Tarmac Online

Erik Ravn ’27

(no picture, the Columbia tournament was online

Matthew Ahlfeld ’29 took home the first-place trophy at the Columbia University Invitational on February 1, 2026. When he did so, he won more than just a trophy; he cemented what has become Chaminade High School’s most dominant debate season in recent history, and he did this as a freshman competing against debaters from as far as China.

This path was anything but easy. “Despite being one loss away from elimination in the preliminary rounds, I still championed the tournament, only because I was well prepared by my team,” Ahlfeld said. That preparation provided by the team was used when it mattered most, carrying him through the bracket with polished competitors nationwide.

His victory follows the performance of Jack Carey ’28, who placed 2nd at the Princeton Invitational on December 7, 2025. Like Ahlfeld, Carey is a first-year debater, or novice for short. The fact that two newcomers have achieved high levels of success at two Ivy League tournaments speaks to a transformation in the Chaminade forensics program.

For Jack Carey, the accolades earned at Princeton were much more than an individual achievement. In a recent interview, he wrote, “Princeton was a testament to Chaminade as more than a school, but as a whole team, who not only backed me up, but also helped me to deal with failure.” Adding, “This is the only team I’ve ever known to root for someone else’s success above their own. That camaraderie is what allowed me to go above and beyond; they made me proud to represent something greater than myself and strive to achieve victory to bring back to them.”

This year, the numbers have been telling that story. In the 2025–2026 school year, Chaminade’s first-year debaters have accumulated over 23 winning records and trophies, a figure so large for a program primarily built on competitors who have not debated before September 2025. The team has championed local tournaments; however, Princeton and Columbia represent a level of national recognition, drawing talented debaters from around the United States and, in Columbia’s case, the world.

Lincoln-Douglas debate, the format in which Ahlfeld and Carey compete, is one of Chaminade’s premiere programs. It differs from more popular debate formats, such as 2 versus 2, as this particular format is one debater versus another. It was named after the famous 1858 debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The format emphasizes philosophical argumentation and reasoning grounded in various different values. In addition to attacking specific policies and plans, the debaters within this section argue resolutions that are broad and ethically grounded.

The current resolution that Ahlfeld championed asks whether the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral, which embodies what LD debate is all about. Competitors must argue both sides of the resolution, switching between the affirmative and negative sides throughout the tournament. In addition, competitors for this topic must be educated in both philosophical and practical arguments for both sides, which is no easy task.

This success is not by accident—behind Chaminade’s transformation is a combination of dedicated club moderators and student leaders who have poured countless hours into building this program.

Mr. William Clemens ’14 stands as the Chaminade alumnus who runs the program and established the success we see today. He is supported by Ms. Tina Smith, who coordinates tournament logistics, and Ms. Courtney Wallace, who moderates team meetings and acts as a judge for local tournaments. Together, these three LD moderators provide the support that this premiere program necessitates to function.

Student leadership is especially impactful for the team’s growth. Captains Erik Ravn ’27 and Owen Sack ’27 have done heavy lifting, running practices and mentoring first-year debaters. In addition, Alex Patney ’27, Vice President of Service for the team, has had a consistently impactful presence at meetings. Finally, Novice Coordinators Michael Cole ’27 and Colin Schwarz ’28 were instrumental in assisting first-year debaters in the first couple of weeks of their long journeys.

Ahlfeld recognized this leadership, writing, “I want to thank captains Erik Ravn ’27 and Owen Sack ’27, President Anthony Gabrielli ’26, and coach Mr. William Clemens ’14.”

The season is far from over, as Chaminade now turns the page to the Harvard University National Debate Tournament on February 17, which is one of the largest tournaments attended annually.

Twenty-three trophies, a finalist at Princeton, and a champion at Columbia prove that the debate program is no longer building towards something—it has already arrived.Share

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