WEBSTER CITY – Still in celebration mode from winning their second straight Class 3A state championship, the members of the Webster City boys’ golf team were honored during a reception inside the WCHS gymnasium Wednesday evening.

With the state championship trophy and banner in the middle of the floor, players Alec and Avery Fuhs, Drew Fielder, Connor Shannon, Nathan Ferrell and Sean Vogelbacher were front and center for the 30-minute program that featured several speakers, including boys’ golf coach Dave Brighton, girls’ coach Catherine Schroeder and WCHS Superintendent Mike Sherwood.

“What impressed me the most about this group is their commitment,” Sherwood said in his remarks to those in attendance. “I hope for this group that their sense of accomplishment will evolve into a sense of achievement.”

Schroeder called the players champions.

“These guys are very special to me,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see in my life champions like these guys.”

Brighton noted that the team compiled a 223-21 record over the past four years, including an eye-popping 138-6 record during its two-year gold rush. But he said that the accomplishments of his team are about so much more than wins and losses.

“When Mr. (Bob) Howard hired me he said make them behave and make sure they’re good men,” Brighton said. “I received emails from the MOC (Floyd Valley) coach and the Iowa Falls-Alden coach this week and they said exactly that. I think we’ve made good citizens, good examples and people that other people want to be around.”

All six players had the opportunity to speak and gave thanks to the many supporters that helped the team reach their goals.

“I’d like to thank our friends and families for coming and I wish the best of luck to the classes below us,” Vogelbacher, one of three seniors on the team, said. “I hope they can learn from what we did and succeed in the future.”

Fellow senior Avery Fuhs added: “The only sad thing about the season is that it ended.”

WCHS won the state title by 11 strokes over runner-up West Delaware at Spring Valley Golf Course, just outside of Livermore, this past Saturday. Alec Fuhs became the first Lynx male player to ever finish in the top two individually at the state tournament, and Avery Fuhs took seventh.