JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================h" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?댋9ׅW/y#"jcQxYм7O9SM]wHx3@APiQ5$8Jel~P 9>, TDI*4cMZP֚g6=۳#5ms3/4ETs*={P?1,C+ ,^ c+E|Az$ٜ` V[#ʹy2ݎs[Q 2цOs K5UW Q⼇1IrL [wMi4%-ͩh+u0.XmXFO<*0נ=iNnPǁ:=vrI%!*z>RV%lO)hu H3gϡ_YV+%}r@Qg<۵d9[]ˍ;Ȣ)B鋫OS ":H+&̫\w?ր5nn5GgZN<MO#䐌|ay#b*Oԋ}}@lw%|U?h?%d{.10GkV,ϧ5Gn) nf#3瑸W]>lf),Q(xހ;=6[X|'m@+ u23]p9yU5MjM]2Wy=W=k|o5+{*m"@1ɎIa ,/.ln⹎C(="K)W-nFA[~{~c+]͌p9W#xVv) GZҮ,kE-P-'':&a-bn?_ڽ9cR9 ?^>/{Og!6]4haps!|1q{uYm7F/]m-fT"=N1Tq>x6KI$d}.-zV少9H/p[:Tmg=TKh6dL@?ʨ{K\-,O^b=ib1<=?_z˚%1 !Y89j=^I{E,>V9PbṏH_fR֢6}tP7)^%onTkśT), cf&=*dHO.X2#7XRJA^/ya'ny3?Aנ!9nHFy`+i>YiW 4Q$d<@5/@_ŭ3Fc>޻\FqtϪ^K{y|G 8ym?5nXz&xeO)r ѵ9$T!Aݸ8j迶u/|͍i.d` N;u >xar_SakHm+d_5Ҁ?d+b͜u&73V7(ԯ՚x̤g ފ f)UY\{J(Яk€ =z?mqQ+87Rn'S^M%Ye X}hpv-,X}%ahĴAj8,o/4gѣ4 Zxf(eM .IOz퉮7;ãqg&"rJ#CõM,K P1V Qn$rv%p~T}n5ƸFK@n\lIA+A_sL )g11/ 0˨kb'rq ϴ ߴg`sZΓ\tsMԱeL(Z}njo)p= |Hҭ'kǁK3@{iz6S_c>fAel1(}:T*|G SjǼ'4U'u퇁Qx'$:u]H> ) cW0TFv?<%[ƭUWDdy} (zG?d;wb~xM wѶ7 qvqIC<*۶һW"F腌`#Ox֮jm.wJbx xBÖΛ^ $'-XͧZm2I8K4)J\и @ &'w<9O3ҪPW*G`͆d4b 8;7h5y`iUN1O]P\Q0OrO>!@$xE;vrƲC?`W wPH/8#b(KiT`s~LV?Š( )G/8QE0x|* EZi-9ɏNC%6p9(PϯFFɓx;1%PSbՖWhen the 1999 fall football season kicked off at A.C. Reynolds, the Rockets were ready for takeoff, and that s exactly what they did. They came to town with their mouthpieces in and helmets strapped--an all business type of team. They had worked hard all year long and were tired of going 9-2 for the past several years.<br>A.C. Reynolds started the season off with a spectacular bang. After five straight wins to open the season the Rockets were highlighted by flying to Orlando, Florida to play Denison, Texas in a Kaylee scholarship game at Walt Disney World s, Wide World of Sports complex. The Rockets had been preparing financially for a long time to make the trip. They left North Carolina with a business-oriented mindset and were determined to make it worth while. The defending 4-A state champions from Texas were shut out with a 24-0 victory. A.C. Reynolds proved that they could dominate more than just teams in Western North Carolina.<br>Most great champions have a tough climb before they make it to the top. The Rockets were not an exception, as they were humbled after nine straight wins when their dreams of being undefeated were shattered by Asheville with an oh-so-close 16-14 loss. They realized losing was no fun. To make matters worse, the Rockets quarterback, Chris Mott, was diagnosed with Lupus and could no longer play. He spent ten days in the hospital and from then on players wore a small #12 on their uniforms in remembrance of their teammate. Vince Lombardi once said,  When the going gets tough the tough get going, and that s exactly what the Rockets did. They rebounded and adapted their offense. Back-up quarterback Chad Davis started his first game in the play-off season.<br>This is the letter quarterback Chris Mott, who started 22 varsity games for the Rockets, wrote while in the hospital. <br> Dear Coaches and Rockets, <br><br>Thank you all for everything you did for me while I was in the hospital. Noth