“I want to congratulate the Averill Park Golden Knights. Both their baseball and softball teams won state championships this year.”

“Mr. Speaker, when the stakes are highest, that is when upstate New Yorkers’ grit and toughness shows the most. Just look at our Averill Park Golden Knights, who brought home both the baseball and softball State championships this year. The baseball team went into the championship game as underdogs facing an undefeated opponent on a 28-game winning streak, but Coach George Brooks told his team to keep it simple, stay focused, stay disciplined, and that is what they did. Fred Bornn locked in and threw a complete game shutout, and Jeg Sansone drove in two runs to bring home the title. Speaking of great coaching, Maria Roberts led the Averill Park softball team to the championship in her very first year on the job. The Golden Knights built an early lead off of Emily Aiossa’s three-run homer, but the game was on the line at the top of the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out and the opponent’s top of the order coming up to bat. Pitcher Abigail Colwill and the Golden Knights defense did what upstate New Yorkers do under pressure: they dug in and got to work. They retired three straight, the last of which was an amazing catch by center fielder Mady Charron. I congratulate the Averill Park Golden Knights. We are so proud of them, and I am honored to enter their roster into the Congressional Record.”