[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H7332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Panetta) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize this year's 
Carmel High School football team, which won the California 5-AA State 
football championship.
  It was not just the first time that a team from the central coast won 
15-0, but also an amazing 48-7 win over El Capitan High School from the 
San Diego area, a high school that is more than double the size of 
Carmel High's 800 students.
  Despite that small number, the Padres came up big on the gridiron, 
averaging 50 points a game in five postseason wins and holding El 
Capitan to a season low of one touchdown.
  Now, I could highlight that the Padres have a player who got a full 
scholarship to the University of Alabama next year and who actually 
grew up playing youth soccer with my daughter, who I am sure if you 
know my daughter, Mr. Speaker, whipped that lineman into shape, but if 
you look closely at the entire team of the Padres, only a couple will 
go on to play at a 4-year college.
  Coach Golden Anderson and the entire staff are very proud of the 
Padres, but they will be the first to tell you that they are a seasonal 
football program where 95 percent of the team are multisport players.
  Coach Anderson will also tell you, Mr. Speaker, that when they 
started the season, they weren't thinking about a State title. They 
just wanted to win.
  As someone who played football at Carmel High for all 4 of his high 
school years, I understand that attitude, but I admit that we didn't 
even come close to winning a league title, let alone a State title.
  So, I stand here, Mr. Speaker, not just as the proud Representative 
of California's 19th Congressional District, but I am also a proud 
Padre, a proud Padre parent, and absolutely honored to say 
congratulations to Carmel High, to their State champion football team, 
and to all the Carmel Padre community.

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