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Show Debaters Climb in National Ranks University of Southern California, where LeDuc placed first, in speaker points. "CEDA competition is usually open, that is having no distinction made between junior and senior teams," M. L. Smith, SUSC forensics coach, explains. "USC was one tournament this year where the junior and senior difisions were clearly defined." At the same USC tournament, tour-nament, Peterson and DeAdder won first place in novice competition with DeAdder placing fourth in total number of speaker points. The freshman team, Smith says, narrowly missed breaking into several final rounds of tournament competition during the season. "There will be between 40 and 50 teams entered in the nationa contest," Smith says. "If we break a team into the final rounds--and we're confident that we can--we'll solidly establish SUSC as a national contender in CEDA debate, an impressive im-pressive feat for a year old squad." It's a long way to the top, but Southern Utah State College CEDA debaters have managed to climb to 14th place in national rankings in only one year. This weekend two SUSC teams will test their abilities at the CEDA Nationals being held at the University of Nevada, Reno. "You could say we started from rock bottom," says CEDA debater Craig LeDuc, a SUSC junior majoring in communications and political science. "Until this year, SUSC participated only in NDT, National Debate Topic, competition. CEDA competition, LeDuc says, or Cross Examination Debate Association, is more limited in scope than NDT competition. It's also a much newer area of forensics competition, being held for only about 10 years. CEDA teams this year are discussing the draft, compulsory com-pulsory national service, he says, while NDT teams are covering a much broader topic, the regulation of mass media.';, :.. ' Thunderbird cvompetitors at UNR will include the team of LeDuc and Tracy Ashman and the team of Kim-michelle Kim-michelle DeAdder and Sue Anne Peterson. LeDuc is a veteran of the SUSC forensics squad and former NDT debater. He is a 1977 graduate of Bingham High School, the son of Russell G. and Penne B. LeDuc, West Jordan. Adams and Peterson are both 1979 graduates of Timpview High School; DeAdder is a 1979 graduate of Orem High. Ashman is a communications major, the daughter of James D. and LaMon Ashman, Provo. Peterson is majoring in prelaw, pre-law, the daughter of Oliver Kay Peterson, Provo, and Wanda L. Bonnett, American Fork. DeAdder is the daughter of Stanley and Donalda DeAdder, Orem. She is a communications-elementary communications-elementary education major. LeDuc and Ashman have broken into the final rounds in eight of the 10 tournaments tour-naments they have entered this year. They have won several awards, including third p place honors in senior division competition at the |