2025 Piney Woods Derby

Prudentia (TX) - Nov 6-8, 2025 | Status: Closed | 1:28 AM Central

Tournament Time
1:28 AM Central

Mandy and I wanted to address the issue of content in speeches and debate cases at the Piney Woods Derby.

By registering, parents and club leaders who attend the Piney Woods Derby agree that they will abide by the Content Policy of the tournament, and will accept the decision of tournament leadership regarding any question of content in and speech or debate case presented during the tournament.

We do not expect any issues. In the eleven years we have been doing speech and debate, I can count on one hand the number of times speech or case content was an issue. However, if any issues come up, this is how we will address them.

When creating this policy, Mandy and I considered these factors:

Participation in Stoa activities and competition should be, as much as possible, as open as possible. Generally any content that follows the rules and is appropriate for the venue should be allowed.
The Piney Woods Derby follows the minimum standards for Stoa tournaments. While the minimum standards speaks to the role of local tournament leadership, it does not specifically address who has the authority over content at a local tournament.
While we all stand on a Christian foundation, perspectives on what is acceptable within a local community may differ from family to family, region to region. East Texas is a conservative region.
Local Tournament Directors bear both the responsibility for and authority over content presented at their local tournaments. The Stoa Board of Directors has agreed that while they hope it would never be necessary, the local TD has the authority to make decisions about content presented at their local tournaments.
Participation in Stoa tournaments is a community activity. Cases and speeches are not presented in a vacuum, but as part of a community context. Every local community is different. Local TDs bear the responsibility for protecting relationships within our Stoa families and clubs, with the venue and the local community in the area.
Participation in a Stoa tournament is a family activity. Not only do we have competitors from age 12 to 18, but we routinely encourage younger children to attend speech and debate rounds. As a community, we encourage students to compete as soon as they turn 12, in both speech and debate events.
Parents have the right to decide when and how sensitive topics are presented to their children. No parent, coach or competitor should force a child to learn about sensitive topics without a parent's permission.

Therefore, the Piney Woods Derby will adhere to the following guidelines should an issue with content arise during our tournament:

As stated in some Speech event rules, gratuitous vulgarity is strictly prohibited. For the Piney Woods Derby, this extends to all speech and debate events. Vulgarity includes, but is not limited to: profanity, pornographic descriptions, detailed descriptions or portrayals of violence, and other similar behaviors.
Some topics are sensitive, and presenting information about them with younger students or competitors in the room would violate the standards of our local community context. Steps will be taken to restrict this content. Steps could include, but are not limited to: asking young children to leave the room before a round or speech, requesting competitors use a different case when facing younger debaters, or complete restriction of the speech or debate case from competition. The Tournament Directors have the final authority in these matters.

How do you know if content violates the local community context?

Follow this rule of thumb:
If you delivered the speech or debate content to a group of 5th and 6th grade homeschool kids, would you be certain that there would be no complaints or concerns from parents?

If there is any question that even one parent might be alarmed by your content being presented to their child, reach out to Piney Woods Derby leadership to discuss you case or speech. We will do our best to find a way for you to compete in a way that does not harm relationships in the process. If you are concerned that your debate case may violate this policy, reach out to us, and prepare a 2nd case to use if needed.

We do not expect any issues. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.

Parliamentary Debate

Michaela Baker & Reese Hinton

Henry Bentel & Stanley Crouch

Benjamin Caudal & Mikayla Martin

Bri Cholet & Charlotte Snyder

Victory Dixon & Clementine Helmstetler

Valor Dixon & Isaac Six

Liam Flood & Brogan Hawbaker

Andres Flores & Gus Richardson

Josephine Hunt & Reilly Ruth

Aleyah Jimenez & Gabriel Linn

Cade Kirkman & Sam Mauldin

Bryce Laird & Chase Williams

Grace Link & Bailey Vacca

Samuel Maganda & Auburn Owens

Ewan McNamara & Ryann Swan

Trevor Mikes & James Schiffmayer

Jackson Moody & Nathan Quilici

Elizabeth Naiser & Vivian Tatom

Sawyer Neufeld & Grayson Wurpts

Zoe Parker & Naya White

Pete Silverthorne & Noelle Tallon

Hudson Six & Alette Williams

Carolina Skloss & Clay Skloss

Christopher Werner & Easton Werner

Team Policy

Michaela Baker & Nathan Quilici

Henry Bentel & Victory Dixon

Benjamin Bradberry & Clark Cooney

Bri Cholet & Charlotte Snyder

Gemma Clarkson & Olan Hutchins

Preston Cox & Clover Helmstetler

Jonah Crouch & Elias Hutchins

Valor Dixon & Isaac Six

Garrison Dixon & Ethan Souders

Liam Flood & Samuel Maganda

Will Friederichsen & Tabor Touchstone

Brogan Hawbaker & Auburn Owens

Clementine Helmstetler & Mikayla Martin

Luka Ignatenko & RJ Williams

Aleyah Jimenez & Lola Kirby

Scarlett Kucia & Hudson Six

Ewan McNamara & Christopher Werner

Trevor Mikes & James Schiffmayer

Carys Murphy & Nevaeh Suarez

Zane Sandlin & Wei-En Zhou

Carolina Skloss & Clay Skloss

Ray Suarez & Titus Touchstone

Alette Williams & Chase Williams

Lincoln Douglas

Ephraim Adams

Simeon Adams

Miryam Adams

Cambryn Aschmutat

Ari Baker

Lydia Brown

Rebekah Brown

Joy Byun

Benjamin Caudal

David Cooney

Leah Corley

Stanley Crouch

Andres Flores

Matthew Gray

Sarah Green

Gage Grosstick

Vivien Grover

Jillian Heinrichs

Gavin Heinrichs

Reese Hinton

Josephine Hunt

Amelia Ignatenko

Ransom Jackson

Cade Kirkman

Bryce Laird

Sam Layfield

Grace Link

Gabriel Linn

Norah Mauldin

Sam Mauldin

Grace Mauriello

Kelsey Minor

Jackson Moody

Sidney Muscarella

Elizabeth Naiser

Sawyer Neufeld

Isabella Ocheltree

Zoe Parker

Brynlee Patterson

Gus Richardson

Dalton Richardson

Ryland Roedel

Samuel Russell

Nathan Ruth

Reilly Ruth

Pete Silverthorne

Noelle Tallon

Vivian Tatom

Joseph Thenhaus

Trinity Trevethick

Bailey Vacca

Easton Werner

Naya White

Lila Willingham

Grayson Wurpts

Callye Zgarba

Bella Zgarba

Tournament Time
1:28 AM Central

Back to Postings

Lincoln Douglas Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm Round 1 Flight A - Start Time: 3:15 pm
Flight	Affirmative		Negative		Room
A	PRUD	Lila Willingham	SURG	Grayson Wurpts	Bridge D105
A	PRUD	Noelle Tallon	INVF	Bryce Laird	Bridge D107
A	IGNI	Samuel Russell	PRUD	Zoe Parker	Bridge D110
A	SURG	Norah Mauldin	PRUD	Isabella Ocheltree	Bridge D111
A	INVF	Benjamin Caudal	PRUD	Pete Silverthorne	Bridge D112
A	GRSP	Ari Baker	MIRR	Vivian Tatom	Bridge D113
A	PRUD	Ryland Roedel	ASTX	Gus Richardson	Bridge D120
A	COAST	Nathan Ruth	PRUD	Sarah Green	Preschool A221
A	INVF	Gabriel Linn	LCH	Vivien Grover	Preschool A222
A	COAST	Bella Zgarba	INVF	Stanley Crouch	Preschool A223
A	MIRR	Sam Layfield	SURG	Joseph Thenhaus	Preschool A224
A	FTFY	Jackson Moody	LGCO	Easton Werner	Preschool A225
A	D315	Miryam Adams	SURG	Sawyer Neufeld	Preschool A226
A	COAST	Gage Grosstick	D315	Ephraim Adams	Preschool A228

Lincoln Douglas Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm Flight B - Start Time: 4:00 pm
Flight	Affirmative		Negative		Room
B	D315	Jillian Heinrichs	PRUD	Grace Link	Bridge D105
B	PRUD	Bailey Vacca	D315	Simeon Adams	Bridge D107
B	FTFY	David Cooney	COAST	Josephine Hunt	Bridge D110
B	LCH	Ransom Jackson	PRUD	Naya White	Bridge D111
B	COAST	Cambryn Aschmutat	SURG	Cade Kirkman	Bridge D112
B	INVF	Amelia Ignatenko	LCH	Lydia Brown	Bridge D113
B	LCH	Grace Mauriello	SOAR	Reese Hinton	Bridge D120
B	MIRR	Elizabeth Naiser	SURG	Sam Mauldin	Preschool A221
B	SOAR	Brynlee Patterson	PRUD	Kelsey Minor	Preschool A222
B	PRUD	Matthew Gray	ASTX	Dalton Richardson	Preschool A223
B	D315	Sidney Muscarella	TORCH	Joy Byun	Preschool A224
B	LCH	Rebekah Brown	COAST	Reilly Ruth	Preschool A225
B	COAST	Leah Corley	D315	Gavin Heinrichs	Preschool A226
B	COAST	Callye Zgarba		bye	none assigned

Lincoln Douglas Postings by Name Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm - Prelim Round 1
Name	Room
Amelia Ignatenko	Bridge D113
Ari Baker	Bridge D113
Bailey Vacca	Bridge D107
Bella Zgarba	Preschool A223
Benjamin Caudal	Bridge D112
Bryce Laird	Bridge D107
Brynlee Patterson	Preschool A222
Cade Kirkman	Bridge D112
Callye Zgarba	none assigned
Cambryn Aschmutat	Bridge D112
Dalton Richardson	Preschool A223
David Cooney	Bridge D110
Easton Werner	Preschool A225
Elizabeth Naiser	Preschool A221
Ephraim Adams	Preschool A228
Gabriel Linn	Preschool A222
Gage Grosstick	Preschool A228
Gavin Heinrichs	Preschool A226
Grace Link	Bridge D105
Grace Mauriello	Bridge D120
Grayson Wurpts	Bridge D105
Gus Richardson	Bridge D120
Isabella Ocheltree	Bridge D111
Jackson Moody	Preschool A225
Jillian Heinrichs	Bridge D105
Joseph Thenhaus	Preschool A224
Josephine Hunt	Bridge D110
Joy Byun	Preschool A224
Kelsey Minor	Preschool A222
Leah Corley	Preschool A226
Lila Willingham	Bridge D105
Lydia Brown	Bridge D113
Matthew Gray	Preschool A223
Miryam Adams	Preschool A226
Nathan Ruth	Preschool A221
Naya White	Bridge D111
Noelle Tallon	Bridge D107
Norah Mauldin	Bridge D111
Pete Silverthorne	Bridge D112
Ransom Jackson	Bridge D111
Rebekah Brown	Preschool A225
Reese Hinton	Bridge D120
Reilly Ruth	Preschool A225
Ryland Roedel	Bridge D120
Sam Layfield	Preschool A224
Sam Mauldin	Preschool A221
Samuel Russell	Bridge D110
Sarah Green	Preschool A221
Sawyer Neufeld	Preschool A226
Sidney Muscarella	Preschool A224
Simeon Adams	Bridge D107
Stanley Crouch	Preschool A223
Vivian Tatom	Bridge D113
Vivien Grover	Preschool A222
Zoe Parker	Bridge D110

2025 Piney Woods Derby

Piney Woods Derby

Lincoln Douglas

Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm Round 1

Flight A - Start Time: 3:15 pm

Lincoln Douglas

Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm

Flight B - Start Time: 4:00 pm

Lincoln Douglas Postings by Name

Thu 11/6 3:15-5:15 pm - Prelim Round 1