[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10908]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE CANYON HIGH SCHOOL COWBOY FOOTBALL TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 1, 2007

  Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, before the school term ends this year in 
the Santa Clarita Valley, I wish to recognize the coaches and athletes 
of Canyon High School's football program for their outstanding 
performance during the 2006 high school football season. Canyon High 
School's varsity football team completed their season by defeating the 
De la Salle Spartans of Concord, the No. 1-ranked high school team in 
the Nation, with a score of 27-13 to clinch the first California State 
Division I championship in 79 years.
  MaxPreps, a California-based national high school sports information 
web site, lauded Canyon High School's football program and ranked 
Canyon High School's football program as the 10th best in the Nation. 
This ranking was achieved amongst a field of over 15,000 schools 
nation-wide. The ethos of this tightly knit team should serve as an 
example to all those aspiring to greatness.
  The level of devotion and resolve displayed by coaches and players of 
Canyon High School's football program is exemplary. I would like to 
commend the coaching staff, including Harry Welch, Dave Ends, Chris 
Rzewuski, Monterio Witherspoon, Bryan Wilson, Tim Hollinger, Ken 
Wheeler, Mike Civita, Rod Baltau, Robert Hendricks, Billy Omahen, and 
John DiLuigi, for their energy, enthusiasm and expertise. 
Congratulations are also due to Coach Harry Welch for winning the 
California Coaches Association's 2007 State of California Football 
Coach of the Year award.
  I would like to recognize the individual members of Canyon High 
School's champion football team. Chad Adams, Britt Briscoe, Joshua 
Carvalho, Brandon Chandler, Sean Crane, Chris Duncan, Eric Ernenputsch, 
Jordan Ferguson, Sean Gavin, Jonathan Hammock, Garret Hernandez, Joshua 
Hickman, Michael Hollinger, Eric James, Jesse Kelley, Mario Mestizo, 
Ryan Nichols, Brandon Reeves, Brice Reiner, Danny Robinson, Kenny 
Shanahan, Mike Spagnola, Danny Valdez, Justin Wallace, Adam Woodard, 
and Trevor Yslas.
  In addition, congratulations are due to returning players for their 
second year of championship play. They are: Fares Albichara, Ben 
Armbruster, Anthony Arriaga, Michael Blanco, Christopher Chapman, 
Michael Cooper, John DiLuigi, Mike Harker, Nic Jurado, Anthony King, 
Christopher Kingsbury, Randy Lemus, Ben Longshore, Michael Loucks, Nick 
Madia, Cipriano Maldonado, Andrew Martinez, Blake McMartin, Julian 
Murillo, Nick Peterson, Michael Pyne, Dillon Schelske, Kenny Suber, 
Mark Urbina, Marc Valdez, AJ Wallerstein, Sean Ward, and Stephen 
Wirthlin. Their hard work and perseverance has taught them to balance 
academics and athletics and I applaud their efforts.
  Coach Joe Paterno, current Head Coach of Pennsylvania State 
University, once said, ``When a team outgrows individual performance 
and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.'' 
Exemplifying all that is right with team spirit, the Canyon High School 
Football team is a stellar example of fortitude, courage, and tenacity. 
They have proven that by doing what is necessary, then going on to what 
is possible, they were able to accomplish what many thought would be 
impossible. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
the Canyon High School football team for their triumphant season and to 
wish them best of luck in all their future endeavors.