The first school extra curricular activities since mid-November got underway last week.
Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek high schools competed in the first of five rounds of mock trial competition.
The law-related education program introduces students to the American legal system and is organized through the Minnesota Bar Association (MBA).
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the weekly competitions, including a potential state tournament, will be conducted virtually and won’t be open to spectators.
According to the MBA, virtual competitions are a national trend and state organizers worked with other state associations to ensure students could still have a meaningful season.
Normally mock trial competitions were hosted in person at area courtrooms in front of judges and scorers. This year, competitions are conducted via Zoom with participants staying in their offices, homes or schools.
With no travel involved, area schools will face opponents they have never competed against. Luverne and H-BC are now members of the 12-school Super Region 4-6.
Luverne posts first win,
H-BC’s three-point loss
Luverne posted its first win Jan. 7 of the 2021 season against an opponent team members never competed against — Rochester Century High school.
All students participated from home via Zoom.
“The trial lasted about three hours, which is a long-time for competing students and judging adults to be sitting at a computer,” said fourth-year adviser Jason Berghorst. “There were just a couple of times that WiFi issues interrupted things, but those incidents were pretty quickly resolved.”
Luverne’s defense team earned a 229-221 win.
Senior John Miller said, “I don’t like it as much as in person, but the Zoom trial went way better than I expected.”
H-BC competed as a team social distancing in a classroom and wore masks.
The first-time Zoom meet went well.
“We had to repeat things for clarity,” she said. “A student on the other team had to stop because his dog was barking.”
The H-BC defense team went against St. Peter High School. Judges gave the St. Peter team a three-point prosecution win.
Practices been innovative for students, adults
Luverne, six-time state tournament qualifiers, practiced in small student hybrid-learning pods when the season opened in October. When the school moved to distance learning in November, team members turned to Zoom for practices.
Virtual practices are “not ideal,” Berghorst said, but there are benefits from competing against schools not normally in the same region.
“The kids are making the most of it and are still working really hard to prepare,” he said.
“The opportunity to compete against larger schools, including two schools from our (athletic) conference (Waseca and Fairmont) is a benefit of the virtual competitions.
“The case is especially interesting and very relevant as restrictions on restaurants, etc., have returned while we prepare the case,” Berghorst said.
The case and the players
The case, “Payton Knox versus Nixon Lodge & Catering,” focuses on contract law.
Knox booked an elaborate July 4, 2020, wedding and reception at the Hibbing, Minnesota, business prior to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions went into effect in March 2020.
The planned 250 people in attendance was over the state’s executive orders, and when Knox could only have 75 people in attendance, plans for the wedding stopped.
Knox sued for the return of the deposit, which totaled over $69,000. The Lodge countersued for the additional contract payment of $18,300.
Plaintiff witnesses include:
•Payton Knox, one half of the wedding couple, who resided in New York and primarily corresponded via email with the lodge and catering service.
•Jordan Knox, Payton’s parent.
•Riley Swayne, a wedding planner hired by Knox.
Defense witnesses include:
•Kris Nixon, owner and chief sales manager for Nixon Lodge & Catering.
•Bobbie Stuart, catering manager for the Lodge.
•Tony Oliva, the Lodge’s lead venue planner.
Luverne team members and 2021 schedule
Luverne students on the defense team include seniors Kaitlyn Anderson and John Miller as returning defense attorneys. They are joined by sophomore Ross Bergman.
Defense witnesses include junior Luke Thorson portraying Payton Knox, sophomore Jadyn Hart as Jordan Knox, and Xavier Carbonneau as Riley Swayne.
The plaintiff team takes center stage during the second round on Jan. 14 against Owatonna High School.
Plaintiff attorneys include senior Lauren VerSteeg and juniors Griffen Jarchow and Chance Tunnissen.
Plaintiff witnesses include senior Solveig Tofteland portraying Lodge owner Kris Nixon, senior Ainslie Robinson as Bobbie Stuart, and sophomore Parker Carbonneau as Tony Olivia.
Rounding out the Luverne team are senior Simon Boyenga as an alternate lawyer and sophomores Ella Lanoue and Cedar Viessman as alternate witnesses.
Round 3 competition on Jan. 20 will have Luverne on defense against Waseca High School.
Round 4 will be Feb. 2 as plaintiffs against Fairmont High School White.
Round 5 features the top two teams in each section facing each other to compete at the state tournament.
Jeff Haubrich returns as the team’s attorney coach.
Luverne students will compete from home.
“This will allow them to not have masks on, use devices they are familiar with,” adviser Berghorst said.
The Zoom competition limits the number of participants seen on the screen to only the judge, student attorneys and one witness.
All other team members are on the Zoom call but keep their video off until it is their turn in front of the judge. Attorneys and witnesses are switched on screen as their time in front of the judge is completed.
A parent night via Zoom is planned for later this season.
Hills-Beaver Creek members, 2021 schedule
This year’s H-BC team consists of five seniors.
Allie LaRock, Jacob Sheppard and Abby Knobloch are attorneys.
Prosecution witnesses include ninth-graders Tahliya Kruger as Payton Knox, Kyler Hartz and Payton’s parent Jordan Knox, and senior Hannah Fick as wedding planner Riley Swayne.
Defense witnesses are senior Lauren Tatge as business owner Kris Nixon, ninth-grader Madison Gaugler as catering manager Bobbie Stuart, and sophomore Taylor Durst as Toni Olivia, the business’ lead venue planner.
H-BC’s other competitions include:
•Jan. 14, plaintiff, against Rochester Century High School.
•Jan. 19, defense, Fairmont High School White.
•Feb. 3, plaintiff, Northfield High School Gold.