Manhattan High Forensics is preparing for the victory bells, heading into the final stretch of the competition season with seven entries to two different national tournaments and 20 entries to the State Tournament.

“It’s been [a] very long and hectic season,” head coach Mac Phrommany said.

The teams’ last tournament, at Shawnee Heights, gained the team five qualifications out of seven total for the season. These wins come from junior Tanya Singh, junior Trinity Brockman and freshman Sam Delong — all in Congressional Debate — as well as junior Will Bannister in World Schools Debate and freshman Ryan Ward in Humorous Acting.

“The experience is more that matters to me at nationals than actually doing well,” Singh said. “I’m excited to get closer to my teammates and coaches … it’s exciting.”

According to Brockman, however, the challenges the team has faced, and will face at their upcoming events, is creating cohesiveness in pieces while appealing to the wide-range of judging styles.

“It’s been hard to please judges because they all are looking for something different,” Brockman said. “To find a cohesive piece piece that’s going to please everyone is kind of difficult. But if you just remember that you’re doing the event for yourself not others, and no matter what score you get it’s self improvement. That’s all that matters.”

Debate will continue on this week to a tournament in Abilene today — their last opportunity to increase their number of state qualifications before State Tournament May 4.

“We’ve got people who can take state titles,” Phrommany said. “They certainly can make it to the semifinals and finals rounds. I don’t have any doubt that that cannot happen … We’ve got a lot of young talent that is going to continue.”