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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to recognize the 1970-71 and 1971-72 
4Thornridge High School Varsity Boys basketball teams, the 
5Falcons; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In the fall of 1967, Thornridge High School became 
7part of a plan to ensure that all students in District 205 
8would have the opportunity for a quality education, regardless 
9of color or zip code; it was determined that a small group of 
10eighth graders would be bussed that fall to Thornridge, 
11integrating the all-white campus; by 1970, the boys basketball 
12team was a racially-diverse group of athletes; they would go on 
13to win  the 1971 and 1972 State Championships, the only 
14championships in Thornridge High School history, and become 
15known as the greatest high school basketball teams in Illinois 
16history; and
  
 
  
17    WHEREAS, The 1971-72 Falcons compiled a season-record of 33 
18wins and no losses, winning by an average of almost 33 points a 
19game and defeating 16 conference champions; the score of the 
20title game over Quincy of 104 to 69 remains a record for the 
21largest margin of victory; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, Over the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons, the Falcons 
 
 
HR0170- 2 -LRB100 11614 MST 22335 r

1put together a winning streak of 58 games; and
  
 
  
2    WHEREAS, The starters for the 1970-71 and 1971-72 Falcons, 
3Quinn Buckner; Boyd Batts; Greg Rose; Ernest Dunn; Mike 
4Bonczyk; Michael Henry; Mark McClain; William "Nee" Gatlin; 
5James Loggins; team Captain, Tony "Grubbs" Jackson; and head 
6coach, Ron Ferguson, will be acknowledged  at a jersey 
7retirement ceremony and celebration of the greatest Illinois 
8high school basketball teams in history on February 23, 2017 at 
9Thornridge Gymnasium in Dolton; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
12recognize the 1970-71 and 1971-72 Thornridge High School 
13Varsity Boys basketball teams, the Falcons; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
15presented to Quinn Buckner; Boyd Batts; Greg Rose; Ernest Dunn; 
16Mike Bonczyk; Michael Henry; Mark McClain; William "Nee" 
17Gatlin; James Loggins; team Captain, Tony "Grubbs" Jackson; and 
18head coach, Ron Ferguson.