[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



THE WAVERLY WARRIORS WIN THE MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 
                  CLASS A BOYS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the 
members of the Waverly Warriors Boys Basketball Team, who defeated 
Detroit Pershing 75-63 to win the Michigan High School Athletic 
Association Class A State Championship. This victory brought Waverly 
High School its first ever state title. More importantly, it brought 
the entire west side of Lansing together, as it was an experience 
enjoyed not only by the players on the team, or even the students of 
the school, but by the entire community.
  Coach Phil Odlum's team went 25-2 on its way to capturing the state 
title. The Warriors were led by seniors Marcus Taylor and Cortney 
Scott, who will attend, respectively, Michigan State University and the 
University of Iowa on basketball scholarships in the fall. Seniors 
Terry Reddick, Melvin White, and Chris Miller rounded out the starting 
five. These five players were backed by an extremely solid bench, both 
in the remaining players on the team and in the community support they 
received.
  In the hierarchy of athletic competition, Mr. President, high school 
athletics represent the last time a community is able to look out onto 
the playing field, or, in this case, court, and say, ``These are our 
kids.'' There is an attachment there, and also, I think, a certain 
level of pride, that cannot be found at higher levels of play. A 
community can embrace a team as its own because that is what it truly 
is. And the west side of Lansing did embrace these kids. Clad in bright 
yellow t-shirts, a large band of Waverly supporters staked a claim on 
the northernmost side of the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, 
and cheered on their Warriors.
  This community spirit and support played a large role, perhaps not in 
the on the court success of the team, but definitely in the overall 
enjoyment of their accomplishment. I am sure that the championship was 
made all the more special for the players when their victory lap was 
halted by a sea of yellow shirts. And for all the students and 
community members who occupied those yellow shirts, I am sure it was 
just as wonderful an experience seeing kids that they grew up with, or 
watched grow up, successfully complete their run for the title. And 
this, Mr. President, is the aspect of high school athletics that is 
truly irreplaceable.
  Mr. President, I applaud both Lansing Waverly and Detroit Pershing on 
the completion of very successful seasons. And, on behalf of the entire 
United States Senate, I congratulate the Waverly Warriors on winning 
the 2000 M.H.S.A.A. Class A Boys Basketball Championship.

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