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Paynesville's danceline, which has 15 members this year, didn't think they danced very well, so they were quite pleased to place in the top three and thoroughly excited to take second, according to their coach Becky Hoey.

"When they called third place and we weren't it, we all sighed with disappointment," Hoey explained. "When they called us for second place, you would have thought that 16 girls and one coach had won the Miss America pageant."

The only team to beat Paynesville on Saturday was Pequot Lakes, which had a line with 28 girls. The standings were: (1) Pequot Lakes; (2) Paynesville; (3) Crosby-Ironton; (4) Melrose; (5) Albany.

Taking second place was even more satisfying, according to Hoey, because the Pirouettes lost to both Melrose and Albany last year.

Members of Paynesville's danceline this winter are: captain Mesa Frenchick, captain Shelly Schoenberg, manager Angie Ahrens, Ashley Ahrens, manager Holly Bennett, Wendy Bennett, Amanda Burlingame, Valerie Callenius, Theresa Christian, Gretchen Fenske, Rachel Hanson, Heidi Jensen, Brittany stang, Jacqie Utsch, Nichole Utsch, and Jessie Virant.

The squad competes next in January, when it will host dual meets against Melrose on Tuesday, Jan. 8, during a boys' basketball game, and against Albany on Thursday, Jan. 10, during a girls' basketball game.