The next stop on the 6th Annual MaxPreps Boys' Basketball Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard took us to Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas on Thursday, May 3rd 2012. According to the MaxPreps Freeman poll, the Marauders finished No. 1 in the country for the second straight year in a row! Just last month, the Girls' Basketball Tour honored the No. 1 girl's team in country, Duncanville. The Marauders are one of ten boys' basketball teams being honored out of over 20,000 high school boys' basketball programs in the country. The Marauders finished the season with an amazing 39-2 record and their second consecutive 5A state title.
The Tour arrived on campus and was escorted to the new gym where the ceremony would take place. Surrounded by pictures of the star players on their home court, I couldn't think of a better place to recognize this team of champions. As the students began to file in, the excitement of the moment began to fill. Although no strangers to the TOC award, having received the honor last year, they seemed proud and honored to receive their newest hardware and add their second "Minuteman" trophy to the display case. As the pep rally began, the school first recognized several other athletic achievements.
Before our trophy presentation started, state representatives from both the Senate and Congress read proclamations declaring the team "true Texas champions." And as MaxPreps representative Jim Redman took the microphone, he first awarded a very special trophy to boy's basketball head coach, Danny Henderson, honoring him as the MaxPreps Boy's Basketball Head Coach of the Year. The crowd jumped out of their seats and erupted into applause for their coach's recognition. As the crowd quieted, Jim Redman then reminded everyone that the Marauders were not just ranked No. 1 in the state of Texas, but were No. 1 overall in the entire country! He then turned the microphone over to Staff Sergeant Steve Kulp of the Texas Army National Guard who presented the coveted Army National Guard national ranking trophy or the "Minuteman," a symbol of strength, dedication and excellence to Coach Henderson and the boy's basketball team. As the crowd went wild, "We Are…MARCUS!" filled the gym as the students, teachers and community proudly honored their team.
Congratulations to Coach Henderson, on his honor as Coach of the Year and his team on an incredible season and capturing the No. 1 spot for the second straight year! Marcus High School truly is a school of champions!
