[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 49 (Wednesday, April 17, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE 1995-96 BASKETBALL SEASON OF THE POPE COUNTY PIRATES

                                 ______


                           HON. GLENN POSHARD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 17, 1996

  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, perhaps nothing in sports is as thrilling 
as the underdog beating the odds and having success. The story of a 
small-town Indiana basketball team was made famous by the movie 
``Hoosiers.'' Well, this past season, the Pope County Pirates lived out 
a similar story line, as this school near Golconda, IL, with an 
enrollment of 191 students came within one game of making the State 
finals. Along the way, they energized the surrounding area with their 
overpowering play in the regular season while displaying gritty 
determination in the playoffs. I would like to congratulate the players 
and coaches on a fantastic, record-setting campaign.
  Second-year head coach Andy Palmer led his cagers to a team record 27 
victories against only 3 defeats, smashing the old mark, set the year 
before, by 6 wins. The Pirates advanced farther in the State tournament 
than any previous Pope County team. winning the school's first 
sectional game and championship before bowing out in their maiden trip 
to the super-sectional. Also, they had the smallest enrollment of any 
school to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The senior-led ball club 
dominated their opponents by an average 18\1/2\ points a game, easily 
winning the Greater Egyptian Conference.
  Mr. Speaker, we need only remember the NCAA basketball finals 2 weeks 
ago or the Masters golf tournament last weekend to know how much sports 
provide us in terms of excitement, commitment, and emotion. The players 
of the Pope County Pirates have given something to their parents, 
friends, and community that can never be taken away, and that they can 
cherish for the rest of their lives. For that special gift to all of 
us, I thank them, and would like to read their names for the record, as 
well as those of the assistant coaches. cheerleaders, and management 
staff, as they all played an integral part of the team's 
accomplishments. The players: Casey Dugan, Patrick Presser, Ryan 
Fritch, James Joyner, Jason King, Clint Taylor, Jackie Scarborough, 
Brad Maynor, Mark Brueggert, Robin Pfeifer-Thompson, Rich Eddington, 
Dustin Turner, Jason Teitloff, Gordon Dugan, and Eric Suits. The 
assistant coaches: Eric Messmer and Tyler Presser. The cheerleaders, 
Misty Boyd, Julie Jeffords, Becky Roper, Kim Faulkner, April Vasseur, 
Marty Eason, Courtney Leach, Janice Shetler, Alisha Morris, Amey Hogg, 
Keesha Swinford , Rachel Douglass, and Kara Suits. The management 
staff: Brandie Simmons, Brandy Maynor, Jenny Skaggs, and Travis Kluge.

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