Students then went on to regionals this week
The O’Neill High School Mock Trial Team won the 2021 Orange County Mock Trial Finals on Tuesday, April 20. Due to COVID, the competition was canceled last year, and this year the program was held 100% virtually.
The team first competed on April 10, Advisor Amy Patino said. The case this year was a civil case — a singer, sued his/her parents for losing all the money they were supposed to set aside while they were a minor. The team prepares both a plaintiff case and a defendant case. Students prepare to be lawyers and witness in the case
“In order to make it to the county finals, the team competed against Monroe- Woodbury and Pine Bush on April 10, winning both of those trials, and as a result was one of two teams to receive a bye to the semifinal round,” Patino said. “The semifinals were held on April 18, and O’Neill went on to defeat Washingtonville. In the finals, O’Neill again faced Monroe Woodbury.”
The trial was adjudicated by New York State Supreme Court Justice Sandra Sciortino.
The O’Neill team now moves on to the regional competition this week, facing the winning teams from Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, and Ulster Counties.
Team co-captain and senior Dylan Dhabolt called this year’s competition some of the closest matches he’s seen, and added that doing it all virtually added a whole new challenge to it
“But,” he said, “this difficulty made it that much sweeter to continue what we started two years ago by making it to regionals once again.”
This was the team’s second time making it to the regional competition; they last competed at regionals in 2019. The team is assisted by attorney coaches Randy Siper and Marvin Williams.
Sophomore Jeremy Stoll noted that this year’s virtual experience was difficult, but rewarding.
“Competing was so much fun as a witness,” he said. “Our work paid off and winning feels great!”
Junior Caleb Hagemaster agreed, saying, “It felt amazing to win this year, especially after last year’s season was cut short before competition.”
Freshman Anna Bellocchio said she can’t wait to head to regionals, and junior Evan Maasik thanked Patino and the other coaches, noting that with their assistance, “we were able to overcome a lot of challenges and pull off the win”.
Perhaps junior Kayla Terry summed up the season so far best: “It is rewarding to practice with the team, rewarding to compete, and rewarding to win. I am very grateful.”
