This year’s mock trial team went undefeated in the preliminary round of the competition defeating Greenwich, Glens Falls, and Queensbury respectively. After qualifying as the top seed for the elimination rounds, Hudson Falls beat Greenwich in the semifinals and followed up by winning against Glens Falls to become the Washington/Warren County Mock Trial Champions.
This year’s mock trial team was made up of nine members who competed against teams from Washington and Warren County. Each member of the team studied a mock trial problem provided by the New York State Bar Association. From there they chose roles to perform for the competition. Some members performed as witnesses and others performed as attorneys. The members of the team included: Michael Bonomo, Paris Hernandez, Jewel Ingraham, Caroline Martindale, Alexis Parker, Ora Plude, Natasha Ruffing, Rachel Talmadge, and Diamond Warney.
This was a very successful year. Many individual awards went out to the team throughout the tournament. Caroline Martindale was awarded “Best Advocate” in all six matches, Michael Bonomo won “ Best Witness” twice, Jewel Ingraham won “Best Witness” against Greenwich, and Diamond Warney was awarded the same title against Glens Falls.
Overall, the team was well balanced, with a combination of tough attorneys, and charismatic witnesses, all of whom were respectful and demonstrated great sportsmanship. The students showed enthusiasm and demonstrated great poise and skill under pressure. A special thanks go out to Washington County attorney Roger Wickes for the time he spent helping the team prepare.