La Reina Falls Short in Mock Trial Event

They argued. They objected. They cross-examined. But the 20 young women on La Reina High School’s mock trial team did not bring home a trophy from this weekend’s statewide competition in Riverside.

“Initially there was a disappointment, but we were all pretty content that we put in our best effort,” said Sandya Ramadas, 17, one of two captains for the all-girls team from Thousand Oaks. “From what I saw, some of the performances that our attorneys and witnesses gave were the best they’ve ever done.”

La Reina competed against teams from 31 California high schools at the Riverside Convention Center, with students portraying attorneys, witnesses and bailiffs as they argued a make-believe criminal case in front of real Superior Court judges. Although the first- through eighth-place winners were announced Sunday, La Reina won’t know its ranking until later in the week.

Ventura County Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Don Glynn, who has helped coach La Reina’s mock trial team for more than 10 years, said the young women argued a strong case, but faced several tough teams.

“I’m proud of the kids, and I’m proud that we got here,” Glynn said. “The kids work very hard, but there is a certain luck factor involved, and we got the worst possible draw in the first round.”

That was when La Reina, a private Catholic school, argued against Acalanes High School from Contra Costa County, which went on to win the competition. The Northern California team will travel to St. Louis in May for the national championship.

La Reina’s Anne Neumayr, 16, who played a prosecuting attorney, said it was difficult to come back after facing such a talented team.

“They were fabulous,” Anne said. “I haven’t seen anything like it. They were very professional, very strategic, very alert and just very smart people.”

During the next three rounds, La Reina’s young women competed against teams from Placer, Imperial and Madera counties.

In February, La Reina won Ventura County’s mock trial competition, beating 16 local high school teams. It was the seventh time in 10 years that La Reina won the county title.

This year, high school teams across the nation argued the fictitious case of “People v. Brunetti,” which centers on “Shawn Brunetti,” 19, who was charged with murder and conspiracy.

Teams received the case scenario in October, and spent hundreds of hours rehearsing questions, preparing testimony and practicing objections. The team developed an incredible sense of camaraderie, said Jennifer Ghaussy, 16, who said she is already looking forward to next year’s competition.

“I’m really close with my team members, so I’m gonna miss the meetings, even though it’s a lot of hard work,” Jennifer said.

Sandya said although she is ready for a break, she doesn’t want mock trial to be over. After four years of competing on La Reina’s team, Sandya will graduate from high school this year.

The Thousand Oaks resident said she plans to go into medicine, but like many mock trial grads, a career in law isn’t out of the question.