CWRUMT TURNS GAMER MODE ON

Zoe Swenson, ‘23

Way back in 2020, when Case Western sent two teams to ORCS it was a shock–perhaps most notably to the team of mostly freshmen who did it. In 2021 when Case Western sent two teams to ORCS, it was a delight–the newcomers on that team were happy to get the ORCS experience of their predecessors and continue their season past February. But in 2021, Case Western sending two teams through to ORCS wasn’t a shock or a delight–it was an expectation. 

Not just an expectation from our coaching staff either. Prominent analysts in the Mock Trial community placed it as a likely possibility that CWRU A and B would be at the DeKalb ORCS come February. One account, MockAnalysisIsMyDrug, said “Overall, Case Western as a program is trending upwards.” High praise, but praise that came with pressure. Was Case Western Reserve University really ready to cement their place as a competitive program from top to bottom? Were we really ready to be “a program on the rise”?

14 ballots later, that question was answered. CWRU A and B have done it again, qualifying two teams to the Opening Championship Series. B team went a record of 6 wins and 2 losses, only dropping close ballots to UC Davis A, a Nationals returner who went on to win the regional. A team went undefeated, going a perfect 8 and 0–the first time any team has ever done so in CWRUMT recorded history. In all the victories, individual competitors on each team still managed to distinguish themselves. Senior captain Nicholas Cosmo ‘22 picked up his sixth award of the season as a defense attorney–the next in what we hope will be a continuing series of long overdue accolades for the heart and soul of our program. The best part of Mr. Cosmo’s continued success is that if he wins enough awards that they no longer fit under his name on the website, it will be his job to figure out how to fix that (because he is also our wonderful Vice President of Communications). Zoe Swenson ‘23 channeled the power of #thelegacy Round 3, and picked up an award as a prosecution attorney while quoting the immortal words of Kyle Parker ‘20 on rebuttal, reminding the jury that “they saw a felon…but ignored the facts.” But it was first-year mocker Cole Prieto ‘24 who perhaps had the most outstanding weekend of anyone. Cole awarded with a perfect 20 ranks on the Prosecution, making him the top witness in all of Regional 4-H. 

The significance of this accomplishment did not go unnoticed. In the words of B team Captain Benjamin Lawrence Chanenson ‘22, “We are the only team in Ohio to send two teams to ORCS in the past two years. Other teams in Ohio lack depth.” Coaches Imokhai Okolo and Bradley Ouambo, distinguished alumnus of other Ohio teams, could not be reached for comment on these allegations. Regardless, stay tuned next weekend as CWRUMT faces their greatest hurdle yet–the DeKalb Opening Round Championship Series.