Franklin Loses Close Match with Holliston

WRENTHAM -- March 3. After sitting on the sidelines for the first two preliminary round trials, and then getting snowed out of its only scheduled competition of the year, Franklin's Defense team finally got to go today. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out as hoped, as Franklin lost to Holliston, 100-97.

As it turns out, Franklin wound up with a tough draw in the preliminary round this year. The only teams to remain undefeated, and thus to face off next week for the Regional Championship, were the two teams to which Franklin lost, Holliston and Algonquin. "I take some solace in the fact that we lost to the two best teams in our region," said Mr. Walsh.

The loss today was disappointing in that it could very well have gone the other way. "I reminded our team of my favorite expression, 'Isn't life funny'," said Walsh. "All year, Mr. Francomano, other judges, and I have been telling them to memorize their statements and questions, and today we ran into a judge who actually penalized us for it." Walsh was particularly impressed by the opening and closing statements presented by Brian M. and Jason W. "I've been saying this all year, but I really underestimated Jason's talents the past few years, and I'm sorry to see both of these guys graduate this year." Both Brian and Jason earned a "9" for their statements.

Brian M. earned the only perfect score of the day for Franklin with his cross-examination of the Plaintiff's star witness, the Plaintiff herself. Earning the exceptional score of a "9" were Julie R., for her direct examination of J.P. Findlay, Rachel U., for her direct of Fran Fitgerald, Jason for his direct of Donna Swope, Ryan S., for his portrayal of J.P. Findlay, and Kerry H., for her portrayal of Fran Fitzgerald.

Looking back on the season, some may be disappointed, but Mr. Walsh sees quite a few positives. "I was so pleased to see the level of commitment that every member of this team made this year," claimed Walsh. "I hope everyone enjoyed the competitions and that returning students will want to make same commitment next year and bring the Regional Championship Trophy back to Franklin High."

Algonquin Too Much for Young Franklin Squad

NATICK -- February 6. To reflect changes in participating schools, the Mock Trial program re-aligned regions this year. The newcomer to Region 4, Algonquin, made a statement today at Natick District Court, defeating defending champion Franklin, 86-83.

Despite the loss, Coach Mike Walsh had nothing but praise for his young team. "Right from the start, I could tell that Algonquin was well-prepared and confident," said Walsh. "I was afraid our team might be psyched out, but we fought back and challenged Algonquin every step of the way."

Jeremy D. earned a "10" for his closing argument. It was the only perfect score on either team.

Next up for Franklin is Holliston on Monday, February 13, at 2:00pm at Wrentham District Court.

Panthers Win High-Scoring Affair

NATICK -- February 2. This just in: maybe 2006 will be more than a rebuilding year.

After graduating all but one of last year's starters, Franklin coach Mike Walsh was not sure what to expect from his 2006 squad. Today, the Panther Plaintiff team, sans seniors, opened the regular season with a victory over Hopkinton, 111-106.

In one of the highest-scoring matches in school history, every Franklin student earned a perfect score. In addition, the judge awarded Franklin two bonus points for overall team performance, especially in the areas of making objections and working without notes. "I was pleased that the judge recognized how hard we had worked to memorize our questions and statements," said Walsh. "I just hope our team realizes that the judge was a little overly generous, and that they still have a lot to work on if we want to win our next match," he cautioned.

Plaitiff co-captain Marissa N. got things rolling today with her opening statement, which she began memorizing over a month ago. Walsh singled out Marissa and Jeremy D. for making their statements without notes, reminding the team that at this time last year, even Mock Trial legends Tim McLaughlin and Katie Collazzo had not memorized their statements. "It's not fair to compare this team to last year's Regional Champs, but Jeremy's closing statement reminded me a little of the work Madelyn Labella used to do for us," claimed Walsh.

While the questioning of witnesses today showed marked improvement over pre-season scrimmages, the brightest area was perhaps making objections. "In our practices, it seemed we had been relying on one or two people to do all the work," argued Walsh. "Today was a true team effort, as Marissa, Jeremy, Lauren D., Melanie W., and James D. all contributed with great objections." In addition, Mock Trial newcomer Greg G. demonstrated poise while dealing with an excellent expert witness. "More than anyone else on our Plaintiff team, I think Greg has the potential to destroy an opposing witness," Walsh said. Walsh also noted the strong presence newcomer Melanie W. presented in her cross examination.

Another area of concern heading into the regular season was witness performance. "Last year, we took our witnesses for granted, since they were so good," Walsh remembered. "It's easy to forget that part of this program requires serious acting ability." Heading into today's match, it was unclear how well the witnesses would do under fire. "I can't lie: I was worried, " admitted Walsh. "Our attorney-witness exchanges seemed a little too rehearsed and programmed. But today, Hailey M., Rob M., and Plaintiff co-captain Jenna T. really shined, especially under cross examination."

Up next for Franklin is Algonquin on Monday, February 6, at 1:30pm at Natick District Court. Said Jenna T., "As long as Greg does the hair flip thing again, I know we'll have a fighting chance."

Sweet Sixteen Not So Sweet for Franklin

FRAMINGHAM -- March 15. In an impressive showing today, Sharon High School defeated Franklin, 106-99. The loss brought an end to the most successful season in Franklin's brief history of competition.

"I wish we could have moved on to the next round, but I cannot complain about anything we did today," said team coach Mr. Walsh. "We were not intimidated by one of the best teams in the state. We proved we belonged," claimed Walsh.

Franklin may have saved the best for last. "I think this was actually our best overall performance of the year, it's just that we ran into a team that didn't make mistakes," said Walsh. "My only wish is that the judge could have given more feedback about how we could have improved. We were all wondering what she was thinking up there, but I guess she ran out of time tallying the scores." In the end, two Franklin students receieved perfect 10s: Erin N. and Katie C.
Brian M., Nick Z., Jon B., Graham M., Tim M., Ryan W., and Madelyn L. all earned 9s.

The Regional Champion Panthers finish the season with five wins and just one loss. Over the past three years, the team has compiled an impressive 8-3 record, a far cry from 2002, when Franklin went 0-3. "It's been a real pleasure to watch the Class of 2005 mature from freshmen to seniors," said Walsh. "Our program has grown along with them, and because of their success, we've got a great example for the younger members of the team to follow."

The team will hold a break-up dinner at the Rome Restaurant on Wednesday, April 13, where Mr. Walsh will present awards and name next year's captain(s).

Franklin Moves On to Sweet Sixteen With 104-102 Win

WRENTHAM -- March 11. In the end, it was really all about the hair. Franklin team members knew that, win or lose, they had given their opponents a stiff challenge. But as the judge shared his thoughts on the trial, members of the Class of 2005 had one thing on their minds: making it home in time to get ready for the Senior Banquet. Thankfully, they were finally rewarded with the judge's score, which, for the first time in school history, made Franklin Regional Champions.

"I am so proud of this team," gushed team coach Mr. Walsh. "They listen, they make adjustments, they work hard on their own time, and they own this win." Walsh continued, "It may be impossible to prove, but I would be willing to bet that none of the 15 other teams left in this tournament (out of close to 200) can rival this team in terms of student input. I know for a fact that most of the teams that usually make it this far are given much of their case by attorney advisors."

In an unusually high scoring match, Franklin came out on top with 104 points. "I've never seen two more polished high school teams go head to head," claimed judge Richard Eustis. Eustis went so far as to offer members of both teams letters of recommendation and even internships with his law firm.

"I must agree with Mr. Eustis that Bellingham was well prepared, " said Walsh. "It's an honor for us to have competed against the defending champs for this year's championship."

No Franklin student scored below a "9". The judge had wonderful things to say about all the Franklin performances, but with his scores he found Franklin's opening and closing statements and the witness portrayals to be outstanding. Judge Eustis loved Madelyn F.'s performance as the local police chief, explaining that she exuded confidence. Of Jon B., who was playing a witness for the first time, the judge claimed, "I would have believed you were this guy, Agent Cooper." Judge Eustis continued, "By the end, I thought you were an arson investigation expert." Franklin's star witness, the animal rights activist Greg NeRay, was played by Nick Z. Said Eustis, "Nick, you lived the part. You were awesome!"

Tim M. got the team off to a great start with his opening statement. Tim edged out his opponent in scoring by memorizing his statement. At the end of the trial, it was Katie C.'s turn to show off. Despite including a lot of good materal from today's proceedings, Katie was still able to memorize large portions of her statement. "I told Katie after the trial, before I knew the score, that if we won, it was because of her strong closing," said Walsh.

All of the direct and cross examinations were strong, and Mr. Eustis gave the Franklin team high praise. He singled out Madelyn L. for memorizing her direct examination questions, admitting that as a practicing atorney he still sometimes needs to refer to his notes. He really enjoyed the give and take between Leanne M. and her opposing counsel. "Leanne is the kind of kid you just have to root for," said Mr. Walsh. "When she started out in Mock Trial two years ago, she barely made the team." Walsh went on, "Now when she heads up to do her examination, I am almost hoping the other side will object or have a strong cross examination, because I love the way she responds on re-redirect and to objections." With a strong cross examination, Graham M. caught the judge's attention. "As you impeached the witness, you reminded me that as a young practicing attorney, I gave up too easily in a smilar situation. You did not give up, and it paid off," said Mr. Eustis. And Erin N., playing an attorney for the first time this year, put Franklin over the top. "I was really worried at that point in the trial," explained Mr. Walsh. "I knew the score was close, and Bellingham's last witness was great. Then Erin went to work on cross examination and really hurt his credibility," said Walsh. Judge Eustis agreed, claiming, "That was the best cross examination of the day." Eustis went on, "You got him to say what you wanted. You really controlled him."

Franklin enters the Sweet Sixteen of the tournament a perfect 5-0. Up next for Franklin is Sharon High School. The two teams will face each other this Tuesday, March 15, at Framingham District Court at 2:00pm. Sharon, which actually has a Mock Trial class which meets daily, is no stranger to the late rounds of the tournament. They have made it to the Final Four two years in a row years and the championship match two years ago. "We have a lot of respect for Sharon and realize that we are clearly the underdogs," said Walsh. "But I don't think you'll see this team back down, and I would not be surprised to see these kids give Sharon a run for their money." In both tiebreaker matches, Franklin won the coin toss. "Both times, we tried to pick the side we thought gave us the best chance to win based on the matchups which were presented," explained Walsh. "It's nice to know that going up against one of the best teams in the state, we have confidence in playing either side."

Franklin Defeats Milford, Advances to Regional Championship

MILFORD -- March 8. Perfect. That's how judge Thomas Carrigan found Ryan W.'s witness performance today. In the process, Ryan became the first Franklin student this year to earn a "10." And with the hard-fought 93-91 victory over a stubborn Milford team, Franklin's record is now a perfect 4-0.

"I really enjoyed the give and take of the last witness examination," said Judge Carrigan. "Both the witness (Ryan) and the prosecution attorney handled themselves well." The judge was not the only one to recognize Ryan's talents; the Milford team had many good things to say about Ryan after the trial was over.

Before today, Franklin had never beaten Milford in Mock Trial competition. Things seemed to go Franklin's way today, right from the opening coin toss to determine which schools played which sides in the trial. Team Captain Tim M. did a magnificent job with the actual toss, ensuring that Franklin could play its desired role for this matchup, the Defense. The trial itself resulted in the closest score Franklin has experienced this year. "Our hats are off to Milford," said team coach Mr. Walsh. "They are always tough, and it's clear how they made it through the Preliminary Round undefeated."

The judge really liked Franklin's direct examinations, awarding Brian M., Graham M., and Tim M. 9 out of 10 possible points. Erin N. also scored a "9" for her portrayal of the defendant.

This was the first time Franklin's Class of 2005 (plus junior Brian M.) were all together playing one side of the trial. "I wanted to give the seniors as many chances as possible to compete, and see what they could do together," explained Walsh. "I was impressed with the extra preparation Tim, Graham, Nick Z., and Katie C. put in to play new roles. But Madelyn L. and Brian M. really led the team with their strong objections and witness examinations."

Now Franklin will have to beat Bellingham to win the Regional Championship. The two teams will square off this Friday, March 11, at Wrentham District Court at 2:00pm. Again, a coin toss will determine which side Franklin plays that day. "I almost hope we lose the toss this time, so I don't have to decide," claimed Walsh. "With the talent on this team, I have every confidence that we can give Bellingham a good challenge."

Franklin Still Undefeated After Victory Over Hopkinton

FRAMINGHAM -- February 15. Boston, we have a problem. There are just too many good teams in Region Four. With a convincing 90-75 win over Hopkinton today at Framingham District Court, the Panthers finished the Preliminary Round a perfect 3-0. Unfortunately, so did at least two other teams. Now it is up to the folks at Mock Trial headquarters in Boston to sort out the tiebreaker mess.

Today, it was the Defense's turn to show what they could do. What they did was put on a show of force that had Hopkinton on its heels from the first witness examination. Before she had even begun her cross-examination of the star prosecution witness, Co-Captain Madelyn L. had already made a considerable impact on the trial. "Madelyn does so much for the team, it's difficult to say what her greatest strength is," claimed team coach Mr. Walsh. "Her closing statement was terrific and her cross examination was practically textbook. But I think she contributes the most through her objections and thorough knowledge of the case. Madelyn thrives under questioning from the judge." Mr. Walsh wasn't the only one to notice Madelyn's performance. The judge awarded her 9 out of 10 possible points, his highest score of the day. Added Madelyn F. about Madelyn L., "Her cross examination was rule-iscious."

Once again, Franklin demonstrated excellence across the board, as four Franklin students earned a 9: Madelyn L.; Brian M., for his direct examination of the defendant; Marissa N., for her direct examination of the defense expert witness; and Co-Captain Erin N., for her portrayal of the defendant, Carmela Berncoat. The judge had high praise for Erin. "You somehow combined expertise and innocence, and had me believing that your character was as naive as you were trying to make her seem," said the judge.

Mr. Walsh was also excited to see solid efforts by underclassmen today. "Considering the fact that half of our team consists of freshmen and sophomores, I am surprised by how well we have done," said Walsh. "Next year, I expect people like Marissa, Julie R., Kerry H., and Lauren D. to maintain the success we are now enjoying."

So now the team must wait to see whom it will face in the tiebreaker match, which will be sometime during the week of March 7. Until then, the team will revel in its first 3-0 start in school history. Predicted Mr. Walsh, "I have a feeling that this team could keep going and do something special."

Franklin Defeats Tough Framingham Team, 91-84

FRAMINGHAM -- February 7. "We want our ups!" shouted Defense Co-Captain Madelyn L. prior to today's match against Framingham. Now, thanks to everyone on the Franklin Prosecution team, the FHS Defense has the chance to send the school into the Sweet Sixteen round for the first time in school history.

As in the first competition last week against Marian, it was Co-Captain Tim M. who got the team off to a strong start. The judge complimented Tim for delivering a persuasive opening statement. According to the judge, Tim's statement was effective because he presented a clear theory of the case and established a theme to which the People adhered throughout the trial. Tim was not the only FHS student to earn a "9" (out of 10 possible points) today, which was the judge's highest score. Leanne M. (direct examination), Madelyn F. (witness portrayal), and Jenna T. (witness portrayal) all hit that mark. Co-Captain Katie C., who also scored a "9", was singled out by the judge for her closing statement. Said the judge, "The closing statement is what attorneys enjoy most, making arguments." He continued, "The Prosecution made a compelling case using the case law to back up its facts."

According to team coach Mr. Walsh, today's victory was the result of a total team effort. "I know I can always count on Nick Z.," said Walsh. "I don't care what the judge said, Nick earned a '10' today." Also making big contributions, including registering several key objections, was Graham M. "I had a feeling that Graham was going to step it up for us today, and he did," claimed Walsh. Said Defense Co-Captain Erin N., "Graham's cross examination was 'hot' with five t's!"

Walsh also praised the efforts of two sophomores, Jenna T. and Jeremy D. "What impressed me the most was the mature way Jenna and Jeremy accepted constructive criticism about last week's performance," said Walsh. "They listened, and it paid off."

One of the quirks of the Mock Trial tournament is the Preliminary Round. Each school has three matches, and usually a school needs to go undefeated to move on to the Sweet Sixteen round. Franklin has never made it out of the Preliminary Round, but this could be the year. Had the FHS Prosecution team lost today, our Defense, led by Madelyn L. and Erin N., would not have had the chance to make a meaningful contribution to the team's season. Instead, thanks to today's win, it's up to the Defense to defeat Hopkinton on February 15 for the chance to move on. Said Walsh, "I can't wait to see if the Defense is up to the challenge."

Franklin Opens Season With Win Over Marian

FRAMINGHAM -- February 1. The senior veterans were good. But it was two rookies who caught Mr. Walsh's attention in a 73-60 win today over Marian High School.

With scrimmages wiped out by the Blizzard of '05, Franklin entered this year's preliminary round with a great deal of uncertainty. "If you had asked me this time last week how I thought we would do today, I would not have been able to give you a positive response," admitted Mr. Walsh. "I put it all on Co-Captains Tim M. and Katie C. to prepare their team, and they came through," said Walsh. Tim M. laid out the Prosecution's theory of the case in the judge's only "exceptional" rating of the day. Graham M. put a scare into a Defense witness under cross examination. Leanne M. gave the performance of her high school career in the direct examination of the Prosecution's expert witness. Nick Z. was nearly flawless in his portrayal of Greg Neray, a radical animal rights advocate. Katie C.'s closing statement effectively blended case law with the facts of the case.

But Mr. Walsh awarded perfect scores to only two people on the team today: James D. and Madelyn F. James, a freshman, actually had four fewer weeks to prepare than the other attorneys because he filled an unexpected vacancy. Madelyn, a senior, is doing Mock Trial for the first time this year. Together, these newcomers set the tone for the Prosecution in the first direct examination of the day. "I give Tim and Katie credit for discovering James," extolled Walsh. "They had a lot of confidence in him when we were holding auditions back in November, and it shows that they can recognize talent," Walsh claimed. "My only problem with Madelyn is that she didn't join the club sooner in her high school career!" Walsh said.

Close Match With Milford Ends in Two-Point Defeat

MILFORD -- February 3. It may have been Franklin's best overall performance in three years. Unfortunately, from the judge's perspective, today's effort wasn't enough to defeat a seasoned Milford team, as Franklin fell 96-94.

Mr. Walsh, who always keeps score during Franklin's trials, knew it would be close. "When it was over and I tallied the scores, I had it as a tie," said Walsh. "I was hoping that Madelyn's closing statement would put us over the top, but it didn't work out that way," he continued. In fact, Madelyn L.'s closing was so good that the judge found it hard to believe that Madelyn had written it herself.

Mr. McCarthy and Ms. Brennan accompanied the team to the competitition. Both came away impressed. "The Milford team seemed like the well-oiled machine, but I thought our team came across as more authentic and relaxed," said McCarthy. Claimed Brennan, "They were all great, but Brian M. stole the show."

The judge was particularly impressed with Franklin's witnesses. "Great casting!" said she on the evaluation form. Both Nick Z. and Erin N. received perfect scores and Rob M. was close behind with a "9". "I've never seen an attorney so flustered with a witness as the Milford attorney who tried to cross Nick," declared Walsh.

Co-captain Andy C. also received a "9" for his performance, as did attorney Katie C. "Andy really came through for us today, but his real value has been the leadership he's shown all year," Walsh asserted.

Next up for the Panthers: Franklin's Defense takes on Framingham's Plaintiff at Framingham District Court on Thursday, February 12 at 2:00. We will have practice on Wednesday, February 11 at 6:30.

Franklin Kicks Off 2004 Campaign With Win

MILFORD -- January 27. It wasn't pretty, but when it was over, Franklin emerged victorious over Hopkinton in the first competition of the year for both teams. In remarks to students after the trial, the judge noted that, at first, both teams seemed to have opening-round jitters. However, led by Co-Captain Courtney B., Franklin -- the Plaintiff in this case -- shrugged off some early mistakes and won the match.

It was in many ways a total team effort, with no one on Franklin's side scoring below a "7" out of a possible "10". Courtney B., Graham M., Tim M., Scott F., and Jon B. all receieved exceptional ratings from the judge, with Graham and Courtney scoring perfect "10s".

The competition was not without controversy. For the first time in Mr. Walsh's seven years of coaching Mock Trial, a judge allowed the entire testimony of a witness to be stricken from the record, as Courtney had petitioned. The other team expressed concerns that Courtney unfairly handled the expert witness's attempts to testify, but the judge and Mr. Walsh disagreed. "I felt bad for the Defense witness, because she clearly knew her role," said Walsh. "However, her attorney did not lay a proper foundation for certifying her as an expert, so Courtney did the right thing." According to Mr. Walsh, both Courtney and Tim M., who did the closing statement, should be commended for adjusting to the unique circumstances. Mr. Walsh was also pleased with all the witness performances, especially Jenna T. "I think Jenna was nervous, but she showed today that she has a real future in Mock Trial," claimed Walsh.

Up next for the Panthers: at Milford District Court vs. Milford next Tuesday, February 3, at 2:00pm.

Preliminary round tiebreaker: 2003 Tournament

FRAMINGHAM -- February 28, 2003. At Framingham District Court today, in an exciting rematch with local foe Milford, Franklin's prosecution team scored 90 points. Unfortunately for Franklin, so did Milford's defense team. In a heartbreaking decision, the judge once again broke the tie in favor of our opponent. Both teams performed magnificently and it was a joy to watch high school students referencing case law and registering objections.

With his scores, the judge recognized three Franklin students as outstanding: Tim M. for both his opening statement and direct examination; Madelyn L. for both her direct examination and closing statement; and Katie C. for her witness portrayal. Said Mr. Walsh, "I've been doing this for six years now, and I've never seen a better performance than Madelyn's closing argument."

Mr. Walsh is grateful to all team members for their effort, dedication,and willingness to listen and learn. He especially appreciates the leadership of team captain Paige K., who will graduate this spring. It was Paige who, as a freshman three and half years ago, requested that FHS begin a Mock Trial team. "Paige has set the standard for all future Mock Trial participants, and this team is her legacy at FHS," beamed Mr. Walsh.