Written by Jeff Gable, Rome News-Tribune Sports Writer, published 12/3/06
The Darlington volleyball program has been headed in the right direction for the past several years. During that same time, it's also been headed in the Wright direction.
Middle blocker Alicia Wright, one of the most decorated players in Darlington volleyball history, capped off an impressive senior season by leading the Lady Tigers to a 33-17 record and the Area 6-AA/A championship this fall, the team's third Area title in the last four years.
For her efforts this season, Wright is the Rome News-Tribune Player of the Year, heading up a talented roster of 12 athletes on the 2006 All-Area team.
Senior setter Michelle-Marie Picon is one of seven Lady Tigers on the All-Area squad, along with senior outside hitter Polly Roberts, senior middle blocker Elexene Mattingly, sophomore outside hitter Nora Cook, senior outside hitter Caitlin Davidson and senior opposite Robyn Brass.
Other members of this year's team include Rome senior middle hitter Meredith Smith, Rome junior outside hitter Brittney Fricks, Adairsville senior libero Alex Rickard, Rockmart senior setter Rachel Doyle and Sonoraville freshman outside hitter Gabby Romans.
But if you were to put this collection of players together as a team - one that would be very formidable to its opponents - then Wright would no doubt be the team's leader, captain and driving force.
"Alicia is really a leader by example," Darlington head coach Jim Linos said. "She didn't have to say too much for people to follow her. She understands the game better than some college players I know, and she knew exactly what we needed to do on the court every time. Her mature attitude and attention to detail led to our success."
Wright's list of accomplishments in high school is a lengthy and impressive one. She was the Rome-News-Tribune Player of the Year as a sophomore and she has been the Area Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
Wright helped the Lady Tigers capture Area titles in 2003, 2005 and 2006, and Darlington's record over the past two years is a solid 71-30.
This season, she led her team in kills (380) and kills per game (3.28), service aces (121) and aces per game (1.04), and she was second in digs (164) and blocks (36.5).
She is a three-time Lady Tiger team MVP, a three-time All-Area selection, a four-time state tournament participant and a three-time member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Achievement Award.
And that list doesn't even include her Darlington program records: most career matches played (143), most games played (330), most career kills (1,049) and most career blocks (125).
"She was an original member of the Middle School team here in 2001," Linos said. "She's been a real part of how this program has grown. She understands the detail of strategy and technique, and she is a very straightforward, diligent person.
"She's got a lot of all-around talent," he added. "She's our best passer, our most effective server and our best defensive player. She came to practice every day, ready to go, and she never really had an off day."
Linos said his whole senior class, including Wright, Picon, Roberts, Mattingly, Davidson and Brass had a lot to be proud of in their careers, including having to cope with the tragic loss of two teammates in a plane crash last December.
"It's been a long year, with a lot of ups and downs for this group," he said. "They were very proud to finish like they did, maintaining their high level of play. This is the most decorated senior class we've had as a whole."
And despite losing some talent to graduation, the Class of 2007 has indeed gotten things going in the Wright direction for the Lady Tigers.
