[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 156 (Wednesday, December 7, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11192-H11193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING CINCINNATI CHAMPION HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS TEAMS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  MR. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I am fortunate to represent a district which 
includes many outstanding high schools and an even larger number of 
gifted high school athletes who have brought countless State 
championships home to my congressional district in a number of sports. 
Just this fall, Cincinnati witnessed two women's high school volleyball 
teams, Seton and Roger Bacon, capture the Division I and Division II 
crowns respectively.
  In the Division I final, Seton overcame what looked to be 
insurmountable odds in its game against defending State champion Toledo 
St. Ursula. Just last year, the Saints were defeated in the State semi-
finals by Toledo St. Ursula, and this year's final looked as if it were 
headed toward a similar outcome, with Seton dropping the first two sets 
of a five-set match to a formidable foe.
  However, Seton battled back by rallying to win the next two sets. 
Overall, the match featured 53 tied scores, and in the end Seton 
avenged last year's loss with a 15-12 victory in set five to give head 
coach Kerry Butkovich her first State title. The win capped off an 
outstanding 24-5 record and also marked Seton's sixth volleyball title 
in program history and its first since 1996.
  I have got a couple of newspapers here. This is the Price Hill Press, 
and they have a photograph here, and the caption reads below the 
photograph: ``Seton High School Volleyball Team Accepts the State 
Division I Trophy from Ohio High School Athletic Association Assistant 
Commissioner Deborah Moore.'' And from left are the students who were 
the athletes here: Annie Lucas, Gina Coffaro, Becky Hendrian, Emily 
Kelly, Lindsey Svec, Chelsea Graham accepting the trophy, Megan 
Henderson, Megan Griffin, Chelsea Graman, Libby Walter, and Emily 
Sullivan.
  Now, not to be outdone by its Girls Greater Cincinnati League rival, 
the Roger Bacon Lady Spartans captured their second straight State 
Division II volleyball championship later that same day. Roger Bacon 
dominated its opponents throughout the entire season, finishing a 
remarkable 29-0. In the finals, the team from St. Bernard stymied Walsh 
Jesuit, winning four sets. A testament to the Lady Spartans' domination 
was the fact that they lost only eight sets the entire year.
  Led by significant contributions from each of its five seniors, Roger 
Bacon has become a mainstay in the State finals recording its third 
State title for

[[Page H11193]]

head coach Caryl Schawe, while making its fifth State appearance in the 
last 7 years. And the second from the Hilltop Press are the girls on 
that particular team, and the caption reads: ``The 2005 State Division 
II Volleyball Champions From Roger Bacon. Front row from left, Courtney 
Hausfeld, Vicki Auer, Carrie Prickel, assistant coach Andrea Schwartz, 
middle row manager Annie Kathman, Julie Brunsman, Kelsey Rose, Katie 
Veatch, Jamie Frey; top row assistant coach Jodi Kirch, Ali Wilson, 
Katie Westerfeld, Heather Hausfeld, Lauren Newron, and head coach Caryl 
Schawe.''
  Now, the women were not the only ones representing the city of 
Cincinnati with State championship trophies in the month of November. 
The boys' cross-country team at my alma mater, La Salle High School, 
literally went the distance to capture Ohio Division I cross-country 
team title at the State meet in Columbus. Having been voted the 
unanimous number one ranking in the final Associated Press coaches' 
poll, the Big Red Express did not disappoint. The team bested its 
second place performance from last year by posting the lowest overall 
score in the State boys' Division I meet since 2001, this time 
defeating runner-up North Canton by an incredible 66-point margin.
  The victory was a first for La Salle's cross-country team, which had 
four second place State finishes since 2000, and is a testament to the 
continued hard work and dedication of head coach Frank Russo who 
garnered his first State title in 23 years of coaching. That is the 
third one from the Hilltop Press over here. The caption in that one 
read: ``The La Salle Boys Cross-Country Team Placed First in the State 
Meet on Saturday. Front row from left are Dominic Lanzillotta, Tim 
Mink, Kyle Hoffman, and Jeff Ehler. Back from left are assistant coach 
Dean Fulmer, David Mette, Mitchell Heusmann, Corey Spriggs, Jake 
Nusekabel, Kyle Lang, Greg Bader, Ricky Lutt, Andrew St. George, head 
coach Frank Russo, and assistant coach Joe Muenchen.''
  Continuing the longstanding tradition of excellence, each of these 
three schools has come to symbolize these student athletes have learned 
invaluable lessons of commitment, teamwork, and perseverance that will 
serve each of them well as they prepare for their future.
  Cincinnati has much to be proud of, thanks to these outstanding young 
men and women; and it is an honor for me to congratulate them on the 
floor of the House of Representatives. Congratulations Seton; 
congratulations Roger Bacon; and congratulations to my alma mater, La 
Salle.

                          ____________________