Bill Text: VA HJR496 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending the St. Christopher's School wrestling team on winning its eleventh consecutive VISAA.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2012-03-09 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ496ER) [HJR496 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2012-HJR496-Introduced.html
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12105717D Patrons-- Loupassi, Farrell, Howell, W.J., Massie and Peace; Senator: McEachin WHEREAS, on Saturday, February 18, 2012, in one of the most exciting and improbable finishes in Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) state wrestling tournament history, St. Christopher's High School varsity wrestling team pulled out a 2.5 victory over Cape Henry Collegiate to win an unprecedented eleventh consecutive VISAA championship title; and WHEREAS, despite fielding a very young team, with only four seniors and three juniors, and despite persistent predictions that they could not conceivably continue their dynasty and defend their state title, the St. Christopher's wrestlers entered the VISAA tournament fresh off a series of strong individual and team performances down the stretch; and WHEREAS, the 2012 VISAA state tournament was full of surprising ups and downs for the St. Christopher's grapplers, as they collectively and individually persevered in the face of adversity and seemingly insurmountable odds, proving once again as a team that they can not ever be counted out of the fight and culminating with nine Saints wrestlers in the top six places for their weight classes, and 13 out of 14 Saints scoring wins and earning points for the cause; and WHEREAS, the first place in the team standings lurched violently back and forth between St. Christopher's, Cape Henry Collegiate, and Liberty Christian Academy throughout the weekend, with the Saints ultimately prevailing only after a decisive string of clutch victories in the final round of wrestling; and WHEREAS, sophomore William Kelly (106) blitzed through the field with a technical fall, a win by injury default, and a pin, before scoring a 5 - 2 decision against Cape Henry freshman Logan Harvitch in the finals, to win his first VISAA championship and take a ranking of eighth seed into the National Preps; and WHEREAS, junior Robert Janis (145), a returning National Prep All-American, won his second state championship in dominating style, pinning his first three opponents in short order before scoring a 28 - 13 technical fall over Bishop Sullivan's Sean Kelly in the finals, to take a ranking of third seed into the National Preps; and WHEREAS, senior Quent Alcorn (195) won his second straight VISAA title in commanding fashion, defeating Liberty Christian's Blake Papet by 6 - 0, securing the necessary four points to finally push ahead of Cape Henry Collegiate for the team title, and taking a ranking of eleventh seed into the National Preps; and WHEREAS, despite controlling the action and having more offense in the neutral position, senior Tyler Cornett (160) lost a heartbreaking decision in overtime to Benedictine's Michael Logan to take second place and an eleventh seed into the National Preps; and WHEREAS, junior Marshall Hollerith (220) pinned his way to the finals before losing a tough match against Bishop Ireton's returning VISAA champion Andrew Lutterloh, dropping a hard-fought 6 - 2 decision to the Cardinal grappler in the championship finals to take second place and a record of 33 - 15 into the National Preps tournament; and WHEREAS, junior William Cabell (138) joined the five finalists to qualify for Nationals with a record of 28 - 18, bouncing back after losing a wild 16 - 12 match in the semifinals to Bishop Sullivan's state champion Rick Rumley, to seize third place by defeating Bishop Ireton's Nick Womach 3 - 2 in the consolation finals; and WHEREAS, freshman Jake Hale (113) ended a solid first season for St. Christopher's with a record of 24 - 19 and placed fifth, senior Andy Pitts (132) closed out his career with a record of 25 - 21 and sixth place, and sophomore Tyler Anthony (285) rounded out the place winners for the Saints with a sixth place to finish his first season as a starter; and WHEREAS, freshman John Fergusson (126) posted three pins for the weekend to contribute 10 team points, sophomore Ian Saunders (152) won two matches with grit and determination despite wrestling with a ruptured bursa sac in his knee, senior Hunter Daniels (170) scored two wins, and sophomore Charles Moore (182) won a match, each scoring critical points that were absolutely essential to the razor-thin margin of victory; and WHEREAS, seven Saints qualified for the 77th Annual National Preps Tournament on February 24 - 25, 2012, at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the team scored 55 points to finish eleventh in the nation, outdistancing by eight and one-half points the closest Virginia competitor, Liberty Christian Academy, who finished in seventeenth place; and WHEREAS, the team was led by sophomore William Kelly who finished fifth in the nation at 106 to end the season with a 41 - 18 record and take home his first All-American title; and WHEREAS, junior Robert Janis earned his second All-American title, finishing sixth in the nation at 145 and amassing a team best 50 - 9 season record; and WHEREAS, junior Marshall Hollerith finished eighth in the nation at 220 to end the 2012 season with a 36 - 18 record and earn his first All-American title; and WHEREAS, the epic performance of the 2012 St. Christopher's School wrestling team is a tribute to the vision, inspiration, and leadership of USA Wrestling 2011 Head Coach of the Year John Gordon in his second season at the helm of the Saints wrestling dynasty, as well as the efforts, energy, and enthusiasm of his dedicated coaching staff of Billy Abbott, Owen Duffy, David Erwin, Matt Erwin, Ross Gitomer, Charlie Hudson, John Pope, and Robison Prebish; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate the St. Christopher's School wrestling team on winning its unprecedented eleventh consecutive Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Head Coach John Gordon as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the championship performance of the St. Christopher's School wrestling team. |
