Photos by Jason Redmond / Star staff Moorpark Academic Decathlon coach Larry Jones talks to team members, their families and supporters after they won first place in the Super Quiz oral relay. At top, Moorpark team member Chrissa Rutkai answers a question.

GARDEN GROVE — Moorpark High School, representing California, won first place in the Super Quiz relay Friday, the last event of the 2008 National Academic Decathlon.

Moorpark is gunning for another first-place win today, when the national champion is announced.

In Friday's relay, Moorpark scored 41 points out of a possible 45 for first place. Park City High School from Utah took second place and Arizona's Mountain View High School placed third.

"It feels really good," said Moorpark's coach Larry Jones. "These kids deserve it."

Moorpark is one of 41 teams vying for the 2008 national title in competition that started Wednesday. The powerhouse Ventura County team won the national title in 1999 and 2003.

At the state competition in March, Moorpark earned 52,879 points, the highest score in the decathlon's 40-year history. A perfect score is 60,000.

The relay on Friday was the only event open to the public and counts for 40 percent of the overall Super Quiz. Moorpark had the loudest cheering section, with about 50 parents, friends and school officials supporting the team in the 27th annual competition.

People raised banners or waved green and gold pom-poms while students answered five questions worth 80 points each.

About 360 students from around the country competed in 10 academic events. The U.S. Civil War was the topic this year. Each team takes seven multiple-choice tests in subjects such as art, literature, science and math. They also give speeches, write essays and participate in interviews.

The Super Quiz is composed of the oral relay and a multiple-choice written test.

The win was a surprise to Justine Levan, team captain, because she "missed a couple."

"It's nice we at least have a little bit of a lead over the other teams," Levan said, holding the first-place plaque.

This is Jonah Buck's second year on the team. At all competitions, he wears a pair of yellow and green sneakers for luck. The team has a teddy bear that was passed around the crowd, a mascot they hugged while studying over the last nine months.

Jones held up the bear to the Moorpark crowd after the win.

"That's it; they don't have to study anymore," Jones said, smiling.

Moorpark team member Christie Calle walked away with a perfect score Friday, despite having a stomach flu on Thursday. Calle also opened the final event by singing "The Star Spangled Banner."

While happy about the outcome, most team members were subdued even after the win was announced. The eight-hour study days have ended.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," Levan said. "I can go home and read a book or take a nap for a couple of hours."

Paul Watanabe, who answered all five questions correctly, said he's going to miss studying for the Super Quiz.

Kris Sankaran said the ending is bittersweet. He will miss his team.

"At this point, I don't care if we win; I know we gave it our best," he said.

Moorpark Unified School District Superintendent Ellen Smith was snapping photos and cheering alongside students when the win was announced.

"It feels fantastic. I can feel the energy rising up," Smith said. "The team deserves this."