DATE: Sunday, October 26, 1997              TAG: 9710240263

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 16   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   64 lines

PRESIDENTS EXPERIENCE SEASON OF FIRSTS

They may have failed to make the Eastern Region girls volleyball tournament, but one thing about the Woodrow Wilson Presidents is unimpeachable.

The team is the first in school history to post a winning record and has only to win its final game Monday with first-year team Norcom to finish 10-5.

``I knew they could do it. This is our year,'' said coach John Thomas, who has led girls volleyball teams at Wilson and Manor high schools for 10 years.

``The coach believed sometimes more than they did.''

It has indeed been a season of firsts for the Presidents. Among them:

Notching the first 15-0 game in Thomas' career in a match with Lake Taylor.

Winning a key match with Granby on the day class was dismissed because of a well-publicized brawl at the school.

Defeating volleyball power Maury for the first time.

The victory over Maury featured a memorable defensive display by sophomore Shelly Davis.

``She had the best block of the night,'' Thomas said. ``You could hear it across the gym - BA-BOOM!''

Davis said, ``My arms were still red two hours after the game.''

The Presidents' team approach has helped them win games. Senior front hitter DeDe Fox leads the team in service aces and her serves staked Wilson to a 13-0 lead against Maury before the Commodores even won a side-out.

Kristen Jernigan is the team's kills leader with 11 and ``super sub'' Jennifer Hogg provides back line help off the bench.

``We pull together when we have to,'' Davis said. ``If someone messed up, we'd tell them, `It's all right. We'll get them next time.' ''

Isabelle Turcotte, Kate Jacobsen and Lynsey Ellis are also the school's top three seniors in the classroom.

``All my friends were playing,'' said Turcotte, a first-year senior. ``They encouraged me this was going to be a good season. I thought we'd do very well.''

Wilson went into its match Wednesday with Eastern District-leading Churchland, but had its playoff hopes snuffed out when the Truckers posted a 15-10, 15-5 win.

Since the Eastern District has no post-season tournament, the teams with the top two regular-season records advance to the regionals. The combination of Norview's defeat of Maury Wednesday, 15-6, 15-6, and Wilson's loss was the Pilots' gain, earning them the second spot in the region tournament.

``Churchland started getting hot in the second game,'' Thomas said. ``They're a good team and they'll do well representing the Eastern District.''

District officials ruled out a tournament this year last fall's tournament took a financial beating when few fans attended.

Under last year's criteria, Wilson would have qualified for the district tournament, which admitted the top four teams.

But Thomas' distaste for this year's post-season setup has less to do with sour grapes than concern for his players.

``The kids deserve a tournament,'' Thomas said. ``The tournament is for the players, not the paying customers.

Tournament or not, this season has been memorable for Thomas.

``Winning's been a real joy,'' he said. ``It's been a pleasure to work with these girls. They're a good group.'' ILLUSTRATION: WILSON HIGH SCHOOL PHOTO

Nikki Goral (10), DeDe Fox (20), Kate Jacobsen (15) and others

consult with Wilson coach John Thomas.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu