The West High debate team competed in an in-person tournament for the first time since 2020. The debate team traveled to Ankeny to compete in the IHSSA state tournament Jan. 7-8. West High repeated as state champions at the tournament earning 413 points.
West High placed four students in Congress. Fanshuo Cheng ’23 and Bivan Shrestha ’22 in B House, with Cheng as the top speaker in the B House. Pakshal Jain ’22 placed third and Advika Shah ’22 repeated as state champion in the event. In the Lincoln-Douglass debate, Aviva Fraer ’23 and Hanae Matsumoto ’23 were named state semi-finalists, and Flora Zhu ’25 was named as a state quarter-finalist. Jayden Shin ’23 and Nathan Weimer ’23 finished as first state runner-up and state champion, respectively. Alice Doresca ’23 and Catherine Yang ’23 were quarter-finalists and Andrew Dong ’24 and Ben Kleiman ’24 were named semi-finalists in Public Forum. Miles Clark ’22 and Akhil Bharanidhar ’22 won the Policy Debate state finals in a 3-0 decision. Kamakshee Kuchhal ’24 and Jane Lam ’24, Maya Chu ’23 and Andy Luo ’22 were named semi-finalists. Additionally, Ashley Seo ’23 and Kyle Chi ’23 were named quarter-finalists.
The repeat debate state champions Iowa City West!!! @ICWestAthletics @ICWPrincipal we finished by downing Dowling!!! pic.twitter.com/Rk5BgS3uAe
— John Cooper (@Jcoopdog) January 8, 2022