Debate team performed well at last weekend’s tournament at Columbia University, according to senior Zachary Rosenof, a captain.

Two teams, one consisting of seniors Jordan Ecker and Jonathan Kim and another of seniors Gloria Li and Rosenof, broke to outrounds, which are rounds that are designed to allow the better teams to advance, according to Rosenof. Rosenof said this was his goal for the season.
Another two teams almost broke into outrounds: one consisting of sophomore Bill Shen and freshman Edward Ding, and another consisting of senior Kristian Lundberg and junior Alex Feit.

Although more teams did not manage to place into outrounds or finish further along in the tournament, Rosenof said that he was not at all disappointed in the team’s overall performance.

“We did really well, and South did well. Overall, Newton as a whole did really great representing seven of the 32 teams who broke to outrounds,” Rosenof said.

Having placed in the top 16 at Big Lex, Jan. 18 and 19, Ecker and Kim earned their second necessary bid to compete at the Tournament of Champions (ToC) at the University of Kentucky in May, Rosenof said. The duo previously placed at a tournament at Yale in October for their first bid.

According to Rosenof, these tournaments have between 100-180 entrants and are very prestigious.

“The ToC is basically the holy grail of debate,” he said. He added that Ecker and Kim will be the first debaters from this school to qualify and attend.

“Only two teams from all of Massachusetts went last year,” he said.