In celebration of Yelm’s 3A State Championship win earlier this month, Mayor Joe DePinto honored the football team with a mayoral proclamation at the Yelm City Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
The team filled the council chambers during the meeting.
“Let’s give them a round of applause,” DePinto said. “You made Yelm proud, you did a wonderful job, and we still have a lot of you for a few more years.”
DePinto then read the proclamation, which highlighted the team’s success along with some of the players who helped lead the way.
The proclamation in part states the “hard work, dedication, sportsmanship and talent” of the team helped secure the championship, which “brought honor to Yelm High School and the City of Yelm on the local, state and national level.”
The proclamation highlighted junior quarterback Damian Aalona, Brayden Platt, Kyler Ronquillo and Ray Wright.
It also acknowledged head coach Jason Ronquillo and the Tornados’ coaching staff, as well as the players’ parents and the faculty and student body at Yelm High School.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved, that I, Joe DePinto, Mayor of the City of Yelm, do hereby honor and recognize and honor the Yelm High School football team as the 2022 Washington State 3A Football Champions,” DePinto read.
After the mayoral proclamation, DePinto highlighted a key group of players on the team: the offensive line.
“I mentioned some of the key players for rushing, passing, and receiving, but obviously it’s much more than just those players,” DePinto said. “We had one heck of an offensive line, allowing just one sack throughout the entire season.”
DePinto concluded his message to the Yelm Tornado’s team by giving thanks to coach Ronquillo for his hard work over the years with the team.
“Thank you for what you did in elevating Yelm,” DePinto said. “We appreciate you coach and everything you’ve done for Yelm. You built this team and it’s been great watching you, and hopefully you bring another state championship home next year.”
The team members and coaches in attendance each received a copy of the proclamation as they exited the meeting.
