The team sat on the turf, anxiously waiting for the PTSA to announce the top three teams who placed for their float in the Homecoming parade. The crowd got silent as whispers spread across the football field to find out who had won. Third place cross country, second place theatre, first place …

Girls basketball placed first in the Homecoming float competition Wednesday. The team won a $100 prize for coming in first.

“Everyone was really excited,” junior Summer Ely said. “We all jumped up and started yelling and cheering. It was just a really exciting moment for everyone and it really felt like our hard work had paid off.”

Their float’s theme this year was Run as One. The float included a basketball hoop, a giant basketball and a Viper poised to strike a Maverick.

“Run is One means we are all family and we do everything together,” Ely said. “We all dressed up as runners and the words on the side said ‘Strike the Mavericks’, which is who we are playing for Homecoming.”

The team threw out candy to the kids along the parade route. They also handed out shirts that read “Future Lady Viper” to the girls.

“It is really fun when you are actually riding on the float and you are throwing out all the candy to all the kids,” Ely said. “The little girls were really excited to get the shirts and that was cool to see.”

The team and their parents started and finished their float on Sunday with most members spending about three hours working on the float. They were extra motivated this year after placing second last year.

“It was fun to make the float because everyone wanted to win but also I got to spend some time with my friends outside of school.”

Junior Cassi O’Rourke said that the float is important for team building. She also added that despite the hard work everyone was extremely dedicated and everyone appreciates each other.

“It brings our team together,” junior Cassi O’Rourke said. “It’s definitely a good time to bond because when you’re on varsity or junior varsity you aren’t with the freshmen and you get really separated. It’s nice to have preseason team bonding moments.”