Trial team going to states

MARTINSBURG - The Central High School Mock Trial Team is climbing the legal competition ladder.

The Spring Cove School District team is one of 12 Pennsylvania high school teams competing in the 25th Annual Pennsylvania Bar Association Statewide Mock Trial Championships at the Dauphin County Courthouse Friday and Saturday in Harrisburg.

Tripp (Warren) Crilly and Julie Mills are the team's lawyer coaches.

Senior Abby Kreider has participated since her freshman year and said the team has progressed one step closer to the championship each year.

Teams make their way through county, district, regional and state to finally compete in the national mock trial finals, which this year will be held May 6-10 in Atlanta.

Kreider said this year's team is the strongest yet.

"We know each others' strengths and weaknesses," she said.

The team spent 10 to 20 hours a week practicing, teacher coach Brad Heuston said. He credits comments from participating jurors and judges for helping the team improve along the way and said the students' desire to win pushed them.

Kreider said where one teammate may lack, another excels and their goal all along was making it to the state finals. Senior Leah Stiles said the team's in-sync rhythm doesn't come around often.

The team ousted three-time state champs Greensburg-Salem and denied them the chance of a ninth regional title after a string of eight.

"Professionalism is key," sophomore Mara Hershberger said.

Acting as lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants in the case, students are judged on such items as poise and reliance on notes as they argue the case before a judge and volunteer lawyers and community leaders, who act as the jury and award points.

"Students participating in these final rounds of competition are not only impressive but inspiring to watch," Young Lawyers Division chair and statewide Mock Trial Executive Committee co-chair Ryan Blazure stated in a press release from the Pennsylvania Bar Association. "To make it this far in the competition, the students must demonstrate excellent communication and analytical skills and the ability to work together as a team."

For more information on the 2009 Pennsylvania Bar Association Statewide Mock Trial Championships, visit the PBA Web site at www .pabar.org.

Mirror Staff Writer Amanda Clegg is at 949-7030.