Bedford’s head coach, Jennifer Mason, wasn’t sure what spectators thought of her team’s runnerup finish at the Class I winter spirit competition.

“I feel like the expectations are too high,” Mason said lightheartedly. “I was trying to figure out if people were really happy that Bedford finished second, or if they were disappointed we didn’t win.”

After taking the fall spirit competition, the Bulldogs finished .5 points behind champion Pembroke Academy at the winter event on Saturday, March, 14, continuing the program’s early success in its second year. Pembroke doesn’t take part in the fall season, but PA head coach Donna Ong has been impressed by BHS the last two winters.

“They were a very good team, fun to watch,” said Ong. “It’s fun to compete against another good team. Yeah, you want to beat them, but I enjoy it. It’s a good, friendly competition.”

“We’re only a second-year team, so we don’t totally know what’s out there,” said Mason. “Pembroke stuck out in our mind this year. We don’t really have any rivals since we are such a new team, but Pembroke was someone we were worried about.”

Bedford went undefeated in the fall, and traded first- and second-place finishes with Pembroke when the two teams competed this winter season.

With the finish, the Bulldogs guaranteed their season continues; Bedford qualified for the New England regional meet.

During New Englands, the rules change, so the team must decide whether to absorb a fivepoint deduction for having music that is too long or alter the routine to fit the rules.

Mason said she believes the experience of an undefeated fall season helped her team prepare for the winter session.

“It gave them so much confidence going into this. They weren’t as nervous. Fall put them at a great place,” said Mason.

“They’ve had such a successful year, and I have seen a great deal of maturity in them as the season went on.”