Matthew Ealy, left, and Christopher Flix of the Yates High School debate team. Photo submitted.

From a press release:

The Yates debaters were great once again.

Christopher Flix, 16, and Matthew Ealy, 17, both juniors at Jack Yates High School, won the varsity division at the second Houston Urban Debate League tournament held November 6 and 7 at Westside High School.

Flix and Ealy defeated Reagan High School debaters Brandon Clements and Albert Franco to win the final round. The Yates teammates said they were pleased to come on top against such formidable contenders.

"This win was probably the most fulfilling and that is because our last two rounds of the tournament (semi-finals and finals), we faced very good teams," Ealy said. "And I can tell you, it's hardest to win a tournament when you know everyone is gunning to beat nobody else but you."

Flix said the research and practice made the difference.

"I’m so excited that our hard work and dedication produced results," Flix said. "Although there are areas we need to improve in, this win speaks to the fact that Yates is a serious contender in the realm of debate."

In junior varsity, the Westside High School debate team swept the entire division. This is Westside High School’s first year joining the league. The first place winners were Adrianna Eckford and Miesha Johnson, and Kristen Koch and Harlan Oh earned second place.

There are about 30 schools and 250 students who are part of the debate league. Each school is assigned mentors who work closely with the debaters. At Yates HS, policy debaters and University of Houston students Steven Messer and Blake Gilson work with the Yates team. Messer and Gilson said they were pleased that the hard work of the debaters paid off.

"Given the drive and dedication that our teams had shown before the season started, I knew we would be successful," Messer said. "But I never dreamed we would take both of the first two tournaments, especially considering how large the varsity field is this year."

Gilson said that mentors helped him succeed as a debater so this is simply his opportunity to give back. "It is an absolute joy working with the Yates debaters. It is hard to find such a group of dedicated students who are willing to do what it takes to win," he said.

Along with the mentors, the team is coached by Terri Williams and Rennette Brown, both English teachers.

Brown said that while she was pleased with the win, she and Williams will work hard to strengthen the junior varsity teams. "The varsity team has done an outstanding job in the tournaments, and we are looking forward to seeing our novice team rising to the occasion as well," Brown said.

Williams, who competed in policy debate and speech in the mid 1980s at Cypress Creek High School, said she remembers when Yates HS was dominant in speech. She said she is renewed that Yates is again having success.

"When I competed in speech and debate, my coach always told us ‘Watch out for Yates,’ " Williams said. "I’m hoping that we’re regaining that tradition."