It was a battle of wits that went down to the wire.

Teams of students from five San Juan Unified high schools  - Bella Vista of Fair Oaks, Del Campo, El Camino, Mesa Verde of Citrus Heights and Mira Loma - brought their improv comedy A-game to the stage in a competition that tested their on-the-spot creative skills in front of a raucous crowd.

The four-hour tournament on Jan. 20 in Mesa Verde’s Performing Arts Center was emceed and officiated by members of ComedySportz, an outside improv comedy league that also coaches high school students.

“We find that through the arts, specifically with improv, we can help them to overcome stage fright, become more robust people –  as well as have a lot of fun and make some friends,” said Matthew Russell, director of ComedySportz Sacramento.

The marathon contest featured lively games that challenged students to come up with song lyrics, scenarios and characters with lightning speed. Often, major plot lines and random details were solicited from the audience to keep everyone on their toes.

“I really like the challenge,” Mesa Verde senior Nate Breshears said. “I’ve always been able to think on my feet, but being forced to do it in a competitive format really feels nice.”

Many students said they loved the thrill of improv comedy and that they’ve gained valuable teamwork and critical thinking skills they can take with them beyond high school - whether or not they pursue acting or the arts.

“I’m going to try to do ComedySportz after high school,” said Jesse Bascom, a junior at Mesa Verde. “But I also would like to become an EMT, and you’ve got to think fast on your feet. This is also really good training for that.”

On-the-spot critical thinking skills are a must on stage, said Deni Scofield, San Juan Unified’s lead theater teacher.

“You’ve got to be sharp, because you have to sometimes tie in history, work in things … timing, pacing,” she said. “So many of those wonderful little attributes that improvisation works with.”