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The Luverne mock trial team completed a practice dual Feb. 28 in front of friends and family in the middle-high school media center.
No scores were kept during the two-hour contest between the prosecution and defense teams. The event comes after the team missed qualifying for the state contest last weekend.
“It was a close contest — it could have gone either way,” said attorney coach Jeff Haubrich. “It was hard to accept the results and be knocked out of the state competition, effectively ending the streak.”
Luverne lost to Winona Cotter on Feb. 17 in the last round of the 2022 season to determine who would represent Region 4 at the state tournament. While Luverne’s prosecution was awarded more points based on their performance, it was the judges’ 2-1 vote who gave Winona Cotter the win and the trip to the state tournament.
Luverne has qualified for the state tournament every year since 2014.
The in-person performance in front of friends and family Feb. 28 allowed students to remember and for some students to experience how much more fun mock trial is when performed in-person, instead of virtually as all of the 2022 season was conducted.
Next year the participants look to begin the winning streak again.
“We couldn’t be more proud,” said senior Luke Thorson. “Half of our lawyers competed for the very first time this year. We beat St. Peter, the No. 1 seed (in Round 4), and we did it with a relatively young team.”
Adviser Jason Berghorst said the team’s upper classmen (not himself) lead the mock trial practices and work together to form the most effective six-person defense and prosecution teams. They learn the procedures that mimic those used in the courtroom from each other.
“These seniors started as time keepers and bailiffs for a year or two before stepping up as attorneys and witnesses,” Berghorst said. “They handled the breaking of the trend well.”
Luverne finished the 2022 season with a win-loss record of 4-1.
The seniors Luke Thorson, Griffen Jarchow and Chance Tunnissen leave the team in the hands of current juniors Ross Bergman, Ella Lanoue, Jadyn Hart, Parker Carbonneau, sophomores Brynn Boyenga, Roselynn Hartshorn, Cassi Chesley, freshmen Adam Ask, Eli McLendon, Leif Ingebretsen, Xavier McKenzie, Keaton Ahrendt and eighth-grader Zander Carbonneau.
This year’s trial was a “theft by swindle” case, state of Minnesota versus Taylor Blair. The Minnesota Bar Association, who organizes the mock trial competitions, will release the 2023 case in October.