Cape High mock trial team wins state championship

Cape High’s mock trial team won the Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition Feb. 22, the first time a Sussex County school and a nonspecialized public school earned the state championship in 29 years.

After placing fourth in 2019, student Morgan Whittam said, the team set its sights on a first-place trophy this year.

“We lost our minds when they announced St. Elizabeth’s as second place and then us as first,” said Morgan, who won gavels for best attorney for two rounds of the competition.

Cape bested teams from 25 other public, private, parochial and charter schools in the annual competition and will represent Delaware in the national contest May 6-9 in Evansville, Ind.

During competition, students play the roles of witnesses and attorneys and try the case before a judge and scoring jury. There are four preliminary rounds, which take place over two days, and a final championship round. Teams are judged based on their presentation of the case and knowledge of the law.

The simulated case involved a death that occurred during a rodeo competition. Prep work involved a trip to a live rodeo in Salisbury, coach and attorney April Betts said.

Betts said the team comprised 22 students; 14 upperclassmen on the competing team and the remaining freshmen acted as law clerks and witness coaches. When the opportunity arose for a second team to perform just three days before the scheduled competition, the freshman team formed, taking 20th place and earning two gavels.

Student Taylor Dade said this year, students memorized responses and competition rules.

“We added things to our opening statement routine, using attorney-speak phrases such as ‘may it please the court,’” he said. “With 26 teams, there were 26 ways to address a case, so we had to make changes during the course of the trial. Every team is different and has different perspectives about the case.”

Student Maddie Betts, daughter of April and Dean Betts, attorneys who both coach the team, who won gavels for best attorney in two rounds and most effective attorney in the championship round, said memorizing cross examinations was tricky.

“You have to remember where you are in the questioning and ad lib when they don’t answer the way you want,” she said. “You may have to ask the question differently several times and then remember where you are in the line of questioning.”

Student Tanner Dade, Taylor’s brother, who won the gavel for most effective witness in the championship round, said witnesses delved into their characters. 

“To be able to succeed, we had to think deeper and become the person,” Tanner said.

Morgan said the team developed a theme, or a main point, to stress to the jury. “When we would hear the other team’s theme, we would flip it to work against them,” she said.

The team received the case Nov. 1, and had just over three months to prepare. That won’t be the case for the national competition; April Betts said the problem will be released April 1, giving students five weeks to prepare.

“The national competition is during the prom, so seniors who go will miss their final prom,” April said. “The Sussex Central High team gave us so much support. Their prom is the week after Cape’s, and they offered to take any kids to their prom who wanted to go.”

April said before the competition, Cape’s team scrimmaged Sussex Central, helping them immensely. “They won the Delaware Way award for sportsmanship,” she said.

Dean Betts said state championship teammates had each others’ backs.

“They worked together through blood, sweat and tears, and I’m very proud of them,” Dean said.

April said the team received financial support from CHEF, private attorney donors, and Tunnel & Raysor law firm, which gave a financial donation and loaned attorney coaches.

“Cape baseball and track teams let us do concessions at the games and keep the money,” April said. “We received a lot of support from the district and Cape High Principal Nikki Miller.”

Donations are being accepted to help defray student travel costs, team advisor Kelci Atkins said. Checks should be made payable to Cape Henlopen School District, with CHHS Mock Trial Team donation in the memo field, and mailed to Cape Henlopen High School, 1250 Kings Highway, Lewes DE 19958.