The cross-examination debate team of Annie Albrecht and Eleanor Kirkscey finished as quarterfinalists at the UIL State Tournament at the University of Texas in Austin on March 15-16.

Albrecht received 3rd best speaker and Kirkscey received 5th best speaker out of 128 contestants.

The sophomore team finished preliminary rounds with a 4-0 record and number one seed by defeating Industrial Vanderbilt, Elkhart, Brock, and Corsicana Mildred in the 64-team tournament.

During elimination rounds, the Blanco team defeated White Oak before having to face the same senior Industrial Vanderbilt team again and losing a close decision in quarterfinals. Industrial Vanderbilt went on to win the state championship, which puts the Blanco team in the unique position of giving the state champions their only loss of the tournament.

This year’s national policy debate topic is "Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey."

Each team develops an affirmative plan to solve for harms in the present governmental policy and has to prepare to argue against many other possible plans on the negative. Teams do not know which side they will take until minutes before each round.

Each debate round lasts approximately one and one-half hours.