JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?bXnrA!zSbY(aWDw/1X$ W>-N{o*Uc]"G\gk柧"ц۩8ܒI9ܸ?Q[(gwv 3U'\Tw "(g'5p0( EAz@Oj c(oms{;C\L2J:+o^XD䯽Uo i +;#0v0YOuϭe^l$eb0u~&'-;vc8N<)M'U Fx_A^YP#[jE\Y҄;':~-276I%eT-6UJym'a41m&;2"E;c-^4iIT) W"B1 8^I\p8sl_I+]FӼpYv1 HHN BSz\kl<ԯA (ZEgi$ \Uu8Mͱь~hMɻ5EXv-ښ qP%E$T97qY|}+j"99Q׎:0Ræ9JlϾ@4;ޚ[̝pOj噰:VKs(KU,-SSwRRe,jbKv u Ih=+ cՒSVf"M5eeU[,~߉u(7F]mOJԋ$RH^=UrZeJNz[A:ه+ba; Rk0VOiJ0,w#:4.s0q,+Ϩ>^:{ROu+~hPLVHCi%,FIe'Xg˜t.V]хgguwsCor%RW{eB\` tTA$G d]eH&Ɖ|Zo!&D DPx 3,4R.JtT?){DF3Pke]izvwb2&{IV U8ַM\i'l w$UBH25р~݃j7vڇ^7Pp0M 13k z g!Q݀ g-[ `SsZSZqbkFSm2zɥn,]Eo[͉!~C nF;VLIc  pk>=ht4npKlY$Eo58ψQ%PcM_sZvN2X[4 @`85X6bI#{a6c@e*1W\X<Qn7%so7%ufE8O`A=<%p-|OjO#vl=~_ӵ2>xXkh %9[{ל׮ m#L<"J5ZWIh:R\+EHn`R}8kQ]BQ5ZG, 2k6 +MSwE:hԯXn;s Yg:UUeEI9ϵY> w3ʹ/UU?O\ƣ?nCEsϩVݵ#O~fC*{yM 8f}BD2zqT4͍9.$Kc]DL=*E:9t`ǀ?6Ŷ  :#^H嗡s޸VB dB?=)pA$ {Š,Y=A0$T1&hxip=W@c~du1Ȯ=s_M\-1L)@[F9s\<'ig}Eo{qJphFz-E$CH]RMWI,vCޠi<9I|}EbxcF3{=\d S4+tusK>QOR Z4pcpOt5_9c- n 3J8 "=ir#!o# =IrHt<q#}䔒qZ뮑D 2KZ rJʍs2-S\K:Iqq4l#t*ԂI[SkJks#J< [+,fMr=۹85\s֍q\FNQyf)6TQ"$gn[j3څPrW`$cB,jl~BKY3 ᳌V&5T[puDC)#X <71Aw#xSDq@xjךMa z2'ptNU@(WIm@q }E'ՉW6 @N0Mf#MץXby3cjڊZ 6`E;;4s +'cQZFĂ0A9aqVg弳ޔB]vMHi1Uqa?m5<@thZ4`>)d+=ki[a[AUtu,LWwFAMeX$hRCkK *A$Lg=kJu]:mjvf$SӘGSVS?!\L(pi|y|\yOWD^4+jW @)T\IϭT_ʕܴj9R+R(OQQ@N(>Eeir 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 thei 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. Nothing made me feel better than to see my coaches and teammates walk in to see me. To know you were all thinking of me all the time meant a lot. Even after my biopsy, I heard we beat South Rowan because Israel took time to call and tell me. To see all the #12 s on your uniforms let me know that you cared and that I would have rather spent the last six years playing football with nobody else in the world. I love all of you. Now get me a stinkin ring!<br> Love Chris <br><br>The Rockets defense was as tough and mean as the old Pittsburgh teelers Iron Curtain. In sixteen games played during the season the Rockets had nine shutouts and onecently passed by its school district, Smyrna High School will soon have a room exclusivey devoted to sports conditioning. It will be approximately 30 by 70 feet, and will allow more students to train at once.<br>Rising Stars<br><br>Besides the overall improvement in the teams performance, there are many athletes that Lloyd says merit individual recognition. One is senior Andre Mears. A member of the varsity football and basketball teams, Mears is ranked in te top 15th percentile of his class acadeically.  Andre epitomizes what an Eleven should be, says Lloyd.  He s a leader in the weight room, and he is always willing to help teach and motivate new athletes in the program. He s also a hard worker, and this year improved his 40