2025 Piney Woods Derby

Prudentia (TX) - Nov 6-8, 2025 | Status: Closed | 1:26 AM Central

Tournament Time
1:26 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
1:26 AM Central

Back to Postings

Lincoln Douglas Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm Round 2 Flight A - Start Time: 7:30 pm
Flight	Affirmative		Negative		Room
A	D315	Ephraim Adams	PRUD	Lila Willingham	Bridge D105
A	LCH	Vivien Grover	INVF	Benjamin Caudal	Bridge D107
A	TORCH	Joy Byun	PRUD	Ryland Roedel	Bridge D110
A	PRUD	Zoe Parker	GRSP	Ari Baker	Bridge D111
A	PRUD	Pete Silverthorne	SURG	Norah Mauldin	Bridge D112
A	SURG	Joseph Thenhaus	COAST	Nathan Ruth	Bridge D113
A	LCH	Lydia Brown	INVF	Gabriel Linn	Bridge D120
A	COAST	Reilly Ruth	FTFY	David Cooney	Preschool A221
A	PRUD	Sarah Green	COAST	Cambryn Aschmutat	Preschool A222
A	MIRR	Vivian Tatom	FTFY	Jackson Moody	Preschool A223
A	D315	Gavin Heinrichs	IGNI	Samuel Russell	Preschool A224
A	SOAR	Reese Hinton	D315	Jillian Heinrichs	Preschool A225
A	COAST	Josephine Hunt	D315	Miryam Adams	Preschool A226
A	D315	Simeon Adams	PRUD	Noelle Tallon	Preschool A228

Lincoln Douglas Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm Flight B - Start Time: 8:15 pm
Flight	Affirmative		Negative		Room
B	PRUD	Kelsey Minor	LCH	Ransom Jackson	Bridge D105
B	SURG	Grayson Wurpts	PRUD	Bailey Vacca	Bridge D107
B	PRUD	Naya White	COAST	Callye Zgarba	Bridge D110
B	PRUD	Isabella Ocheltree	LCH	Rebekah Brown	Bridge D111
B	INVF	Stanley Crouch	LCH	Grace Mauriello	Bridge D112
B	SURG	Cade Kirkman	MIRR	Elizabeth Naiser	Bridge D113
B	SURG	Sawyer Neufeld	COAST	Gage Grosstick	Bridge D120
B	SURG	Sam Mauldin	PRUD	Matthew Gray	Preschool A221
B	INVF	Bryce Laird	SOAR	Brynlee Patterson	Preschool A222
B	PRUD	Grace Link	MIRR	Sam Layfield	Preschool A223
B	LGCO	Easton Werner	COAST	Leah Corley	Preschool A224
B	ASTX	Gus Richardson	D315	Sidney Muscarella	Preschool A225
B	ASTX	Dalton Richardson	INVF	Amelia Ignatenko	Preschool A226
B		bye	COAST	Bella Zgarba	none assigned

Lincoln Douglas Postings by Name Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm - Prelim Round 2
Name	Room
Amelia Ignatenko	Preschool A226
Ari Baker	Bridge D111
Bailey Vacca	Bridge D107
Bella Zgarba	none assigned
Benjamin Caudal	Bridge D107
Bryce Laird	Preschool A222
Brynlee Patterson	Preschool A222
Cade Kirkman	Bridge D113
Callye Zgarba	Bridge D110
Cambryn Aschmutat	Preschool A222
Dalton Richardson	Preschool A226
David Cooney	Preschool A221
Easton Werner	Preschool A224
Elizabeth Naiser	Bridge D113
Ephraim Adams	Bridge D105
Gabriel Linn	Bridge D120
Gage Grosstick	Bridge D120
Gavin Heinrichs	Preschool A224
Grace Link	Preschool A223
Grace Mauriello	Bridge D112
Grayson Wurpts	Bridge D107
Gus Richardson	Preschool A225
Isabella Ocheltree	Bridge D111
Jackson Moody	Preschool A223
Jillian Heinrichs	Preschool A225
Joseph Thenhaus	Bridge D113
Josephine Hunt	Preschool A226
Joy Byun	Bridge D110
Kelsey Minor	Bridge D105
Leah Corley	Preschool A224
Lila Willingham	Bridge D105
Lydia Brown	Bridge D120
Matthew Gray	Preschool A221
Miryam Adams	Preschool A226
Nathan Ruth	Bridge D113
Naya White	Bridge D110
Noelle Tallon	Preschool A228
Norah Mauldin	Bridge D112
Pete Silverthorne	Bridge D112
Ransom Jackson	Bridge D105
Rebekah Brown	Bridge D111
Reese Hinton	Preschool A225
Reilly Ruth	Preschool A221
Ryland Roedel	Bridge D110
Sam Layfield	Preschool A223
Sam Mauldin	Preschool A221
Samuel Russell	Preschool A224
Sarah Green	Preschool A222
Sawyer Neufeld	Bridge D120
Sidney Muscarella	Preschool A225
Simeon Adams	Preschool A228
Stanley Crouch	Bridge D112
Vivian Tatom	Preschool A223
Vivien Grover	Bridge D107
Zoe Parker	Bridge D111

2025 Piney Woods Derby

Piney Woods Derby

Lincoln Douglas

Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm Round 2

Flight A - Start Time: 7:30 pm

Lincoln Douglas

Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm

Flight B - Start Time: 8:15 pm

Lincoln Douglas Postings by Name

Thu 11/6 7:30-9:30 pm - Prelim Round 2