Virginia Foxx: “I rise to pay tribute to the Watauga High School football team of 2006. The Pioneers of Watauga High School in Boone…”

“I rise to pay tribute to the Watauga High School football team of 2006. The Pioneers of Watauga High School in Boone, North Carolina, set out with modest expectations and ended up just one game away from the State championship for 4-A football. They won 12 games and lost 3, and set an example of character and perseverance that made a lasting impression on their school and their community. Frequently coming from behind in the second half to win their games, they won three times in the playoffs by one point, advancing further than any other team from Watauga County in 28 years. Success on the football team had to be built from the ground level. And as the success of the team gained momentum in this special season, it brought a new spirit and energy to Watauga High School and, indeed, to the whole community. In the end, they did not capture the State championship, but achieved something of greater and more lasting importance, the values of determination, hard work and courage in the face of adversity. Their school and their community are the better for it.”