Posted 1:49 am Friday, September 10, 2010
Trio Of Seniors Lead Lady Lions Into District
By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer
For John Tyler's volleyball team to be going the direction head coach Stephanie March-Smith prefers, the Lady Lions needs three particular wheels constantly in motion.
Staff Writer
For John Tyler's volleyball team to be going the direction head coach Stephanie March-Smith prefers, the Lady Lions needs three particular wheels constantly in motion.
The Lady Lions, led by the senior trio of Chelsea Black, Shakendra Mumphrey and GabriElla Wilson, open District 14-4A play at home today against Jacksonville.
The Lady Lions (14-12) opened the year with four newcomers and four returnees, placing the onus on the 12th-graders.
"I'm expecting them to be leaders and run the court," March-Smith said near the beginning of practice on Thursday. "They're the driving force, but we need to have the whole engine going."
Coming from the 5A ranks, where they won 22 matches and advanced to the playoffs a year ago, raised the expectations for the Lady Lions.
"We were used to playing more sound volleyball teams in 5A, so we should be better in this district," said Black, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter, who was a first-team all-district performer last year. "We should still perform as if we were in our 5A district."
The season started rocky before the Lady Lions smoothed things out the past two weeks. JT ended non-district winning seven of nine matches, and its last four.
Once the communication picked up, the wins followed suit.
"We're talking more and we're playing (more with) one heartbeat," said Mumphrey, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter, who was a first-team All-East Texas selection last year. "I just hope we can step up at the same time and everyone becomes a leader on the court."
Black, Mumphrey and Wilson all played on the varsity as sophomores, a transition year with March-Smith returning to the school after relocating to central Texas for two years. JT improved six wins its first year up, and six the next, a growth process the seniors hope continues, even when they leave.
"Being on varsity three years -- it helps," said Wilson, the team's middle blocker, and tallest player at 5-foot-10.
"We see how it felt when we were freshmen (and sophomores) and we have to help these girls grow."
Mumphrey tops the team in kills per game (3.5) and ranks second in digs. Black leads the team in serves and digs per match, with Wilson third in kills (1.8) and digs per match.
The three seniors stepped up big in JT's three-game sweep over Lindale Tuesday in its final non-district tune-up. Mumphrey totaled 13 kills, 21 digs and three blocks. Black backed her with five kills, 17 digs and two blocks, plus served for 17 points. Wilson contributed six kills, seven blocks and 11 serves to the victory.
With the end in sight, the upperclassmen want to make the next two months meaningful.
"It's shocking to be a senior," said Mumphrey, who likes to eat sushi food. "Now we realize we're about to graduate."
After reaching the playoffs last year, and leaving quickly, the Lady Lions want to extend the season further.
"We want more," said Black, who is running for student council president, and also is ranked No. 6 in the senior class and carries a 3.93 grade-point average. "We want to make it past the first round; go further than we did last year."
JT figures to compete with Hallsville, Pine Tree and Whitehouse for playoff berths, making each of the 14 district matches important.
"We have to make it count," said Wilson, who has been encouraged to try modeling by teammates. "We have to go out with a bang."
LIONS' TALES:
The JT-Jacksonville volleyball match is set to start at 4:30 p.m. at the Lions Den. The match follows the JT pep rally, scheduled to last from 3:15-4 p.m. The John Tyler-Robert E. Lee football game will be the Fox Sports Southwest "DQ Big Game of the Week." The pep rally will be filmed and segments of it shown later on Fox Sports Southwest near the end of the high school scoreboard show, which begins at midnight.
The JT-Jacksonville volleyball match is set to start at 4:30 p.m. at the Lions Den. The match follows the JT pep rally, scheduled to last from 3:15-4 p.m. The John Tyler-Robert E. Lee football game will be the Fox Sports Southwest "DQ Big Game of the Week." The pep rally will be filmed and segments of it shown later on Fox Sports Southwest near the end of the high school scoreboard show, which begins at midnight.
