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BY RANDY PATRICK

Sun Reporter

Robert D. Campbell Junior High School’s mock trial team made it to the state finals again this year, coming in second to a team from a Shelby County last weekend.

RDC Principal Dustin Howard said this is the third time in four years the Clark and Shelby County teams have faced off in the Kentucky Middle School Mock Trial Competition.

“We’ve only lost to them, and they’ve only lost to us,” he said.

The local team, which was started four years ago, won the title its first year, in 2018 and placed second in 2019. The competition was canceled in 2020 because of COVID, and this year, Campbell again placed.

The local school beat two other teams in the final four, one from Louisville and the other from Western Kentucky, to reach the final contest on Friday.

“This is a huge accomplishment,” Howard said. “The kids worked hard all year.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s competition was virtual. But this year’s eighth-graders last year got to visit the courthouse in Winchester, where District Judge Earl Ray Neal talked to them about the judicial process and they had an opportunity to practice in a real courtroom setting.

The Clark County team was coached by Amber Murphy and Lexi Harris, both RDC teachers, and Logan Murphy.

Individual awards went to Caroline Harper for Best Attorney and Josh Muse for Best Witness.

The other team members are: Emma Overton, Belle Galloway, Ella Mattingly, Landon Runyon, Zoey Roberts, Emma Sizemore, Alyssa Wells, Mallory Jones, Cole Ledford, Jones Howard, Drew Brookshire, Olivia Brownlee and Ella Howton.

“We’re very proud of our kids and our coaches and the community support with the local court system really stepping up and helping us out,” the principal said.