[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 84 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E628-E629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN RECOGNITION OF THE GRANDVIEW BULLDOGS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 20, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Grandview 
High School men's varsity basketball team and their 2019 state 
championship. This victory has earned the team the honor of being the 
Missouri Class 4 State Champions for the second consecutive year. This 
remarkable achievement is a result of strong leadership and dedication 
from both players and coaches.
  This is a significant achievement for Coach Reggie Morris, who was 
recognized this spring for his outstanding coaching with the Paul 
Lambert Coach of the Year Award for the second consecutive year. In 
2018, Morris led his team to the school's first ever State 
Championship. Following that victory, many of the team's best players 
graduated and went on to play at the collegiate level. A mere twelve 
months later, Morris was able to rebuild his squad and return to 
Springfield to claim another State Championship.
  The new team was headlined by senior point guard DeAndre Sorrells who 
set the school record for 3-point baskets. With the leadership of 
Morris and Sorrells, the team cultivated an atmosphere of trust and 
hard work, establishing a tight-knit team chemistry both on and off the 
court. Their championship victory in Springfield as the penultimate 
reward for such a remarkable team and a fitting end to a season that 
saw them win twenty straight games.
  The many accolades of Grandview's basketball team are a testament to 
the program that they have built. In addition to winning the State 
Championship, the Bulldogs were the only team from Missouri recognized 
on the Super 25 Regional Rankings list. Furthermore, Coach Reggie 
Morris was named the 2019 Class 4 Coach of the Year, and DeAndre 
Sorrells was recognized as Hy-Vee's 41 Five-Star Athlete of the Week.
  The Grandview community rallied around the Bulldogs during the season 
as they progressed game after game towards their incredible victory in 
the State Championship. Now, the players look forward to enjoying 
fruitful careers in various athletic and academic fields after their 
graduation, and I encourage each of them to continue challenging 
themselves on and off the court as they move forward in life.
  Madam Speaker, please join with Missouri's Fifth Congressional 
District in celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of the Grandview 
Bulldogs. It is my pleasure to congratulate each of the players and 
coaches that helped this superb team claim their title, and I am 
exceedingly proud to represent such exemplary student-athletes like 
those of the Grandview High School basketball team.

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