On March 7, most kids will sleep in and enjoy their late start. They will get breakfast with friends, go to Dr. T’s leadership class, or grab Starbucks for their drive.

But Mock Trial Teams Blue and Gold will spend the entire morning driving to Columbus for the State Competition.

Since November, these Mock Trial kids have been working like crazy so that they can make it to the state level— and, if all goes well, the nationals.

For any of you who have watched “Law and Order” or “How to Get Away with Murder,” you may know that there’s a lot of work that goes into this. Witnesses memorize statements and craft a character for themselves. Attorneys learn case law and evidence rules.

Everyone goes above and beyond.

“It’s the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever experienced,” Junior Eva Klockner said. “My stomach feels like it’s going to explode. It has felt like that all season. I just want to do well for my team.” Klockner, an attorney, has won both outstanding attorney awards for her trials.

This desire to do well for each other is what makes Hoban’s Mock Trial team the most successful team in Hoban history (sorry, footballers). With three state championships, two runner ups and 27 (now 28) state appearances, Hoban Mock Trial has dominated the score boards. This year alone, Team Gold took second at the district and regional levels.

“Like athletic sports see Hoban as a football school, academic sports knowHoban as the mock trial school,” senior Corrie Mullins said. Mullins, a returning varsity witness, portrays defendant Quinn Woolf, and has won one best witness award this year. “We have a reputation of being the best, which we intend to maintain.”

For seniors like her, this will be one of their last chances to make their mark in the mock-trial world. As for everyone else, they’re all determined to win States for their title and their team.

Before that, though, they’ve got to go undefeated in at least five trials from Thursday afternoon to Saturday afternoon.

So, next Thursday, keep your mock trial friends in your thoughts and prayers. And to every mock trial kid, remember, “Today is a good day to die.”