You wouldn’t want to get into an argument with the Moorestown High School debate teams because their game is on point. With an almost undefeated season by the varsity team and the junior varsity team not too far behind, there is no debating their skills.
The members of the MHS debate teams capped an already impressive season with two amazing wins. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams were crowned South Jersey Debate League Champions on Feb. 25.
“The students were thrilled to win. They have worked hard, and our seniors have come a long way,” debate team coach Patrick A. Mooney said.
The MHS varsity debate team finished the regular debate season with a record of 15–1 and in first place in the varsity league. The MHS junior varsity debate team finished its season with a record of 20–8 and in first place in the junior varsity league. The Moorestown teams swept both championships on the final night of competition. These victories represent the third straight JV championship for MHS and the first varsity championship since 2004.
The varsity team consisted of seniors Olivia Bewley, Ryan Graham, Brian Sever and Rahul Wadhwa. Bewley was named the team’s Best Speaker.
Mooney has been the coach for the debate team for five years. He knew the team had some great talents and a good amount of experience, but didn’t know that it would do this well. However, members of the team were more confident than he, and the team began strong.
The teams prepared by gathering sources and knowing their sources for the debate topic that season. The topic this year was “The United States federal government should substantially increase its non-military exploration and/or development in the Earth’s oceans.” Each team had a side either for or against the topic and had to debate why their side was correct.
“Debate is a sport of agility, your mind needs to move fast in order to keep up with the debate and you don’t want unorganized sources to hold you back,” JV Best Speaker sophomore Bavish Gummadi said.
Both teams continued to do well throughout the season, ultimately making it to the South Jersey Debate League Championships. All members felt nervous going into the championships, but were also very excited. They knew the competition would be tough, but they held their ground and ultimately both teams won their titles.
“Winning was one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. We had to go through eight weeks of debating just to get there and winning was such a great feeling,” Sever said.
Although the team didn’t celebrate its victory right way, according to Mooney it will have a debate dinner banquet later in the year at which it will be recognized.
Next year the debate team is just looking to keep up the pace. It will be replacing the varsity team in full, but it has a lot of talented speakers on the rise.
The topic has already been released “The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.”
“Things will certainly get interesting,” Mooney said.
