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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Jake Merrell of Valley High School was honored as |
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| 6 | 7 | | the 2016 Track Athlete of the Year by the Panhandle Sports Hall of |
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| 7 | 8 | | Fame at a ceremony held on February 12, 2017; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Over the past two years, Mr. Merrell has |
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| 9 | 10 | | distinguished himself in his performances at the University |
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| 10 | 11 | | Interscholastic League Track & Field State Meet, earning three |
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| 11 | 12 | | individual gold medals, collecting a silver medal as part of a |
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| 12 | 13 | | Valley High relay squad, and setting two state records; and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Merrell earned his first gold medal as a |
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| 14 | 15 | | freshman in 2015, when he won the 1A 800-meter race with a time of 1 |
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| 15 | 16 | | minute, 57.05 seconds; the following year, he was crowned the |
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| 16 | 17 | | champion of the 800 meters again and set a new 1A state record time |
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| 17 | 18 | | of 1 minute, 55.11 seconds; later that same evening, he claimed |
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| 18 | 19 | | another gold medal and broke a second record by finishing the |
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| 19 | 20 | | 1,600-meter race in 4:22.60; in addition, he anchored his school's |
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| 20 | 21 | | 4x400-meter relay team, which finished second at the meet; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Just two years into his high school track career, |
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| 22 | 23 | | Jake Merrell has established himself as an exceptional runner who |
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| 23 | 24 | | is furthering the proud athletic tradition of the Panhandle region, |
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| 24 | 25 | | and he is indeed deserving of this prestigious accolade; now, |
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| 25 | 26 | | therefore, be it |
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| 26 | 27 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 27 | 28 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Jake Merrell on his selection as |
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| 28 | 29 | | Track Athlete of the Year by the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame and |
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| 29 | 30 | | extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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| 30 | 31 | | further |
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| 31 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 32 | 33 | | prepared for Mr. Merrell as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 33 | 34 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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