HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 49 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 7, 2006 Commending the Giles High School football team. ---------- Patron-- Crockett-Stark ----------

WHEREAS, the Giles High School football team (13-1) won the Virginia High School League Group A, Division 2 state championship against Manassas Park High School at Bridgeforth Stadium at James Madison University on December 10, 2005; and

WHEREAS, twenty-five years ago the Giles High School Spartans won its first state title by a single point; and

WHEREAS, the state championship game this year against the Cougars of Manassas Park was a heart-stopper with the Spartans clinching the title 35-34 in the final minutes of the game, ending the defending state champion Cougars' 27-game winning streak; and

WHEREAS, a crucial play came late in the fourth quarter with Giles ahead 35-34, when Spartan senior Logan Witt blocked a Manassas Park extra point; and

WHEREAS, Manassas Park’s fate was sealed when Spartan inside linebacker, sophomore Billy Cook, intercepted a final Cougar pass at game’s end and the Spartans, inside the 20 yard line with only 1 minute, 32 seconds to go, ran out the clock; and

WHEREAS, the Giles title win was a total team effort and a hard-fought battle, with Nathan Tanner’s 119 yards rushing, Ryne Hevener’s 32 yards rushing, quarterback Ricky Cook’s 227 yards total offense, and a 2 point conversion by Jared Brown all securing the narrow win; and

WHEREAS, the extraordinary success of the 2005 Spartans is a tribute to the talent, dedication, teamwork, and good sportsmanship of the players, the leadership of Head Coach Steve Ragsdale and the coaching staff, and the support of the students, faculty, and parents of Giles High School; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Giles High School football team on its Group A, Division 2 state championship and its outstanding 2005 season; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Head Coach Steve Ragsdale on behalf of all of the players of the 2005 Giles High School football team as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations on their outstanding performance.