R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Pine Tree High School senior Cristi Saunders holds 1-2 the distinction of being the first Pine Tree Lady Pirate soccer 1-3 player under head coach James Wright to sign a college 1-4 letter-of-intent and, beginning in the fall 2001, will play at 1-5 Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas; and 1-6 WHEREAS, This talented young Texan played an integral role in 1-7 establishing the Pine Tree soccer program as a perennial state 1-8 power, including leading the Lady Pirates to an 18-4 overall record 1-9 and the 2001 University Interscholastic League Region II Class 4A 1-10 regional semifinals; moreover, Ms. Saunders helped her school 1-11 qualify for the postseason for the eighth consecutive year this 1-12 season; and 1-13 WHEREAS, A first-team all-district defender in District 1-14 16-4A, Ms. Saunders anchored Pine Tree's stifling defense that 1-15 limited opponents to only 18 goals in 22 matches and recorded 12 1-16 shutouts during the 2001 season; she also demonstrated tremendous 1-17 durability and leadership by missing only one game during her 1-18 stellar four-year high school soccer career and serving as a team 1-19 captain; and 1-20 WHEREAS, At OBU, a National Collegiate Athletic Association 1-21 Division II school, Ms. Saunders joins a budding program that began 1-22 its inaugural season of competition in 1999; the Lady Tigers are a 1-23 member of the Gulf South Conference, which includes schools in 1-24 Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee; and 2-1 WHEREAS, With her enormous athletic skills and prodigious 2-2 abilities, she has proven that she is a formidable competitor who 2-3 is ready to embrace the myriad challenges and opportunities of the 2-4 future, and it is most appropriate to pay tribute to her at this 2-5 time; now, therefore, be it 2-6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-7 Legislature hereby congratulate Cristi Saunders on signing a soccer 2-8 scholarship to attend OBU and commend her on her numerous athletic 2-9 accomplishments at Pine Tree; and, be it further 2-10 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-11 prepared for Ms. Saunders as an expression of high regard by the 2-12 Texas House of Representatives. Merritt _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1293 was adopted by the House on May 28, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House