Luverne mock trial team heads into Round 5 of region competition

For the seventh-straight year, the Luverne High School mock trial team is competing for a possible return trip to the state tournament.
The 9 a.m. Wednesday mock trial competition occurred (after the Star Herald press deadline) with the LHS prosecution team against St. Peter High School.
The two teams finished the 2020-21 season with identical 4-0 records, with St. Peter taking the No. 1 spot.
“We finished second in the standings to St. Peter based on points,” said LHS mock trial adviser Jason Berghorst.
Six teams from the newly organized super sub-section 4-6 competed in Round 5, where the three winning teams move on to the state competition.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Minnesota Bar Association, which organizes the competitions, changed the in-person, in courtroom competition to a virtual competition.
Instead of the traditional five schools in Luverne’s region, the super sub-regions involve 16 schools with each competing in four rounds.
Judges awarded LHS an accumulated 847 points. St. Peter earned 900 points.
The LHS prosecution team earned wins against Owatonna (190 to 174) on Jan. 14 and Fairmont (200-170) on Feb. 2. The defense team earned wins against Rochester Century (229-221) on Jan. 7 and Waseca (228-221) on Jan. 20.
The state tournament takes place virtually March 3-4. Sixteen teams across the state compete for a virtual appearance in the national tournament.
LHS has competed in the state tournament every year since 2014.
Prosecution team members include Lauren VerSteeg, Griffen Jarchow, Chance Tunnissen, Luke Thorson, Jadyn Hart and Xavier Carbonneau.
The defense team consists of Kaitlyn Anderson, John Miller, Ross Bergman, Ainslie Robinson, Solveig Tofteland and Parker Carbonneau.
Alternate team members include Simon Boyenga, Ella Lanoue and Cedar Viessman.