CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. — Students with the Abington Heights mock trial team are ready for another run at a state title. The students just won the regional championship, punching their ticket for the state tournament.
"You have to be sure you know everything well enough so that when you're questioned on it, you don't back yourself into a corner. So it is this really intricate mix of studying these very specific details and also putting on a good performance," said senior Adam Tinkelman.
At the beginning of each season, students across the state are given the same fictional case to practice and present during competition. Some students play lawyers; others act as witnesses. It's a combination of knowing the ins and outs of the case and staying on your toes to react to whatever comes next.
"The amount of reading and studying of the case that goes into it far exceeds anything that I have done before. It's just like going to the weight room every day like a football player will go to the weight room and train and train and train. We do the same thing except we read and study," said senior Aiden Snyder.
The mock trial team hopes to add another trophy to the school's case, but they know it won't be easy as they have a target on their back defending last year's state title.
"Everyone presents a different lens, and I don't think that there's necessarily one area. It's every school can trip you up," Snyder said.
Abington Heights will face some of the teams they competed against last year for the state title. The students say knowing your competition helps with strategy.
"It's definitely good going into the competition having that idea of familiarity before going into it, so we know what to expect from these other teams and how to maybe change up our case or approach to our case as we go into this competition," added senior Faith Bennett.
Abington Heights and 15 other teams go for the state title starting Thursday.
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