A trip to the state finals in late October marked the second time in two years that the Marcus High School boy’s water polo team has reached the state tournament.
In 2023, the Marauders brought home a state championship.
Marcus finished 23-1 this season with a 10-0 record in district competition and have established themselves as a perennial powerhouse in the relatively recent UIL sport, which was officially sanctioned in 2022 at the varsity level.
So what is the secret to the success of the water polo programs at MHS in Flower Mound?
“I have an amazing group of athletes on both sides,” coach Brandon Dion said. “They show up every day ready to work, understand the process and are committed to doing the work.”
Utility players Owen Kroh and Landon Heuer are two of those athletes, and both appear to be on board with what Dion and the Marcus coaching staff have tried to accomplish with the program, especially this past year.
“I am extremely satisfied with the season,” Kroh said. “Although we came just short of back-to-back state titles, the growth made by this team and the bond we made together is far more valuable than another gold medal. And for many of the boys, this is their first time making it to a state championship in general, so I think it will only fuel them to train harder and win next year.”
Kroh was a part of the team in 2023 that won a state championship, defeating Boerne Champion by a score of 25-12 in the championship match.
The Marcus senior said being a member of this program has been special for him.
“I have been on Marcus varsity water polo since I was a freshman, and one thing is certain, there were no accidental victories for this team,” Kroh said. “We are recognized as one of the most dominant high school teams in the state because my boys and I have worked harder than every other team in Texas. It means a lot to be a part of a program that stands for something and shows you get out whatever you put in. So if you wanna be great you have to show it in training.”
Dion, who was named the 2024 UIL Region 1 District 2 All District Boys and Girls Coach of the Year, said that reaching the state championship game in back-to-back seasons is difficult for any number of reasons, particularly if your program was hit hard by graduation. The men’s team only had four returning players from last year’s squad.
“It was pretty special,” Dion said. “We heard all the whispers that we weren’t the same team, we graduated too many guys, etc. We used that as fuel for the fire.”
Thankfully, there is a lot of crossover between sports, and Dion said a number of his athletes have had great success in more than just water polo.
“Last year, three of my athletes, Landon Heuer, Cy Dion and Kris Podsiadlo went to state twice in the same year in two different sports,” Dion said. “They were water polo state champions and then went to state in the 200 Free Relay for swimming.
Heuer said given what Marcus has accomplished in recent years, he is even more compelled to help continue the tradition of excellence.
“Especially since we fell short of first place this year, I am more motivated than ever to work hard, play hard, and continue our streak of success as a water polo team,” Heuer said. “I believe we have all the tools necessary to achieve incredible things and can’t wait to see what happens next year for our team’s water polo season.”
The Marcus junior said that challenges with school and fatigue have definitely had an impact on him, but said he constantly works to make time for everything.
“Maintaining good grades in tough classes at school and finding the time to work out and practice have been difficult for me,” Heuer said. “However, I’ve been able to achieve a decently good balance between the two and am able to pursue greatness in my academic and athletic lives.”
Both Kroh and Heuer were selected to the all-state tournament team.
Dion said he is pleased with the progress his programs have made and said it has been years in the making.
“I think we already have a strong foundation of tradition and culture,” Dion said. “I started the program in 2016, and we have been building toward this the entire way.”
And the Marcus coach’s opinion appears to bear out.
The Lady Marauders water polo team made it further than it ever has since UIL Water Polo began and was just one goal away from qualifying for state this season.
Camaraderie is also part of the equation for success along with talented and dedicated athletes, but Dion said it is even more than that.
“It goes beyond camaraderie,” Dion said. “It’s a family, and that’s part of the culture that we’ve built over the last seven years. I think we have all the right pieces and the mindset on both the men’s and ladies’ sides to get both of them to San Antonio next year.”
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