State champions. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
The THS water polo team recently headed to the Conroe Natatorium for their most important tournament of the year.
Before getting to the championship game, Tomball had to win the semifinals against Strake Jesuit.  They did.  The final score was 2-1, which automatically earned the team a rank of at least 2nd place.
Next was the big match.  This game would prove if Tomball’s hard work had paid off.  Sophomore Cameron Hindmarsh summed up the mood of the team: “I was very nervous. We worked so hard in practice for this.”
Hours of drills and mental preparation all came down to the game against St. Mark.
“Last year we played them and lost by one,” junior Colton Larsen recalled. “We knew this would be a tight game.”
Sterling’s win last year forced Tomball to settle for second place. This was their chance to redeem themselves.
“I didn’t feel too much pressure,” junior Seth Hereford said, “I just wanted to win.”
Tomball knew they could take this team and, according to the Cougars, “the win was no surprise.”
“We’re all fish,” Hereford explained. “We’ve worked so hard.”
Despite some tough calls by the refs, Tomball beat St. Mark by one point. Once the game ended, the Cougars erupted with excitement.
“We were screaming with happiness,” Hindmarsh said. “We all pushed Coach Slay into the pool!”
“Clint picked me up and was screaming,” Larsen added.
Even though the state title had been claimed, the night was not over.  To the water polo team, Prom was only something they would hear about at school.  And for the six seniors, Prom was something they would never experience.  Or so they thought. 
Their dedication to the team in fact did not keep them from one of the biggest nights of their senior year.  “All of their dates showed up in their Prom dresses,” said Larsen, “The couples took their Prom pictures there in their Speedos.”
Some players dedicated the win to Coach Slay, and his memorable speech.
“Give it your best and your all, and the one who is willing to go the farthest, longest, and hardest wins.”