Mock Trial takes all

By Chloe Webster

The St. Mary’s Mock Trial team killed it last week, and you need to know these results.

​After months of preparing, the St. Mary’s Mock Trial team went to the Shelby County Courthouse last week to compete against Memphis schools for the district championship trophy as well as a chance to go to state. After defeating multiple teams including the MUS and Westminster Academy A Teams, the two St. Mary’s teams had to compete against each other during the 5th night of competition. They said that it was each team’s toughest trial of the competition. In the final trial of the competition against Westminster, St. Mary’s became the district champion, qualifying for the state competition in March. Westminster also qualified for state. Even though there were two separate teams, nicknamed Cobalt and Turquoise, for the district competition, St. Mary’s Mock Trial will combine those teams for the state competition in order to create the ultimate all-star team.

Reflecting on how close the team has gotten, senior Gabby Perez said, “We’re basically a cult, and we like it like that.” She went on to say that she is excited to get to spend more time with the team in preparation for state in March and that she is really going to miss the team next year — especially all of the car rides to the courthouse, group hugs and fun moments with some of her favorite people.

The Mock Trial team will continue to prepare their case until the State Championship from March 22-23 in Nashville. Attorneys Gabby Perez (12), Pooja Talati (12), Victoria Ouyang (11), Ria Patel (10) and Ansley Skipper (10) along with witnesses Ana Albrecht (11), Riya Valaulikar (11), Kalen Ingram (10), Lily Curlin (10), Hita Mohan (9) and Pooja (yes, again) will compete in a round robin style tournament including at least four trials against the other district finalists from elsewhere in Tennessee, including Nashville rivals University School of Nashville and Harpeth Hall. However, the team asserted that all team members are vital to winning a state championship, including and especially those not competing at state.
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A team mantra is “You earn your trophies at practice; you just pick them up at competitions,” and the St. Mary’s Mock Trial team certainly hopes to pick up the state championship trophy next month at Davidson County Courthouse.