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[Page H9228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING THE ROCHESTER ROCKETS FOOTBALL TEAM
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) for 5 minutes.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time
I have risen on this House floor to congratulate the Rochester Rockets
football team on a State championship that they just won, just this
past week, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.
Rochester played the Chicago St. Rita Mustangs for the title, winning
it by a score of 42 to 28. The Rockets came out strong with three
touchdowns early, giving them a 21 to nothing lead at the end of the
first quarter.
With four touchdown passes between quarterback Clay Bruno and
receiver Hank Beatty, the Rockets proved that they meant business. The
dynamic duo put on an offensive showcase with Bruno completing 18 of
his 25 passes for 313 yards, and Beatty hauling in 12 catches for 212
yards. Rochester's offense was as dominant as ever, making it nearly
impossible for St. Rita to create any sort of momentum.
In addition to a powerhouse offense, the Rockets' defensive line
showed up to work. Senior, Logan Peters, had 11 tackles, and sophomore,
Johnny Neal, had 7. Neal was playing JV halfway through the season and
got a 14-yard sack on the quarterback and a fumble recovery.
This is the Rockets' eighth State championship in 10 years, and this
is the first one that they achieved in the higher 5A classification.
Leave it to Coach Derek Leonard and the entire Rochester Rockets team
and the community to get bumped up, by maybe a student or two, into a
higher class and just go ahead and win a State championship there, too.
Congratulations to Coach Leonard. Congratulations to all of Coach
Leonard's assistant coaches and to the entire Rockets community on
another well-deserved State championship.
Congratulating Coach Brent Weakly
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
congratulate Coach Brent Weakly and the Central A&M High School
football team on their Class 1A State runner-up title. Last week they
played a great game with the Lena-Winslow Panthers, but lost in the 1A
State championship.
This year was the team's first year since 2001 that the Raiders have
made an appearance at the IHSA State championship game, and while they
didn't bring home a win, they held their heads high following last
Friday's game.
A&M's quarterback, Connor Heaton, threw for 192 yards and two
touchdowns. Connor has come a long way since I used to drop my kids off
with him at the same babysitter in Taylorville a few short years ago.
{time} 1030
Receiver Jacob Paradee had 11 receptions, a tie for most all-time in
a Class 1A championship game. His 157 receiving yards broke a 1A record
that was set back in 2006.
All said and done, A&M had its best season in 18 years. Coach Weakly
said it best of his team: ``Hats off to our kids. They kept competing.
. . . I'm really happy and proud of them.''
I am happy and proud of them, too. We are proud of the coach, his
entire coaching staff, and the entire Central A&M community.
Congrats on a great season.
Marking One Year of Recovery for Taylorville, Illinois
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it has been 1 year since
an EF-3 tornado ripped through my hometown of Taylorville, Illinois.
More than 700 structures were damaged and 33 were destroyed that
night, but not a single life was lost.
I thank God for looking over Taylorville that night, and I am
thankful for the critical decisions made by our former fire chief, Mike
Crews, and our current mayor, Bruce Barry. Their actions likely saved
countless lives.
It is a night I will never forget, not only because of the
destruction I saw when arriving back into my community minutes after
the tornado ravaged it, but it is also the damage I saw the next day in
daylight.
I am also amazed by the generosity that we saw from so many people
outside our community. Hundreds of volunteers came out to assist with
the cleanup, and donations poured in from across the State and the
Nation to help those in need.
Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank Ed Legg and those others who
make up Missions for Taylorville for coordinating getting these
donations out to those families in need.
We gathered this past weekend at the Taylorville VFW Post as a
community to remember that night, to thank our first responders and
volunteers for their work, and also to remind everybody that many
families are still in need of help.
Mr. Speaker, 1 year after this devastating tornado, I again thank all
those who continue to help my hometown recover and to pray for the
families still in need.
We are all Taylorville Strong.
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