[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[EX]
[Page 7260]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     COMMENDING LOPEZ LOBOS, TEXAS CLASS 4A STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 2004

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Brownsville, 
Texas, Lopez High School Lobos for their victory last weekend at the 
Class 4A State soccer championship, winning the game 2-1 and finishing 
their season at 25-4-1.
  No team is greater than the student body and parents who support 
them, and that was Lopez' not-so-secret weapon. Over two-thirds of the 
crowd was there to support the Lobos, and their chants of ``Si se 
puede'' (we can do it) inspired this victory.
  Lopez High School brought home to Brownsville the first championship 
title in UIL soccer. To find Brownsville teams that won State titles, 
you have to go back to 1985 and 1967 (both were cross country 
championships).
  Lopez won seven playoff games for the right to compete for the State 
championship. Awful weather even played a part in the tournament. The 
title match was originally scheduled for the week before, but heavy 
rain and lightning postponed the championship game to another site and 
another time.
  As any athlete can tell you, the rhythm of your game is a large part 
of the overall effort, and being mentally prepared for a game on a 
certain date--then having to postpone the game--can play havoc on your 
rhythm. But not for these young athletes; for them it did not matter 
that their shot at the title was postponed for a week. They redoubled 
their efforts and practice . . . and played with purpose, endurance and 
confidence.
  Lopez High School Principal Maggie Gutierrez summed up the lessons 
for the team to learn in this sweet victory. ``This team has a spirit 
of never giving up no matter what,'' she said. ``Lopez Lobos are born 
to succeed, and no one else will tell them any different.'' These 
athletes learned an important lesson in this championship: They are 
absolutely capable of doing great things; my prayer is that their 
imaginations will be their only limits in this world.
  I offer my proud congratulations to each member of the team, to the 
coaches and their assistants, to the parents who must endure the 
practices and the injuries, and to the principal and teachers who set 
the example of combining education and athletics. Mostly, I want these 
young people to understand that they won far more than the respect that 
comes with a championship . . . they now know that dreams can come 
true.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in offering our best 
wishes to the Lopez High School Lobos for their hard-fought and well-
deserved victory at the Texas Class 4A State soccer championship.

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