Thursday, October 15, 2009
Raiders' Jessee paving her own way
Her big sister was a PH star, but Sarah Jessee is a key player for North Cross.
Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times
North Cross setter Sarah Jessee (22) and her teammates shake hands with Chatham Hall after a victory Wednesday.
Sarah Jessee had 18 assists and four aces in Wednesday's win.
A lot of people might think it's weird that Sarah and Laura Jessee haven't played on the same volleyball team since middle school.
They are just one year apart.
And yet that's how things unfolded.
Laura finished up her stellar career at Patrick Henry in the spring and moved on to Oberlin College, where she now plays as a freshman.
Sarah, a setter, is finishing up her career as a senior this year at North Cross.
So why not the same high school?
"My sister loved PH; it just worked better [for me] to play at North Cross," Sarah said. "It would ... be fun if we played together because I'd get to set her and we'd be like the sister team, but it just never worked out."
That's not to say they weren't ever on the same court.
North Cross and Patrick Henry did play against each other with the sisters on opposite sides in 2007.
"It was rough," Sarah said. "She spiked it on my face one time."
"That was unintentional," Laura said with a laugh in a phone interview.
It's always "really fun" to play against her sister, said Sarah.
"We always, like, high-five under the net," Sarah said.
Despite traveling different paths, things seem to have worked out well for both.
While Laura has moved on to the college level, Sarah is hoping to lead the Raiders to the VIS Division III state championship.
And this could be North Cross' year, as the Raiders defeated Chatham Hall 25-8, 25-12, 25-7 on Wednesday to move to 15-1 this season. In those 15 wins, North Cross has dropped only one game.
"This is my fifth year of varsity and definitely this year I feel like we have the best chance," Sarah said. "The majority of our players have played on a travel team and ... everyone is really talented."
Head coach Heather Donaho also feels that this could be her team's year, and having won a state title as a player at North Cross, she'd like her team to experience the same.
Last year the Raiders fell just short, losing in the championship match to Grace Christian. Donaho knows Jessee should be a key to the team taking that next step.
"Being a setter myself, I'm always in tune to how a setter thinks and what they're doing on the floor and Sarah amazes me every time she steps on the court," she said. "She has great court awareness. She's a leader both on and off the court.
"Her decision-making skills, I think, have really helped our team this year."
As for PH, it has already got another Jessee in the fold.
Tricia Jessee is getting playing time on the varsity as a freshman this year.
