Most teams in speech, and especially in Kentucky, have taken years to build a program that could be called awesome or phenominal. However, Graves County is the exception to that rule. In 1995 Angela Mitchell began the Graves County High School Forensic team in hopes of pursuring speech competiton at her new job. With only a handful of students, she took them out onto the curcit to compete. Relativly little success occured that year, but from then on the team began to grow.
The second season brought 18 members to the team. In was in this year that the team received its first trophy, thrid place at the Warren East Corvette Classic. It was a milestone for the team in their journey to greatness. That year, they also placed second in the Murray Regional Tournament. They place 24 out of 68 teams in the state tournament.
"Rising Thorugh the Ranks"
1996 brought the first chance at greatness for the team. A large crop of first year members shot the team to a record thirty members. The team makes splashes by placing at three tournaments. It was also in this year that the team placed for the first time in the Regional Competion, taking second. The state tournament become the glory of the season, where two members made the finals of state and the team took tenth overall, the fastest any team in KHSSL history has reached the sweepstakes.
"A Dynsasty Is on the Horizon"
1997 only brought more hope for the team as their ranks now rose to 32. The team recorded seven sweepstakes trophies, placing in the top six every weekend they competed. The squad received their first every Sweepstakes Championshi[ at the Hopkinsville Invitational. They once again recorded a second palce finish in regionals, and qualified a team record 29 out of 33 participants for the state tournament. At state, Jon Brasfield was the first team member to record a State Title, his in Radio Broadcasting. The team once again broke down records, taking fifth in the overall sweepstakes. They placed behind schools such as Boone County, Murray, Danville and Layfayette, who have consistently had strong squads for tens of years.
"Tilford Takes the Helm"
A new chapter in GCHS team history was written in 1998. After the unexpected leave of Coach Mitchell, new Arkansas coach Jennifer Tilford took the job as Coach. This year the team received a trophy from every tournament they attended and never placed below sixth in a competition. The team again took first in the Hopkinsville Invitational. The runner-up trophy was once again given to the team in the regional tournament. At state, Brasfield took his back-to-back championship in broadcasting once again. The team slipped one place and fell to sixth, nothing to be ashamed of for such a young team. Most teams lose power as a new coach takes the helm, but more members recorded individual sucess in this season than ever before.
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1996 Season Third Place - Corvette Classic Fourth Place - Murray Regionals Twenty-Fourth Place - State Tournament 1997 Season Third Place - Lincoln Invitational Third Place - Corvette Classic Second Place - Murray Regionals Tenth Place - State Tournament 1998 Season Third Place - Calloway County Tournament of Champs Fifth Place - WKU Big Red Swing Fifth Place - Greenwood Gator Swing First Place - Hopkinsville Invitational Second Place - WKU Hilltopper Classic Third Place - Russelville Invitational Third Place - We Must Be Crazy Fifth Place - Pike Holiday Tournament Sixth Place - Boone Sqaure D Tournament Second Place -- Murray Regionals Fifth Place -- KHSSL State 1999 Season Fifth Place -- Larue Lincoln Invitational Third Place -- Bethlehem Tournament of Stars Second Place -- Calloway County Tourn. of Champs Sixth Place -- WKU Big Red Swing Fourth Place -- Greenwood Gator Swing First Place -- Hopkinsville Invitational Fifth Place -- WKU Hilltopper Classic Second Place -- Russelville Invitational Third Place -- We Must Be Crazy Second Place -- Murray Regionals Sixth Place -- KHSSL State |