Forget winter gloom, the Grossmont College Speech and Debate team brought the sunshine to this year’s Groundhog Day Tournament, as the Griffins flew their way to first-place. 

Clutching a team sweepstakes victory for community colleges, the Griffins received 18 awards, including four first-place finishes, over two days in February.

The Griffins warmed up with eight individual awards Saturday. Jadine Montanez stole the show with a first in drama and a second in persuasive speaking. Juliana Bertin earned third place in both drama and prose, while Edgar Torre grabbed third in informative speech. MJ Mouzon’s powerful oral interpretation landed fourth and Montanez added a fifth in prose. Benny Lindall, taking sixth in impromptu against a field of 21.

But the Griffins saved their best for Sunday, unlocking 10 more awards. Torre and Montanez both struck gold, placing first in informative speaking and prose. Atia Fairuz contributed with her persuasive skills, earning another first-place. Emily Anderson’s compelling oral interpretation secured second, while Montanez added two more third-place finishes in drama and persuasive speaking. Fairuz also grabbed fourth in prose and Anderson showcased her extemporaneous prowess with a fifth. Finally, Bertin finished the weekend with two more fifth-place finishes in prose and drama.

Grossmont’s team proved that when it comes to speech and debate, the Griffins’ roars were louder than any groundhog’s grumbles.