Semifinalists, 2 Teams In Elims, 4th Speaker at Barkley Forum

Post date: Feb 1, 2012 4:19:39 PM

The Barkley Forum for High Schools (BFHS), hosted each January by Emory University, brings most of the best high school debate teams in the country to Atlanta for a weekend of intense competition. Woodward Academy has captured two BFHS championships—in 2002 and 2003—and has cleared 20 teams to the elimination rounds since 1997.Riding the momentum they earned from their Pace Round Robin Championship, seniors Rahim Shakoor and Jason Sigalos posted an undefeated record in the preliminary rounds that included wins over Grapevine (TX), Dowling Catholic (IA), Chattahoochee (GA), Berkeley Prep (FL), Glenbrook South (IL), and Beacon (NY). Advancing to the elimination rounds as the tournament's third seed, Rahim and Jason earned unanimous victories over Berkeley Prep in the double-octafinals, Blake (MN) in the octafinals, and Mountain Brook (AL) in the quarterfinals before losing a close, 2-1 decision to Stratford Academy (GA) in the semifinals. Meanwhile, senior Nasir Nanjee and junior Karthik Srinivasan—riding their own momentum from Pine Crest—put together their best tournament of the season, racking up a 5-1 preliminary round record to clear as the 18th seed. Their road to the elims wasn't easy and included four of their best wins of the season. Along with a lone loss to Glenbrook South, Nasir and Karthik defeated Pace Academy (GA), Sequoyah (GA), University School of Nashville (TN), University of Chicago Lab (IL), and Marquette (WI). Unfortunately, the duo was defeated in the double-octafinals by St. Mark's (TX) on a close, 2-1 decision.

Beyond to the team accomplishments, Jason added to his impressive resume by earning the tournament's Fourth Speaker Award.

The semifinals appearance was the best by a Woodward team since 2006 and just the sixth for the school in its history. This was also the first time that Woodward has cleared two teams at the Barkley Forum since 2004 and only the fifth time in school history (2012, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 1997).