The boys water polo team made school history by capturing the 6A Region I District 1 title for the first time, led by standout player Cooper Naude, 10. Naude helped the Bengals advance to the championship stage with his scoring and leadership.
The team finished the district season undefeated at 5-0 and totaled 165 goals and 263 points. Naude contributed 62 goals and 80 points, earning him 6A Region top player honors for the season.
“It felt very exciting,” Naude said. “I was filled with extreme joy when I heard the news from my coach and got what I’ve been working for all season. This showed that my hard work paid off even though it was difficult.”
While Naude led in scoring, he emphasized the team’s success was the result of collective effort. Practices and games focused on teamwork, encouragement, and learning from mistakes.
“Every day we pushed each other,” Naude said. “No one was ever left without encouragement and hope.”
For Naude, the championship reflected the hard work of the entire team. He credited his teammates for prioritizing the team’s goals over individual achievements.
“This was all a team effort to win this title,” Naude said. “It wasn’t just one person, but all of us.”
The Bengals’ memorable season was fueled by dedication in practice. Coaches emphasized that success comes from preparation, and players showed up determined to improve. Naude said consistent practice and teamwork were key to the team’s rise.
“We achieved that defeat by working hard at practice,” Naude said. “Our coaches always said you practice how you play, so we always brought our best to practice and worked really hard.”
Head coach Maegan Merriman said the team’s win over Guyer High School on Oct. 4 marked a historic milestone.
“I want to take a moment to celebrate a truly historic accomplishment from this past Friday night,” Merriman said in an email to the entire staff. “Our Braswell boys water polo team defeated Guyer High School — marking the first time in Braswell history that we’ve beaten Guyer in water polo. In fact, this is only the second time ever that Guyer has been beaten in UIL district play. None of the Denton ISD schools — Denton High, Ryan, or Braswell — had ever managed this before.”
The match up, known as the “Battle of the Big Cats” between Braswell and Guyer, showcased the Bengals’ grit, discipline and determination.
“They worked tirelessly all summer and continue to train with unmatched dedication,” Merriman said. “The Bengals are the furthest from the pool, driving 30 minutes each way to practice at an off-campus facility — and the team members are there by 6:45 a.m. every morning. That kind of commitment takes heart.”
The season concluded with a 14-10 win over Guyer, the result of strategic plays, strong communication, and teamwork.
“It took a lot of special plays, you know, ones we came up with a couple weeks ago to defend certain situations that we knew we would face against Guyer’s players,” Naude said. “They had one good player who was an outside shooter, so we had to adjust our defense to press him the entire game so we could get easy shots.”
Naude, a sophomore in his second year on the team, said this season brought both improvement and lasting memories.
“It was definitely a lot different than last year,” he said. “Obviously winning district was a big deal but we also got to know some of the new people on the team and created lasting friendships.”
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