[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF THE TOLLAND HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER AND BOYS CROSS COUNTRY 
                       STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOE COURTNEY----

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 2010

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Tolland High 
School boys soccer team and the boys cross country team for winning the 
Connecticut Class M Championships, respectively. Their success is a 
fitting capstone to the determination of a group of young adults who 
started the season with the shared goal of a state championship.
  Winning a championship was significant for the Tolland Soccer team on 
its own, but even more so after spending the entire season targeted by 
all opponents as a top ranked team. Playing in the competitive CCC East 
Conference while matching up against primarily class L and LL schools, 
Tolland posted a record 13 shutouts. And when it mattered most on 
November 21st, the team defeated Granby Memorial High School 2-1 to 
complete the only undefeated season of a Connecticut high school boys 
soccer team in 2009.
  Tolland soccer was not alone in helping the town mark a noteworthy 
year. For a program boasting numerous historical achievements, the 
Tolland cross country team have solidified their mark in school 
history. Led by captains Kyle Sprague, Marcos Rodriguez, and Bryan 
Fowler the team won their second consecutive Class-M state championship 
on October 31, 2001. The team finished with an undefeated record of 17 
wins and zero losses, with six runners earning all-conference status.
  These back to back championship wins are a testament to the teamwork, 
dedication, and skill of these scholar athletes. I would like to 
congratulate their coaches, Jim Leahy and Brandon Elliot along with the 
entire Town of Tolland, the Recreation Department, and the Board of 
Education for fostering a healthy program of youth and scholastic 
athletics. To the parents, who for the past ten years have driven to 
hundreds of games and held pasta parties for young and hungry athletes, 
their role was also critical to this team's success.
  This group of young adults have set the bar high for future Tolland 
teams, and met their goals through grit and determination. I wish all 
the players good luck with their future endeavors, and may they always 
appreciate the lesson that true rewards are achieved through 
surmounting significant challenges.

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