah) 
1935 - Louisville (Saint Xavier) 
1934 - Lone Oak 
1933 - Reidland 
1932 - Covington Holmes 
1931 - Berea College Academy 
1930 - Bellevue 
1929 - Clarkson 
1928 - Lexington
1927 - Benton 
1926 - Somerset 
1925 - Paris 
1924 - Hopkinsville 
1923 - Dry Ridge 
1922 - Madisonville 
1921 - Lexington 

PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE

​

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)

DISCUSSION

DISCONTINUED 


1982 – Jeff Morgan

(Knott County)
1981 - Thed Monroe

(Harrison County) 
1980 - Mark Spurling

(Taylor County) 
1979 - Bryan Cloyd

(Scott County) 
1978 - Joseph Tobin

(Saint Xavier) 
1977 - Al Curtis

(Trigg County) 
1976 – Karma Henderson

(Red Bird) 
1975 - Lezlee Bartholomy (Murray) 
1974 - Minga Banks

(Sacred Heart) 

NOVICE LD

​

​

2020-

Co-Champions: Chose 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)

NOVICE POLICY

(not always held)


2016 –

Yesmina Townsley and Breland Finch (Henry Clay)  

2009 -

Nelli Noel/Cody Murphy (Grant Co.)
2008 -

Caitlin Lacey/Carly Lacey (Grant Co.)
1996 -

Kohn / Majid (Covington Latin)
1993 –

Holly King / Sara Reece (Louisville Eastern)
1992 –

Folk / Lyon (Henry Clay)

1991 -

Ellen Lord/Julie Brooks (Henry Clay)
1987 -

Tiffany Triplett / Trevor Wells (Sayre)
1986 -

Chad Hurley / Trevor Wells (Sayre)
1985 -

Chad Hurley / Trevor Wells (Sayre) 

NOVICE PF

2020 -

Co-Champions:

Emily Hu and Daksha Pillai + Zoe Jenkins and Nyasha Musoni (Dunbar)

2019 –

Gabriella Staykova and Sanaa Kahloon (Dunbar)

2018 –

Ashley Su and Brian She (Dunbar)

2017 –

Anna Goulson and Luke Ralenkotter (Henry Clay)

2016 –

Carly Crawford and Jessica Parks (Assumption)

2015 –

Kennedy Nodler and Correna Tate (Assumption)

2014 –

Grace Gardone and Kailyn Deitz (Assumption)

2013 –

Co-State Champions: Eliza Devlin/Kait Petter and Brigit Gillespie/Raegan Davis (Assumption)

​

​

Began 2013