Two of Hillsdale College’s three mock trial teams placed in tournaments this weekend.
The teams that placed, Scary Decisis and De Novo, competed in Boston at Tufts University’s Mumbo Jumbo and Michigan State University’s Red Cedar Classic Tournaments, respectively.
“We went up against four teams. The first was Harvard, and unfortunately, we lost both ballots to them,” said Nathan Emslie, sophomore member of Scary Decisis. “But then we swept all our other opponents, which were Wesleyan, Penn State and then Boston University.”
The team placed fourth overall, winning six ballots and losing two, Emslie said.
Considering their competition, the team members are happy with their placement.
“It was a tough field with a lot of worthy competitors,” freshman Scary Decisis member Campbell Collins said. “We’re all pretty pleased about our placement.”
Emslie said the competition was new to the team and its members had to work hard to earn their place.
“It was an invitational that we hadn’t been to before,” Emslie said. “And maybe by some considerations, it was a step above invitationals we’ve been to previously, at least certainly than I was as a freshman last year. So we didn’t think we were entitled to a place. We thought it was a possibility that we’d have to work hard for and it worked out.”
The new member team, De Novo, placed third overall at Tufts, said junior team captain Natalie LeBlanc.
“I was so proud of the team because they put in so much work,” LeBlanc said. “After the Penn State Happy Valley tournament, we had practice and multiple people came up to me and asked for extra practices throughout the week, so we practiced extra.”
The team won five ballots, lost two, and tied one, LeBlanc said.
Individuals from each team were recognized for good performances, with both De Novo senior Justin Lee Scary Decisis senior Curtis Herbert receiving outstanding attorney awards with 19 ranks.
Outside of competition, LeBlanc said the tournament was a good bonding experience for the team.
“We really bonded as a team as well, which was exciting,” LeBlanc said. “We started making fun of each other, which was great and some of our poor teammates were heckled at some points. But in a very loving way, of course.”
For their next tournaments later this month, Scary Decisis will go to South Carolina for Soda City Trials, De Novo to Wisconsin for the Badger the Witness tournament, and the final team, Rekt Judica, will go to Harvard’s Boston Tea party.
All fall tournaments for the teams are preparation for the spring competition season, which has more on the line, junior Scary Decisis team captain Abby Davis said.
“The fall season is the Invitational season, that’s like schools just like hosting tournaments,” Davis said. “You go, you compete, and you try to place and you just get to know the case that the American Mock Trial Association has released for the year. And then in the spring, that’s the competitive season. So that’s when their official tournaments are sponsored by the American Mock Trial Association, and those are elimination tournaments.”
These tournaments lead to the national tournament, according to Davis.
Overall, the teams are happy with their placements from the weekend and team spirits are high.
“I love my team so much and I’m so proud of them,” LeBlanc said.
