Justin Rodriguez may have ended Marshfield High School's state title drought in individual events, but it was Bandon High School that really turned some heads at the state speech tournament.

The speech team placed first in its division and nearly did the unthinkable by garnering almost as many points as the top large school in the state.

Wilson High School, a 6A school in the Portland area, finished with 70 points. Bandon, sporting a 3A classification, got 69, and finished ahead of about 50 other 6A and 5A schools, including Marshfield. The next closest school in Bandon's classification, Nestucca, got 22 points.

Joliene Chaffee took home the state championship in Lincoln-Douglas debate, while Clarissa Castaldi and Alex Sylvester won first place in dual interpretation. In addition, John Castaldi was awarded the state championship in humorous interpretation.

Oregon School Activities Association associate executive director Michael Wallmark said he'd never seen a small school do as well as the Tigers squad.

"Bandon's sweepstakes score may have been the highest ever for that classification of school," he said.

In addition to Clarissa Castaldi and Sylvester's first-place win in dual interpretation competition, Tyne Riddick and Kody Lawrence won second place, and Tatiana Havill and John Castaldi placed fourth. Riddick also competed in the semifinal round of humorous interpretation.

Havill placed second in expository speaking, while Corinna Warner placed third in dramatic interpretation. Clarissa advanced to the semi-final round in the category.

Bandon's Caitlyn McLauchlin placed fourth in poetry, while Marshfield junior Jamey Moriarty finished fourth in prose interpretation.