Seniors Ryan Benjamin and Sam Derrick along with Junior James Hilbert traveled to Bowling Green, Ohio to compete in the Falcon Classic held at Bowling Green State University.  It was a successful trip for the debate team.  Sam Derrick finished with a perfect 4-0 record in the preliminary rounds.  James Hilbert and Ryan Benjamin both finished with 3-1 records.  Derrick and Hilbert advanced to the elimination rounds and Benjamin just missed qualifying for elimination rounds on tiebreakers.

In the semifinal round, Sam Derrick faced off against Jake Morgan from Hillsdale College.  Sam won a close round on a 2-1 decision in a debate about a proposition to build a pipeline to carry sequestered carbon from power plants.  In the other semifinal, James Hilbert was debating against Josiah Hersey from Hillsdale who also proposed the same pipeline.  James prevailed on a 3-0 decision setting up an all-Lafayette final round!  As the higher seed, Sam Derrick was named tournament champion and James Hilbert finished in 2nd place.

This was the second time this year that Hilbert and Derrick were able to close out the final round of a tournament.  Back in October they closed out finals of the Ocho at Lafayette College.  Lafayette defeated debate teams from The Ohio State University, Wayne State University, Hillsdale College and Central Michigan University on the weekend.

With no tournament this weekend due to Thanksgiving, the team will travel next to The Ohio State University and Otterbein College on the first weekend in December.