Current Events

Senior Mock Trial Team dominates at Regionals, looks to win State

Mary Earp
March 8, 2012

The Senior Mock Trial Team is advancing to state after sweeping the competition last Saturday at Regionals which were held at the Clackamas County Courthouse in Oregon City. The seniors were the only team to go 3-0 at the competition, and they ended with the highest point total as well, with 80 out of a possible 90 points.

Regionals consisted of 14 teams competing for three spots at State. According to Emily Axelrod, senior, this year was different; all of the other teams in the region were out to beat West Linn.

“The other teams were specifically out to get us and put up more of a fight than ever before, but we didn’t let them,” Axelrod said. “I’m so proud to take first in the region, and we’re ready to kill at State.”

The Junior Mock Trial Team placed fourth at Regionals, but were second based on point totals, following the seniors. Matt Kellogg, coach, was both pleased with the performance of the team but also disappointed in the outcome.

“Regionals was the all too common occurrence of being half incredibly pleased and the other half frustrated,” Kellogg said.

Along with Kellogg, the junior team was irritated at not advancing even with its high point total. Despite this, they still plan to attend the State Competition to support the seniors.

“I’m really excited to see the senior team take first at State,” Emily Art, junior, said. “Both the junior and senior teams have become super close over the season, and I’m sad it has to end.”

Axelrod agreed with Art about how close the teams have become. According to Axelrod, the seniors have bonded immensely through all of the time that they have spent together, from State last year to Empire, the international competition.

“We’ve literally become a family, and since this is our last year together, we’re leaving everything in the courtroom,” Axelrod said.

Individual awards were given out during the competition during each round. Senior winners included Tatiana Jungerman and Camille Bradshaw, attorneys, and Hannah Beth Gilbert, witness. For the junior team, Oliver Muggli, junior, and Art earned award as attorneys. In addition to the first, Art earned a second award for being a witness.

The seniors will compete at State next Friday, March 16 at 4 p.m., and Saturday, March 17 at 8:30 a.m. in the Federal Courthouse in Portland.

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About the Contributor

Mary Earp, Co Editor-in-chief

Perfectionist, outgoing and busy are just three of the many words that describe Mary Earp, senior. Earp heard about Amplifier from her eighth grade English teacher, and has been a part of the staff since her freshman year. Currently, she is one of the three Co-Editors-in-chiefs of the paper. Most people have goals that they would like to pursue in their life, and this is a true statement for Earp as well. “I want to be a doctor, and I know this sounds cheesy, but I would really like to make a difference in the world,” Earp said. After high school, her hopes include attending either Pomona College or University of California, Berkeley. Outside of school, Earp has a very hectic life which includes playing co-ed soccer, being a member of the school Mock Trial team and being the President of National Honor Society. She is traveling to New York in late October for an international Mock Trial Competition, Empire, where she is assigned to present the closing argument and both direct and cross examinations for the trial. Some highlights of Earp’s summer were hanging out with friends and taking a vacation to North Carolina, where she visited family and spent some time at the warm sunny beach. If Earp could visit any place two places in the world, she would choose “Italy and Machu Picchu, Peru, because the scenery is beautiful,” Earp said. Her favorite year in high school so far was junior year. “It challenged me the most and broadened my horizons,” Earp said. So far in her senior year, the class Earp most enjoys is AP Environmental Science, “It’s very interesting, enlightening, and I have a great teacher,” Earp said. Earp’s senior year is packed with AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus BC and AP English, leaving her with a long night of work to complete. The most challenging part of taking these classes “is all of the work involved,” Earp said. So far, her last year in high school has been hectic and full of work, yet she is excited and looking forward to all of the opportunities that lie ahead in her future.