The Rhinelander High School Mock Trial team will be competing in the state tournament on Sunday, March 11, at the 29th annual Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament in Madison. RHS has won the state title 15 times, including seven of the last 10 years.

Ten regional champions and two “wild card” teams will be participating in the tournament this year. The other regional champions are River Falls, Bayport, Appleton West, Reedsburg, Madison West, Shorewood, Kettle Moraine, Lodi and Brookfield Academy. The wild card teams are Appleton Xavier and Whitefish Bay.

Four rounds of semi-final competition will be held at the Dane County Courthouse on Sunday, March 11. The rounds are power-paired, pitting winners against winners, until ultimately the top two teams in the tournament are determined. The finalists will be announced at the Mock Trial Banquet on Sunday evening, and will compete for the state title on Monday, March 12, before the justices of the State Supreme Court, with Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson presiding.

Three members of the RHS squad are returning from last year’s team, which placed second in the state tournament. They are juniors Matt Anderson, Melissa Sheth and Amber Toboyek. The remaining team members are juniors Elisha Sheffer, Lauren Sexton and Kayla Cook, and sophomores Lydia O’Brien, Roz Hatlen and Amber Sheth.

The team’s faculty advisor is Kathy Vick-Martini, and the attorney coaches are Jim Jacobi and Mike Bloom.