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WXٸ+ǥm#{sQ|944)D@E\2%vA C9!s\,һddžQP=XvL=H{ch[Ԣf5 ]>|߁[Vd/C͌7@sPOk80 #k-H픽ڿzwm<)Ch'# =Tx=z`SCc=w)4 cZܐ#mGS\''p3.A U32%5SуFw}jNA%i Au.zv:-hYuN `k4#**`Rw6S/+<78Q$^k<~VՈ;_ ;Լ=5δ~Λp$c&pwt2${mJM3Sې ( tWڮNFR6CdAkZ4C.KY?J:u-jToRi>R&׵&䶐` kuo ؙ⵲y11\班P?cXfwXv$HjOMNٴKnmκ7t+nFʨpr$\5kCFIq96H=vܾrΟ9Rc<{ 0H>svj0?&u$A2H[>]Ur}jІ6WöX2H;gZ`J.zceX`g426ܒ :*-yCEr~!TC#5QBM?w W/4QNDsſk. (‡/Ҷ4J(!Jڹ|QEGA΢CS?UwD=׃ZOtpؗrDdf|2?s9hҟ6JO@V4nl*Ռd,j8)54kդݨ9?bN>_eu-Yo/r(ʮ1nB5ŶFK}8]l ElTi, **FE~j3Ȫ֬/A  9?D?ID{Ұ"`ђTR|dVnU8$^pJ#=ǵNv>GNqOsju>c=x"=>hCxY:Qgu<μw.E^U=SPJǡC0UeՙO57`gշҘ3q?٧Jn;:*Fq[Ȓm( 頌C *@Eu:N.Y44^cuJ*.<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. 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 Steelers Iron Curtain. In sixteen games played during the season the Rockets had nine shutouts and only gave up 77 total points! After one loss and some trials to overcome, the Rockets stepped up the tempo in the playoffs. Their defense was ranked #1 in the state for the second straight year. Probably their most spectacular game of the season was against the forth-ranked team in the country, Richmond County. The Rockets traveled to Richmond s turf and shined like the champions they were. They made their mark when they beat Richmond County 13 - 10, ending their 44 game winning streak. From there they advanced to play for the 4-A state championship. The Rockets defense gave up just 17 points in a 5-game playoff run!<br>Coach Poss went down in the history books for producing A.C. Reynold s 1st state title in football and was the first man in the history of the state to win state titles at three different schools. Coach Poss was named,  1999 Coach of the Year by the Asheville Citizen-Times. Reflecting back on the four state championship teams, Coach Poss remarked,  They re like having four children, they are all different. You love all four of them. <br>The Rockets celebrated their season s success in style. Each player came to the Renaissance Hotel decked ot in txedos for a high-class dinner/awards ceremony. The city Mayor and other community leaders attended to honor the state champions. Money was donated that bought each player a championship ring. All-State defensive lineman Jon Haney, who led the defense with a 127 tackles, 25 for losses, was named the team s most valuable player.  Jon participated in every practice and every drill as if he were playing in a championship game. He s a dedicated player who worked hard during the off-season and showed up in the weight room every day, even during vacations, sated Coach P