Guest post by Enya Eettickal, ‘23
Over the years, CWRU's teams have developed very particular... reputations. Last year's B team was no exception.
They were truly chaotic (and maybe a bit dysfunctional at times but we don't have to talk about it) but an absolute force to be reckoned with: a dark horse, if you will. Being our first B team to compete at ORCs, they will forever be a part of Case's mock trial history: a legendary legacy for some seniors and the enticing origin story of some quirky underclassmen.
Some might think such a B team would never exist again. And maybe that might've preserved someone's sanity.
But I'm here to tell you that this year's B team is ready to challenge that!
Lively and rambunctious, this year's B team is packed with unique personalities and many hot takes, but is just as chaotic as ever.
This team is comprised of Nick Vitello '21, a latecomer to the mock trial scene but wasting no time in making their name known as a Plaintiff closer, Prateek Dullur '23, an expert specialist and Defense closer with much ambition, Enya Eettickal '23, a double sided opener expanding beyond her witnessing abilities, Analyse Claude '22, Queen Bee and your Favorite British Witness, Ruth Alvarez '24, a charismatic witness who continues to be accused of murder, Marlenny Gonzalez '24, a master of channeling her own energy into her roles, Ussaid Ishaq '24, the chill expert vibing on the stand, Alex Siegal '24, a "broadway star" with a knack for accents, Rufus Black '24, a previous attorney who's ready to "come in clutch" as a witness, Will Stappenbeck '24, who's singlehandedly the reason our exhibits function during round, and the lovely Savannah Gazda '24, who continues to aid this team even though she definitely could be spending time with the much cooler softball team.
As we know, every chaotic team needs a chaotic leader, and the head coach with the honor of that role is Athavan Balendran. But our lovely and wonderful assistant coaches Corey Debelak and Halle Rose work to balance out the chaos while guiding us along our mock trial adventure.
This B team is strong and has much unlocked potential. What new challenges will this B team face on the road to regionals? Who knows! But all we do know is that it'll certainly be one wild ride.