[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONGRATULATING JAKE MERKLINGER AND RASHAWN TRUELL

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 9, 2024

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate two 
Georgia quarterbacks--Calvary Day School's Jake Merklinger, and New 
Hampstead High School's RaShawn Truell, for their tied win of the 
Finocchiaro Award.
  The Michael Finocchiaro Memorial Outstanding Football Player Award, 
now in its 43rd year, crowns the standout high school player in 
Savannah and Chatham County. Remarkably, the recent award ceremony 
marked only the second occasion in its history where two players tied 
after voting concluded.
  Merklinger, the senior quarterback who is committed to Tennessee, 
also took home the Ashley Dearing Award as a junior, which is awarded 
to the most versatile male high school athlete.
  Truell says ``this a big honor for [him], especially as a junior, to 
win this award.'' He followed that by stating, ``It show's that all the 
hard work that I have put in has paid off. But everything I work for is 
to help our team--our goal is to win a state championship.''
  Congratulations again to both Jake and RaShawn.

                          ____________________