Mock trial team loses in first round of preliminary competitions

Sitting in the Santa Clara County Courthouse on the evening of Feb. 5, sophomore Peter VandeVort marveled at how realistic the court experience was. He had a great vantage point from which to watch the proceedings of the trial while he played the role of court bailiff.

He also had a clear view of the court as the judge delivered his verdict in favor of the prosecuting team from Leigh High School.

The Saratoga team let out a sigh. They’d worked hard this season, but evidently not hard enough: They had just lost their second preliminary competition. While they couldn’t say they were necessarily surprised — adviser Dr. Hugh Roberts had recently described them as “solidly mediocre” — it was still disappointing to find that all their practice had not quite paid off.

With a final score of 217 to Leigh’s 227, the Saratoga team generally scored lower across the board. This was quite a letdown, especially compared to the closer scores achieved during the first preliminary competition against Los Gatos defense. (Though that match was still a 232-249 loss for Saratoga, there was less than 0.5 point difference between their average scores in opening statements, witness performance, direct examination and cross examination: four out of the seven total categories.)

“[But] I think it would be unfair to assess our team performance solely by the record,” senior captain Max Chang said. “I witnessed a team that showed conviction, wit and panache. I couldn't ask for more.”

The team began competing with the Santa Clara County Invitational on Jan. 17, during which they won their first round and lost their second. This was quite an educational experience for the team.

“We learn so much through every competition we go through,” VandeVort said. “We learn how to improve our case, points that we might not have thought of. The great part about being a team is the fact that we are able to assist each other and learn from each other.”

The second round of prelims took place on Feb. 10 and 11. Final competitions will be held on Feb. 17, 19 and 24.

Despite their early losses, the team remains optimistic.

“In mock trial, you win some and you lose some,” Chang said. “The important part is that we maintain our vigor and enthusiasm while staying hungry for improvement — always moving forward.”