By Merritt                                            H.R. No. 1293
         77R17330 MJS-D                           
                                 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.