Cardinal Mooney forensics team nets awards

Staff report

youngstown

Cardinal Mooney High School was singled out for special recognition at the 2010 National Forensic League’s National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., in June.

The school’s speech team was presented with the 2010 School of Excellence Award, the second such award for Mooney in two years. Only 11 of the awards were presented this year.

The School of Excellence Award in Speech recognizes a minimum of 50 rounds of competition completed by the entire team.

Team members include seniors Patrick Hobby, Riaz Fabian, Lauren Tonti and Mark Warchol and juniors Preston Caldwell, Carly Carano, Madeline Kopper and Michael Rotar.

The group qualified for the national event during district competition and represented the largest contingent from any Ohio school, said April Sauline, team coach.

At nationals, Hobby and Carano, both of Poland, took seventh place in the Duo Interpretation competition, and Tonti, of Austintown, placed 12th in International Extemporaneous.

Rotar, of Boardman, and Fabian, of Youngstown, made the quarterfinals in the United States Extemporaneous category. Rotar placed 18th, while Fabian was 23rd.

More than 3,200 students participated in “Jazzin’ it up in KC,” the National Tournament. To attend, students must place among the top competitors at one of NFL’s 106 district tournaments.

Mooney’s team was awarded the 2010 Denny Barrett Memorial Award for the “most competitive rounds” in district competition in February. As a team, the Mooney speakers finished first in Individual Events in that event.