Charlie Wertheim
Feb 16, 2003
Case closed!
Glenwood Springs High School has once again dominated the regional mock trial tournament, repeating last year’s sweep of the top three places.
Glenwood’s first team defeated Glenwood’s second team in the finals of Saturday’s West Slope Mock Trial Regional Tournament in what the judging panel called the best match they’d ever seen in a mock trial competition, according to coach Vic Zerbi. It was the second team’s only loss of the tournament.
Glenwood’s third team matched the second team’s 3-1 record, after a first-round loss. Because not more than two teams from any one school can compete at the state tournament, the third team will have to be satisfied with finishing ahead of any other school. Twelve teams participated in the regional tournament.
Zerbi is especially proud of the third team, which is comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores. “They’re the future of the program,” he said.
Glenwood’s success is all the more impressive considering they’re one of the smallest schools involved, what Zerbi proudly calls “a David and Goliath situation.”
In mock trial, student teams act as lawyers and witnesses, presenting a case either for defense or prosecution. For this tournament, they have had since November to prepare their case. Student witnesses and lawyers are graded on their performances by a team of three people, including lawyers and lay people. The trials are overseen by either real judges or attorneys.
The first and second teams now have three weeks to prepare for the state tournament in Colorado Springs to be held March 7-8, which Zerbi refers to as “the big challenge ahead of us.”
He’s hoping to improve on last year’s first- and third-place state tournament finishes.
Zerbi says that mock trial “is a community project in the truest sense.” There were 9 adult coaches at the tournament, and a contingent of parents that outnumbered that from any other school.
The first team consists of Caitlin Barnes, Jessica Beck, Emily Cochran, Alec Littler, Marco Salmen, Cristi Slater, Abby Willman and Jacob Ziemann.
The second team consists of Lindsay Ball, Carlyn Farquhar, Bobby Gucwa, Graham Jackson, Siam Luu, Aaron Rowland, Shelby Sadler and Mitch Trebesh.
The third team consists of Anna Hakanson, Zack Hallford, Sara Lewis, Mary Morelli, Zak Parsons, Eleni Roussos, Scott Straus, Angie Vichick and Dylan Walters.