SENATE RESOLUTION

                         2000-8773

By Senators Hale and Kohl-Welles

     WHEREAS, The Kennewick Lions Girls= Basketball Team won the Girls= 4A State Championship on Saturday, March 11, for the first time in the history of the school, and;

     WHEREAS, The Kennewick girls team went undefeated for the season, and;

     WHEREAS, The Kennewick Lions defeated Prairie High School 62-59 in the first overtime championship game since 1985, and;

     WHEREAS, Freshman Leilani Mitchell showed that victory lies in perseverance as she drove in the tying basket with less than three seconds left in the game, and;

     WHEREAS, Coach Debbie Roueche, who returned to her alma mater four years ago, took a team that was at the bottom of the league and produced a state championship team, and;

     WHEREAS, Coach Roueche has shown Leilani Mitchell and her teammates Brandi Hardy, Chantelle Gunderson, Wendy Slagle, Autumn Fielding, Heidi Mensinger, Heather Thoelke, Emily Faurholt, Sara Johnson, Hailey Ruff and Julia Abersfeller that hard work can turn dreams into reality, and;

     WHEREAS, Coach Roueche was supported in her extraordinary efforts by five outstanding assistant coaches: Jennifer Marquardt, Darlene Cramer, Tom Thoelke, Erika Eggers and Katy Shaw, and;

     WHEREAS, The team was also supported by dedicated managers Tyler Marquardt and Becky MacKay;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the state of Washington, that the Kennewick High School Lions Girls= Basketball Team be honored for their dedication and perseverance and for the pride that their achievement brings to their school and community.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be given to Kennewick High School, to Coach Debbie Roueche and her coaching staff and team managers, and to each member of the Lady Lions= Championship Team.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8773,

adopted by the Senate March 16, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate