The 6th Annual MaxPreps Boys Basketball Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard tipped off in Alexandria, Louisiana, home of the Warhorses of Peabody Magnet High School. This small town filled with enormous school spirit and strong community background was excited upon our arrival and the upcoming trophy presentation. The Boys Basketball team won their 4A state championship and finished the season with an astonishing record of 32-1. The team finished ranked No. 50 out of over 20,000 high school boy's basketball teams and is one of 10 boy's schools to receive the Army National Guard national ranking trophy.
I arrived on campus bright and early on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 and was greeted by Peabody High School's Boys' Basketball head coach Charles Smith. Coach Smith, a figure well known throughout the community, captured his 6th state championship and surpassed the 800 win milestone midway through this memorable season. I was then led to the auditorium where the trophy presentation would take place. As the students began piling into the auditorium you could feel the excitement in the air as they waited anxiously for the celebration to begin. Coach Smith kicked off the ceremony highlighting some of the main events throughout the season that made this year such a special one. The microphone was then turned over to MaxPreps representative Jim Redman who spoke about the prestigious Tour of Champions award and the boys' great winning season that led them to their 7th state championship and the 6th under head coach Charles Smith. The presentation was then turned over to Louisiana Army National Guard Sergeant First Class James Crane. SFC Crane talked about the great accomplishments of these student athletes both on and off the court. He then presented Coach Smith and the boys' basketball team with the coveted "Minuteman" or the Army National Guard national ranking trophy. Following the trophy presentation, the school erupted into congratulatory cheers as the team proudly held up their well-deserved trophy above their heads. The "Minuteman" trophy, symbolic of excellence and dedication to a cause could not have gone to a more deserving team.
Congratulations to the Warhorses and Peabody Magnet High School on a memorable season ending in national recognition!
