Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SJR0440 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
3	3
4	4	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 440
5	5	By Hatcher
6	6
7	7
8	8	SJR0440
9	9	007307
10	10	- 1 -
11	11
12	12	A RESOLUTION to honor the Heritage Lady Mountaineers girls'
13	13	basketball team upon winning the 2025 TSSAA
14	14	Division I, Class 3A state championship.
15	15
16	16	WHEREAS, it is fitting that this General Assembly should salute those student athletes
17	17	who, through their extraordinary efforts, have distinguished themselves as true champions of
18	18	whom we can all be proud; and
19	19	WHEREAS, one such exemplary group of lasses is the Lady Mountaineers girls'
20	20	basketball team of Heritage High School in Blount County, whose members have proven
21	21	themselves to be the fiercest of competitors and truly worthy of admiration by winning the 2025
22	22	TSSAA Division I, Class 3A state championship, marking the first team state championship in
23	23	school history and the first girls' basketball state championship won by an area team since
24	24	Porter (one of Heritage's predecessor schools) claimed the title in 1969; and
25	25	WHEREAS, entering regional competition as District 5 champions, the Lady
26	26	Mountaineers trounced Red Bank 79-27 in the quarterfinals and rolled over South-Doyle 70-55
27	27	in the semifinal round; and
28	28	WHEREAS, Heritage vanquished Lenoir City 57-51 in the regional final to advance to
29	29	the sectional round, where the Lady Mountaineers overpowered Livingston Academy 71-56 to
30	30	punch their ticket to the Big Dance; and
31	31	WHEREAS, at the Class 3A state tournament at MTSU's Murphy Center, Heritage
32	32	crushed Portland 60-36 in the quarterfinals and then bested South Gibson 36-29 in their
33	33	semifinal match-up to advance to the final; and
34	34	WHEREAS, Heritage's Carsyn Swaney, a Tennessee Miss Basketball finalist, suffered
35	35	an injury in the semifinals and was unable to play in the championship game; switching tactics,
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40	40	Coach Rick Howard emphasized the importance of the team's underclassmen in the face of
41	41	adversity; and
42	42	WHEREAS, Isabella "Izzy" Hutsell set the tone for the championship game by singing in
43	43	the opening of the National Anthem; her teammates responded, and the Lady Mountaineers
44	44	creamed Northview Academy 63-43 to win the Gold Ball trophy that signifies a state champion
45	45	and finish the campaign with a remarkable 35-2 record; and
46	46	WHEREAS, led by senior Chloe Heath, sophomores Kenley Coker, Faith Morris, and
47	47	Katie Graves stepped up to the challenge and contributed offensively in their star's absence;
48	48	and
49	49	WHEREAS, Aleyah Smyth put on a defensive clinic, and Emma Carswell and Olivia
50	50	Boyce came off the bench to contribute both offensively and defensively; and
51	51	WHEREAS, in addition to the aforementioned hoopsters, the other team members
52	52	expended significant energy and excitement in cheering their team on to a historic victory; these
53	53	hardy Lady Mountaineers included Cheyann Morris, Allison Perry, Natalie Byrd, Isabella Hutsell,
54	54	Makenna Miller, Gracelyn Livingston, and Micah Parker; and
55	55	WHEREAS, Coach Howard and his assistant coaches, Jordan Ballard, Jay Coker, and
56	56	Kirsten Roberts, displayed strategic leadership, and their ability to adapt to every challenge was
57	57	crucial in ultimately leading Heritage to a state championship; and
58	58	WHEREAS, the Lady Mountaineers were fortunate to enjoy the unfailing support of their
59	59	families, fans, fellow students, and the entire Blount County community; and
60	60	WHEREAS, the members of the Heritage girls' basketball team epitomize all that is good
61	61	in today's student athletes, as they have achieved a premier level of success in competition
62	62	while exhibiting the highest degree of character in all aspects of life; and
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67	67	WHEREAS, Heritage's success was built on a foundation of unity and a shared goal,
68	68	and the team chemistry among the players was evident in every game, as they treated the Lady
69	69	Mountaineer program as a sisterhood; and
70	70	WHEREAS, we find it appropriate to acknowledge and applaud the Heritage Lady
71	71	Mountaineers for their outstanding season on the hardwood; now, therefore,
72	72	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH
73	73	GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
74	74	REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we honor and congratulate the Heritage Lady
75	75	Mountaineers girls' basketball team upon winning the 2025 TSSAA Division I, Class 3A state
76	76	championship, the first team state title in school history and an inspiration for future generations,
77	77	and extend to them our best wishes for every continued success in all their future endeavors.
78	78	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
79	79	for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
80	80	the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
81	81	without House or Senate designation.