Mock Trial state finals take place in Madison

High school boys basketball was not the only sport competing in a state tournament this weekend.

Twelve high schools from across Wisconsin, including Lodi, participated in the semifinals of the Mock Trial Championship in Madison.

Students took the position of lawyers in a court room setting to argue fictional cases.

Coaches said mock trial cultivates mental skills that students can use in real-life situations.

“This is a student who can stand up to sitting in a room of strangers and can perform by thinking and expressing their thoughts,” Coach Gregory Strasser said. “I think that's a great skill for anybody to have, whether you're going on to college or not. It’s a life skill.”

Winners of the competition will move on to the national finals on May 8. That championship will also be held in Madison.