Logos School’s Mock Trial team has a tradition of excellence and perseverance. Coached by long time veteran Dr. Chris Schlect, Logos School has won the state Mock Trial competition for Idaho sixteen times and is tied for most appearances at the national tournament. This year’s team of dedicated student attorneys and witnesses did not disappoint, taking 7th place of 46 teams at the National Mock Trial competition in Boise the weekend of May 14.

The path to this impressive top-10 finish, however, was not without pain and hardship. After losing the closely contested state championship to Ambrose High School in April, the Knights had two weeks where they prepared for the national competition without knowing if they had qualified to compete. Each state sends just one team to the national competition, but since Idaho was hosting the event, a second team would be needed if there weren’t an even number of competing teams. But Coach Schlect pointed out that since the final bracket wouldn’t be settled right away, the team “had to go all in and prepare as if they knew they would be competing.”-even when it could all be for nothing. They held official practices three days a week, but preparations did not stop there: students practiced on their own or in groups six days a week on the national case, a (fictional) civil suit between a sheepherder and The Flying B Cattle Ranch involving the suspicious infection and death of a flock of sheep in Idaho. Of course, the good news finally came, and Logos students knew they would get to take their hard work to Boise.

The week prior to national competition, the Logos Mock Trial Team scrimmaged themselves (A Mock Trial team prepares both a prosecution and a defense for each case.), and they got some unique assistance. The University of Idaho graciously opened up the courtroom at the Law Building, and local dignitaries Mayor Bill Lambert, Richard Walser, Latah County Commissioner, Kara Besst, CEO of Gritman Medical Center, and radio personality Evan Ellis selflessly volunteered to serve as jurors. After the scrimmage, jurors gave insight and advice that was “essential to our success in Boise,” according to veteran witness Luke Mason, a junior. Mason’s teammates this year wereDanny Bradley (sr), Sonya Isenberg (sr), Sofia Minudri (sr), Preston Evans (jr), Ethan Howell (jr), Luke Mason (jr), Regan Meyer (jr), and Emma Story (jr).

At national competition in Boise, the team performed outstandingly. In four rounds, they were beaten only by the eventual national champions, Iowa. Logos senior Sofia Minudri was named one of only ten Outstanding Attorneys out of 500 participants total. Sunday morning after attending church the team drove home to a town they made proud through their hard work and dedication.