Inside the courtroom

The Owatonna Mock Trial team has begun their season with a successful meet at the Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul. The Owatonna A team won both of its trials while the B team won one. Each team had an outstanding lawyer and an outstanding witness. For outstanding lawyer, senior Mady Vieths took the prize twice. For outstanding witness, senior Aaron Tryhus and junior Ethan Pick won. The mock trial team hopes to make it to state this year, competing in the first round of regionals on Thursday, Jan. 15. Each team must make it through five rounds of regionals before becoming eligible for State. Senior captain Kurt Haugen said, “I’m really excited about our chances.” He joins seniors Katherine Speiker and Mady Vieths as captains. Haugen said,”I think the team is doing really well at practices, and I think we did well at our first meet.” The scrimmage on Wednesday, Jan. 7, was cancelled due to weather, but the mock trial team competed in an invitational in Apple Valley on Saturday, Jan. 10. Vieths and seniors Bailley Leppert and Noah Moore won awards at Apple Valley.