[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5944]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO THE BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL EAGLES FOOTBALL TEAM

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                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 8, 2014

  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
Bakersfield Christian High School Eagles football team, who 
courageously fought their way to its first California Interscholastic 
Federation (CIF) Division IV State Football Championship Bowl Game this 
past December.
  The Eagles utilized an exceptional team effort to get through their 
daunting season, finishing out with a record of 12 wins and 3 losses. 
Over the span of the 2013 season, Bakersfield Christian set an 
astonishing 37 new school records. But lost in this success was the 
adversity they faced in the beginning of the season. The Eagles started 
their regular season off with two tough consecutive losses, one of them 
being to their biggest rival. After their second loss, Coach Jerald 
Pierucci sat down with his small senior class and challenged them to 
provide the leadership the team needed to succeed. This proved to be a 
critical moment for the team, the figurative fork in the road that 
would define their season. The path they chose speaks volumes to the 
team's character as a whole. In the following games, the seniors truly 
embodied what it meant to be leaders, and the team rallied together as 
one unit, going undefeated all the way to the State Championship.
  When asked to define his team, Coach Pierucci without hesitation 
replied with one word: selfless. He elaborated that the team was just 
as rich in role players as it was in playmakers. There was a solid 
foundation of players each of whom did their job on every play--
contributing to the success of their team. These were young men who 
personified the mantra of ``team first'' and never gave up in the face 
of adversity. Even when behind 20-0 in the Valley Championship game 
against a heavily-favored undefeated rival on a cold December evening, 
they kept working together and ultimately prevailed. This winning 
attitude and fierce determination displayed by the Eagles this season 
proved they earned the right to represent Southern California in the 
State Championship game.
  I join our community in congratulating the coaches and players for 
their achievement. The 2013 Bakersfield Christian High School Eagles 
coaching staff includes: Head Coach Jerald Pierucci, Vince Aguilar, 
Roger Patterson, Tyler Hough, Mike Rodriguez, Sean Lozano, Rick Sotile, 
Nathan Munson, Larry Whitbey, Tom McCormack, and Ryan Clanton. The 2013 
BCHS Eagles football team includes: Keith Blank, Donald Harris, Brad 
Western, Josh Jackson, Brandon Jones, Nathan DeJager, Tyler Lozano, 
Feike DeBoer, Kyle Pickinpaugh, Hayden Kuchta, Brock Duffield, John 
Fulce, Austin Duffield, Kobe Devries, Zach Balfanz, Matt Smith, 
Fernando Solis, Jordan Smith, Cameron Reeves, Devin Crabtree, Jonathan 
Loman, Steven Figures, Cole Wymore, Grant Bouma, Hayden Mazone, Chad 
Wielenga, John Martineau, Tyler Sweaney, Josh Mantle, West Williams, 
Brett Schuler, Lane Perey, Haiden Drake, Cole Kashwer, Ben Wind, 
DeAngelo Bragg, Noah Sheetz, Daniel Negron, Jacob Lanuza, Anthony 
Rodriguez, Jacob Mullins, Titus Goodman, Jack Chance, Carson Balfanz, 
Morgan Farmer, Brandt Oliver, Taeber Nylander, and William Crockett. 
You all have made our community proud! Go Eagles!

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