79R5402 MW-D
By: Merritt H.C.R. No. 75
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Kilgore High School Bulldogs football team has
reached the pinnacle of success by winning the 2004 UIL Class 4A
Division II State Football Championship, the school's first ever in
gridiron competition; and
WHEREAS, Capping a school record-setting 16-0 season, the
Kilgore Bulldogs have claimed the coveted state crown with a
hard-fought victory over a worthy opponent, the Dallas Lincoln High
School Tigers, at Baylor University's Floyd Casey Stadium; and
WHEREAS, Members of this outstanding Bulldog football squad
include Pat McCrory, Trey Sands, Nick Sanders, Bronkale Kenney,
Keith Gilliam, Daren Chappell, Chase Fisher, Antonio Henderson,
Michael Cottier, Kendrick Brown, Jamar Bornes, Rudy Galvan,
Courtney Thomas, Keonta Robinson, Keith Lampkin, Jaron Shepherd,
Kaleb Nix, Kurt Rossum, Cory League, Brandon Morgan, Tim Davis,
Chris Harvey, Casey Whitmer, Antonio Kelly, Kyle Shipp, Eddie
Jones, Eddie Rutherford, Chase Patterson, Kendrick Ector, Derrell
Moore, Billy Slagle, Josh Mathis, Daniel Swaim, Buddy Davis, Austen
Gideon, David Whipkey, Peter Schill, Stephen Foster, Michael Huey,
Josh Slagle, Jared Price, Mario Schill, Ryan Whitmer, Adam Wiggins,
Joey White, Scipio Sholars, Matt Morris, Jordan Moore, Lon Roberts,
Edgar Sanchez, Britt Mitchell, Shane Shaw, Justin Clark, Bryan
Brantley, Wayne Daniels, Lawrence Emeadi, Coty Gatewood, Bobby
Curnutt, Diego Orta, Paul Springer, Daniel Wheeler, and Artineal
Gardner; these talented players received invaluable support from
trainers Phillip Mitchell, Brandon Welborn, Ciro Alvarez, Andrew
Beason, Creed Hamill, Juan Venegas, Jeremy Armeida, Justin Climer,
and Stephen Burch, as well as ball boys Logan Preston and Seth
Whisenhunt; and
WHEREAS, Coach of the Year Mike Vallery provided
inspirational leadership and guidance to his young charges,
enabling his players to achieve their ultimate goal of claiming the
school's first state football championship; Coach Vallery was ably
assisted by offensive coordinator Kenny Ferro, defensive
coordinator Mike Wood, assistant athletic director Doug Duke,
athletic trainers Darrell Ganus and Kelly Gray, athletic secretary
Debbie Copeland, and coaches Chris Vallery, Kyle Preston, Jay Dean,
Les Loper, Charles Presley, Drenon Fite, Keith Meyers, Mark Roskos,
Jim Hargett, Whitney Keeling, John Lewis, Kris Duplissey, and Jerry
Reddic; and
WHEREAS, The 2004 Kilgore Bulldogs earned numerous
accolades, including the Class 4A Game of the Year award for their
33-27 double overtime victory over Dallas Lincoln for that state
championship title; play of the year went to Nick Sanders for a
game-winning blocked field goal return for a touchdown in their
victory over Dallas Lincoln; individual honors were given to Keith
Gilliam, who was named 4A Player of the Year by Texas Football
magazine and Fox Sports Network, and Eddie Jones, who received the
prestigious defensive player of the year recognition from Blitzy's
TV Show; and
WHEREAS, First-team players for the 2004 All-Smoaky.com high
school football team were Keith Gilliam, Jordan Moore, Billy
Slagle, Eddie Jones, and Nick Sanders; second-team players were
Courtney Thomas, Lon Roberts, Antonio Henderson, and Nick Sanders;
third-team player was Pat McCrory; and
WHEREAS, The District 17 4A All-District honorees include
most valuable player Keith Gilliam, defensive lineman of the year,
Eddie Jones, offensive lineman of the year, Billy Slagle, kick/punt
returner of the year, Nick Sanders, offensive newcomer of the year,
Derrell Moore, and defensive newcomer of the year, Jason Shepherd;
the first team was composed of Chase Fisher, Courtney Thomas, Lon
Roberts, Jordan Moore, Lawrence Emadi, Wayne Daniels, Antonio
Henderson, Trey Sands, Nick Sanders, and Pat McCrory; second team
included Nick Sanders, Britt Mitchell, Bronkale Kenny, Rudy Galvan,
Coty Gatewood, Courtney Thomas, and Rudy Galvan; honorable mention
recipients were Daniel Swaim, Josh Mathis, Ryan Whitman, Chase
Patterson, Antonio Kelly, Chris Harvey, Brandon Morgan, Artineal
Gardner, and Buddy Davis; and
WHEREAS, All-East Texas award winners were offensive player
of the year, Keith Gilliam, defensive player of the year, Eddie
Jones, and return specialist, Nick Sanders; the first team had
Billy Slagle, Keith Gilliam, Lon Roberts, Courtney Thomas, Eddie
Jones, Wayne Daniels, Antonio Henderson, Nick Sanders, and Trey
Sands; second-stringers included Britt Mitchell, Jordan Moore, and
Rudy Galvan; honorable mention recipients were Bronkale Kenny,
Lawrence Emadi, Courtney Thomas, and Pat McCrory; and
WHEREAS, The 4A All-State offensive player of the year was
Keith Gilliam, and his first-team members included Billy Slagle,
Eddie Jones, Wayne Daniels, and Antonio Henderson; the second-team
player was Nick Sanders, and third-team players were Lon Roberts,
Courtney Thomas, Britt Mitchell, and Nick Sanders; and
WHEREAS, These exceptional football players, together with
their coaches and staff, are a source of tremendous pride to the
students and faculty at Kilgore High School, as well as their many
supporters in the community, and it is most appropriate that they be
honored for their impressive achievement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby congratulate the members, coaches, and staff of the Kilgore
High School football team, as well as superintendent Jerry Roberts
and principal Bobby Wheeley, on winning the 2004 UIL Class 4A
Division II State Football Championship and extend to them sincere
best wishes for future success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Kilgore High School as an expression of the sentiment
of the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.