All 10 players lined up on the green. Their purple shirts waved in the breeze, the motto “Play to the Max” stamped on the left side of the chest. Though they weren’t wearing the traditional red and black school colors, this uniform didn’t seem out of place, the Love to the Max bracelets clinging to their sun-tanned wrists. With beaming faces they hoisted their championship trophies. Not just one trophy. Two.

Last week the Marauders claimed both the first and second place District 5-5A plaques. The red and silver varsity squads, composed of five players apiece, both qualified for the regional tournament in Lubbock April 14-15. In addition to sweeping the team competition, senior Carter Koen and junior Andrew Spear took home first and second place individual honors, respectively. Head coach Kerry Gabel said this is the first time in his career and in school to have both varsity teams advance to regionals, while also having players win first and second place as individuals.

“I don’t think I could have scripted it any better,” Gabel said.

After finishing second to Flower Mound in districts last year, the Marauders were not favored to win districts this year either. Although Hebron actually held a higher state ranking going into the district tournament, Gabel said they knew that they had the talent to win. They just had to put it all together at the right time. He said different players played well throughout the year, but they had not been able to peak as a team until recently.

“I never felt like we were underdogs,” Gabel said. “We believed that we had two of the best teams out there. It was just a matter of going out there and executing and performing.”

Although the individual titles will not affect anything at regionals, they did provide Koen and Spear some extra hardware that they can take home for themselves and an honor that is unique to them. Koen and Spear had to battle for their medals, playing in a three-way playoff with each other and Hebron player Steven Fabik. After the first playoff hole, Spear and Koen both made par. Fabik was knocked out as he shot bogey. From there it was a district battle that pitched Marauder against Marauder. After playing two more playoff holes, Koen finally claimed the title from his teammate.

“Sometimes it still feels like blur, like I was just gliding through it,” Koen said.

As someone who was fighting week in and week just to make the top varsity team, Koen said that he didn’t have much pressure to win and was able to stay realized during the tournament. After the first day he was tied for the lead and knew that he had a chance to take home the title. Koen, who was the number five player on the squad coming into districts, said he it was like a dream to take home first place as a senior captain.

However, another dream for Koen was to be able to win for his friend and former teammate Max Schwolert. Schwolert was a varsity golfer and passed away last year due to a sudden illness. The purple Play to the Max apparel, which was Max’s favorite color, is just one way the team remembers Schwolert. They have also started an annual memorial tournament for Schwolert, which was first played this spring. Spear, who won second at districts and first at the memorial tournament, said winning in purple was a great experience.

“Ever since he passed away, our whole team motto has been Live, Love and Play to the Max,” Spear said. “Last year we went to regionals and state and this year we are going back to regionals. Just to be able to do all that for him is pretty neat.”

Koen said he can still remember when Schwolert would drive him to the golf course every day after school before Koen could drive. They blared music just like any other teenagers would. And now, Koen and his teammates lifted their trophies and medals in memory of their fallen friend, Love to the Max plastered on their purple shirts, hats and wrist bands.

“People were expecting us to come out in our typical black and red,” Koen said. “It showed them that we were out there to play and out there to play for someone.”

As the two teams head into regional play, Gabel said that the goal is to win regionals and advance to the state tournament like last year. He said he believes this year’s team is more prepared mentally for the big stage, since many of the players competed at regionals last year. However, despite what takes place in the coming weeks, Gabel said that this season has been a success.

“You can’t take away first and second place [in district] and the first and second place medalists,” Gabel said. “No matter what happens out there at the regional tournament, it’s been a great year and the boys have done very well.”