On March 4th 2025, the Jesuit Varsity Debate Team embarked to TFA state, one of the most prestigious and competitive tournaments Jesuit attends during the season. The team achieved success with the team of Jesuit LR—Luke Lastelick ’25 and Leo Ramirez ’25—finishing in ninth place and Jesuit LR continuing to preserve Jesuit records.

What is TFA state tournament?

The TFA state tournament is one of the most challenging tournaments debaters in Texas compete in. To qualify, you must earn 12 total points by advancing and winning elimination rounds at TFA qualifying tournaments. This year, the Jesuit Debate Team qualified 3 Teams for TFA, including Luke Lastelick ’25 and Leo Ramirez ’25, Henry Banse ’26 and Nathan Pascas ’26, Langdon Carver ’26 and Dylan Joseph ’27, all who worked extremely hard during the season to qualify.

Jesuit CJ(Carver and Joseph) practicing a speech, credit to Mr. Lingel for the picture
Jesuit LR(Lastelick and Ramirez) practicing before the tournament, credit to Mr.Lingel for the picture

 What is Jesuit’s History at the TFA state tournament?

Since 1970’s, Jesuit has used to the standard of qualifying for the TFA state tournament to earn a Varsity Letter. Jesuit has won five state championships (1979, 2000, 2002, 2010, and 2011) since 1974 when the tournament began. This year,  as a result of Jesuit LR’s top 10 finish, Jesuit LR continued a 26 year Jesuit streak of qualifying at least one team for the TFA State tournament elimination rounds every year since 2000—a record no other school in the state has matched. Jesuit LR finished the preliminary rounds with a 5-1 record and earned the 5th seed competing against teams from San Antonio Churchill, Canyon, Coppell, Prosper, Austin Liberal Arts and Sciences and Houston Dulles. Twenty four teams finished the preliminary rounds this year with a 4-2 record or better which meant Jesuit LR received a bye in the first elimination round but then lost a 2-1 decision to 12th seed Austin Westwood in the Sweet 16 earning ninth place.

Jesuit Debaters in waroom, credit to Mr. Lingel for Picture

What awards did Jesuit win at TFA this year?

In addition to Jesuit LR keeping alive the 26 year streak of qualifying for the elimination rounds, both debaters earn All-State Honors. Both Ramirez and Lastelick finished in the top 20 speakers with Luke recognized as the 8th overall speaker and Leo the 17th out of roughly 150 individual speakers.

Another notable post-season tournament appearance came when on March 13th 2025, where members of the team competed at the First and Second Year National Championships in Atlanta where Jesuit GV—Keshav Giridhar ‘28 and Cade Vopni ‘27—finished in ninth place in the first year division and Dylan Joseph ‘27 earned a top 5 speaker award in the second year division.

Jesuit Debate Team infront of the cannon at Woodward Academy, credits to Dr.Mcfarland for Picture

What is the First and Second Year National Championships?

The First and Second Year National Championships, held at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, showcased fifty schools from across the country competing for national championship for first and second year debaters.  The Jesuit Debate team typically competes at the tournament as  the last tournament on this year’s topic for its novices (first year debaters) and for its sophomore debaters (usually in their second year). This year, two teams of novice debaters were sent, consisting of the teams of Jesuit GV: Keshav Giridhar ‘28 and Cade Vopni ‘27 and Jesuit BR: Joseph Bui ’28 and Theo Roberts ’28 and two teams of second year debaters were sent, consisting of the teams Jesuit JS—Dylan Joseph ’27 and Jonathan Shu ’27 and  Jesuit SS—Daniel Shao ’27 and Mikhail Skariah ’27.

What awards did Jesuit win at the National Tournament?

In the first year division, Jesuit GV finished the preliminary rounds with a 4-2 record and earned the 16th seed competing against teams Northview Georgia, Woodward Academy, Mamaroneck New York, and Austin Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy.  They lost a 2-1 decision to the top seed from Austin Liberal Arts and Sciences in the Sweet 16 for ninth place in the tournament. In the second year division, Jesuit JS—Dylan Joseph ’27 and Jonathan Shu ’27—finished with a 3-3 record and Dylan was recognized as the 5th overall individual speaker in the Second Year Division.

What’s next for the Jesuit Debaters?

The next big tournament for the Jesuit Varsity Debate is NDCA national championship and the Tournament of Champions. Two Jesuit teams have qualified for the NDCA National Championships that will be hosted at Marist school in Atlanta in mid April.  The Jesuit Teams that qualified are Jesuit LL(Luke Lastelick and Leo Ramirez) and Jesuit BP(Henry Banse and Nathan Pascas).

Stay tuned on The Roundup for more news about Jesuit’s debate team!

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