HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 971 Offered February 19, 2007 Commending the Yorktown High School girls' swim and dive team. ----------
Patrons-- Brink, Ebbin, Eisenberg and Englin; Senators: Devolites Davis, Ticer and Whipple
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WHEREAS, the Yorktown High School girls' swim and dive team won the 2007 Virginia High School League Group AAA Swim and Dive Championship by successfully defending its 2006 state championship victory in Virginia Beach on February 10, 2007; and

WHEREAS, the Yorktown High School Patriots became the first public high school team in Arlington County to win back-to-back state championships since the Yorktown High School boys' gymnastics team won consecutive crowns in 1972 and 1973; and

WHEREAS, the 2006–2007 Patriots from Yorktown High School became the third Northern Region girls' team to repeat as state champs in 10 years, joining Langley High School (1998–2001) and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (2002–2004); and

WHEREAS, the Yorktown High School Patriots scored 249.5 points in the state meet to outdistance second place Fairfax High School (218) by 31.5 points and reverse an earlier defeat by Fairfax High School in the regional meet; and

WHEREAS, in the state meet, the Patriots captured three events, including an individual victory by sophomore Maren Taylor, who won the one-meter diving competition with 420.93 points; and

WHEREAS, the Patriots won the 200-meter freestyle relay, with swimmers Maren Taylor, Kristen Wolla, Thea Kromer, and Katy Hinkle setting both state and national high school records with the winning time of 1 minute, 49.04 seconds; and

WHEREAS, the Patriot's squad of Katy Hinkle, Abby Ortmayer, Thea Kromer, and Kristen Wolla also finished first in the 200-meter medley relay, with a national high school record winning time of 2 minutes, 1.35 seconds; and

WHEREAS, all of these Yorktown High School swimmers, as well Hilary Stetekluh, Edmi Vazquez-Ramos, Kaitlin Wolla, and diver Meg Alderman, contributed points to the team's second Group AAA state championship with their performances in other events; and 

WHEREAS, the Yorktown High School swim and dive team, which includes nearly 40 members, was led by Head Swim Coach David Lassiter, Head Dive Coach Bobby Meeks, and Assistant Swim Coach Jackie Kuntz; and

WHEREAS, the team's depth of talent, combined with years of hard work and effort by the individual athletes, led to the well-earned repeat state championship for the Yorktown High School girls' swim and dive team; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the 2006–2007 Yorktown High School girls' swim and dive team on its consecutive state championship performances; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Yorktown Patriots as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and best wishes for future success.