Burlingame’s mock trial team concluded another successful season on Tuesday, Feb. 11, after facing Menlo School in a hard-fought semifinal matchup. The Panthers went head-to-head with one of the best teams in the region, delivering a strong performance and keeping the competition close. Ultimately, the defense subteam fell 144.94 to 155.06, while the prosecution subteam lost 144.54 to 155.46.
In mock trial competitions, teams are scored on how convincingly they present their case, the strength of their arguments, and how closely they stick to courtroom procedures. At the end of the season, scores from each competition are added up. The teams with the most season-long points sit at the top of the league standings and are eligible to advance to state and national competitions.
Strong performances early in the season allowed Burlingame to gain a substantial lead over opposing high schools and helped the team qualify for the semifinals.
“The first week definitely helped the most, and I think that’s when we were most prepared. Burlingame’s defense has 102.24 versus 97.76 so that’s a strong win and Burlingame’s prosecution had a 104.10 to 95.9 which is also a very strong win,” club president and senior Lexie Levitt said.
Sophomore Lydia Covalesky credited the team’s extended preparation time as a key factor in their early season success.
“We started in August—last year we started much later and we were able to have that on the other teams,” Covalesky said. We did good at memorizing our statements and getting into character.”
To prepare for the semifinals, the team met more frequently than usual to refine arguments and strengthen case presentations.
“We [increased] the [meeting] times because we only [had] a week. [We planned] a weekend meeting and a Monday meeting,” Levitt said.
Levitt said the additional practice helped the witnesses develop clearer narratives and gave the attorneys confidence for the semifinal competition.
“I think it helped to solidify the story that each case was making, and it helped people get more excited for the case. And I think the excitement and being able to stand behind your verdict and your argument helped, because that way you have more energy and you are more confident doing that,” Levitt said.
Although the season ended in the semifinals, club advisor and United States History and Economics teacher Elizabeth Bellas saw the team’s performance as a testament to their growth and resilience against tough competition.
“We faced the best school in the region. They have countless awards. We were up against a really great team, but we held our own and performed well and didn’t get completely annihilated, which is a huge accomplishment,” Bellas said.
Although Levitt won’t be on the team next season, she hopes that the team can carry their success into next year.
“I’m hoping that we take what we’ve learned through this season, what got us to semifinals is to take more risks, because I think riskier arguments definitely helped the trial. Also, simplifying things, instead of being really focused on complex legal pieces, just taking a step back,” Levitt said.
Bellas noted that Burlingame’s primary goal for next season is to beat regional rival San Mateo High School.
“One of our biggest competitors is San Mateo, this year they were the first best team in our division, and then we were second, hopefully do better when we face them next year,” Bellas said.
For senior defense attorney Momoko Egan, mock trial is more than a competition — it’s a foundation for a future career.
“I want to take away what I can and use this for the future so I can become a lawyer, and I also just want to make myself proud,” Egan said.
As the season concludes, Bellas appreciates the team’s hard work and growth in a professional environment.
“[There are] a lot of benefits of mock trial, working on presentation, confidence, analysis skills, all people on the team have to really deeply understand a complex case,” Bellas said.
