They shot for a third place ranking but ended a state competition with a first place win.

“I kept touching the trophy making sure it was real,” said Claire Duge, captain of the A.C. Jones High School Winter Guard.

“We were aiming for third,” said Taylor Knowlton.

“We just wanted to get a trophy,” said Jaime Vela, their teacher at Jones High School.

These eight students have been competing since January, perfecting their routine with every performance.

“We produce one show and do the same show over and over,” said Stephanie Longoria, who choreographed the routine and trained the troupe. “Every week you make that show more and more pleasing to the judges.”

By the end of the three months, the team was ready for their March 28 competition at Southwest High School in San Antonio.

The team practiced hard the day before the competition. “That Friday before was amazing,” Taylor said. “We went in with confidence.”

Standing in front of the judges and peers, the students danced with flags and rifles to the song, “The Creationist” by Kerli.

As they stood waiting, the announcer called out the winners.

“Third place goes too...”

“Second place goes to...”

As the anticipation built, the team knew they had made it all the way.

“First place goes to...”

Lesleigh Flora said, “I was hyperventilating.”

They had won the top spot of the novice division in the Texas Educational Color Guard Association competition.

Garen Rodriguez said that when they got back to Beeville, friends and family didn’t believe them.

One student chimed in, “they asked where we bought the trophy.”

Still glowing from the win, the students earlier this week were eager to praise their teachers and the program.

“Everything we went through... it was worth it,” Garen said. “The hardest thing is the bruises and scrapes.”

The students laughed as they compared scars and reminisced about the bumps and falls they had during their practice.

The students rolled up their sleeves to show healing marks on their arms and one even smiled saying that she chipped her front tooth.

Having completed the year, many of the students said that they are eager to join again.

“It makes me want to get other people to join,” Taylor said.

Garen added, “(Rodriguez) inspired me to be a guard coach.”