Every year, in every sport, a new team will emerge that maybe people weren't expecting to burst onto the scene in the way they do. 

These circumstances aren't as random as they seem though. Often they're a culmination of years of hard work finally paying off on the big stage. 

Here is our pick for a team that really took that next step in 2019, breaking through the glass ceiling and finally finding its wings:

Breakthrough Team of the Year: Men's Eagles 7s

Similar to the women, our men's Eagles also raised the bar to new heights in 2019. They too finished 2nd in the World Series standings, after making it to the semifinals or better at every stop. 

Their awesome year was highlighted by winning the final Las Vegas 7s event, and boy did that tournament have some magic.

There was of course Perry Baker's try for the ages in the final:

And who could forget Danny Barrett's unbelievable display of heart and toughness after breaking his arm in the quarterfinals:

This core group of guys has been together for a number of years now under coach Mike Friday, and at long last they've become a team that can tear you up with any of its seven players on the field, not just a select few.

Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, Madison Hughes, Martin Iosefo, Folau Niua, and Carlin Isles have all been pioneers for American 7s for years, and with the emergence of Ben Pinkelman and Stephen Tomasin, the Eagles have elevated to a new level. 

Gamebreaker Maka Unufe is back for 2020, and new faces like Kevon Williams, Ben Broselle, Cody Melphy, Marcus Tupuola, and Harley Wheeler continue to work into the mix. 

Injuries and new combinations have led to a slow start to this year's competition, but with a full cast of players for the Olympics, there's a chance the boys bring a medal back from Tokyo.