[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 33 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     BATTLING FOR BOBBY--MOREHEAD WRESTLES ITS WAY TO A STATE CROWN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HOWARD COBLE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 2014

  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, in sports, when a team is motivated by some 
outside cause, it can be difficult to defeat. When that team is 
determined to reach its goal because of a stricken leader, it can be 
unstoppable.
  That is exactly how to describe the wrestling team at Morehead High 
School in Rockingham County, North Carolina. I am proud to say that the 
Morehead Panthers, who call the Sixth District of North Carolina home, 
recently won the 3A State Dual Team Wrestling Championship.
  The Panthers had a theme all season: ``Battling for Bobby.'' The 
aforementioned Bobby is Bobby Stewart, the former wrestling coach and 
Morehead's current athletic trainer who was diagnosed with leukemia. 
Prior to the championship bout, the team unveiled warm-up shirts that 
read ``Battling for Bobby'' on the front and ``Taking Down Cancer'' on 
the back.
  The shirts worked because on February 8, 2014, Morehead defeated Fred 
T. Foard High School 33-28 to capture the state wrestling championship 
in the 3A Class. Bobby Stewart's illness focused the team all season as 
the Panthers compiled a 38-1 season on their way to a state crown. 
Morehead senior wrestler Payton Mills, who was named the championship's 
Most Outstanding Wrestler and won the opening match, gives much of the 
credit to Coach Stewart. ``If it weren't for Bobby,'' Mills told the 
Reidsville Review, ``I wouldn't currently be wrestling at all, let 
alone winning Most Outstanding Wrestler of the state duals. Mainly, I 
wanted to do everything I could to help my team win a state 
championship for Bobby because he's been such a huge influence on how I 
live my life today.''
  First-year Head Coach Daniel Bradford also told the Rockingham County 
newspaper that the Panthers seemed to be a team of destiny. ``This is 
what we work toward all season,'' Bradford said, ``and it's great to 
see all of that work pay off like this. I knew coming into this season 
that we had a very strong lineup, with a lot of great wrestlers. But it 
was more than that. It was a lot of great men. From the very first 
tournament of the year, I knew we were going to be tough and the only 
goal for us was to have a chance to win this title.''
  Coach Bradford will be the first to tell you that it took the entire 
team to win the state championship. Members of the squad included Alex 
Bailey, Gideon Biggs, George Blackstock, Willis Booth, Tyler Bruins, 
Ben Bullins, Will Dabbs, Tyler Dabbs, Zane Hairston, Tylon Hodges, 
Steven Holland, Mike Jones, Jordan Jones, Dylan Jones, Jadakiss Jumper, 
Henrik Kummert, Payton Mills, Marqe Mills, Tyshawn Olverson, John 
Phillips, William Pryor, Cameron Sanders, Christian Santos, Jordan 
Servie, Wesley Strader, Dylan Willey, Tim Woods, and Alex Villa.
  Aiding Coach Bradford in guiding the Panthers to the top included 
assistant coaches Marty White, Terry Mason, Chris Higgs, Chris Johnson, 
David Barker, and Robbie Horton. Team doctors Kevin Howard and John 
Dabbs, along with team trainers Bobby Stewart and Darrell Carter, made 
sure the Panthers overcame any injuries or illnesses on the path to 
glory.
  The Morehead Wrestlerettes made sure the Panthers heard the crowd 
cheering them on to victory. The Wrestlerettes included Hope Booth, 
Anne Fitts, Rachel Gallardo, Destiny Smith, and Hannah Thompson, along 
with their sponsors Donna Gallardo and Shiela Thompson, and Booster 
Club president Carl Booth.
  On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we 
congratulate Principal Al Royster, Jr., Athletic Director Jason Tuggle, 
and the faculty, staff, and students of Morehead High School for 
winning the 3A State Dual Team Wrestling Championship. The Panthers 
said they were ``Battling for Bobby'' and they lived up to that motto 
all the way to the top.

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