Gami Forensics: team speaks for itself

Last Updated on Monday, February 18, 2013 08:13 pm Written by Steve Prisament Monday, February 18, 2013 12:56 pm

Absegami Forensics Team at Toms River North High School where it finished fourth Saturday, Feb. 16. In front is Nicholas Hathaway. The front row consists of Austin Beaulieu, Malia Monk, Isabelle Brown, Josh Wescoat, Ashley Fox, Kirsten Wimberg, Erica Butterhof and Sammy Hickman. Behind them are Carmelo Polisano, Brandon Castillo, Saverio Turrano, Michael Moore, Gabrielle Hughes, Megan Cantz, Aaron Sartorio, Stephanie Rodriguez, Luke Petrecca, Maggie Cohen and Colleen Garrison. (Submitted)

GALLOWAY – The Absegami Forensics Team took third place at Eastern Regional High School and followed up with a fourth place finish at Toms River North – qualifying 14 students to compete in the state championships.

The 14 students will compete in 10 categories at the New Jersey Drama & Forensics League State Championship Saturday, Feb 23 at Raritan High School in Hazlet. 

As a team, Absegami will compete for The Looby Cup, the championship team trophy for the New Jersey Drama & Forensics League. 

The cup is named for James Looby, one of the league’s first judges and the man who donated the traveling trophy. 

Absegami last won the award in 2005. Last year’s winner was Mainland Regional High School in Linwood.

Students who have qualified to compete for individual championships are seniors Erica Butterhof, Kirsten Wimberg and Megan Cantz, juniors Aaron Sartorio, Malia Monk, Gabrielle Hughes, Josh Wescoat, Brandon Castillo, Sammy Hickman, and Ashton Wagner, sophomores Colleen Garrison, Nicholas Hathaway, Isabelle Brown, Jess Schrading and Nathan Moore, and freshmen Michael Moore and Saverio Turrano.

Absegami took fourth place overall in the tournament at Toms River North High School Saturday, Feb. 16. 

Leading the team was Isabelle Brown, who took first place in both impromptu speaking and persuasive speaking. 

Other award winners were Sammy Hickman, who took third place in dramatic monologue; Colleen Garrison, who took third place in after dinner speaking; Ashton Wagner, who finished fourth in poetry interpretation; Gabrielle Hughes, who finished in fourth place in dramatic monologue and comedy monologue; Michael Moore and Brandon Castillo, who finished fifth in comedy pairs.  Moore also took second place in drama pairs with Saverio Turrano.  

At the Feb. 2 tournament at Eastern Regional High School, Absegami finished third overall, led by Erica Butterhof, who finished in fifth in both impromptu speaking and poetry interpretation, and Isabelle Brown, who took fourth place in impromptu speaking and first place in persuasive speaking. 

Other award winners at the Eastern tournament were Sammy Hickman, who finished secon in dramatic monologue; Colleen Garrison who took second place in after dinner speaking; Saverio Turrano and Michael Moore, who finished in 4th place in dramatic pairs; Brandon Castillo and Saverio Turrano who took third place for movie acting scene; and Megan Cantz, who finished fifth in persuasive speaking.