TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE MEMBERS OF J. L. MANN HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY SOCCER TEAM FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON AND TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR WINNING THE 2015 CLASS AAAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the J. L. Mann High School soccer team of Greenville County took top honors at the state competition held at River Bluff High School in Lexington on Saturday, May 16, 2015; and

Whereas, in a contest not lacking in suspense, the J. L. Mann Patriots, ranked third in the State prior to the championship game, delighted their fans as they defeated number-one ranked Wando High School 1-0; and

Whereas, the Patriots, who entered the championship game with a 21-2 record, were anxious to defeat the Wando Warriors who had only one loss in their 24-1 season record and who had defeated J. L. Mann in the 2014 championship game 2-0; and

Whereas, although J. L. Mann came to the final game boasting two state titles in Class AAA, the Patriots were seeking their first trophy in Class AAAA; and

Whereas, the first half of the game was action packed yet scoreless until the Patriots' sophomore midfielder Drake Byrd broke free down the sideline after being taken out of a potential scoring opportunity shortly before. He received a pass from Brendon Jones and, when he caught a peripheral glance of senior Michele Bottari in front of the goal, he decided to pass it cross keeper to him; and

Whereas, Gatorade Player of the Year, Patriot Michele Bottari, then scored the game's only goal with 28:32 left in the second period, his thirty-third goal of the season; and

Whereas, in the ensuing minutes after his team took the lead, J. L. Mann's goalkeeper, Aden Ardoin, was under attack from attempts by Wando to answer that score, but the Warriors narrowly missed two chances at the goal; and

Whereas, the Patriots finished their remarkable season with a 22-2 record and with a state championship against a team that had allowed only eighteen goals in twenty-seven games all season long; and

Whereas, in a sport that demands strength, speed, and agility, Head Coach Brian Dender and his skilled coaching staff used their own athletic ability and training to build a championship team and teach these athletes lessons that will prove invaluable for a lifetime; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives value the pride and recognition that the J. L. Mann soccer players have brought to their school and their community and look to hear of their continued accomplishments in the years ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the members of J. L. Mann High School boys varsity soccer team for an outstanding season and congratulate them for winning the 2015 Class AAAA State Championship title.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Principal Charles S. Mayfield and Coach Brian Dender.