It was time for finals. The best of the best were recompeting, and the Marquesas, who barely missed the cut for finals, were sitting in the audience.  The announcer was about to award the rankings for “the most prestigious” title in the entire competition. While the teams in finals clenched each others’ hands hoping to hear their name, the already-eliminated MVHS team sat in the stands talking and texting and waiting for the awards ceremony to finally be over.

Then the announcer called their name.

At USA Nationals in Anaheim, Calif. on March 31, dance team was named second runner up Grand National Champions, an award based on the overall highest sum of scores in four categories. The Marquesas competed in the medium and large divisions, both of which were in the dance category, as well the kick, character and small lyrical divisions.

“Usually we do really well in one or two divisions, but don’t even place in the others,” co-captain senior Teresa Li said. “This year we were more well-rounded and are going home with five trophies, including an overall title.”

According to Li, though the team did not do particularly well in any one category, their consistent high scores in each set them apart. At such a high level of technique, comparing teams can turn into a subjective matter, leading to disagreement between judges. Of the three judges in the large division, one put the Marquesas in first place, one gave them second, and the last put them in seventh. As a result, the team was ultimately awarded fourth place for their large routine. Similar patterns were prevalent in the scoring of the team’s kick and character dances, both of which were awarded fourth place as well, though some judges had placed them higher. This explains why the team did not make it to finals, but still won an overall title.

“That’s just how Nationals goes,” officer junior Rheanna Ganapathy said.  “You never know what the judges are looking for because they each come from different dance backgrounds. One judge can be the difference between first and fourth place.”

The team came to Anaheim with high hopes of making it to finals in the kick division, but they acknowledge that their overall title is more significant than one in any single division.

“We used to be known as a good kick team,” senior Charlotte Yuan said. “Now we’re known as a good team in general.”

Rachel Beyda is a member of Dance Team who traveled to Anaheim and reported for this story.