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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The members of the girls' basketball team from |
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Ponder High School distinguished themselves during the 2020-2021 |
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season, advancing all the way to the semifinals of the University |
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Interscholastic League 3A playoffs; and |
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WHEREAS, During the regular season, the Lady Lions compiled |
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an outstanding record of 24 wins and 3 losses, including a perfect |
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14-0 tally in league play to claim the district title; Ponder then |
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embarked on an exciting postseason run, defeating the teams from |
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Dallas Madison, Pottsboro, Rains, and Winnsboro High Schools to |
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reach the regional finals; and |
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WHEREAS, Squaring off against Gunter High School on March 2, |
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Ponder relied on the same stout defense that it had specialized in |
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all season long; the Lady Lions' suffocating full-court press |
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surrendered just 10 points from the end of the first quarter to the |
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start of the fourth, and when the final buzzer sounded, the team had |
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claimed a decisive 42-29 victory, punching its ticket to the state |
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tournament for just the second time in school history and the first |
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time since 1998; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lady Lions faced Brownfield High School in the |
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semifinals on March 6; in a thrilling game that went down to the |
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wire, the Ponder players gave their all but ultimately fell short, |
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ending their season with a record of 29-4; and |
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WHEREAS, Excelling with a true team effort, the Lady Lions |
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received valuable contributions throughout the year from each |
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member of the roster: Marlee Moynagh, Tate Wells, Kassi Ballard, |
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Karly Ivy, Kenzie Crider, Riley Jackson, Everley Joplin, Chloe |
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Poole, and Devyn Weiland; these dedicated athletes were ably guided |
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by assistant coach Ellyn Avery and by head coach Jimmy Avery, who |
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was honored prior to the state tournament as one of the top 100 |
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girls' basketball coaches of all time; and |
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WHEREAS, Demonstrating a combination of exceptional talent |
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and fierce determination, the Ponder Lady Lions turned in a |
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memorable performance during the 2020-2021 campaign, and their |
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success is a source of great pride to their many supporters in the |
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local community; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Ponder High School girls' |
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basketball team on advancing to the semifinals of the 2021 3A state |
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playoffs and extend to the team's players, coaches, and staff |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |