May 12, 2014 at 2:02 p.m.
RHS mock trial team takes eighth at nationals
RHS mock trial team takes eighth at nationals
Rhinelander defeated Minnesota, Idaho and Guam to finish eighth out of 46 teams. The Hodags only loss was a split decision to Ohio, which finished third in the tournament.
"We made the top 10, so we're one of the best teams in the nation," said coach Kathy Vick-Martini. "We broke our state and national record by winning the 28th consecutive regional championship. We broke our state and national record by winning our 17th state championship, and we placed in the top 10 (at nationals) for the 10th time in the school's history, and we did it all with a team that was the youngest and most inexperienced team that Rhinelander High School has ever had represented in the national tournament."
Vick-Martini had the luxury of a very experienced team last year but this year was different, only a few returning students had experience in the high-pressure world of mock trial.
"It was a team that, compared to last year where we had five seniors and two juniors, the five seniors that graduated had 19 years of experience, and the new students that replaced them had among themselves a total of four years of experience," Vick-Martini said. "By all accounts, it was a phenomenal season for this team. It was beyond anybody's expectations."
Vick-Martini said she couldn't be prouder of her students, especially her two team captains - seniors Amber Sheth, Lydia O'Brien - both of whom were named outstanding performers in an attorney role in multiple rounds of competition. Three underclassmen, junior Erin Tenderholt and freshmen Ellie Rickman and Albi Sabani, were also recognized as outstanding performers in witness roles.
"I couldn't be more proud of this group of kids, and in particular the two returning members from last year's team who had absolutely no reason to expect any kind of success this year, but they still came out and they put in so much work," Vick-Martini said.
"It paid off and I couldn't be happier for them and I couldn't be more pleased with the effort they put into the program, as well as all of the younger kids who really stepped it up at nationals. It really is an entirely different level of competition at nationals and they did it."
Seattle (Wash.) Preparatory School, the team that knocked the Hodags out of the top 10 at last year's tournament, won the national title. Rhinelander won the national title in 1989 and placed second in 2004.
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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