[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3267]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        ABILENE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 8, 2012

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I bring good news from West 
Texas. The 2011-2012 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools 
(TAPPS) 2A State basketball champions are the Abilene Christian High 
School Panthers.
  In a close game that was covered by the national media, the Panthers 
beat Beren Academy 46-42 on March 3 in Waco, Texas to win the 
championship. Both schools are strong religiously based institutions. 
An Orthodox Jewish school from Houston, Beren Academy was a tough 
opponent made up of wonderful, religiously committed young men that 
kept the game close to the end.
  The Panthers were led by 22-year-old Michael Bacon, a first-time head 
coach and college senior at Abilene Christian University. He coached 
the team along with Nick Smith and Colby Carr, all full-time college 
students and best friends. While some college students hold part-time 
jobs on the side, I suspect that most don't involve coaching a state 
championship-winning high school basketball team. Michael, Nick, and 
Colby are outstanding men and leaders that have a promising future 
ahead of them.
  The championship caps a whirlwind season for the Panthers that ended 
with a 25-4 record. They played with discipline, determination, and 
tenacity the entire season. Michael Bacon said about the team: ``We 
played like we were the smallest dog in the fight all season, and ended 
up the biggest.'' In every practice and game, the team gave their all 
and, in the end, it paid off.
  The members of the team are Michael Avila, Ben George, Avron Payne, 
Trey Hampton, Clint Bruton, Samai Massaquoi, Harrison Hancock, Daniel 
Austin, Trevor Tyson, Bryton Fernandez, and J.D. Dos Santos. These fine 
young men are model Christian athletes. Strong in both body and spirit, 
their success on the basketball court reflects the deep commitment to 
their faith.
  The state champion Panthers deserve our congratulations. They have 
excelled as athletes, students, and Texans,
  And that's just the way it is.

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