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Now that the “old pros” storyline of Val Chmerkovskiy vs. Mark Ballas is over after Ballas and his celeb, Whitney Leavitt, were sent home, it's really a matter of selling Alix Earle as the growth storyline of 2025.

Never mind that Earle studied dance before “Dancing.” The judges took pains to talk about how much she had grown during the season. She’ll definitely be first or second when the mirrorball trophy is handed out.

But, really, should she win? We say no. Robert Irwin hit the floor the first week and hasn’t let up. He’s Mr. Consistent.

If you want a growth story, that’s Dylan Efron, who looked like he couldn’t dance that first week, broke his nose and got his brother, actor Zac Efron, in the ballroom Tuesday night. He has been an impressive contestant and should get the “most growth” award over Earle.

That leaves Jordan Chiles and Elaine Hendrix out of the top three.

Both have had their shortcomings — Chiles repeats too many “signature” moves while Hendrix plays the age card — and are likely to exit first.

Then, it’ll be Earle, Efron and Irwin. You’ll be able to tell who’s going to win based on the comments the judges offer after the first dance. If they’re critical of anyone, that person could be in third place. If they’re enthusiastic, first or second.

Because she has a big social media following, Earle could have the votes to pull out a win, but I’d rather see the top prize go to Irwin or Efron. Irwin has that history with the competition — his sister Bindi is a former winner — and Efron embodies the idea of a non-dancer rising through the ranks. Either would be a great champion.

We’re saying Irwin, then Earle, then Efron. If one of them is announced as a participant in the “Dancing with the Stars” tour, that could be another clue. The show loves showcasing someone from the season, and this was an exceptional one. The themes have been great, the anniversary show was the best ever and the contestants were in it to win it.