SR0099 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0099 LRB104 11956 MST 22049 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Chicago Christian school system was established on October 22, 1900 in the southwest suburbs of Chicago with preschool through 8th grade campuses in Oak Lawn and Tinley Park and Chicago Christian High School in Palos Heights; and

WHEREAS, On October 22, 2025, the Chicago Christian school system will be celebrating its 125th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Christian school system is led by Superintendent Mark Hamstra, Chicago Christian High School Principal Michael Drury, Director of Athletics, Leadership and Student Experience Michael Johnson, and Athletic Director Mark Zylstra; and

WHEREAS, The 2024 Chicago Christian High School football team is led by first-time Head Coach CJ Cesario, Offensive Coordinator Michael Biasco, Defensive Coordinator Sam Caldwell, and Assistant Coaches Joe Cabrera, Brendan Coughlan, Bob DeCarlo, Curt Fiedler, and Jarrell Williams; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Christian football team, the Knights, also known as Team 57 and David's Mighty Men, is comprised of 35 players led by seniors Caden Boersma, Blake Denman, Christian Flutman, Demo Griggs, Niko Griggs, Jared Hall, Kenny Jager, Brock Sperling, Chase Sytsma, Kerry Teague, Ed Van Dellen, Caleb Vande Werken, and Jake Verstrate, juniors Jacob Conners, Josh Crawford, Sean Fiedler, Tommy Gouwens, Joey Loerop, Brendan O'Malley, Riley Samp, and Heath Sisk, sophomores Tyce Hamstra, Henry Jager, Isaac Workman, and Harrison Yonker, and freshman Ben Boersma, Jonathan Bonnell, Levi Jager, Jake Kargol, Luke Kracinski, Spencer McCarthy, Collin Swieszcz, Emmitt Van Dellen, Luke Verstrate, and Nathaniel Walter; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Christian Knights compete within the Chicago Christian Conference and finished the regular season with a record of 8-1 with the following Knights receiving All Conference selections: Brock Sperling, Kenny Jager, Christian Flutman, Niko Griggs, Chase Sytsma, Ed Van Dellen, Kerry Teague, Jake Verstrate, and Caden Boersma and honorable mention Caleb Vande Werken; and

WHEREAS, Quarterback and Defensive Back Christian Flutman, senior and team captain, finished the 2024 season with, on offense, 1,875 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 610 rushing yards, and 11 rushing touchdowns and, on defense, eight interceptions, six passing break-ups, and 35 tackles with seven of those tackles for losses; he was named to the all-area team and all-conference team and received an honorable mention for the all-state team; and

WHEREAS, Running Back and Line Backer Kenny Jager, senior, finished the 2024 season 3rd in the State of Illinois for all offensive rushing classifications with 2,025 rushing yards, an average of 8.0 yards per rush, 28 rushing touchdowns, 30 total touchdowns and, on defense, finishing with 40 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and one forced fumble and fumble recovery; he was named to the all-area, all-conference, and all-state teams as well as named Conference Offensive Player of the Year, rushing for over 200 yards in the state championship game; and

WHEREAS, Offensive and Defensive lineman Brock Sperling, senior and team captain, finished the 2024 season with 77 tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, and over 60 "pancakes" on both sides of the ball and led an offensive line that generated over 2,000 rushing yards; he was named to the all-area team for three straight years, all-conference team, and all-state team; and

WHEREAS, The 2024 Chicago Christian Knights averaged 38 points per game during its playoff run, defeating its playoff opponents by no less than ten points per game; and

WHEREAS, On November 29, 2024, the 2024 Chicago Christian Knights defeated the Maroa-Forsythe Trojans by a score of 47-0 to finish with a record of 13-1 and earn the title of 2024 Class 2A State Champions; and

WHEREAS, Highlights include Running Back Kenny Jager running for 223 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries, Quarterback Christian Flutman completing 12 of 16 passes for 132 yards, running for 86 yards and two touchdowns, and passing for three touchdowns, one each to Niko Griggs, Jared Hall, and Kerry Teague, another rushing touchdown by senior Blake Denman, and Brock Sperling ending the game with a sack, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery; and

WHEREAS, The Knights defense held Maroa-Forsyth to a 2A championship game record-low 23 yards, representing a new State of Illinois record for the lowest total yards allowed in Illinois state history in a championship game among all football classes; and

WHEREAS, This championship victory is the first in the history of Chicago Christian football and the first state title in Chicago Christian High School history for any male sport; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Chicago Christian school system on their 125th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize the achievements of the 2024 Chicago Christian High School football team, the Knights, on a historic victory in becoming the Class 2A State Champions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be provided to Superintendent Mark Hamstra, Coach CJ Cesario, and the 2024 Chicago Christian High School Knights football team.