[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 53 (Monday, March 30, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HILANDER WRESTLERS SET STATE TITLE WINNING STREAK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 30, 2009

  Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to draw my colleagues' 
attention to a remarkable and historic athletic feat achieved by the 
Burns High School Hilanders wrestling teams of Harney County, Oregon.
  On February 28, the Hilanders captured their eighth consecutive 3A 
state wrestling championship. The streak is unprecedented in the state 
and mark the first time in any sport, at any level, such an 
accomplishment has been achieved. These eight teams, their coaches, and 
their families are testament to the commitment to hard work that is 
pervasive throughout eastern Oregon.
  The streak began way back in 2002. Since then, the Hilanders have 
captured 22 individual state titles, and some have won multiple 
championships, including Talon Hofman (2001 to 2004), Ben Cate (2003 to 
2005), Abe Jacobs (2003 and 2004), and Joe Drinkwater (2008 and 2009).
  In 2007, the Hilanders set a new team scoring record for all 
classifications when they scored 269.5 points at the state 
championship.
  All athletic programs that enjoy longevity of success do so only with 
the guidance of good leaders. Bill Winn, Mark Hofman, Jeff Kloetzer, 
and Ray Cate have been tremendous coaches throughout the eight-year 
run.
  Green Bay Packers coaching legend Vince Lombardi once said, 
``Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team 
work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.''
  No doubt, the young men of the Hilanders wrestling program sacrificed 
more than others in exchange for their committed pursuit of such lofty 
goals. These wrestlers have spent untold hours running laps around the 
gymnasium, doing ``up-downs'' until they thought their lungs couldn't 
take anymore, challenging each other in thousands of take-down drills, 
and critiquing each other's ``first move off the bottom.''
  They spent thousands of miles sitting on busses headed for the next 
contest. They watched their weight but made sure they were physically 
strong when the time came. They practiced, and practiced, and practiced 
again until the moves became automatic. Their many titles are proof of 
their devotion and sacrifice.
  But titles aside, the lessons they learned about what it takes to be 
the very best are the keepsakes that will serve them well for the rest 
of their lives. The hardware they've earned for their success is, as 
they say, the icing on the cake.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
Hilanders wrestling program and the Harney County community for their 
remarkable achievement. Their unprecedented streak is a reminder to us 
all of the value of dedication, perseverance, and good old fashioned 
hard work.

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