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Rep. Kenny Marchant

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I recognize the Carroll Senior High School Dragon football team for winning the 2011 Class 5A Division I Texas State Championship title.

The Dragons finished the season with a perfect 16-0 record and the program's eighth state championship. Carroll High School competes in the University Interscholastic League Class 5A, the most competitive athletic class composed of the largest schools in Texas.

Carroll had a thrilling 2011 season, winning three playoff games after being behind in the second half. The state championship was especially exciting where the Dragons played Fort Bend Hightower High School at Cowboys Stadium with an attending crowd of 42,822.

Hightower had a 29-28 lead over Carroll starting the fourth quarter. In Hightower's first possession of the fourth quarter, Carroll linebacker Will Davis caused a fumble that was recovered by the Dragons on Hightower's 29-yard line. With key positioning in Hightower territory, Carroll quarterback Kenny Hill led the offense to a touchdown with five plays. Carroll then scored a two-point conversion giving them a lead of 36-28.

With 9:18 left in the fourth quarter, the Carroll defense shut down the Hightower offense. On a second down, cornerback Sabian Holmes made a pivotal play breaking up a pass near the end zone, and on the third down, linebackers Will Davis and Jeff Miller sacked the Hightower quarterback, forcing a punt. Following the punt return, the Dragon offense shrewdly ran down the clock to win the state championship title.

I am extremely proud of the entire Carroll football team. I would like to take a moment to recognize all of the players who contributed to this championship:

Drew Ahmuty, Derek McLemore, Ryan Weigel, Jared Bales, Ray Crockett, Peyton Williams, Cameron Feuchter, Ben Sego, Connor Dyer, Corey Kemp, Tanner Jacobson, Austin Miller, Kyle McKinney, Blake McWhirter, Sean Dickson, Brandon Viohl, Kenny Hill, Conner Combs, Tyler Hunter, Ian Moss, Tyler Barnes, Kellen Day, David Stroope, Tanner Hutyra, Britton Wallace, Michael Stephens, Anthony Custable, Matthew Zauber, Chris Swart, Luke Kissick, James Noetzel, Sabian Holmes, Reid Hall, Roy Peryea, Robert Harless, Jeremy McClellan, Zach Hernandez, AJ Ezzard, Nick Melocik, Aaron Hoagland, Carter Bishop, Adaryan Jones, Matt Swoyer, Travis Martin, Derek Kalata, Hunter Westmoreland, Drew Brown, Will Davis, Conor Owens, Alex Johnston, Sam Downey, Joseph Formella, Steven Bergmark, Nash Neu, Dillon Rake, Jacob White, Landon Howard, Christian Poucket, Jeff Miller, Brian Bonacci, Nick Arst, Jackson Mitchell, Korbin Wayton, Edgar Gonzalez, Hunter Lackey, Michael Gavin, Nicholas Berman, Austin Tyrone, Dustin Flegle, JJ Prince, Alec Deutsch, Brady Stallings, Kyle Arpaia, Patrick Mundlin, Raymond Proietti, Ryan Hauser, Caleb LaCombe, Kyle Rae, Jack Proskovec, Evan Brown, Clay Hochstrate, Avery Hill, Connor Chase, Andrew Olear, Gabe Callan, Matt Jackson, Holden Sheehan, Connor Wakeham, Grant Drewelow, Cam Manning, Chad Kwong, Garrett Hale, Keaton Duhon, Joe Heineman, Sammy Silver, Haydn Billman, Caden Carlton, Brandon Gordon, Hunter Peck, Jesse Martinez, Cenan Lalani, Luke Timian, Blake Collins, Jake Webb, Al Tolbert, Matt Watford, Davin Campbell, Connor Page, James Hagerman, Scott Marks, Brock Sales, Ty Cummings, Joseph Depinto, Nash Dickey, Spencer Sunstrum.

Of course, no championship team is complete without those behind the scenes. Head Coach Hal Wasson; Asst. Coaches Clayton George, Tim Wasson, Mike Loveless, Tony Holmes, Austin Cranford, Aaron Lineweaver, Robert Drake, Brad Skinner, Kirk Rogers, Rob Royer and Brandon Murdock; Team Managers Colt Meachem, Nick Foster, Nick Bromley and Brendon James; Athletic Trainers Derek Abell, Allison Loftin and Carrie Saulters; and Student Trainers Sye Noble, Cameron Spence, Ragan Sims, Scott Miritillo, James Sarandis, and Brad Mason were all key contributors to Carroll's 2011 championship.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating the Carroll Senior High School Dragons football team for its victory in the 2011 Class 5A Division I state Texas state championship.