Four Rdale seniors qualify for state debate tournament

Continuing one of the longest-running streaks of state-level success in Minnesota, Armstrong High School (AHS) and Cooper High School (CHS) will be represented by four students at the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) State Debate Tournament in January.

From AHS, senior Alison Wandmacher earned top honors as the Section 6AA Champion for the third consecutive year, becoming the first Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale) student to win the section title three years in a row. With this continued success, Wandmacher will make her third appearance in the state tournament. 

She will be joined by fellow AHS senior Raina Nehreen, who has qualified for the state tournament for the first time. This will be the 15th consecutive year that AHS is represented at the state debate tournament.

Seniors Tessa Lenoch and Lily Plahn will continue a 22-year streak of state tournament appearances for CHS. Lenoch earned Section 6AA Runner-Up, and Plahn secured a strong finish. This marks a third trip to the MSHSL state tournament for both students.

All four students will compete on Jan. 16 and 17, where they return with notable prior results. Plahn enters as the defending state champion, with Wandmacher as the 2025 State Runner-Up, and Lenoch looks to build on last year’s seventh-place finish.

The MSHSL State Debate Tournament, founded in 1902, is the oldest state academic competition in Minnesota and brings together the top debaters from across the state for two days of competition.